Top 5 IT Universities in the Netherlands: Your Guide to Fees, Deadlines & Admission
Are you looking for further study in IT or computer science in one of the finest countries in Europe? Then this blog post is for you because in this blog we have come up for you with 5 key universities in the Netherlands for your IT degree, whether you are studying a bachelor’s or master’s degree, but of course mostly for your master’s degree in this country.
If you get admission in any of these universities below, you would get a better chance to continue your professional career in the Netherlands after completing your studies, because the Netherlands is a strong country with great opportunities for tech professionals.
So basically, in this guide, we will break down everything you need to know about the top 5 institutions for IT or computer science studies. Let’s start without wasting your time; that is our top concern.
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Delft University of Technology (TU Delft)
A global leader in engineering and technology, TU Delft is the highest-ranked technical university in the Netherlands, which is why we put this at the top of our list.
Key IT Programs
BSc & MSc in Computer Science, MSc in Data Science & Technology, and MSc in Embedded Systems.
Tuition Fees (2026/27 Academic Year)
EU/EEA Students: €2,694 per year (statutory rate), but if you add housing, then it will be around 2886.
Author note for you, EU Citizen.
You can get a tuition fee loan, or in their language, they call it collegegeldkrediet, which is around 1050 Euros, which includes basic and supplementary grants plus loans. etc. This is for EU country nationals, not for non-EU, as not eu can only get a scholarship from various sources.
Non-EU Students: Approximately €17,553 per year for BSc and €22,533 per year for MSc (institutional rate).
Author note for you
This is the fee for non-EU is fee plus visa related cost, which includes visa-related costs charged by the university, so we give you the fee plus visa charges. However, if you add hostel fee and other living cost then it will be more for sure, but our concern is to let you know about basic fee and visa charges if you apply for non eu countries. Read more about tuition fees and other costs.
Note: Here, the statutory rate means the government-subsidized tuition for eligible EU/EEA students. The institutional rate is the full, unsubsidized tuition for international students from outside the EU/EEA. I mentioned this note just to clear your mind, as you will see this difference in every university fee.
Language Requirements
You need to have an IELTS score of 6.5 (with no sub-score below 6.0) or an equivalent TOEFL score.
Scholarships for Non-EU
We know that the fees are very high for non eu students, but this is one of high rank university, so if you get part of this, you’re would not regret your decision. As far as the fee, you can go for any of these options to reduce your fee burden.
- TU Delft Excellence Scholarship that covers your full tuition plus a contribution for living expenses.
- Holland Scholarship is another option where you get a one-time €5,000 grant for excellent non-EEA students.
- Faculty-specific Scholarships that are available for specific MSc programs.
Author’s Note on Admission Difficulty
Admission to TU Delft is exceptionally competitive th. It is the most selective university on this list for technical programs. If you want to get admission successfully, then you must have great academic records in a relevant Bachelor’s degree, with outstanding grades in mathematics and core computer science subjects, e.g. They will thoroughly check your math, statistic even your programming skill, I mean C language. The motivation letter and CV are scrutinized heavily. For popular MSc programs, simply meeting the minimum requirements is often not enough; you are competing against a global pool of top students. So we can say that it is hard to get admission at TU Delft, but if you get admission your can have a great chance to get higher-paying jobs in the IT sector. Learn more about what else they will check.
Admission deadline
The admission deadline for most it program is 15 January, but for other MSC program its 1st April 2026. If you are an international student outside the EU and want to be part of this university, then don’t forget the date 15 January every year.
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University of Amsterdam (UvA)
Located in the capital of the Netherlands, UvA is particularly renowned for its programs in Artificial Intelligence and Data Science, complex systems and policy, security and network engineering, software engineering, and even AI for health related to the medical field, related people who want to study AI in medical which is of course helpful in the future.
Key IT Programs
BSc & MSc in Computer Science, MSc in Artificial Intelligence, and MSc in Software Engineering, etc.
Tuition Fees (2026/27 Academic Year)
EU/EEA Students: €2,695 per year (statutory rate).
Non-EU Students: Approximately €22,620 per year for the Master’s in Computer Science.
Author note for you
If you are not an EU student, then you have to consider other charges, which include your visa fee, which is around 254 euros, plus insurance starting from 35 euros, and other costs, e.g., living, food, and transportation, which in general are around 1000 to 1500 euros, depending on your living situation. My point here is to clarify that you have to consider all the costs when coming to the Netherlands for study, especially for those who need a bank statement. Even if they get some partial scholarship, if you get a fully funded scholarship, then you don’t need to worry about all the costs except for some.
Language Requirements
English proficiency requirements are strict. For most MSc programs, an IELTS Academic score of 7.0 overall (with a minimum of 6.5 per sub-score) is required. Always verify the exact requirement on your specific program page.
Scholarships for internaitonal student
- Amsterdam Merit Scholarship (AMS) is an option for you to avail if you are in the computer science field. But this is a highly competitive scholarship covering tuition and part of living expenses. So this is not easy to get except if you are the most brilliant.
- Holland Scholarship is another option for you, which are one-time €5,000 grant for non-EEA students.
- Science and Technology Scholarship for you if you are an excellent student applying to MSc programs in the Faculty of Science.
Admission deadline at UvA
For EU students its 30 April 2026, and for non-EU students, it’s 31 January 2026. So if you are not eu student, you don’t have much time to apply.
Author’s Note on Admission Difficulty
UvA’s programs are highly competitive, just like TU Delft, especially the specialized Master’s in AI and Data Science. The university looks for a perfect fit: a strong, relevant academic background, a clear and convincing motivation letter that aligns with the program’s focus, and a competitive GPA, which should not less than 3.0 for international student EU or non EU student. So I can say that it’s highly competitive as this university is located in Amsterdam, so mostly international students want to study here as they can have a better understanding and future options after completing study e.g. internship and jobs. Learn more about the program and admission.
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Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e)
TU/e is known for its “open innovation” model and deep integration with the high-tech industry in the Brainport region, which we can say is home to companies like ASML and Philips. So you can have the option to be part of a project that we can say real-based problem-solving projects in a practical field, only if you are part of this university.
Key IT Programs
BSc & MSc in Computer Science and Engineering, MSc in Data Science, MSc in Software Science, plus masters system and control, master’s embedded systems, even they have master’s science and technology of nuclear fusion, and many more options for you.
Tuition Fees (2026/27 Academic Year)
EU/EEA Students: €2,694 per year (statutory rate).
Non-EU Students: €18,600 for bachelor’s and for master’s it is €21,700 per year.
Author note for you
As part of the university fee, you have to pay 100 euros for the application fee, except for 5 countries, plus living costs and other related costs, which we discussed before. If you have studied before at this university, then you have to pay the grantee fee too. Learn about the fee and payment details.
Language Requirements
All international Master’s programs are in English. Applicants must prove proficiency with an IELTS score (typically 6.5 overall) or equivalent. If you have TOFEL then it should be 90 or 4.5 if you get a certificate after 21 January 2026, of course. You can be accepted if you have a LanguageCert academic with a 70 score.
Scholarships at (TU/e)
- You can get the TU/e Excellence Scholarship, which overs 100% of your tuition fee for the first year of an MSc program.
- Holland Scholarship, which is a one-time €5,000 grant, just like other universities.
- Brainport Development Fund Scholarships is another option for you if you are talented students contributing to the Brainport tech ecosystem.
Admission deadline at (TU/e)
Their admission starts from 1st October and will end at may 1, 2026. So you have to consider this every year for septemeber in take.
Author’s Note on Admission Difficulty
Admission is competitive and selective here. So I can say that TU/e places significant weight onyou’re your motivation letter, gives you admission if you understand and are excited by your project-driven, collaborative approach. Strong academic references are important, so better to work on that. While slightly less internationally crowded than TU Delft or UvA, it remains a top-tier technical university with rigorous standards. While if you talk about GPA or percentage, then it should be at least 75 percent or equivalent marks.
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Leiden University
One of Europe’s leading research university we can say that Leiden University, Leiden, offers you a broad and fundamental approach in computer science. No doutbt Its strengths lie in algorithm design, cybersecurity, and interdisciplinary fields like bioinformatics and business ICT.
Key IT Programs
MSc in Computer Science, MSc in Data Science: Computer Science, MSc in ICT in Business, education, high tech innovation, communication and society, and advanced computing system with various specialization e.g., creative intellegience etc.
Tuition Fees (2026/27 Academic Year)
EU/EEA Students: €2,694 per year (statutory rate).
Non-EU Students: for master’s you have €22,500 and for bachler its €18,700 per year.
Language Requirements
You need IELTS 6.5, TOEFL 4.5, and a Cambridge English exam with C2 proficiency.
Scholarships at Leiden University
- They have their main merit-based scholarship named Leiden University Excellence Scholarship (LExS that covers your partial to full tuition.
- Holland Scholarship, as usual, which is a one-time €5,000 grant for non-EEA students.
Admission deadline at Leiden University
Admission deadline for EU is 1 may but for non-EU the deadline is 1st April 2026. This is the standard date for every year. However, we suggest you apply as early as possible if you need a visa application.
Leiden university have febeary intake too, so you can have two intake September, for which the deadline we already shared, but for feburary its 15 October for non eu and for eu its 15 November.
Author’s Note on Admission Difficulty
I can say that the Admission difficulty is moderate to high, and varies by specialization. The standard Computer Science Master’s is competitive but accessible with a solid, relevant Bachelor’s degree. However, niche or popular interdisciplinary tracks (like Data Science or ICT in Business) can be more selective. You have to keep in mind that the university values a well-argued study plan that demonstrates how Leiden’s specific offerings match your goals, which you can show through your motivation letter and other supporting documents. However, it’s less competitive then other 3 that i dicuss above. Read more about the program, fee, deadline, and other info.
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University of Twente (UT)
The UT stands out for its entrepreneurial spirit and its unique “High Tech, Human Touch” philosophy, which integrates technology with social and behavioral sciences mean you can find varity of courses with AI, as we are already in the era of AI.
Key IT Programs
BSc & MSc in Computer Science, MSc in Business & IT, MSc in Technical Computer Science, plus a Master’s in embedded systems, interaction technology, and robotics with specialization in social AI, software AI, and physical AI. So you have varity of specialization. Read more about their IT and computer science program.
Tuition Fees (2026/27 Academic Year)
EU/EEA Students: €2,694 per year (statutory rate).
Non-EU Students: for the bachelor’s program, the fee is €16,400, but some courses offer 13,000; however, our topic is about IT courses, so we mentioned accordingly, which is 16,400. For septmer intake, you have €21,700 for the master’s program.
Author note for you
If you start in the February intake, it is around 12,658 euros, which is for one semester. I mean, they will calculate this for an academic year, so in September, they will consider a new academic year. I know it seems complicated to you, but not exactly, because as we can see, it’s 21,700 for the whole year, so if we split it, then it will be around 10 and a half. So, because what we mentioned, 12,658, is for next year, 2027, and if we talk about 2026, it’s around 11 thousand euros.
Language Requirements
All programs are English-taught. Standard language test results (e.g., IELTS 6.5) are required for admission.
Scholarships at UT
- The University of Twente itself offers you a Scholarship from €3,000 to €22,000 for one year, so you can avail this option.
- You always have a Holland Scholarship offer, which is a one-time €5,000 grant.
- Apart from that, you have the Orange Tulip Scholarship if you are an excellent student from specific countries like Brazil, China, and Indonesia, etc.
Admission deadline at UT
Their admission starts from 1st October and will end at may 1, 2026. So you have to consider this every year for septemeber in take. And for the February intake, you have to start by March 1 every year till 1 october. If you still don’t understand this, then let’s understand this with an example.
For example
To start in September 2026, you apply between 1 Oct 2025 and 1 May 2026 and submit your diploma by 1 September 2025.
To start in February 2027, you apply between 1 Mar 2026 and 1 Oct 2026 and submit your diploma by 1 February 2026.
Remember that this formula will apply to 2027 and beyond. However, for bachelor’s, you have a September intake with a deadline of 1 may always.
Author’s Note on Admission Difficulty
When it’s about admission, I would say the admission at the University of Twente is generally moderate. As you already seen, the UT has a broader range of IT-related programs and a slightly larger intake than the other universities on our list. For the standard Computer Science programs, meeting the stated academic and language requirements typically gives you a good chance. However, in more specialized tracks, you will probably may face higher competition.
What you need to know about admission & application
- You must check that your degree is relevant and your GPA is competitive.
- Gather certified transcripts, your diploma, a strong CV, prepare your motivation letter, get at least two academic references from your school and university where you studied, and take your English proficiency test, e.g. ILETS, TOFEL etc as you cannot get admission without that too.
- For most programs, your first step is to register in the national application system, Studielink. You will then complete your application on the university’s own portal, of course.
- As you know, the tuition fees are higher for non-EU students, so we suggest that you apply for a scholarship as early as possible. As a matter of fact, is Scholarship deadlines are usually much earlier than admission deadlines. Start this process early.
- Last but not least Accept your offer, apply for your visa/residence permit (non-EU), and start searching for housing immediately, as we can say this is the biggest challenge for international students in the Netherlands.
- You can also be part of these universities through an Erasmus scholarship if you want a fee and quality education in natherland.
Other related blog post
Top 5 IT Universities in Norway
Top 10 IT universities in Poland
Top 5 IT universities in Germany for students
Top 5 IT universities in Belgium
Top 5 IT and computer science Universities in France
Disclaimer: this blog is only for educational purposes, and for exact information, we suggest you rely on the official source.
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