In May 2006 the Code of Conduct International Student in Dutch Higher Education came into effect. Since October 1, 2022 a new version is valid in replacement of earlier versions. After an evaluation took place, the umbrella organizations agreed to a new version. The Code of Conduct is a joint initiative of the Dutch government and higher educational institutions. The result is an instrument of self-regulation. The Code of Conduct intends to contribute as a quality tool to the ambitions of the Dutch government and the educational institutions regarding internationalization as a means to turn the Netherlands into an attractive destination for knowledge and development.
The Code of Conduct contains agreements which (the umbrella organizations of) the institutions of higher education have developed to regulate the relationship with international students. The regulations are – for example – about the provision of information to international students and the minimum (language) requirements for admission to an institution of higher education.
According to Dutch immigration law, inclusion of an institution in the Register of the Code of Conduct is a precondition for attracting international students from outside the EU. On this website you can find the institutions that have signed the Code of Conduct, see Register.
The Rules and Regulations, which also can be found on this website, are an integral part of the Code of Conduct. In this document the competences of the National Commission are specified and it also contains provisions for the complaints procedure.
You can find the Code of Conduct and Rules and Regulations here.
This information is taken from the following website https://www.internationalstudy.nl/?lang=en
Code of Conduct and Regulations
The revised Code of Conduct came into effect on 1 October 2022. The Rules and Regulations that are linked to the Code of Conduct have also been updated in unison with the new version of the Code of Conduct. On this page you can find the most recent versions of the Code of Conduct, the Rules and Regulations and the Diploma List.
Moreover, you can find here the non-limitative list of accreditation organisations which fullfill the criteria of article 5.2 of the Code of Conduct. The list has been endorsed on by the National Commission on the 18th of October, with permission of the umbrella organisations of higher education. The list will be revised on a yearly base, and it is always possible to add or remove accreditation organisations.
| You can download the following documents |
| Code of Conduct (The actual Code of Conduct) |
| Diploma List (A list of European High School Diplomas that could be considered for exemption for IELTS / TOEFL) |
| Non-limitative list accreditation organisations (A list of accepted accreditations in the Netherlands) |
| Rules and Regulations (Of the Code of Conduct) |
| Summary (of the Code of Conduct and Complaints Proceedure) |