MBA in the Netherlands is a 1-2 year program consisting of coursework like Finance, Economics, Marketing, Accountancy, and Management. B-schools in the Netherlands also offer a variety of specializations to pursue while enrolling in the MBA program. The rising popularity of the program in the Netherlands is attributed to the availability of courses available without GMAT scores and work experience. However, depending on the choice of university, students may be required to submit their scores or have prior experience. 

Pursuing MBA in the Netherlands costs 7 lakhs to 44 lakhs INR annually. The colleges and universities, however, offer a pool of scholarship choices to international students offering up to 50% of tuition waivers. One of the perks of enrolling in MBA programs is approximately 49% of students pursuing an MBA from this country are able to secure campus placements. Among the rest, 25% are recruited after completion of the coursework. Together these factors contribute to MBA from standing among the top 10 MBA destinations in the world. It is reported that over 80% of the international student population in the Netherlands is currently pursuing MBA courses. In the current market, you can earn as much as 60 lakhs INR per annum with your MBA degree from the Netherlands.  

MBA in Netherlands at Top Universities

Approximately 10 universities in the Netherlands offer a full-time MBA program. Out of this, Rotterdam School of Management (RSM) and TIAS School for Business and Society were ranked at 21 and 90 respectively by QS Global MBA Ranking 2022. Financial Times ranking of top universities offering MBA across the world positioned Rotterdam School of Management at 66th position. 

Following are the list of some of the top MBA colleges in the Netherlands, according to Times Higher Rankings for Business and Management 2021:

S.No. University Program Duration Total Fees (in INR)
1 Tilburg University- TIAS School for Business and Society 1 year 32,35,705
2 Erasmus University- Rotterdam School of Management 1 year 45,61,248
3 Maastricht University- Maastricht School of Management 1 year 26,00,712
4 University of Amsterdam- Amsterdam Business School 1 year 36,00,985
5 University of Groningen 1 year 12,96,434
6 University of Twente 1 year 10,20,279
7 Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam 1 year 28,00,766
8 Saxion University of Applied Sciences- Saxion International 1 year 10,28,281
9 Hanze University of Applied Sciences- Hanze International Business School 1.5 years 16,41,780
10 Nyenrode Business University 1 year 31,20,854
11 International Business School, The Hague (IBSH) 2 years 13,60,372
12 Webster University 1 year 18,48,506
13 Hague University of Applied Sciences 1 year 15,99,637

Why Study MBA from Netherlands?

The first and foremost reason for studying for an MBA is to get a good prospect for a career path. The administrative coursework leads to building leadership characteristics, and hence, the probability of becoming a manager is increased. 

However, the cost structure of the program is very high. Hence, before investing such a lump sum amount, students need to identify the reasons for studying this program from Netherlands universities once they complete their bachelors. 

  • Quality of Standard in MBA: The MBA in the Netherlands is accredited by the National Accreditation Body (NAVO) and also by the global accreditation institutions like EQUIS and AMBA. The institutes and the universities of the Netherlands target to strengthen three root concepts of MBA study as stewardship, entrepreneurship, and leadership.
  • Availability of jobs in the Netherlands: There is no shortage of management jobs in the Netherlands (small to medium and large-sized jobs are numerous across the country). Therefore, the eligible students are able to flourish themselves in the industry. After completion of MBA coursework, the students are successfully recruited by renowned employers in the Netherlands like Philips, ABN AMRO, FrieslandCampina, Canon, Google, Kraft Heinz, TomTom, etc.
  • Stable Economy of the Netherlands: The Dutch economy is highly stable and the standard of living of the country is at the highest position among the European Union. The employment rate of the Netherlands has increased from 78.10% in the third quarter to 78.40% in the fourth quarter of 2019. Hence, it is reflected in the employment rate of the Dutch public sector. 
  • Favorable Immigration Laws: The Dutch immigration laws are highly attractive to global students, especially those who are looking for studying in Europe. International students can live one year even after completing their MBA coursework to search for jobs under a student visa. 

Within this deadline, if the students crack a job, then the employers of the companies file a residential permit for them, which is referred to as ‘Knowledge migrant’ or Kennismigrant.

MBA Courses in Netherlands

This section further discusses the details of MBA programs available in some of the top universities of the Netherlands

  • Rotterdam School of Management: RSM specializes in catering to multiple management courses. These are International MBA, Executive MBA, Global Executive OneMBA, Cologne Rotterdam Executive MBA. The average tenure of these course works is 12 months to 24 months. Apart from this, the students have the flexibility to choose both the part-time and full-time MBA courses at their convenience. 
  • University of Amsterdam: The students of this university get the opportunity to attend one-on-one career guidance. The University of Amsterdam has a specialization in providing Advanced Big Data and business analytics coursework. In addition, the students can enroll their names for MBA in Health Care Management. 
  • Maastricht School of Management (Maastricht University): This management school is specialized to teach subjects like supply chain management, digital economy, sustainable development, international business and entrepreneurship, and public sector management. The students can apply to either full-time or executive or online MBA coursework. 
  • Nyenrode Business University: Nyenrode offers its students to boost up in personal leadership as well as in European Business. The students can attend international seminars, which are organized by the university authority to the countries like Zurich, London, Brussels, Valencia, Copenhagen, and Frankfurt. Consequently, the students can make a good and strong connection with the European Businesses. 
  • TIAS School for Business and Society (Tilburg University): The cost structure of this college is relatively cheaper. The students can boost up themselves in social ramifications. Programs offered include Executive MBA, Executive MBA in Food and Business, full-time MBA, and Global Executive MBA. 

Admission Process for MBA in Netherlands

A bachelor's degree and a satisfactory GRE/GMAT score are required to apply for an MBA in the Netherlands. Students can apply directly through the university’s application portal. The basic admission requirements for MBA in the Netherlands that students must fulfill are:

  • Have a bachelor's degree or equivalent. 
  • Have a GMAT or GRE or equivalent entrance exam test score (recommended, not necessary for all universities)
  • Have work Experience (Not Mandatory, varies with the university).
  • International students are required to submit IELTS or TOEFL test scores to demonstrate proficiency in the English language. The minimum test score requirement for studying in the Netherlands is provided below: 
    • IELTS: 6.0
    • TOEFL (iBT): 80 (approx)

MBA in Netherlands Admission Deadlines

The applications to MBA courses in Netherlands vary from university to university, the deadlines to get into some of the top universities are:

University Deadline
Tilburg University Applications are Open till June 2023
Erasmus University Round 1: 9 February
Round 2: 6 April
Round 3: 8 June
Round 4: 3 August
Maastricht University 15 July
University of Groningen Oct 15
May 1
University of Twente January 1
University of Amsterdam June 1

MBA in Netherlands Requirements for Top B-Schools

Though the basic admission criteria for getting admission to Netherland universities is similar, some universities may have specific requirements to be fulfilled by international applicants. These are discussed below:

Tilburg University MBA Requirements

  • Bachelors degree in any field
  • GMAT score (previous entering class average was 620)
  • 3 years of relevant work experience (entering class average was 7 years)
  • Interview; skype or telephonic interview option is available for international students

Rotterdam School of Management MBA Requirements

  • Bachelors degree in any field
  • GMAT/GRE score
  • 3 years of professional experience
  • Two letters of recommendation
  • One essay
  • Video Response via Kira Talent

Maastricht School of Management MBA Requirements

  • Bachelors degree in any field
  • 3 years of relevant work experience
  • Resume
  • 2 letters of recommendation
  • A letter of motivation
  • Copy of passport

Amsterdam Business School MBA Requirements

  • Bachelors degree in the related field
  • 1 page CV
  • 3 essay’s of 250 words based on prompts given by a university (3rd is optional)
  • GRE/GMAT test scores (recommended)
  • Contact information of 2 references
  • Passport
  • Interview conducted on-campus or via skype

Admission requirements for the rest of the universities offering MBA in the Netherlands are:

University Requirements
Saxion University of Applied Sciences 2 years of work experience, interview
Hanze University of Applied Sciences 3 years of work experience, 2 reference letters, letter of motivation, CV, interview
Nyenrode Business University 3 years of work experience, GMAT/GRE scores, interview
International Business School, The Hague (IBSH) 400 – 500 words letter of motivation, 2 letters of references, CV
Webster University CV, letter of motivation, 2 letters of recommendation
Hague University of Applied Sciences 2-3 years of work experience

Wondering how to approach your SOP? Find out how to ace your SOP for MBA in Netherlands

Netherlands Student Visa

International students need to follow the below-given steps to apply for a provisional residence permit in the Netherlands. However, they get the edge to extend their visa expiry date by renewing the permit. 

  • Apply for a visa through Studielink. 
  • Submit all the required documents and visa fees through the link. 
  • The aspirants have the option to apply for another university if they get a rejection from one university within the projected tenure. 
  • The universities submit the MVV and VVR requests for the aspirants to the Immigration and Naturalization Service (IND) office of the Netherlands. 
  • The visa confirmation will be received from the respective universities to the Studielink profile. 
  • One needs to wait for 90 days to sanction their Visa application. 

In order to apply for a student visa in the Netherlands, the students need to pay 18,830 INR and they need to show 74,200 INR in their financial funds per month. The visa acceptance rate is more than 90%. 

Cost of Studying MBA in Netherlands

International students are required to pay three types of expenses, namely Pre-arrival Cost, Tuition Fee, and Cost of Living. 

Pre-arrival Expenses

This includes the expenses incurred while applying for a university. A brief summary is tabulated below:

Type of Expense Cost (in INR)
Student Visa Fee 18,830
IELTS Fee 13,250
TOEFL Fee 13,521
GRE Fee 13,330
GMAT Fee 17,700

MBA in Netherlands Fees

International School of Business and Saxion University of Applied Sciences offer the cheapest MBA in the Netherlands with annual tuition fees of 7 lakhs INR per annum and 10 lakhs INR per annum respectively. 

University Tuition Fees (INR LPA)
Rotterdam School of Management 43
University of Amsterdam 32
Hanze University of Applied Science 16
Saxion University of Applied Science 10
Maastricht School of Management 26
Nyenrode Business University 34
TIAS School for Business and Society 30
International Business School, IBSH 7
Webster University Leiden 23
Hague University of Applied Science 16

Cost of Living in the Netherlands

The estimated cost of living for a student in the Netherlands is approximately 10 lakhs INR per annum. The table below provides an estimate of such expenses: 

Types of expenditures Cost in INR (Annually)
Hostels or room rent 3.58 Lakhs
Cost of food 51,000 
Public transport 3 Lakhs (Public transport in the Netherlands is costlier compared to the rest of the countries of Europe)
Entertainment cost 11,220

MBA in the Netherlands Scholarships

Finances of students pursuing an MBA from the Netherlands are sometimes sponsored by the government. This is dependent upon the level of merit of the aspirants. 

Some of the scholarships available for international students in the Netherlands are: 

Scholarship Awarding Institute Amount
TIAS Scholarship for Future Leaders Tilburg University Varies
TIAS Scholarship for Women in Business Tilburg University Varies
TIAS MBA Merit Scholarship Tilburg University Varies
RSM MBA Scholarship Rotterdam School of Management 50% of tuition fees
Alumni Lifelong Learning Scholarship Rotterdam School of Management 10% of tuition fees
Academic Excellence Scholarship Maastricht School of Management 50% of tuition fees
Entrepreneurship/Family Business Scholarship Maastricht School of Management 25% of tuition fees
GMAT Scholarship Amsterdam Business School 82 lakhs INR

For more scholarships in the Netherlands, click here

Jobs after MBA in the Netherlands

The demand for MBA students in the Netherlands has been growing at a rapid pace. Once students get into the job market, they can experience sharp growth in their careers. 

  • Chief Technology Officer can expect a salary growth of 15% within the year 2024 in the Netherlands. 
  • The financial manager of the country can enjoy a 7% growth rate in their pay scale by the year 2024. 
  • The payscale of the investment banker will be increased by 10% within the next 5 years. 

The highest scoring and talented MBA students of the Netherlands are usually recruited by companies like Kraft Heinz Company, PayPal, Janssen Vaccines & Prevention B.V, Phillips, Boston Consulting Group, etc. 

The highest-paid Dutch MBA alumni usually receive approximately 88,29,800 INR annually. The lowest-paid employees are mostly the graduates, who are engaged with the tourism and hospitality industry and doing their internship. These internships are good for career prospects since it helps to increase their experience level of working in the technical field.

Job Roles Average Annual Payscale (In INR)
Executive management 1.01 Crore
Financial services 96 Lakhs
Finance control and strategy 68 Lakhs
Legal and paralegal employees 65 Lakhs
Energy, environment, and chemical department 61 Lakhs

It can be inferred that the standard of business education in the Netherlands is very high. The students have the opportunity to go to other countries and explore their career paths at their convenience since the Dutch MBA coursework is accredited by international governing bodies such as NAVO, EQUIS, and AMBA. 

On the other hand, the fellows will have good career prospects in the Netherlands since there is a prediction of increasing the employment rate of the economy. Consequently, MBA graduates can shine in their own domain.

FAQs

Ques. Name some of the top MBA colleges in the Netherlands.

Ans. Tilburg University, Rotterdam School of Management, Maastricht School of Management, and Amsterdam Business School are some of the top-ranking colleges offering MBA in the Netherlands.

Ques. Can I apply for MBA in the Netherlands without GMAT score?

Ans. Although submission of GMAT score is highly recommended for admission in top ranking colleges, Maastricht School of Management, Saxion University of Applied Sciences, Hanze University of Applied Sciences, and Webster University do not have it as a compulsory requirement. Some universities also accept GRE as a substitute for GMAT scores.

Ques. What is the cost of pursuing an MBA in the Netherlands?

Ans. The total program fees of universities offering MBA in the Netherlands is between 9 lakhs INR to 44 lakhs INR. The cost of living in the Netherlands for an international student is approximately 10 lakhs INR per annum. 

Ques. Can I pursue an MBA in the Netherlands without work experience?

Ans. Among all the top universities offering MBA in the Netherlands, Amsterdam Business School and Webster University accept students even without work experience. For admission to the rest of the universities, you are required to have at least 2 to 3 years of relevant work experience. 

Ques. What type of jobs are available in the Netherlands after MBA?

Ans. After completion of the program, you are offered jobs mainly in managerial roles. The highest paying salary for a graduate with MBA in Netherlands earns approximately 88 lakhs INR per annum.