5 Best Computer Science Universities in the Netherlands

Life is a series of choices. From the moment we announce our presence to the world and until we ultimately take our last breath, we would be ticking off one ‘life choice’ box after another. Choosing the right university is considered to be one of the most important decisions we need to make as it will unravel the path towards our professional lives. It deserves a certain degree of scrutiny and critical assessment from our end.

Do we study close to home or do we dare step out of our comfort zones and immerse ourselves in the cultures of other countries? Several countries offer high-quality education, the Netherlands is one of them.

Why the Netherlands? Communication will not be a challenge as most locals know English. Compared to other countries, studying in the Netherlands is relatively affordable. The Dutch are known to be highly open-minded and are very welcoming to international students. Universities also encourage interactions and healthy relationships between the students and faculty thus creating a conducive learning environment. The Netherlands is also strategically located in Europe and often tagged as the “gateway to Europe”, making it conveniently easy to reach almost all major cities.

For students who love solving math equations, challenging puzzles, or are generally passionate about computer programs, one course to consider is Computer Science. In this digital age, Computer Science plays an integral factor in enhancing the technologies that we use daily in our personal and business lives. In this article, we will be going over the best universities in Computer Science in the Netherlands.

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Is the Netherlands a good place to study Computer Science?

Most of the universities in the Netherlands partnered with local and international companies, as they place a great deal of importance on the application portion of their education programs. This will ensure that students are not only knowledgeable in their respective fields but are also skilled in the real world.

Universities in the Netherlands focus on different fields of computer science and students can choose whether they want to study artificial intelligence, games architecture, or land a job as a system analyst. Some of the universities that offer Computer Science, such as the Delft University of Technology, University of Amsterdam, and the Eindhoven University of Technology, are included in the highly viewed university ranking, the QS World University Rankings 2020.

Cost of Studying Computer Science in the Netherlands

The cost of living and studying in the Netherlands is comparably low with other English-speaking countries. Several universities offer scholarships and grants.

What Degrees are offered for Computer Science in the Netherlands

The Netherlands offers undergraduate and postgraduate courses in Computer Science. Some of the bachelor degrees include Bachelor of Information Technology, BSc in Game Design, BSc in International Game Architecture and Design. For postgraduate opportunities, MSc in Computing Science, MSc in Game Technology, MSc in Embedded Systems, MSc in Medical Informatics, and MSc in Business Information Technology are some of the courses available.

Universities in the Netherlands with Computer Science

1. Delft University of Technology

Considered as one of the oldest technological universities in the Netherlands, the Delft University of Technology has been consistently listed as one of the best computer science universities in the Netherlands. The university’s mission is, “impact for a better society”. They currently offer 16 bachelor and over 30 master programmes.

Students of their computer science programme will learn the theories of software development and processing data for intelligent systems. The programme is a combination of self-study, practical applications, and lectures. According to their site, 87% of their bachelor graduates continue to pursue their master’s degrees.

The campus stretches more than 161 hectares making it one of the largest universities in the world. The vast space, lush greeneries and high quality of education are contributing factors that make this university a haven for its students and faculty.

2. University of Amsterdam

The University of Amsterdam (UvA) has the widest selection of academic programmes. Presently, it is home to 30,000 students and 6,000 staff members. It is among Europe’s best universities and is regarded as the largest institution in the Netherlands. The university notably takes pride in its Research section, both theoretical and experimental.

The Computer Science programme is a joint degree programme of the University of Amsterdam and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. The course is mostly taught at VU Amsterdam and since it’s a collaborative venture, students will acquire the expertise and knowledge of both institutions. With great program and faculty, the University of Amsterdam is considered to be one of the top universities in the Netherlands for Computer Science.

The UvA has four campuses across Amsterdam: University Quarter, Roeterseiland Campus, Amsterdam Science Park, and Amsterdam UMC. The campuses are a combination of historical buildings and modern facilities.

3. Eindhoven University of Technology

  • Computer Science Program links:
  • Degrees Offered: BSc Computer Science and Engineering, MSc Computer Science and Engineering
  • Language of Instruction: English

Located in Brainport Eindhoven, a world-class technology region, the Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) has been included among the top 200 universities in the world. The university is one of the leading universities in the field of research particularly in technology and engineering science.

Students of their Computer Science and Engineering courses will be equipped with the fundamentals of web services and software systems development.

4. Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

The Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU), one of the best Dutch universities for Computer Science, has been listed in the top 150 universities in the world. VU currently offers 25 Bachelor’s and 150 Master’s degree programmes. The university’s official seal is named, “The Virgin in the Garden”, which is about the Protestant reformation in the country during the 16th and 17th centuries.

The university’s Computer Science programme will teach its students the language of computers with the help of industry experts. Students will gain knowledge on how computer networks securely share information and the different programming languages.

5. Leiden University

  • Computer Science Program links:
  • Degrees Offered: BSc Computer Science, MSc Computer Science
  • Language of Instruction: BSc Computer Science (Dutch), MSc Computer Science (English)

We end our list of top universities in the Netherlands for computer sciene with Leiden University. This university was originally established as a reward to the town of Leiden for successfully defending itself from the Spanish influence. The public research university has been ranked among the top 100 universities in the world.

The Computer Science programme in Leiden University combines experimental, applied, and theoretical approaches. The two-year master’s programme offers seven specializations including Artificial Intelligence, Foundations of Computing, Bioinformatics, and Advanced Computing and Systems.

 

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