At the centre of everything
Utrecht University is one of the best-rated in the country. A genuine university city, less than half an hour from Amsterdam.
In short
Utrecht is the quintessential university city of the Netherlands: central, with a lively student scene and less than half an hour from Amsterdam. Universiteit Utrecht is among the best-rated in the country, although a good part of its degrees are taught in Dutch. A room costs around €775 a month.
Updated in
Self-assessment
Where to study
The Netherlands has two types of university: research universities (WO), more academic, and universities of applied sciences (HBO), more practical and with company placements. These are the main options in Utrecht:
Research university (WO)
Founded in 1636, it is one of the largest and best-rated universities in the Netherlands. It has sites in the historic centre and on the Utrecht Science Park campus (De Uithof).
In English: Economics and Business Economics and University College Utrecht stand out in English; many other degrees are in Dutch.
Official website →Liberal arts (part of UU)
An interdisciplinary degree in English, with its own residential campus and small groups. You design your own path across sciences, humanities and social sciences.
In English: The whole programme is in English.
Official website →University of applied sciences (HBO)
One of the largest universities of applied sciences in the country, with a practical focus on business, communication, technology and health.
In English: A more limited offering in English: check each programme before deciding.
Official website →Cost of living
Budget between €1,150 and €1,385 a month, not counting tuition. Tuition for EU students is €2,694 a year in 2026-2027 (official fee, the same at all public universities).
If you work at least 32 hours a month in the Netherlands, you can apply for the DUO grant like a Dutch student: in 2026 that is up to €324.52 a month in basic grant, plus up to €491.08 in supplementary grant depending on your parents' income.
| Monthly spending | Approx. |
|---|---|
| Room rental | 775 € |
| Food and groceries | 250–350 € |
| Transport (bike and the odd train) | 15–40 € |
| Mobile and internet | 10–20 € |
| Leisure, materials and other | 100–200 € |
| Total | 1.150–1.385 € |
Rent: Kamernet (2025-2026). If you work in the Netherlands you will also need Dutch health insurance (from around €150 a month, with possible government help); if you don't work, the European Health Insurance Card plus supplementary insurance is enough.
Accommodation
Utrecht has high demand and long waiting lists for residences. As the train to Amsterdam and other cities is quick, some students search in nearby towns. If you go to UCU, on-campus accommodation is part of the programme.
City life
Utrecht has Amsterdam's charm without as much tourism. The canals have terraces at water level (the werven), student life revolves around the societies and everything is 15 minutes away by bike.
The tallest church tower in the Netherlands and the landmark of the whole city.
Utrecht Centraal connects to almost any city in the country in under an hour.
Next to the station is one of the largest bike parks in the world, with room for around 12,500 bikes.
Frequently asked questions
Roughly between €1,150 and €1,385 a month: a room costs around €775 (Kamernet median, 2026) and the rest is split between food, transport and leisure.
Some, such as Economics and Business Economics and University College Utrecht (liberal arts). A good share of the degrees are taught in Dutch; master's programmes, by contrast, are usually in English.
Yes: it's very student-oriented, safe and central. The main difficulty is accommodation, because demand is high.
Make it real
Does Utrecht sound like your city?
Book a free first call. We'll tell you whether it's a good fit and which university makes the most sense for your profile.
Book your online consultationBook a time with our team
Free first consultation - 30 minutes
No time suits you? Write to us
Booking confirmed! 🎉
We've sent the invitation with the Google Meet link to your email. If you can't see it, check your spam folder.
Your privacy at Robin
We use our own necessary cookies to make the website work. Only if you accept will we also use third-party cookies: analytics (Google Analytics) to know how many people visit us and advertising (Meta) to measure our campaigns.
You can accept, reject or customise them. Change your choice whenever you like from “Cookie preferences” at the bottom of the site. More information in the cookie policy.
