Our Netherlands country guide covers why the Netherlands remains one of the strongest study destinations for Hyderabad students — the Holland Scholarship, the Zoekjaar orientation permit, and 2,500+ English-taught programmes. All of that is still true. But 2026 also brings a real, verified policy shift that every applicant should understand before choosing a Dutch bachelor's programme: the Dutch government is now actively capping English-taught intake and pushing Dutch-language requirements at the undergraduate level. Here is what has actually changed, based on Dutch government and higher-education-sector reporting, and what it practically means if you are applying from Hyderabad.
1. What's Changing in 2026
For over a decade, the story on the Netherlands was straightforward: apply to almost any English-taught bachelor's or master's programme, and if you met the entry requirements, a seat was available. That is no longer guaranteed at bachelor's level. Starting with recent admission cycles, a growing number of Dutch universities have introduced numerus fixus (a capped, competitive intake) specifically on their English-taught bachelor's tracks, and several are shifting the language of instruction back to Dutch for a majority of credits.
This is a direct result of Dutch national policy, not a university-by-university preference — it stems from legislation designed to slow the growth in international student numbers after enrollment more than doubled over the past decade.
2. The Internationalisation in Balance Act, Explained
The Wet internationalisering in balans (Internationalisation in Balance Act, often abbreviated WIB) is the Dutch government's legislative response to concerns about housing shortages, classroom capacity, and the dominance of English in higher education. Its core provisions:
- Dutch-language requirement: Most bachelor's programmes must now deliver at least two-thirds of their credits in Dutch, reversing the shift toward all-English bachelor's degrees seen over the last 10–15 years.
- Numerus fixus on English tracks: Universities can set a capped, competitive number of seats specifically for English-taught tracks in programmes that are oversubscribed, rather than admitting every qualified applicant.
- Funding tied to the policy: The Dutch government has attached budget reductions — reported at roughly €168 million — to international-student-related funding as part of this rebalancing, starting from 2026.
The stated intent is not to shut the door on international students, but to manage growth so it doesn't outpace housing, lecture-hall capacity, and Dutch-language integration in the job market.
3. The Numbers — How Many Places Are Actually Affected
Based on recent reporting from Dutch universities and higher-education associations:
- A total of roughly 86 bachelor's programmes across Dutch universities now apply some form of numerus fixus.
- Around a dozen bachelor's programmes introduced new caps specifically on their English-taught tracks in the current admission cycle — concentrated in psychology (nearly all Randstad-region psychology bachelor's programmes are moving primarily to Dutch) and economics/business administration (several programmes are capping or converting their English tracks).
- International bachelor's enrollment is projected to fall by roughly 2,000 students compared to the 2022/23 peak, when close to 19,000 international students enrolled in Dutch bachelor's programmes in a single year.
Important: this is a moving target. Each university publishes its own numerus fixus list before every admission cycle, and the list can change year to year. Do not rely on what a programme's status was last year — always verify directly on the university's current admissions page, or ask your GoWest counsellor to confirm before you commit application fees.
4. Regions and Subjects Still Open — Where the Exemptions Are
The picture is not uniformly restrictive. The Dutch government reversed roughly €125 million of the originally planned funding cuts specifically for universities in provinces facing population decline — Limburg, Friesland, Groningen, Drenthe and Zeeland. Universities in these regions (such as Maastricht and Groningen) have a policy incentive to keep welcoming international students, since they help sustain regional student numbers and local economies.
Similarly, programmes in fields the Dutch government has flagged as facing labour-market shortages — engineering, technology, healthcare and select STEM fields — are more likely to be prioritised for continued English-track capacity rather than caps, since the policy's goal is to rebalance growth, not choke off talent the Dutch economy needs.
5. What This Means for Hyderabad Students
- Master's programmes are largely unaffected. The current wave of caps and Dutch-language rules is concentrated on bachelor's degrees. If you're applying for a master's — the more common route for Hyderabad students already holding an Indian bachelor's degree — this policy shift has much less direct impact.
- If you are applying at bachelor's level, apply early and verify current status. Do not assume a programme is open-enrolment in English just because it was two years ago. Confirm the numerus fixus status and language-of-instruction split for your specific programme before you commit.
- Favour STEM, engineering and technical bachelor's programmes where possible — these remain the government's stated priority for continued English-medium growth, versus psychology, economics and business tracks, where caps are concentrated.
- Consider regional universities in Limburg, Friesland, Groningen, Drenthe or Zeeland, which have a policy tailwind to keep welcoming international students rather than a headwind.
- The core value proposition hasn't disappeared. The Holland Scholarship (€5,000), the 1-year Zoekjaar orientation permit, and globally ranked universities like TU Delft, UvA and TU/e are all still very much in place — see our full Netherlands guide for details. What's changed is that "any English bachelor's programme, any time" is no longer a safe assumption.
6. How GoWest Helps You Navigate This
GoWest Education's Chaitanyapuri office tracks Dutch university admission requirements every cycle, including which programmes have introduced numerus fixus caps or shifted to Dutch-medium instruction. Before you apply, our counsellors verify your target programme's current-year status directly against the university's own admissions page — so you're not building your shortlist on outdated information.
Planning to apply to the Netherlands from Hyderabad? Call GoWest Education at +91 96765 89996 or book a free counselling session. We'll confirm which Dutch programmes are still open to Indian applicants this cycle before you spend a rupee on application fees.
7. FAQs
Is the Netherlands still a good option for Indian students in 2026?
Yes, but with more due diligence than before. The Netherlands still offers the Holland Scholarship, a 1-year Zoekjaar orientation permit and strong English-taught master's programmes. The main change is at bachelor's level, where some universities are now capping or converting English-taught tracks to Dutch. Check the specific programme's current-year admission status before applying — do not assume every bachelor's course is still open-enrolment in English.
What is the Internationalisation in Balance Act?
The Wet internationalisering in balans (Internationalisation in Balance Act) is Dutch legislation aimed at moderating the growth of international student numbers. It requires most bachelor's programmes to deliver at least two-thirds of teaching in Dutch and allows universities to set a numerus fixus (capped intake) on English-taught tracks in oversubscribed subjects.
Which Dutch bachelor's programmes are capping English-taught intake?
As of the current admission cycle, a total of roughly 86 bachelor's programmes across Dutch universities apply some form of numerus fixus, with about a dozen specifically introducing new caps on their English-taught tracks — concentrated in psychology, economics and business administration. The exact list is reviewed and published by each university before every admission cycle, so always confirm directly with your target university rather than relying on last year's status.
Are master's programmes in the Netherlands affected by these changes?
The current wave of caps and Dutch-language requirements is concentrated on bachelor's programmes. Master's programmes, especially in STEM, engineering and technology fields that Dutch universities have identified as facing labour-market shortages, are largely unaffected and in some cases still prioritised for growth. Hyderabad students applying for a master's degree in the Netherlands are less likely to be impacted than bachelor's applicants.