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Erasmus University Rotterdam

Netherlands Netherlands

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THE World Ranking: 99

Overview

Overview

Based in a busy Netherlands port city, Erasmus University Rotterdam offers practical, modern courses and high teaching standards in an exciting European location. Lots of important organisations describe Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) as one of the 100 best universities in the world.

 

For students studying business and economics programmes in particular, outcomes are amazing. Times Higher Education ranks this department 17th in the world, and 94 per cent of former EUR students are employed within six months of graduating.

 

EUR is also very welcoming to international students. Most courses at EUR are delivered in English, and of the 36,907 students enrolled in 2022, 24.5 per cent were international. If students choose to study in an international BA programme, they can expect their class to include roughly 50 per cent international students. Support for these students (and domestic students) is always available, and every student at EUR is made to feel at home in no time.

 

Most students will find themselves learning at Woudestein Campus when they start their journey at EUR. Woudestein is a site full of modern facilities only minutes away from the city centre. With good links by bike and public transport, learners can easily access its study spaces, sports facilities and huge library from wherever they live in the city.

 

The city of Rotterdam itself offers students a lot. It’s modern, full of hard workers, and the base for lots of multinational companies. This means students will have chances to network, apply for internships and start careers in a variety of industries before graduation has even arrived. Rotterdam also has plenty to see, from architecture to green spaces. Students from overseas won’t struggle to get home when the holidays arrive, since there are easy connections out of Rotterdam by rail, ferry and air.

 

EUR is a respected institution that’s committed to values like international connection and social justice. With expert tuition and great outcomes, it’s no wonder admissions for this university are so competitive. Ambitious students are sure to find their place at EUR.

 

Teaching Quality

 

Students lucky enough to study at EUR can expect incredible teaching quality from lecturers and tutors. EUR is regularly ranked as one of the top 100 universities in the world, with individual departments ranked even higher.

 

In 2017, Times Higher Education ranked its business and economics department number 17 in the world and its clinical health department 42nd. The Leiden Ranking for the university’s research efforts places them at number four in the Netherlands and number 76 worldwide.

 

EUR employs lots of faculty members with talent, experience and focus. Notable names include Jan Pieter Balkenende, former Prime Minister of the Netherlands, and Ab Osterhaus, a key scientist in the discovery and treatment of SARS.

 

Current and former staff have also won internationally renowned awards, such as the Nobel Prize for Economics and the Spinoza Prize. With so many true experts on staff, learners are right to expect high quality teaching, and they get what they expect.

 

EUR guides its quality teaching through its Erasmian Values. Students are encouraged to be open-minded and entrepreneurial, connecting with local issues and the wider world. Every course is small-scale and expert-led, so learners always get the guidance they need to reach their goals. Students can expect high standards and challenging work, but they can also expect to graduate with lots of useful skills and a degree from a university well-known for its academic excellence.

 

Entry Requirements

 

EUR offers high-quality education across several fields. To make sure that students can reach the right standards and achieve their university qualifications at the end of their studies, each course has its own entry requirements. Potential students should make time to look at the web page for their desired course and check its specific university requirements to ensure that their application is likely to be successful.

 

For EUR’s international undergraduate programmes, students are expected to have a diploma considered equal to the Dutch VWO diploma. The university provides a list of common qualifications that are accepted on its website, with this list including diplomas like the International and European Baccalaureates.

 

For postgraduate courses, EUR applicants need certain previous university qualifications. At a minimum, this means an undergraduate degree like a BA. Each postgraduate programme will, again, have its own university entry requirements, and applicants should check the web page to make sure they meet them.

 

Applicants for EUR are considered individually. The university does not recommend tariffs for students. When deciding whether to admit students, EUR will use things like school grades, CVs and personal statements to come to a decision (specifics depending on the course). Many programmes at EUR only allow a certain number of students in and can be fiercely competitive, so a strong, well-written application is the best chance of getting in.

 

English Score Required

 

Erasmus University Rotterdam delivers courses in Dutch and English. Potential applicants should check to make sure that the course they are applying for is in a language they understand. For programmes targeted at international students, EUR delivers teaching in English. To ensure students on these courses (as well as any other English-delivered course) can fully participate in learning, the university asks for proof of English proficiency.

 

For some students, this may be possible to prove with pre-existing qualifications, like an International Baccalaureate with an English component. If students can’t provide evidence/don’t meet any exemptions, they will have to take an English test and get a certain English score to be considered for admission.

 

EUR accepts the IELTS, the TOEFL, the ITP-TOEFL and Cambridge certifications. The university recommends that applicants choose to take the IELTS or the TOEFL. To take the IELTS as an example, undergraduates will usually need an overall IELTS band score of at least 6.5, with no individual band score below 6. Postgraduates will need an overall IELTS band score of at least 7, with no individual band score below 6.5.

 

Applicants should note that certain courses have higher English score requirements, especially courses in the arts and humanities departments, and they should do their own research to confirm the exact score they need.

 

If an applicant wants to study at EUR in Dutch, they will need to pass the NT2-II-exam or the Dutch entrance exam of the Colloquium Doctum (unless they can prove their language ability otherwise, as with English).

 

Admission

 

Once applicants have chosen the course that they want to study at EUR and made sure they meet all the entrance requirements, the admission process can begin. Applications begin in Studielink, the national student admission system for the Netherlands. From here, applicants will head to the EUR admissions portal.

 

Documents needed from students with their applications will be different depending on the exact programme of study. As an example, an undergraduate student from a non-Dutch background would have to provide a secondary school diploma, a transcript, a personal motivation letter, evidence of English understanding and a copy of their passport, all to be uploaded online.

 

Meanwhile, a potential postgraduate student from a non-Dutch background would have to submit a copy of their degree, a personal motivation letter, a narrative CV, evidence of English understanding and a copy of their passport. People applying for graduate schemes may also have to attend a meet and greet with course staff as part of the university admission process.

 

Once everything has been submitted and the admission is completed, the university will carefully consider each admission/applicant. Potential students can expect to hear whether they have been successful within a few weeks.

 

If the student’s admission is successful and they have submitted all the right documents, they will be allowed to register at EUR. International students will then be contacted by EUR’s immigration officers to arrange necessary documents. After uploading a passport-style photo and paying fees in Studielink, they will be registered and ready to start studying in September.

 

Scholarships & Funding

 

EUR offers lots of university scholarships and grants to international students. The scholarships available depend on the student’s country of origin and the faculty their course is in. EUR has a full database of grants and scholarships on its website, so students can select their nationality and see what funding assistance may be available.

 

Many students coming from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) will be eligible to apply for the Erasmus University Holland Scholarship before beginning their studies. This is a merit-based scholarship for undergraduates and postgraduates, granting them a payment of EUR 5,000, EUR 10,000, or EUR 15,000 for their first year.

 

Further awards exist for non-EEA students applying for or studying at the MC Graduate School and the International Institute of Social Studies. Winners may receive a payment, or a discount on tuition for the year.

 

Erasmus also offers grants to certain students in difficult circumstances to help with fees. To reach out about possible funding support during hard times, a student should get in touch with a student counsellor. If granted the money, it will come in monthly instalments for a certain length of time (decided before payments start).

 

US and EEA/Swiss students can apply for a loan to support themselves during their studies, but most loans must be repaid back with interest, so students should consider the option carefully before making a final decision.

 

University Structure

 

Erasmus University Rotterdam is split into seven faculties across four campuses. Three of the four campuses are in and around the centre of Rotterdam. The first and main campus, where the highest number of enrolled students learn each year, is Woudestein.

 

The second is the Erasmus University Medical Centre, an academic hospital in the middle of Rotterdam. The third is Erasmus University College, a focused liberal arts school with small class sizes that encourages collaborative learning in a trusted group. The fourth campus is the International Institute of Social Studies, not in Rotterdam but in The Hague.

 

There’s also the Rotterdam School of Management and the ErasmusCentre for Entrepreneurship. The School of Management, along with Erasmus University College (mentioned above), is run separately from EUR. The seven faculties teaching across the sites mentioned are:

 

  • The Erasmus School of Economics
  • The Erasmus School of Law
  • The Erasmus School of Social and Behavioural Sciences
  • The Erasmus School of History, Culture, and Communication
  • The Erasmus School of Philosophy
  • The Erasmus School of Health Policy
  • The Erasmus University Medical Centre (also its own campus)

 

There are a total of 3,885 staff members across the university, including 452 professors. Students can draw from a wide variety of experts during their studies. EUR delivers 25 different BA programmes, 15 of which are in English. There are also 110 MA courses on offer, as well as a variety of other professional courses.

 

Facilities

 

EUR operates across three campuses in Rotterdam and one in The Hague. The university’s main site is Woudestein Campus, a centre for student life and a home for lots of the university’s best facilities.

 

Buildings at EUR are modern and well-equipped. Lecture theatres are available across the different campuses, as well as classrooms for small group learning sessions. Study areas are available across the university’s sites, especially on Woudestein Campus, and the WiFi is free for students.

 

The EUR library is modern and large, with a huge collection of books and resources. A student activity centre perfect for studying alone or in a group. The Erasmus University Medical Centre, where students enrolled on courses connected to healthcare will study, is perfect for teaching hands-on, practical skills, not just textbook learning.

 

When class is over and students have done enough studying for the day, there are also lots of great extracurricular university facilities available. The Erasmus Sports Centre offers over 50 sports options across a variety of levels, and there are lots of competitions and events happening for students who want to get involved. There’s also a gym in this large student recreation centre that runs regular exercise and fitness classes.

 

For food and drink, there are lots of good options on Woudestein Campus. In fact, there’s even a hairdresser. Everything a student could need is nearby, even the centre of Rotterdam, which is only a quick bike ride or tram trip away.

 

Accommodation

 

EUR has about 1,200 rooms of accommodation on site for international students. Students can rent these rooms if they are 30 years old or younger and in their first year of study. Still, spaces are limited, so international students planning to come to EUR should be prepared to find their own accommodation if they need to.

 

The university gives suggestions on its website for people seeking student accommodation. One popular option is Stadswonen Rotterdam, an agency that lets over 6,000 affordable rooms, flats and houses to students. These options aren’t official university accommodation, but they’re all centrally located with easy transport links to EUR campuses. Students who’d like to rent through Stadswonen Rotterdam should apply as soon as possible, as first applicants get first priority.

 

Many students have to find their accommodation at EUR on the private rental market. There are a variety of Facebook groups and housing agencies that learners can use to find the right student house, with suggestions about where to start available on the EUR website.

 

Private rental companies will often be Dutch and employ Dutch speakers only, so learning some key phrases and finding a good translator app would benefit international students who don’t speak the language.

 

Student Support

 

EUR provides a wide variety of student support services. Student support can cover many issues commonly encountered by students, from mental health problems and physical health problems to academic struggles and financial issues.

 

There’s a full student support programme in place at EUR and multiple student services staff employed to help everyone have the best possible time at university. Plus, each student has access to a faculty study advisor, a kind of student guide who can offer advice relating to their course.

 

For non-academic help, students can turn to counsellors, psychologists, career advisors, and more. EUR offers some suggestions about how students can use their support services on its website. Whether it’s going to some extra study habits classes to improve academically, or signing up for a counselling session to talk through some anxieties and worries, EUR students have the support available to help.

 

International students can access all the same support as domestic students, as well as extra help with moving through the application and admission process, travelling from one country to another, settling in and making friends.

 

Graduate Outcomes

 

Job prospects for students at EUR are great. With a good reputation and strong networks with big businesses, jobseekers who are lucky enough to hold a degree from EUR should have no problem finding work.

 

In April 2022, 94 per cent of students at the Rotterdam School of Management found themselves in employment within six months of graduating. 54 per cent of the class found themselves in jobs before even finishing their studies. Many graduates also report earning above the industry average for their work.

 

The 2022 QS Graduate Employability Rankings place Erasmus University Rotterdam in the top 160 overall. EUR also ranked highly in the employer reputation and alumni outcomes categories. Students graduating from the university can be sure that their degree will open doors and career options for them, with graduates from recent years already working in some of the most important companies and institutions in the world.

 

To guide students and prepare them for their future careers, EUR offers comprehensive career services. Advisors can help students in groups, running events such as CV check-ups and employment workshops. There’s also one-on-one support and communication with a career guide available in many areas, like:

 

  • Starting a business
  • Selecting a postgraduate programme of study
  • Identifying skills and matching students with suitable industries
  • Finding part-time work during studies

 

Students can access career support throughout the length of their studies until up to a year after graduating, and they’ll have lots of chances to network from day one. For international students searching for strong qualifications and a great university experience that fully prepares them for professional life, EUR is a very good option.

Subjects you can study at Erasmus University Rotterdam

  • Applied and Pure Sciences Applied and Pure Sciences
  • Architecture and Construction Architecture and Construction
  • Business and Management Business and Management
  • Computer Science and IT Computer Science and IT
  • Creative Arts and Design Creative Arts and Design
  • Education and Training Education and Training
  • Engineering Engineering
  • Health and Medicine Health and Medicine
  • Humanities Humanities
  • Law Law
  • MBA MBA
  • Social Studies and Media Social Studies and Media
  • Travel and Hospitality Travel and Hospitality
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Key facts and figures at Erasmus University Rotterdam

Rankings

Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024
Source: THE

99

OVERALL SCORE

66.7%

TEACHING

38.5%

INTERNATIONAL OUTLOOK

90.6%

INDUSTRY INCOME

94.7%

RESEARCH

54.1%

CITATIONS

96.9%
QS World University Rankings 2024
Source: QS

176

Academic Ranking of World Universities 2023
Source: ARWU

88

Student life in numbers

COSTS PER YEAR
LIVING COSTS

€5,640

AVERAGE PRIVATE RENT

€4,125

AVERAGE TUITION FEE PER YEAR

UNDERGRADUATE

€8,270

POSTGRADUATE

€15,270

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