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50 Best Public Universities in the Netherlands

Delft University of Technology leads the 50 Public universities in the Netherlands at #47 in the QS World University Rankings 2026. University of Amsterdam (QS World #55) and Utrecht University (QS World #103) complete the top three. Across the whole list there are 321 courses to choose from.

50 universities · ranked best first

how we rank

How these universities are ranked

11 of these universities hold a QS World position, from #47 (Delft University of Technology) to #279 (Radboud University); they are listed first, in that order. The rest are ordered by research impact. University of Amsterdam has the largest research record in this group, with 26,182,921 citations and an h-index of 1,160. 18 universities have neither a QS position nor a research record yet and appear at the end, marked "Not yet ranked".

Public, private and where they are

The split is 50 public to 0 private institutions. By location, South Holland (2), North Holland (1) and Utrecht (1) account for the most of those we can place. The oldest is Leiden University, founded in 1575. University of Amsterdam is the largest, with 41,000 students.

Inside the course list

By level: 214 bachelor's, 70 master's, 11 professional and 8 foundation. The most common subjects are Business & Management (72), Arts, Design & Architecture (33), Engineering (32) and Education (31). The usual length is 4 years and 2 years. 91% are full-time and 2 can be studied online. Start dates lean to Fall (93% of courses with a stated intake) and Spring (73% of courses with a stated intake). Hogeschool voor de Kunsten Utrecht (HKU) offers the widest choice, with 43 of these courses.

What it costs

We hold indicative fees for 5 of these universities. University of Amsterdam is the least expensive at USD 16,000 a year and Delft University of Technology the most at USD 21,000; the middle of the range is about USD 17,000. Check each university's own fee page before you budget — figures change every year.

Frequently asked questions

What are the top universities for Public in the Netherlands?

Delft University of Technology (QS World #47), University of Amsterdam (QS World #55) and Utrecht University (QS World #103) lead this list. QS World positions come first; the rest are ranked by research impact.

Which is the cheapest university for Public in the Netherlands?

Of those with published fees, University of Amsterdam is the least expensive at about USD 16,000 a year. Fees are indicative — confirm on the university's site.

How many public universities offer Public in the Netherlands?

50 public and 0 private universities are on this list.

How long does a Public course take in the Netherlands?

Most listed courses run 4 years, with 2 years the next most common.

When do Public courses start in the Netherlands?

Fall is the main intake — 93% of courses with a stated start date begin then, and Spring is the second.

Can I study Public online with a university in the Netherlands?

2 of these courses are listed as online.

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