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Radboud University

Netherlands Netherlands

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THE World Ranking: 140

Overview

Overview

Radboud University, south of the centre in Nijmegen, the Netherlands’ oldest city, is one of the best traditional general universities in the country. It’s a private research institution with a beautiful green campus and strong values of collaboration, community and progress.  

 

Students who dream of studying abroad should look no further than Radboud, where history and modern facilities combine to create an inspiring and effective learning environment. And the city of Nijmegen offers lots of fun cultural opportunities, and is uniquely connected to nature, from forests to beaches.

 

This institution has been around since 1923. Until 2004, it was known by the name ‘Catholic University Nijmegen’. Radboud has been through a lot of changes, challenges and developments in the last 100 years, and it encourages students to be as open to transformation as the university itself has been. The atmosphere at Radboud is friendly and inclusive. It’s the perfect home for driven, hard-working students from all backgrounds.

 

In fact, over 100 countries are represented in the student community at Radboud. There are 24,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students currently enrolled, and over 10 per cent of this figure is made up of international students.

 

Radboud University has character, from the wide range of courses and programmes open to students to the talented group of lecturers and tutors who teach these students. Any international or domestic student can get a great education at this institution, studying on a beautiful green campus supported by great facilities, a talented staff and a welcoming community of peers.

 

Teaching Quality

 

Ranked at 132 by Times Higher Education in 2021 and 107 in Best Global Universities by US News, this institution has a good position in university rankings across the board. For the last 10 years, Radboud has been considered one of the best general traditional universities in the Netherlands by the Dutch University Guide. An exciting eight programmes of study are even thought to be the best in their field of expertise.

 

This is no small achievement, and it clearly shows how dedicated the teaching staff at Radboud University is to quality teaching, pushing learning to the next level and creating a new generation of talented professionals. In fact, the excellent teaching quality offered to students each semester secured Radboud a four-and-a-half out of five rating in the 2021 National Student Survey.

 

At this university, students are treated to a standard of high-quality teaching that’s hard to find anywhere else. The lecturers at Radboud have been recognised as some of the most helpful and supportive university staff members anybody could hope to be taught by. This university succeeds (and is recognised nationally and internationally) on all academic levels.

 

Two professors connected to Radboud were even awarded the Nobel Prize in 2010 for the discovery of graphene, the thinnest material in the world. At Radboud University, every student is given the attention, care and quality of education that they need to succeed.

 

Entry Requirements

 

Radboud is a competitive university. Of all the people who apply to study at this institution, just over half are accepted: 53 per cent. Each programme has its own set of university entry requirements needed for enrolment. These entry requirements consist of the high school (or equivalent) grades needed for acceptance into a certain undergraduate degree programme, or relevant university qualifications for postgraduate degree programmes.

 

To find out what the university requirements are for any particular programme of study, students can view all programmes on the Radboud website, find their desired programme, and find out what the minimum requirements are for that specific degree option.

 

Each programme will typically require a high school diploma or its equivalent and will specify the grades expected/the subjects needed/the grades needed in any specific or relevant subjects. As well as this, a certain level of English understanding may need to be proven in order for an international student to enrol in certain courses.

 

English Score Required

 

For all English-taught courses at Radboud, a certain level of proficiency in the English language is required. This can either be proven through certain diplomas/certain educational backgrounds or by passing an accepted language test. A few examples of accepted diplomas/educational backgrounds include:

 

  • GCEs (or A Levels)
  • An International Baccalaureate Programme
  • A European Baccalaureate Diploma, which includes English Language level one or two

 

Other accepted diplomas from a range of different countries can be found on the university’s website. Students who don’t have these diplomas (usually international students who don’t speak English as a first language) will be required to pass the test mentioned above. Several test types are accepted at Radboud University, including:

 

  • The IELTS (International English Language Testing System)
  • The TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language)
  • Cambridge English Qualifications

 

The required minimum score for each of these certificates is specific to the degree level and the applicant’s programme of choice. Students must find the score that relates to their programme and make sure that they achieve it before they can apply/be accepted. IELTS and TOEFL results are valid for two years following the test date. These results must be valid on the date of the student’s enrolment.

 

Admission

 

Radboud’s university admission process is simple. For admission onto an undergraduate degree programme, applicants will need to complete two simple steps. Firstly, they will need to create an account on the Dutch enrolment application, Studielink. There, applicants will be able to input the information required for student admission, including their chosen programme and details about their previous education.

 

Secondly, students will need to share documentation proving their identity and education, including a scan of a valid passport, transcripts of grades, certificates, a personal statement and evidence of English language understanding. Details of what’s needed for specific courses and nationalities are listed on the university’s website. Applicants are encouraged to check there to ensure they have everything they need for admission, so they won’t be left disappointed.

 

As soon as everything’s uploaded and verified, Radboud will begin considering the application, and this process usually takes around three weeks in total. There are three potential outcomes:

 

  • An unconditional offer to study at Radboud
  • A conditional offer
  • No offer, the application is withdrawn from Studielink

 

Specific details for the postgraduate admission process, which is a little different, can be found on the university website. If offered a place, an applicant will then accept their offer and begin the enrolment process. Staff and support services will be there every step of the way to make the admissions process as simple as it can be.

 

In terms of tuition fees and average living costs in Nijmegen, international students can expect to spend around EUR 12,000 to 34,000 for a year of study in the Netherlands. For EU/EEA students, tuition fees are around EUR 2,209, but for non-EU/EEA, this ranges anywhere from EUR 11,500 to 22,000. These fees can be better managed with the help of a scholarship, so every student should check to see if they’re eligible for one.

 

Scholarships & Funding

 

To help students financially, reward academic efforts and encourage people to follow their ambitions, Radboud offers a wide range of university scholarships to students. Specifics will depend on factors like a student’s chosen programme of study and a student’s home country.

 

One of the scholarships offering funding assistance to students is the Radboud Scholarship Programme. This award is very selective and offers non-EEA (European Economic Area) students with great academic records the opportunity to enrol in an English-taught master’s programme with tuition fees reduced to EUR 2,209. Eligible students must have/be on their way to getting an undergraduate degree from a university outside of the Netherlands.

 

There’s also the Holland Scholarship Programme, a partial grant. The Holland Scholarship Programme offers international students the opportunity to study at Radboud for a reduced cost, and is available to students of the following nationalities:

 

  • Albanian
  • American (USA)
  • Brazilian
  • Canadian
  • Chinese
  • Colombian
  • Iranian
  • Mexican
  • Taiwanese
  • Turkish
  • Ukrainian

 

All of the university’s English-taught postgraduate programmes are eligible for this scholarship, too (except for Erasmus Mundus MA programmes and joint-degree MA programmes). There are 14 Holland Scholarships available in total at EUR 5,000 each. Plus, there’s the possibility of receiving a double award, bringing the total value up to EUR 10,000.

 

For a full list of the scholarships and grants available, students can view the scholarships section of the institution’s website to see if they’re eligible for any of the funding support options offered by Radboud University.

 

University Structure

 

Radboud University offers lots of choices to its students. There are over 50 undergraduate degree options (14 taught in English) and 200 master’s specialisms to choose between. Whether a student’s passion lies in artificial intelligence, dentistry or physics and astronomy, they’ll find what they’re looking for at Radboud. The institution’s programmes are split between seven core faculties:

 

  • The Faculty of Philosophy, Theology and Religious Studies
  • The Faculty of Arts
  • The Nijmegen School of Management
  • The Faculty of Medical Sciences
  • The Faculty of Science
  • The Faculty of Law
  • The Faculty of Social Sciences

 

Research is carried out at Radboud in a total of 16 university-owned research institutes (not including the small handful of independent institutes located on campus), covering fields from health sciences to law to astrophysics. These institutes are:

 

  • The Research Institute for Philosophy, Theology and Religious Studies
  • The Radboud Institute for Culture & History
  • The Radboud Business Law Institute
  • The Research Centre for State and Law
  • The Institute for Management Research
  • The Radboud Social Cultural Research
  • The Centre for Language Studies
  • The Behavioural Science Institute
  • The Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour
  • The Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences
  • The Radboud Institute for Health Sciences
  • The Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences
  • The Institute for Molecules and Materials
  • The Institute for Mathematics, Astrophysics and Particle Physics
  • The Institute for Computing and Information Sciences
  • The Radboud Teachers Academy

 

Like the programmes offered, the fields of research at Radboud are hugely varied and there are lots of unique routes a student might choose to take. This institution works hard to help every human being live in a healthier world, finding solutions to problems and making exciting discoveries each and every academic year.

 

Facilities

 

Radboud’s green campus doesn’t just look beautiful, it also has lots of amazing facilities, eating establishments and student activity centres for everyone to enjoy. Shops and retail outlets on the campus provide helpful convenience to the busy lives of Radboud students. There are restaurants, cafés and food counters providing lunches, dinners, snacks and drinks.

 

De Refter, for example, offers students a wide variety of meals (including some amazing vegetarian options) which can be enjoyed in a popular student life centre on campus. Students often like to meet up here, it’s a great place for anyone to make new friends and create peer connections.

 

For active people who want to keep fit or practice a sport, there’s an amazing student recreation centre on campus in the form of the Radboud Sports Centre. Radboud Sports Centre offers 80 different sports in total. Students can work out to music, play a variety of sports unattended like squash and tennis or even register for a team sport and connect with a new community over a shared hobby.

 

Academically, there are just as many helpful facilities. Study spaces cover the campus, and there are lots of quiet working areas in convenient locations. The University Library (UB), for example, has lots of books and resources and reservable computer rooms and group workplaces.

 

Any student who’s dreamed of studying in a modern, technologically equipped lecture theatre will make this dream a reality at Radboud. The teaching facilities are ideal, with areas on campus like the Lecture Hall Complex promising to inspire and create an interesting, comfortable environment for students.

 

There are also lots of great student accommodation options at Radboud University, though the number of rooms available is limited, and students who have been accepted into the institution are encouraged to act fast to secure their space.

 

Accommodation

 

Any person moving from another country to enrol at Radboud University can request help from the university with finding student accommodation for their first year of study. Radboud can’t guarantee university accommodation to every student. The number of rooms available is limited and students are encouraged to begin their accommodation search as soon as they can, not just before they arrive but in preparation for second year/third year/so on, as well.

 

Most students at Radboud live in Nijmegen in a shared student house or student complex of apartments. All rooms offered are private, with shared bathroom and kitchen facilities and shared communal spaces. Most housing is unisex, but there are a few women-only corridors for students of this gender who would feel more comfortable in a non-unisex shared space.

 

The rental prices of most rooms can be expected to be around EUR 370 to 470 per month, though for some rooms, students may be charged EUR 500 or more. Students can learn more about the university’s accommodation services (and their accommodation options in Nijmegen) on its website.

 

Student Support

 

Radboud is a university that cares deeply about students and staff. The institution offers a wide range of student support services on campus to make sure everyone can get the help they need. For example, Radboud has social workers available who can assist international students with a number of challenges they may be facing, resolving the difficulties and worries that come with adjusting to life in a new country.

 

Other support services that students can utilise include student counsellors, student psychologists and financial support for anyone experiencing money struggles. Appointments can be made for any student support programme, and people who may benefit from arranging these appointments are always encouraged to and are always welcome.

 

Plus, every individual programme has its own student guide in the form of a study advisor. This advisor can be turned to for any advice, concerns or questions about course content, academic plans, and so on. Disabled students and students with different needs can also access help (including extra time for exams, career coaching and access to a study buddy) to make sure their educational experience is as positive and accessible as it can be.

 

With these student services and more to turn to, everyone at Radboud University is given what they need to feel comfortable and happy. Radboud has always cared about the success, health and wellbeing of its students.

 

Graduate Outcomes

 

Radboud University gives students an education, develops them as human beings and pushes them in the right direction to achieve personal and professional success. The career services at this university are all aimed at giving undergraduates and postgraduates the best job prospects possible. Radboud doesn’t want life after graduation to be something that students fear and worry about. They want it to be something that students are looking forward to and excited about.

 

Students at Radboud can access the dedicated support of a career officer from day one of their studies until six months after they graduate. These career guides provide a number of different employment services, including:

 

  • Consultancy about a student’s career options
  • Information about internships/jobs that may be suitable for a student
  • Assistance with skills such as CV writing and job interview practice
  • Career Days
  • Career Central (a platform where students can find job openings and speak with various Radboud alumni about their career)

 

There’s an exciting future ahead for anybody enrolled at Radboud University. Approximately 84 per cent of Radboud graduates reported that they have settled into a job within only three months of graduation, a figure that only increases with the next couple of months and the next couple of years.

 

Enrolling at Radboud University is a great way to achieve aspirations and create a professional path, learning high standards in the classroom that will be needed in the workplace. For any international student who wants to learn more about their field of interest and get a degree that makes them globally employable, it has to be Radboud.

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Key facts and figures at Radboud University

Rankings

Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024
Source: THE

140

OVERALL SCORE

62.8%

TEACHING

39.1%

INTERNATIONAL OUTLOOK

77.7%

INDUSTRY INCOME

81.4%

RESEARCH

51%

CITATIONS

91.3%
QS World University Rankings 2025
Source: QS

272

Academic Ranking of World Universities 2024
Source: ARWU

101

Student life in numbers

COSTS PER YEAR
LIVING COSTS

€9,550

CAMPUS ACCOMMODATION

€4,950

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