University Open Days are coming up, in the coming weeks, in universities across the Netherlands>

Open Days are a critical tool in your information gathering armoury: this is true for universities that you might be considering at home, and it is even more important, if you are thinking of studying in Continental Europe. Not only do Open Days give you the opportunity to get the feel for the culture and environment of your potential new faculty, university and city, but they give you the opportunity to meet the real ‘experts’, those UK or Irish students who are already studying in that university. They are also a good opportunity for those of you with resistant parents to show them what a good university option you are considering.

After their Open Day this Friday [31 October], especially for UK and Irish Students, University of Groningen has another Open Day on 7th November. You can either stay in Groningen until the next day, and go the Open Day at Hanze University of Applied Sciences, or take the train to the Open Day [8th November] in either University of Maastricht or University of Leiden. On the same day is the Open Day for Amsterdam UAS.

The following weekend also gives you the opportunity to take in two or more university visits. It sees the Open Days at Saxion UAS, in Enschede [14th November], followed by Open Days, on the Saturday [15th November] in the Hague UAS or NHTV Breda or Fontys UAS, in Venlo, or Stenden UAS.

Later in the month, are the Open Days at U. Twente, in Enschede, [19th November], University College Utrecht [22nd November], HZ UAS, in Vlissingen [also 22nd November] and Avans UAS, in Breda [26th November]

Many of these Open Days require pre-registration. We are delighted to assist you in registering. Contact us on This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and we ensure that you are registered.

You can plan your journeys between cities, on the excellent Dutch railway system, here http://www.ns.nl/reisplanner-v2/index.shtml?language=en

If you cant make a particular Open Day, or two that you find attractive are on the same day, EUNiCAS can assist you in organising an individual visit. Contact us on This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to organise a visit.

Daily Telegraph: 25th October 2014

Increasing numbers of pupils from leading private schools are taking university courses
overseas because of concerns over rising tuition fees in the UK.

A survey of members of the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference, which
represents 260 top fee-paying schools, found evidence of a significant shift towards
international universities.According to figures, nine-in-10 heads have seen an increase in
students wanting to study overseas over the last three years. Some 84 per cent are
actively encouraging pupils to include international universities in their options, it emerged.
It marks a major shift since the introduction of higher tuition fees of up to £9,000 a year
for the first time in 2012.

The study, which was commissioned by Maastricht University in the Netherlands, found
that a rise in domestic tuition fees was the biggest driver of overseas study, followed by
increased awareness of opportunities and an attempt to enhance students’ career prospects.
The United States is often seen as the most popular destination for students studying outside
the UK, with 9,500 crossing the Atlantic for higher education courses last year. But courses
in mainland Europe are now also increasingly popular, with more teenagers taking degrees
in countries such as the Netherlands, France, Germany and Sweden.Universities in Canada
and Australia are also growing in popularity, it emerged.

The study also revealed that heads believed more should be done to encourage overseas
study in the country generally, particularly in the state system. More than half claimed that
careers advisers failed to promote international universities enough and a similar number
believed students taking domestic degrees should be given more opportunity to spend part
of their course abroad.

Richard Harman, chairman of HMC and headmaster of Uppingham School, said: “For many
decades students studying languages at university have expected and looked forward to a
period of study abroad. In recent years the value of this experience had become recognised as
something from which all undergraduates can benefit.

Above: Maastricht

”Bedales School, Hampshire, now sends almost one-in-10 pupils to universities abroad,
including those in Italy, Netherlands, Canada and the US.Keith Budge, the headmaster, said: “At
Bedales we encourage our students to consider all university options – in particular to look at
overseas universities especially in North America and Europe, and we certainly seeing more demand
from our students for this.“Also, for the majority going on to a UK university, we promote the
massive benefits of spending some time abroad; there is no doubt that these experiences improve
students’ employability.”

Prof Martin Paul, president of Maastricht University, where the number of UK undergraduates has
more than doubled in the past three years, said: “While the message is getting through to students
that studying abroad can significantly improve employability, there continues to be a need to
provide more opportunities and information. Maastricht University has been a trend-setter in enhancing
international career prospects by stimulating student mobility, and we welcome other European
universities to join this strategy.

A Note from EUNiCAS: in addition to students from fee-paying schools, EUNiCAS can confirm a
surge in applications to these universities from students who have studied at a range of state-sector
schools.

Many programmes in Continental Europe Still Open: Alert List

As students consider Clearing options, they should note the following programmes, all taught through English, are amongst those still accepting application for entry this year. Note also that for many programmes, where published deadlines have passed, EUNiCAS might be able to encourage a university to consider 'late' applications. Contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for more information and advice.

Note: U. Maastricht has advised EUNiCAS that some of its programmes are accepting applications, for entry this year, until 30 August

University of Twente's innovative Bachelor of Liberal Arts & Sciences is still open for applications from EU students. [Application Deadline: 15 August] This exciting programme, offered at the university’s Academy of Technology and Liberal Arts & Sciences (ATLAS) combines Technology with Social Sciences . It offers an interdisciplinary programme for students, integrating social and technical perspectives into a 'new engineering' approach.

ATLAS offers a unique approach to learning: the programme is project-driven and centered around real-world themes (Human Movement, Nano-Robotics, Tracers for Personal Safety, Smart 3D Printing, Alternatives for Renewable Energy or the feasibility of a Mars Space Station. More details of the programme here.

English student Nick Gregory, currently studying on the programme, points to three key elements of the programme: “First of all, I liked the breadth. Other programmes more or less force you to commit yourself to a field you may not even be sure about yet. ATLAS offers a very broad perspective, while at the same time leaving room for specialising . The second attraction to me was the project-based educational method, in which you are constantly applying knowledge to real-world issues and situations. It’s completely different from just sitting though lectures and passing your exams. The third point is the fact that ATLAS is not just knowledge-centred: because of the way things are done here, you get to develop other skills, such as leadership skills”



Above: U. Twente Student Housing

Attractively, on-campus accommodation [in one of the only campus universities in the Netherlands setting] is guaranteed for selected students. 

Tuition Fees for Liberal Arts programmes in the Netherlands are higher than the statutory tuition fee of EUR1906; at ATLAS, fees are EUR3182.. However the full fee can be claimed in the Dutch Tuition Fee Loan system. Contact EUNiCAS This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for details  of further  student funding available in the Netherlands. You should also note that ATLAS has a Scholarship Scheme, available to EU students, and the 01 April deadline to apply to this fund has been extended. Details here.

For information on, and support for, applying to this programme, you should contact EUNiCAS

It was announced yesterday, by a new private university in Milan, that it is launching a new degree programme in Medicine & Surgery, which is now taking applications for entry 2014. Humanitas University is a new university, accredited by the Italian Ministry of Education. It is part of the Humanitas Group, one of Italy’s leading groups of hospitals, the flagship research hospital of which forms the core of the Humanitas degree programme. 

The programme gives particular focus  to interactive teaching, which consists mostly of group activities and team-work coordinated by a tutor. Examples of such methods are Problem Based Learning, Case Method, Problem Solving, Concept Maps and Portfolios. Entry to the programme is through another round of IMAT , sat on 16th September 2014.




Entry to the programme is through another round of IMAT , sat on 16th September 2014. The application deadline for this programme is 3rd September. Exams can be sat across the world, including centres in London, Manchester and Dublin.For more details on application procedure [including exams] contact us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it