Medicine Schools and Programs in Netherlands

Medicine Studies in Netherlands

Medicine in the Netherlands is a university degree taught at the medical faculties and university medical centres of research universities, where teaching, research and patient care go together. The degree is taught in Dutch and places are limited, so international applicants need to plan for both the language and the selection procedure well in advance.

SpainExchange lists two universities in the Netherlands for medicine: Leiden University, founded in 1575, whose medical programme is run by Leiden University Medical Centre (LUMC), and Utrecht University, whose roots go back to 1636 and whose programme is taught at UMC Utrecht.

How the medical degree is organised

Training as a doctor takes six years: a three-year bachelor's degree in Medicine (Geneeskunde, awarded as a Bachelor of Science) followed by a three-year master's degree. The master's degree makes the graduate a basisarts, a qualified doctor who can practise medicine but is not yet a specialist or general practitioner; that requires a further specialty training of several years. In the Netherlands, arts (doctor) is a protected title that can only be used after completing the university degree and the doctor's examination.

• Leiden University: the BSc in Medicine takes 3 years full time, starts in September and is taught in Dutch, with 312 first-year students. Students can study or do a placement abroad
• Utrecht University: according to the university, its programme is the only one in the Netherlands in which students start clinical rotations (coschappen) in the third year. In the master's, students do three integrated rotations over two years and a final transition year towards specialty training

Admission, selection and language

Medicine has a fixed number of places (numerus fixus). For 2027-28, Utrecht University offers 297 places: 59 (20%) go to the applicants with the highest scores in the selection tests and 238 (80%) are allocated by lottery among the other candidates, who must all take the tests on 27 February 2027. In Leiden, all candidates go through a selection procedure and receive a ranking number that decides whether they are offered a place.

• Utrecht asks for biology, physics, chemistry and mathematics at the level of the Dutch vwo diploma; foreign diplomas are checked by International Student Admissions
• Applicants register through Studielink between 1 October 2026 and 15 January 2027 (Utrecht); international applications in Utrecht and admission requests with a foreign diploma in Leiden must be submitted by 31 January 2027
• Leiden charges a non-refundable €100 administration fee to applicants with a foreign diploma
• Non-EU students who need a visa must meet all Utrecht requirements, including language, by 15 June 2027

The Dutch requirement is significant. Utrecht accepts the NT2 programme 2 exam or an equivalent CNaVT certificate, and warns that it takes at least one year to reach a good command of Dutch from scratch.

Costs and residence permit

Students from the EEA, Switzerland and Suriname pay the statutory fee, €2,694 for 2026-27. Students of other nationalities pay an institutional fee; Study in NL gives an average of €9,000 to €20,000 a year for bachelor's programmes. Students from outside the EU/EEA need a student residence permit, which the university applies for; the application costs €254.

Working as a doctor

Doctors must register in the BIG register to practise in the Netherlands. A doctor trained abroad can only work there if their knowledge and skills are equivalent to those of a Dutch-trained doctor. For diplomas from outside the EU or Switzerland this usually means a certificate of competence procedure, and Dutch language skills are required in almost all cases.

Frequently asked questions

Can I study medicine in the Netherlands in English?

The bachelor's degrees in Medicine at Leiden and Utrecht are taught in Dutch, and Utrecht requires the NT2 programme 2 exam or an equivalent certificate.

How long does it take to become a doctor in the Netherlands?

Six years: a three-year bachelor's and a three-year master's, after which graduates are basisarts. Specialising takes several more years.

How hard is it to get a place?

Places are limited. Utrecht has 297 places for 2027-28, allocated by selection tests and a lottery; Leiden ranks all candidates through its selection procedure.

Can I work as a doctor in the Netherlands with a foreign medical degree?

Only after your diploma has been recognised and you are registered in the BIG register, which usually also requires sufficient Dutch.