Exchange during your Dutch studies

Recognition of credits

You will be registered as a non-degree student during your stay in America, and at the end of your study period you will receive a transcript showing which courses you have taken and the number of credits that are awarded for the courses. Before you leave, make proper arrangements with your Dutch faculty so that your credits count toward your degree in the Netherlands. Your home institution and the American partner institution may have already made proper arrangements (a learning agreement) for the recognition of credits. The examination board is the competent body that deals with credit recognition.

Before leaving for the US, you will need an official statement from the study advisor, the internationalization officer, or the examination board stating that the credits will be recognized. Such a statement is usually only issued on the basis of a detailed study plan describing the courses you will take in the US, the study load of the courses, and the content of the courses. From the host institution, you need an official statement (a transcript) indicating which courses you have successfully completed. This statement will be sent to you at the end of your stay. After returning to the Netherlands, report on your stay in the USA. This may have to be done in written form. As soon as you have received the official transcript from the US, you must hand it to the study advisor, the internationalization staff member, or to the examination board so that the study results can be credited.

The final number of credits you will receive in the Netherlands for an American course depends on several factors, including the study load in time for the course. In addition, upon returning to the Netherlands, the literature list associated with the course, the level at which the course was taught (undergraduate or graduate), whether you had to write a paper, among other factors.

Choosing courses

To create a detailed study plan, it is necessary to know exactly what subjects American universities offer. Many universities have an online study guide (course catalog) that lists courses taught in each discipline. Each course is indicated by a letter and number combination and the title of the course, for example, PHIL 305 Applied Ethics. The letters indicate which discipline the courses belong to. In the example, Philosophy. The numbers indicate the level of the course. Many university use a format similar to the following (check the explanation in the study guide you are consulting):

 

100-299       Lower division courses-courses for the first and second year of the undergraduate program

300-499      Upper division courses-courses for the third and fourth years of the undergraduate program

500-hoger  Graduate courses-courses for Master’s and Ph.D. programs

 

Following the name of the course in many guides is another number in parentheses. This usually indicates how many US credits there are for the course. The course in the example earns three credits. Sometimes a course is also followed by the letter S or F. S stands for Spring and F for Fall. This indicates that the course is taught only in spring or fall.

Cost of living in the US

Exchange students are generally exempt from tuition fees in the US. However, you must be enrolled at your home institution in the Netherlands as a full-time student. Housing and living expenses in the US will be between $6,000 – $10,000 per semester. You will also have to deal with costs for visa application, insurance, and travel. A full overview of the costs of studying in the US can be found here.

Please note that you usually cannot apply for scholarships for non-degree studies. Your Dutch educational institution may have small (travel) scholarships available.

In addition, you can usually take your study grant from DUO with you during your semester and apply for OV compensation for the period you do not use your OV student travel product. More information is offered by DUO.

Going to the US outside of an exchange program

If your home institution does not have an exchange program with the US institution where you would like to study, it becomes a lot more difficult to arrange a stay in the US. Here are some alternative options.

 

ISEP Study Abroad

Does your university or college not have exchange agreements with US universities? They may be able to join ISEP. This exchange program allows students from inside and outside the US to study at another university for a short period of time. More information can be found through ISEP.

There is also a listing of ISEP host universities on the website.

 

Non-degree programs

A number of universities accept students through visiting student or non-degree programs. You then apply to the university on your own initiative. The downside is that scholarships are usually not given to non-degree students, so you pay full tuition. Tuition in the US usually costs between $10,000 and $65,000 per year. You must demonstrate your ability to pay these costs when you apply.

Summer courses

It is also possible at many American universities to take courses during the summer months. These courses last about six weeks. It is not complicated to apply for summer courses; you usually just need to fill out an application form and send it in. These courses are open to everyone, and the selection of courses is often large and very varied. In case your home institution does not have an exchange program with the institution of your choice, you can check if interesting summer courses are offered at that institution. You cannot receive Dutch credits for summer courses. The cost per week for summer courses is about $1,000 all in (tuition, board and lodging), excluding travel costs to and from the US. For more information visit our advice page on summer programs.

Further information

Check out the U.S. Department of State’s database of exchange programs: Exchange Programs.