Two thirds of students interested in studying abroad, says Nuffic

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Of those, 49 percent would like to spend part of their studies abroad, while 30 percent would prefer to follow an entire programme in another country.

However, studying abroad remains just a dream for many, as only 25 percent of Dutch students actually do that. High costs, bureaucracy, and family obligations were among the obstacles mentioned in the survey.

The study also revealed that students who had already studied abroad in high school are more inclined to do it again when pursuing higher education. Among that group, the intention to follow an exchange programme abroad rises to around 75 percent.

But they don’t necessarily have to have left the Netherlands to be willing to study abroad. Other forms of exposure to different cultures can also trigger their interest, such as receiving bilingual secondary education or entering an international student competition. “Apparently this opens students’ eyes and they’re triggered to look abroad,” explained Nuffic researcher Astrid Elfferich as quoted in the report (link in Dutch).

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