Five of criterias to choose the school to apply for scholarship

Once you know the three rules in the previous article, I will introduce the criteria that you should consider and consider when deciding to apply for a university.

1. Two of university systems in the Netherlands

The Netherlands has two separate university systems: the WO / research university and the university of applied sciences. As the name implies, WO schools focus more on research, theoretical studies (you will have to read and write a lot), these schools usually have very good ranking and degrees are also evaluated. a bit higher than HBO. HBO schools are focussed on training high-performing disciplines, which will be great if you study graphic design or travel - hospitality.

I always advise people to prioritize WO schools because of its reputation and good quality. HBO also has very good schools but there is no shortage of schools that Vietnamese students have already had to complain about quality. So if you can, learn and apply WO fields. Except for some cases in the Netherlands where the WO may not recognize a high school diploma in Vietnam, you may consider HBO. Note that after graduating from HBO, you are not allowed to study directly in the master's degree but must have a pre-master's degree while the WO graduates are allowed to master. .

2. The ranking

I encourage you to follow all three charts to get the most overview of the school.

Times Higher Education World University Rankings

QS World University Rankings

Academic Ranking of World Universities

These are the three charts I used last year when applying for their popularity and credibility. To the Netherlands, I know that both IND (the Immigration Service - the nationality of the visa and residence permit for you) use the same 3 rankings for visa applications for graduates from Top 200 world schools.

Add a note, in addition to the ranking from the above organizations, you can also find out alumni network (alumni network) of the school. This information can be found on the school website or Linkedin. A school with outstanding alumni, holding important positions (especially C-level), and having practical support activities for students after graduation will be a very plus. great.

3. Fields / Branches

The Netherlands currently has 13 research universities as well as public universities (see here). These overall ranking schools are good, but depending on the industry you want to study, the priority may vary. Erasmus University Rotterdam, for example, is well known for its economy. Eindhoven University of Technology is a very strong technology school in the Netherlands, while Leiden University is known for its excellent law students. Therefore, in addition to the overall ranking, you should also refer to the ranking of the department / department you want to study.

When viewing information about the discipline, it is easy to imagine that you should read the "Program Outline" (or similar) on the school website to know what course you will study, describing each subject. What is a book? Then you will know exactly what you will have to study and take, not to be stunned by the program is not expected. If the information on the school website is not enough, you can also email a person in charge of studying in that department to ask.

4. Location

There is not much difference between the cities of the Netherlands like the development gap between the capital and other cities in Vietnam. Especially with student cities (there are universities), you do not worry about lack of activities to play or networking. Asian supermarkets such as Toko and Amazing Oriental are also often found in these cities, so finding Vietnamese goods is not too difficult. Only in big cities (like Amsterdam or Rotterdam), the cost of living is usually quite expensive. If you live in a smaller city you can rent a house for 300-400e / month plus other expenses of 600 - 650e / month. In Amsterdam, your rent can be up to 500e / month. and more. Finding homes in big cities is also very hard, especially before the start of school.

So if your financial condition is relatively difficult, I think it's a good idea to prioritize schools in smaller cities - or rather precisely, non-central cities (as long as you have the kind of business you want to study). and quality is also good). Especially if you do not apply for scholarships, have to pay for tuition and living expenses, this criteria should be considered. Also, do not be too optimistic about going to work to cover your expenses because: (1) Your student's residence permit only allows you to work for 10 hours a week (and you object to illegal / unlicensed work). (2) to work more easily affect the study results, if you go to work over the slippage test, have to retake or longer study time, you also lose a small amount of money.

5. Scholarships

As a general rule, there is a separate section on the school website that provides scholarship information. Scholarships are available in two forms: a grant from a faculty or a third-level grantee (eg Orange Tulip Scholarships awarded by Nuffic Neso). Each scholarship has its own criteria. Scholarships are not interested in the applicant's financial condition, only to individuals with outstanding academic achievements, research and social work. There are scholarships available for applicants from developing countries, including Vietnam. Winning a scholarship is a long story that I will mention in another article. Take the worst case scenario if you do not apply for a scholarship, then you can go to study in the Netherlands? Answering this question will make it easier for you to prioritize schools (with and without scholarships).

Conclude.

Here I summarize the main evaluation criteria that I drew from the application process itself. The synthesis of information is not difficult, just ask you to be careful and patient. Once you have a list of the fields that you want to apply, the next step will be a little easier, especially when all the important information is displayed in the Excel file. In the following article I will share more experiences and notes when online applying .