Dutch Universities accept TOEFL iBT score of Chinese students

From 1 September 2008, Chinese students will be eligible to apply to study in Holland using a TOEFL score.

This has been confirmed by Neso China, the official representative of Dutch higher education in China. It means that i n addition to an IELTS score, the new TOEFL (TOEFL iBT) is now also acceptable as proof of English language skills for the application.

Developed by ETS and launched in China in 2006, t he TOEFL iBT reflects the overall language proficiency of the student. It thus meets the requirement of Dutch Universities for recruiting qualified candidates. Students will have more choice of study in Holland with less effort in language test preparation.

Students who hope to study in the Netherlands need to apply for the Neso certificate, which is an obligatory document for the study visa. Students can apply for the certificate at the same time as applying to the university. With the acceptance of TOEFL iBT, the application procedure remains the same; students are also suggested to submit their documents at least four months before the start of the semester. More information about the application procedure can be found on the Neso website (www.nesochina.org).

Dutch higher education has received increasing attention from Chinese students in the past several years. The amount of applicants for studying in Holland for the period 2008-2009 rose to around 2500 by the end of August. This means an increase of around 30% compared to the previous academic year. With the introduction of the new TOEFL, a further increase is expected .

For more information about this press release please call Mr. Rick YAN (13910638642), deputy director of Neso China; or Director Jacques van Vliet (13911320581).