According to an August 2026 study by Statistics Netherlands, foreign students in the Netherlands generate more benefits for the Dutch national economy than they cost. Until recently, many believed that foreign nationals financially infringed on Dutch taxpayers by profiting from Dutch educational services, while adding little value.
Based on long-term effects of the presence of foreign students in the Netherlands, the report Economic effects of incoming international students, which calculated the total expenditures of foreign students for housing, health care, food and clothing, and the value they bring to the country after graduating, concluded that these students add more to the Dutch economy than they cost.
It indicates that students who are enrolled in bachelor and master degrees in Dutch universities and universities of applied sciences are more likely to remain in the Netherlands after obtaining their degree and find work in their field. These employees – whether they are Dutch nationals or foreigners – often earn high salaries and therefore generate more taxes for the Dutch state than the average Dutch employee.
In the period 2017 to 2024, the number of students enrolled at Dutch universities rose significantly from 76,000 to 131,000, with the primary increase being students in university bachelor programs. However, the report indicates that the growth has tapered off since 2021; this decline can be attributed to a lack of housing for students in general, as well as a growing xenophobia from right-wing political parties in the Netherlands.
Brain drain
Within the group of international students, the report distinguishes between students from other European countries and those from outside Europe, which economically contribute the most to the Dutch economy through their expenditure. Students from European countries are often entitled to student loans, while those from outside Europe are not. On average, two out of every five students from non-European countries remains in the Netherlands after graduating, usually employed in high-earning professions generating significant taxes for the Dutch state.
The lion’s share of foreign students is drawn to Amsterdam, with an average of 22,000 a year, and Maastricht with 14,000 annually. More than a third of non-European students study in Amsterdam, whereas 20 per cent of European students attends a university in the capital.
Currently, in the Netherlands, there is a structural shortage of employees in technical and economic fields, exactly the areas in which many foreign students are enrolled at Dutch universities. Therefore, besides the economic advantage of foreign graduates consuming goods during their studies and thus contributing to the Dutch economy, having highly educated employees in the Netherlands offers a net brain gain to the country. Conversely, their home countries – the most common of which are Germany, China, Italy and Greece – suffer from a brain drain.
Double blessing in disguise
The increase of international students and employees in the Netherlands might also offer another benefit. According to the Programme for International Student Assessement (PISA Report), published in early September, which assesses the cognitive skills of 15-year-olds worldwide, nearly 40 percent of Dutch 15-year-olds has an insufficient reading level, up from 33 per cent in 2022. The structural decline in reading level is alarming Dutch schools and politicians. Foreign students finding employment in the Netherlands after completing their education may be a double blessing in disguise for the country. After all, these highly educated people will raise their children here, thus raising the level of education for all students in the country.
Written by Benjamin Roberts