‘Financial blow looms for universities when international student numbers decline’

If the number of non-European students decreases by 10 percent, universities will face an additional deficit of 37 million euros. So says accountancy firm PwC in a report on the financial position of universities.

The firm sounded the alarm last week: with falling numbers of national students, they will get less money anyway. Now that the government also wants to curb foreign intake, this may result in large deficits.

The impact varies greatly from institution to institution. Maastricht University, with over 70 percent international students, is at greater risk than Utrecht University, for example, with 20 percent. The absence of non-EEA students, who pay up to EUR 37,000 in tuition fees, has particularly large financial consequences.

Vulnerable

The University of Amsterdam is the most vulnerable, with 7 percent of its income coming from non-European students. TU Delft, TU Eindhoven and Wageningen University follow with around 5 percent, while Radboud University Nijmegen is the least dependent with less than 1 percent.

A 10 percent drop seems realistic: in September, international enrolment in undergraduate courses already dropped by 6 percent, even without government measures. The cabinet ultimately wants to cut 168 million euros from international students, including by offering more Dutch-language education. (HOP. OL)