Universities of applied sciences in the Netherlands are generally not included in worldwide university rankings. Therefore, Dutch organisations have created their own standards for ranking these types of institutions.
There are currently three national rankings that include universities of applied sciences.The Keuzegids HBO, the Elsevier Magazine and Nationale Studenten Enquete (NSE), are all published on a yearly basis to help students select the right programme and school for them.
Hanze UAS, GroningenThe Keuzegids HBO Rankings
The Keuzegids is the independent guide, published yearly by the Centrum Hoger Onderwijs Informatie (Higher Education Information Centre). One of the five published reports (HBO), critically assesses and compares the quality of study programmes of vocational universities in the Netherlands.
Results take into account the perspectives of both students and the universities themselves. Rankings are generally based on data about the programme’s success rates, expert opinions from the accreditation of programmes, and student feedback derived from the NSE results.
Dutch universities of applied sciences in the Keuzegids HBO 2018 ranking
Large-sized universities | City | Number of programmes | Total score | Position |
Avans UAS | Brabant (3x) | 63 | 69.0 | 1 |
Windesheim UAS | Zwolle, Flevoland | 66 | 67.5 | 2 |
Hanze UAS | Groningen | 50 | 64.0 | 3 |
Saxion UAS | Enschede, Deventer, Apeldoorn | 56 | 60.5 | 4 |
HAN UAS | Arnhem, Nijmegen | 71 | 60.0 | 5 |
Fontys UAS | Brabant, Limburg (6x) | 104 | 59.5 | 6 |
The Hague UAS | The Hague | 39 | 56.0 | 7 |
Rotterdam UAS | Rotterdam | 66 | 53.0 | 8 |
HU Utrecht | Utrecht, Amersfoort | 63 | 53.0 | 8 |
Inholland UAS | N-/Z- Holland (7 locations) | 83 | 53.0 | 8 |
Amsterdam UAS | Amsterdam | 55 | 52.5 | 11 |
Medium-sized universities | City | Number of programmes | Total score | Position |
CHE | Ede | 10 | 74.5 | 1 |
HAS | Den Bosch (Environment) | 13 | 73.0 | 2 |
HZ UAS | Vlissingen | 22 | 69.0 | 3 |
NHTV Breda UAS | Breda | 9 | 66.0 | 4 |
NHL | Leeuwarden | 51 | 63.5 | 5 |
Zuyd UAS | Zuid-Limburg (3 x) | 33 | 61.0 | 6 |
Stenden UAS | Leeuwarden, Emmen | 24 | 60.0 | 7 |
Leiden UAS | Leiden | 22 | 59.0 | 8 |
HKU | Utrecht (Arts) | 9 | 56.0 | 9 |
Van Hall Larenstein (VHL) | Leeuwarden, Velp | 16 | 51,5 | 10 |
Small-sized universities | City | Number of programmes | Total score | Position |
IVA (part.) | Driebergen (Logistic) | 2 | 95.5 | 1 |
Notemboom (part.) | 3 loc. (Hospitallity, Business) | 4 | 91.5 | 2 |
Kempel | Helmond (Education) | 1 | 85 | 3 |
Wittenborg UAS | Apeldoorn, Amsterdam (Business) | 2 | 83.5 | 4 |
NOVI (part.) | Utrecht (ICT, Business) | 3 | 82.5 | 5 |
TMO (part.) | Zeist (Management) | 1 | 82 | 6 |
TIO UAS | 5 locations (Hospitality, Business) | 17 | 80.5 | 7 |
Iselinge | Doetinchem (Education) | 1 | 79 | 8 |
Viaa | Zwolle (Education, Care) | 4 | 77.5 | 9 |
KPZ | Zwolle (Education) | 1 | 77.0 | 10 |
HTH UAS | The Hague, Amsterdam | 2 | 71.5 | 11 |
Design Academy | Eindhoven | 1 | 71.5 | 11 |
Driestar | Gouda (Education) | 8 | 69.0 | 13 |
Marnix | Utrecht (Education) | 1 | 69.0 | 14 |
AHK | Amsterdam (Arts) | 9 | 68.0 | 15 |
THIM | Nieuwegein (Physiotherapy) | 1 | 68.0 | 16 |
Artez | Arnhem, Enschede, Zwolle (Arts) | 18 | 64.0 | 17 |
Aeres | Dronten, Wageningen | 7 | 62.0 | 18 |
Thomas More UAS | Rotterdam (Education) | 1 | 57.0 | 19 |
Codarts | Rotterdam (Arts) | 5 | 56.5 | 20 |
Ipabo | Alkmaar, Amsterdam (Education) | 2 | 54.5 | 21 |
Politie-academie | Apeldoorn | 1 | 53.5 | 22 |
NTI UAS (part.) | part time / distant learning | 11 | 47.5 | 23 |
Elsevier Magazine survey
NHTV Breda UASElsevier Magazine, a Dutch weekly magazine, publishes a yearly ranking of the best higher education studies. “De Beste Studies” report ranks schools based on student satisfaction and surveys of teaching staff. Student opinions are calculated using the results of the NSE, while teaching staff is given a survey specially commissioned by Elsevier with results collected from that. Additional information is taken from the Studiekeuze.nl database and edited.
Elsevier report, where Dutch taught degree programmes were assesses, is composed for national students and represents mostly general reputation of vocational universities for English-speaking students, therefore Eurogates limits their stats only with ranking positions of these institutions.
Dutch universities of applied sciences in the 2016 Elsevier Rankings:
Broad | Specialised | Arts | |
1 | Avans UAS | HAS UAS | Amsterdamse Hogeschool voor de Kunsten |
2 | Leiden UAS | NHTV Breda UAS | ArtEZ |
3 | Windesheim UAS | Ede UAS | Hogeschool voor de Kunsten Utrecht |
4 | Hanze UAS, Groningen | Viaa | Codarts, Hogeschool voor de Kunsten |
5 | HAN UAS | Aeres UAS | |
6 | Saxion UAS | Van Hall Larenstein UAS | |
7 | Stenden UAS | ||
8 | Zuyd UAS | ||
9 | Fontys UAS | ||
10 | Amsterdam UAS | ||
11 | The Hague UAS | ||
12 | HU UAS | ||
13 | Rotterdam UAS | ||
14 | NHL UAS | ||
15 | HZ UAS | ||
16 | Inholland UAS |
Zuyd UAS students
Nationale Studenten Enquete
The Nationale Studenten Enquete (NSE), known as the National Student Survey in English, is a yearly survey sent out to students following a programme in higher education.
The Studychoice123 Foundation (in Dutch Studiekeuze123), an initiative of higher education organisations, is responsible for the NSE and collaborates with the Ministry of Education.
Studychoice123 asks all higher education institutions to participate in the National Student Survey every year. Questions pertain to the quality of the professors, the study, the skills and training acquired, testing and assessment, and other relevant information.
Rankings of the universities of applied sciences in Holland
Keuzegids HBO
Keuzegids is an independent league table designed to help students make the best choice about where to study. It compares and evaluates the quality of all ‘hbo’ degree programs in the Netherlands. Keuzegids HBO 2020 contains a description and critical evaluation of about 1200 bachelor’s programs. The main criteria for evaluation are program’s success rates, expert opinions from the accreditation of programs, and student opinions, employment rate after graduation, facilities, communication between lectors and students.
The best big Univerversities of Applied Sciences:
University | Location | Quantity of programs | Overall score |
Avans UAS | Breda | 56 | 69.5 |
Windesheim UAS | Zwolle, Flevoland | 59 | 66 |
NHL Stenden | Leeuwarden, Emmen | 68 | 63.5 |
Hanze | Noord- Nederland | 46 | 62 |
Fontys UAS | Brabant, Limburg regions | 101 | 61.5 |
Saxion UAS | Enschede, Deventer, Apeldoorn | 55 | 59.5 |
HAN | Arnhem, Nijmegen | 63 | 59 |
HR | Rotterdam | 59 | 55,5 |
Inholland UAS | N.Z Holland | 68 | 55 |
HU | Utrecht, Amersfoort | 56 | 53.5 |
HVA | Amsterdam | 49 | 53.5 |
The best middle- big Universities of Applied Sciences:
University | Location | Quantity of programs | Overall score |
CHE | Ede | 9 | 74 |
HZ | Vlissingen | 21 | 66.5 |
HAS | Den Bosch | 13 | 66 |
BREDA UAS | Breda | 9 | 63 |
Zuyd | Zuid- Limburg | 33 | 61 |
Aeres | Dronten, Wageningen | 8 | 60.5 |
Leiden UAS | Leiden | 20 | 57.5 |
HKU | Utrecht | 9 | 55.5 |
HVHL | Leeuwarden, Velp | 16 | 53.5 |