Quick Read
- Dutch universities run two intakes: September and February.
- Numerus fixus programs close on 15 January every year.
- Non-EU master’s deadlines commonly fall on 1 April.
- Your university files the IND application, not you.
- February applicants must still prove twelve months of funds.
- Handling fees cost Rs.8,306 to Rs.11,075 per application.
How Many Intakes in Netherlands Are There, and When Do They Start
There are two intakes in Netherlands. The September intake is the main entry point and carries the widest range of programs. The February intake is smaller, and most programs do not offer it at all.
| September 2027 intake | February 2028 intake | |
|---|---|---|
| Starts | September 2027 | February 2028 |
| Program availability | Widest range, most English-taught programmes | Limited, many programmes do not run it |
| Scholarship access | Most awards align to this intake | Fewer awards open |
| Competition | Highest, the full applicant pool | Lower, smaller applicant pool |
| Non-EU master’s deadline | Commonly 1 April 2027 | Commonly 1 November 2027 |
| Numerus fixus | 15 January 2027, no exceptions | Rarely offered |
| Suits | Anyone whose programme and timeline allow it | Students who missed September or need preparation time |
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One caveat most guides skip: the two intakes in Netherlands are a fact about the country, not about your program. Many English-taught master's programs at research universities run in September only, and February exists mainly at universities of applied sciences and a narrow set of research-university programs. Confirm your specific program runs, then before building a February plan.
Counselor insight: Check the intake on the individual program page, not the university's general admissions page. Students spend two months preparing a February application and then discover Studielink offers no February start date in the dropdown for that program, because it has only ever run in September.
Deadlines for Intakes in Netherlands, by Applicant Type
Deadlines for the intakes in Netherlands are not hidden. The problem is that different bodies set different dates, and most articles quote whichever one they found first.
| Deadline | Who sets it | Date | Who it binds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Numerus fixus application | National (Studielink) | 15 January, 23:59 CET | Every applicant, EU and non-EU |
| General bachelor's first enrolment | National | 1 May | Bachelor's applicants, non-selective programmes |
| Non-EU master's, September start | Your institution | Commonly 1 April | Non-EU/EEA applicants needing a visa |
| Non-EU master's, February start | Your institution | Commonly 1 November | Non-EU/EEA applicants needing a visa |
| EU/EEA master's, September start | Your institution | Commonly 1 May to 1 July | EU/EEA applicants only |
| Enrolment completion | Your institution | Commonly 1 June (Sept) or 1 December (Feb) | Everyone admitted |
Study in NL, the official Dutch government portal, confirms the numerus fixus deadline as 15 January at 23:59 CET. The institutional dates come from Radboud University's deadline page, which sets 1 April for non-EU/EEA September applicants and 1 November for non-EU/EEA February applicants and states that the earlier non-EU date exists to allow time for the visa procedure. Those dates are common but not national, so confirm yours.
Counselor insight: The 1 May date almost every blog quotes is the national bachelor's enrolment deadline, and it is not your deadline if you need a visa. Work from your program page. If the page lists two dates, the earlier one is the one that applies to you.
Studielink, Numerus Fixus and What Applying to Intakes in Netherlands Costs
Studielink is the national enrolment portal for Dutch institutions. It is not a full application system and not universal: Study in NL advises checking with your institution first, because some use a different method to register students from abroad.
The rules that actually constrain your shortlist across both intakes in Netherlands:
- You can apply for a maximum of four programs in total across all Dutch institutions.
- Of those, you can submit applications for a maximum of two numerus fixus programs per academic year.
- Medicine, dentistry, Dental hygiene and Physiotherapy allow only one application per program per year. You cannot apply for Medicine at two universities. You can apply for Medicine at one and Dentistry at another.
- The institution decides how many times you may enter the selection for a given program.
Exchange rate used: Rs.110.75 per EUR. Verify the current rate before finalising your budget.
Applying is not free. Study in NL confirms that at some institutions, non-EEA students or those with no prior Dutch education pay an application or handling fee of Rs.8,306 to Rs.11,075 (€75 to €100). Four Studielink slots can therefore cost up to Rs.44,300 (€400) before a rupee of tuition. The same page puts non-EEA bachelor's programs at Rs.9,96,750 to Rs.22,15,000 (€9,000 to €20,000) a year and master's programs at Rs.13,29,000 to Rs.33,22,500 (€12,000 to €30,000). Program-level detail sits in our guide to study in the Netherlands, with a worked example in University of Amsterdam fees for Indian students.
Counselor insight: Studielink registration is not your application. Almost every Dutch institution emails a separate link afterwards for transcripts, your CV and the motivation letter. Students who stop at the Studielink confirmation screen believe they have applied while the university has received nothing.
Month-by-Month Calendar for the September 2027 and February 2028 Intakes in Netherlands
September 2027 track, working backwards from a 1 April 2027 institutional deadline:
- August to October 2026: Shortlist programs. Confirm each one's intake and deadline on the program page. If a numerus fixus program is on your list, your clock has already started.
- November to December 2026: Book IELTS or TOEFL with a retake buffer. Draft your motivation letter. Begin the education loan conversation with your bank.
- 15 January 2027: Numerus fixus deadline, 23:59 CET. Falls inside most Indian final-semester exam schedules and carries no extension.
- February to March 2027: Register on Studielink and complete each university's separate application. Pay handling fees.
- 1 April 2027: Common non-EU/EEA master's deadline. Treat this as your hard date unless your program page says otherwise.
- April to May 2027: Offers arrive. Final results and provisional certificate arrive. Accept, then transfer or evidence funds immediately.
- 1 June 2027: Common enrolment completion deadline for non-EU/EEA September starters.
- June to August 2027: University files with the IND. Collect your MVV at the Dutch embassy in New Delhi or the consulate in Mumbai. Arrange housing.
February 2028 track, working backwards from 1 November 2027: shortlist by June 2027, tests and documents ready by August, apply by September, accept and fund in October, university files from November, enrolment complete by the common 1 December 2027 deadline.
One collision no aggregator mentions: if you graduate in May 2027 you cannot produce a final degree certificate before a 1 April 2027 deadline. This is why provisional certificates and conditional offers matter so much for Indian applicants to the September intake. Ask admissions in writing what they accept and by when.
Counselor insight: The numerus fixus date is the one that catches Indian applicants. 15 January sits in the middle of final-year exams, there is no extension for any reason, and the programs behind it are the ones students most want. If a numerus fixus program is on your shortlist, your real timeline started the previous August.
What to Do If You Miss a Deadline for Intakes in Netherlands
You missed 15 January for a numerus fixus program. There is no extension and no appeal on timing. Your options are a non-selective program in the same cycle or the next academic year. Decide quickly, because the non-selective route has its own deadline ahead.
You missed your university's visa document deadline. Ask admissions in writing whether deferral to the next intake is possible. Deferral policy is institutional rather than national, so the answer varies by university and sometimes by program.
IND processing is running long and your start date is close. Contact your university's international office, not the IND. Only your recognised sponsor can query a pending application.
Your results are delayed past the deadline. Ask whether the university will issue a conditional offer against a provisional certificate, and get the final-document date in writing. Many will, but the arrangement has to be agreed rather than assumed.
Your financial proof was rejected. The usual causes are statements older than three months, missing bank contact details, and funds held in instruments the IND does not treat as readily available. Fix the document and resubmit through your university, since it is the party filing.
Counselor insight: A deferral request sent in April is a different conversation from the same request sent in July. Dutch admissions offices are reasonable about timing problems they hear about early, and much less flexible once they have closed the intake off in their system.
3 Takeaways on Intakes in Netherlands
- Ask your university in writing for the last date it needs your financial proof in order to file with the IND, and plan your loan sanction and bank statements around that date rather than the Studielink deadline.
- Check the intake on your individual program page, since many Dutch programs run in September only regardless of what the university's general admissions page says.
- If a numerus fixus program is on your shortlist, treat 15 January as immovable and start the previous August, because that date falls inside your final-year exams and carries no extension.
Verified by: LeapScholar's Netherlands counseling team, with hands-on experience guiding Indian students through Studielink applications, IND financial proof and MVV collection.
Have questions about intakes in Netherlands or which one fits your timeline? Book a free session with a LeapScholar counselor.
Frequently Asked Questions About Intakes in Netherlands
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What happens if I miss the application deadline for my intake?
Numerus fixus deadlines carry no extension, so your options are a non-selective program this cycle or the next academic year. For institutional deadlines, ask admissions in writing whether deferral to the next of the intakes in Netherlands is possible, since policy varies by university. If the delay is IND processing, contact your international office.
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How much money do I need to show for a Netherlands student visa?
The IND checks your file against the study norm, which covers living costs only and excludes tuition. For 2026 that was Rs.1,25,238 (€1,130.77) a month, or Rs.15,02,793 over twelve months. The amount changes every 1 January. Universities often require a buffer above it and may ask you to transfer the funds to the institution.
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When should I start applying for intakes in Netherlands?
Start twelve months out. For a September 2027 start, shortlist programs between August and October 2026, book your English test by December 2026, and submit by the institutional deadline of around 1 April 2027. If a numerus fixus program is on your list, the 15 January deadline means you begin even earlier.
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How many universities can I apply to through Studielink?
Studielink allows a maximum of four program applications across all Dutch institutions, of which no more than two can be numerous fixed programs. Some institutions do not use Studielink for applicants from abroad, so check first. Non-EEA applicants also pay a handling fee of Rs.8,306 to Rs.11,075 (€75 to €100) per application at some institutions.
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What is a numerus fixus program, and when is its deadline?
Numerus fixus programs have a capped number of places and run a selection procedure. Applications close on 15 January at 23:59 CET, for all applicants. You may apply for a maximum of two numerus fixus programs per academic year and only one application per program for medicine, dentistry, dental hygiene, and physiotherapy.
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Is the February intake in the Netherlands worth it?
February is a genuine option if your program runs then. Competition is lower and cohorts are smaller. The limitations are real: fewer programs offer it, fewer scholarships align to it, and you must still prove twelve months of funds rather than six. Check program availability before committing to a February plan.
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What is the application deadline for the September intake in the Netherlands?
Non-EU applicants commonly face a 1 April deadline set by the institution, earlier than the 1 May national bachelor's enrolment date, to allow time for visa processing. Radboud University publishes 1 April for non-EU/EEA master's applicants. Numerus fixus programs close on 15 January for everyone. Confirm your program page, since institutional dates vary.
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Which intake is best for Indian students in the Netherlands?
September suits most Indian applicants because it offers the widest program choice, the most scholarships and a timeline that fits an Indian May graduation. February works if you missed September, need more preparation time, or want a smaller cohort. The trade-off is fewer programs and fewer funding options, not lower quality.
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How many intakes are there in the Netherlands?
Dutch universities run two intakes: September, which is the main entry point, and February, which is smaller. September carries the widest program range and the most scholarship access. Many programs, particularly English-taught master's programs at research universities, run in September only, so confirm availability on your specific program page.
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