International at HKU

If you’re thinking of going abroad for a while during your studies, then HKU’s the place for you. But if you’d rather stay in the Netherlands, there are still plenty of opportunities to broaden your horizons.

The field of education and work for our students and graduates is far wider than Utrecht and the Netherlands. So it’s in everyone’s interests to maintain and expand the international perspective in our education and research.

We think it’s important that our students are future-ready, i.e. able to deal with change, innovation and complexity. HKU’s education has an international focus and enables you to develop the right international competencies, such as a capacity for change, creativity, inquisitiveness and an open mind.

At HKU, we believe internationalisation is very important. We already have a variety of contacts, but are always open to your own ideas and initiatives.

From home or abroad

HKU maintains contact with partners all over the world, so we can continue to expand our horizons and retain access to talent, creativity and opportunities around the world. But this doesn’t mean you’ll have to go abroad. We give you the opportunity to gain knowledge and experience and to develop lasting relations either from home (internationlisation@home), or by going abroad.

Taking subjects, doing an internship or going on an excursion

Do you dream of doing an internship with a big fashion company in Paris? Or with an artist in Copenhagen? HKU students have a wide variety of opportunities to go to other countries. For example, you can spend a period abroad studying, doing an internship or going on an international excursion. Make your dream come true!

Erasmus+

In recent years, HKU students have been scattered over 50 countries throughout the world. So the world’s your oyster. HKU also participates in Erasmus+, a European Union programme through which you can apply for funding to study or do an internship abroad.

Read more about Erasmus+

Internationalisation at Home

We also organise meetings with foreign students, artists and artists-in-residence in the Netherlands. And all today’s digital options make it possible to collaborate at distance. Each school has its own ways of bringing the world indoors. A few examples:

In the annual project Imagining Tomorrow, you work with students from foreign universities. And then you start working for external clients from outside HKU.
Every year, this school organises an international week. Alumni with careers abroad share their experiences with you.
Every second year, you create an intercultural performance at distance. You contact students from a foreign art academy through Skype.

Dutch Code of Conduct for International Students in Higher Education

The Dutch Code of Conduct for International Students in Higher Education (2024) includes several important themes to ensure quality and fairness in the treatment of international students. Here is an overview of the main themes. These themes help both students and institutions make clear agreements, with compliance and quality at the forefront. More details on these topics are available on the Code of Conduct Higher Education website.

Educational institutions must clearly inform international students about study programs, content, admission requirements, language requirements, and diplomas obtained. This also includes the quality standards that the programs must meet.
The code sets minimal language requirements (such as IELTS) for admission to English-taught programs. Furthermore, institutions must verify whether students meet the entry qualification requirements.
Programs offered to international students must be accredited and comply with legal requirements. Additionally, staff must have a sufficient command of the language of instruction.
Institutions are responsible for reporting the progress of international students to the Immigration and Naturalization Service (IND) and must comply with regulations regarding the residence of students from non-EU countries.
Institutions must clearly indicate the services they offer, such as assistance with housing and integration, as well as the support available for students facing issues with compliance with the code of conduct.
International students can file complaints if they believe an institution is not adhering to the code of conduct. The National Commission monitors compliance with the code and can mediate if necessary.