Foto Guy Ackermans. This is 8 per cent up from last year. The association of Dutch universities (VSNU) identifies several factors responsible for this increase. The corona mitigating measures have resulted in a higher percentage of graduates among high school students. Moreover, fewer scholars seem to have opted for a break year. The influx from the VWO (pre-university education) has increased by 15 per cent. The influx in the masters’ shows a slight increase.
Wageningen
Wageningen University records 3,052 first-year students this academic year, a five per cent increase from last year. The number of first-year bachelor students increased to 1,750, the number of masters remains the same at around 1,300.
International students
Despite the travel restrictions, there was a slight increase in the number of international students in the Netherlands. Some 10 to 12 per cent more European students enrolled, but the number of non-EER students decreased. By how much is not yet known, but the decrease is likely considerable.
Corona crisis
Moreover, fewer students have dropped out. Normally, approximately 7 per cent of the students drop out in their first year. In contrast, that percentage is now 5.4. Due to the corona crisis, first-year students who failed to obtain the required number of credits were conditionally permitted to continue on to their second year. At the same time, fewer students than expected graduated, as some fell back due to the pandemic.
High pressure
‘The effect of postponing the binding study advice will become apparent over the next year’, says VSNU-chair Pieter Duisenberg. He feels there is a real chance that more students will drop out next year after falling back. All things considered, the growth will increase the pressure on universities and their employees, he expects. ‘This supports our petition for structural investments in scientific education.’
The definitive enrolment numbers will be published at the start of next year, per university. The universities of applied sciences have also shown an increase. By the beginning of October, 9.5 per cent more firs-year students had applied.