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Code of Conduct introduced as of 1 May 2006

Code of Conduct introduced as of 1 May 2006
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Code of Conduct introduced as of 1 May 2006

As of 1 May 2006, a national code of conduct for international students in higher education in the Netherlands has been introduced. A draft translation is a available here: pdf.gifCode of Conduct

The code of conduct covers all HBO and University institutions in the Netherlands and concerns students, staff, institutions, agents and partner institutions.

Key issues include:

  • Transparency in procedures
  • Transparency in costs (also of agents)
  • Transparency in entry requirements

General Information

Code of conduct for institutions


A certain number of institutions offer a fast and easy procedure for foreign students to apply for a study in Holland. These institutions comply with certain minimal conditions that are comprised in a general Code of Conduct. This Code of Conduct is an initiative of institutions, independent education-related organizations and the Dutch government. The full version of this code of conduct can be found here. You can read the most important conditions below.

The educational institution provides timely, reliable and easily accessible information to international students concerning:

a the status of the study programme in terms of accreditation;
b

the criteria that the quality of the education must comply with and the internal procedures to guarantee this quality;

c a description of the study programme, the certificate to be acquired and the examination regulation (or a comparable regulation) or a summary;
d the admission requirements for the study programme, including procedures for admission and registration and the associated costs;
e the language used for the study programme
f extra charges required by the educational institution from the student within the framework of the above services or the services as referred to in Section 3, 4 and 5 of the code of conduct;
g the code of conduct.

The above information preferably comprises a description of the knowledge and skills that the international student will have acquired upon successful completion of the study programme.

The information provided by the educational institution to international students on the basis of the code of conduct must be in the English language or the language used for the study programme or in the native language of the international student.

The educational institution makes clear which services it provides to international students within the framework of obtaining a visa and a residence permit, housing, introduction and accompaniment. In its information material, the educational institution specifies clearly which services it offers within this framework and what the associated costs are in accordance with the above.

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