STUDY MEDICINE IN THE NETHERLANDS

Dutch medical schools have a different approach to their teaching and qualification process. It is much more closely resembling the process of an American school than that found in England. Although medical professionals in both countries will have the same respect, there are major obstacles in switching countries halfway through one’s degree.

#If you want to study medicine in the Netherlands, there is no need to worry. The route to qualification as a doctor in general practice consists of three main phases:

BSc in medicine (3 years)

MSc in medicine (an additional 3 years)

Training (one year)

At Dutch universities, the first three years can be taught in English, but only two do so, and only a few spots are accessible to international students. The University of Groningen provides a BSc in global health medicine. In English, Maastricht University offers a similar programme. Both of these degrees are required to pursue a career as a doctor. Every year, 410 spots for medicine are available in Groningen, but only roughly 100 of these will be open to non-Dutch-speaking students starting in 2021. This is a decrease from previous years. It was already difficult to get into an English-taught programme.

Languages are a natural part of their specific studies, lessons can be pre-prepared in English to make it easy, but you must still pass Dutch exams. A necessary conversion into levels is 3 years, so prepare accordingly.

The Dutch language is useful in a variety of situations, not just when dealing with patients. It is required because you will not be able to complete your MSc courses in English anywhere else. There are English-taught Masters degrees in medical research and technology, but they are not designed to prepare you for a career as a doctor.

Future doctors will be required to work in Dutch hospitals during their last year of training, and communication in the Dutch language will be critical.

In conclusion, studying medicine in the Netherlands is conceivable, however it can only be done in English to a limited extent. You'd have to commit to not only learning but also studying Dutch.

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#What is the cost to study medicine in the Netherlands?

Another problem for British nationals is that non-EU nationals pay about €32,000 per year in tuition fees for medicine, compared to €2,209 (2022/23) for EU nationals. This is comparable to the cost of studying medicine in the United Kingdom for overseas students. These additional costs will apply to British nationals who were not already residents in the Netherlands prior to Brexit.

#How to apply to Dutch medical schools?

In any given year, you can only apply to one of the two medical schools. The deadline to do so is January 15th. The fact that you must have studied math, physics, biology, and chemistry till the conclusion of high school, i.e. to A' level, makes admission much more difficult for British students. If you haven't already done so, you will need to take a test in the Netherlands to show that you are proficient in these topics. You will most likely require between 200 and 300 hours of self-study for each topic before you are ready to take the test.

If you fulfill the admissions standards, you will be required to participate in the university's own selection procedure. Once your application has been assessed to satisfy the minimal entrance requirements, you will be notified of the details. Additional exams and evaluations will be administered as part of this selection process. During the epidemic, these were performed online, but you cannot assume that this would continue in the future. You'll have to wait until April 15th to find out if you've been approved after you've finished the evaluation procedure. All candidates are ranked against one another, and offers will be offered to the students with the highest scores. If you are barely outside the required rank, it is conceivable that you will be given a spot a little later.