Falling enrollment at Dutch universities, including UvA
The number of new students at Dutch universities has fallen again this academic year. This is evident from the final enrollment figures from the umbrella organization Universities of the Netherlands (UNL). At the UvA, the total number of enrolled students dropped for the first time in years.
The enrollment of new students at Dutch universities is decreasing for both Dutch and international students. According to the final figures for the 2025/2026 academic year, the number of Dutch bachelor’s students decreased by 3.3 percent compared to the previous academic year. The enrollment of international bachelor’s students fell slightly more this year, by 3.6 percent.
The UNL cites several reasons for the decline. For Dutch students, fewer pre-university (vwo) students took their final exams last year, the pass rate was lower, and more successful vwo graduates seem to be choosing a gap year. The decrease in the number of foreign bachelor’s students – particularly from other European countries – is explained by universities’ policies regarding international students. For example, universities no longer actively recruit abroad except in shortage sectors, and some institutions warn students about the tight housing market in their city.
University of Amsterdam
At the UvA, fewer new bachelor’s students started this year compared to previous years. According to the figures provided by the Amsterdam university for the study, 6,945 new bachelor’s students started this year, a decrease of 8.3 percent compared to the previous year.
Overall, the UvA’s student population declined for the first time in years, from 44,004 in 2024-25 to 43,242 this year. This decrease was already visible in the preliminary enrollment figures released in October. Those figures showed that the Faculty of Humanities (FGw) experienced the sharpest decline in bachelor’s students, with a drop of over 20 percent. At the Faculty of Science, Mathematics & Computer Science (FNWI), the number of new students also fell significantly, by 13.7 percent.
No Further Growth
When the preliminary figures were published, Rector Magnificus Peter-Paul Verbeek said he was not worried about the declining student population at the UvA: “We did not want to grow any further. At the same time, it is important that changes in student numbers occur gradually and not abruptly, especially at a time when universities are under significant financial pressure. We must maintain the resources to provide high-quality education.”
The Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW) predicts that student numbers at Dutch universities will decline by almost ten percent by 2035. This includes both a decrease in international students and Dutch students.
