The list of Europe’s top 50 student cities is out — and only three Dutch cities made it

Thought the Netherlands was student paradise? Think again 💀

The list of the best student cities in Europe just dropped and — surprise, surprise! — the Netherlands only features three times, coming 12th, 24th, and 49th.

The list was compiled by The Campus Advisor, a website that rates universities across the globe, based on reviews from enrolled students.

Several factors that were used to calculate the rankings include the cost of living, access to public transport, safety, cultural diversity, nightlife, and academic environment.

Which Dutch cities made the list?

The three cities representing the Netherlands in the ranking are Amsterdam (#12), Groningen (#24), and Delft (#49).

READ MORE | A guide to the best student cities in the Netherlands in 2024

Despite failing to make the top ten, Amsterdam ranked first in Europe for “Cultural Diversity”, bagging an overall score of 82.5.

Groningen, in turn, did particularly well in the “Security” department. It ranked third on the list, just behind Zurich and Warsaw — taking home a solid 81.2.

Finally, Delft scored quite consistently above 70 points and totalled a respectable 74.9.

READ MORE | Studying in the Netherlands? Here are 9 things you need to set up

Disappointingly, several popular Dutch student cities like Utrecht, Leiden, and Maastricht failed to make the list.

Whilst more detailed breakdown of its scores reveals that the three Dutch cities in the ranking scored consistently high in most areas, they were dragged down by their exceptionally high living costs.

So, who made it to the top?

Curious to see which cities did do well in the ranking?

Here’s the the top ten list. 👇

PositionCityOverall score
#1Prague, Czechia87.3
#2Heidelberg, Germany86.7
#3Galway, Ireland86.2
#4Budapest, Hungary86.1
#5Granada, Spain85.7
#6Aarhus, Denmark85.6
#7Warsaw, Poland85.5
#8Newcastle, United Kingdom85.2
#9Berlin, Germany85.0
#10Bologna, Italy84.7

Do you think Dutch cities are student-friendly? Tell us about your experience in the comments below.

Feature image:Depositphotos

Accuracy, clarity, and a touch of humour — that’s DutchReview. Read our editorial mission.

Beatrice Scali 🇮🇹
Beatrice Scali 🇮🇹
Five years after spreading her wings away from her beloved Genova, Bia has just landed at DutchReview as an editorial intern. She has lived in China, Slovenia, Taiwan, and — natuurlijk — the Netherlands, where she just completed her bachelor’s in International Studies. When she’s not reciting unsolicited facts about the countries she’s lived in, she is writing them down. Her biggest dreams include lobbying the Dutch government into forcing oliebollen stands to operate year-round, and becoming a journalist. In this order.

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