Tegen de werkuurverhoging voor Europese studenten in Nederland

A little bit of truth here. (Writing in English so international students will hopefully understand)

Alright, I’ve been reading arguments from left and right, and I’m finding quite a lot of misinformation … arguments are backed by emotion instead of facts.. so here are my 2 cents, a bit of information so that you guys can formulate a more… accurate picture to explain the new rules which will be imposed.

The new trend is to reduce the number of international students coming into the Netherlands since it simply costs the government a LOT of money for each student. Currently it costs the Dutch government 6 000 to 60 000 euros per year per student, where the amount varies according to the study and facilities. (Medicine and science students consume a bit more than economics and law for example) Extreme cases are then seen in PhD’s where some (like a Chinese guy sitting behind me) will cost 500 000 euros during his 4 year research, and this is just one out of many in my department.(consisting of around 40 PhD’s, from which about 70% are foreigners)

This money (paid for by Dutch tax payers) is seen as an investment from the Dutch government, which it intends to recover with interest in the form of taxes and economic development after the student has obtain his (expensive) degree. However till 10 years ago, the student exchange balance was somewhat constant, with an even number of Dutch students going abroad as international students coming into the Netherlands. With the enormous explosion of international students in recent years, the balance shifted, the Netherlands are investing in international students who, by far and large, will pick up their fancy diploma with a flight ticket out of here already in their back pocket. Their contribution to the Dutch economy on the long run will be zilch, zero, nada and in many cases and their integration in the Dutch society or Dutch student life during their studies was even worse.

So what will this new rule cause? A reduction in the number of new students coming into the Netherlands, it will not eradicate international students from the Netherlands.
As for the 14 hours of work per week, Ai ai ai… most students don’t even put that much time into their studies, so I understand the revolt. After all, many see the university as a way of postponing entering the real 9 to 5 life.
And lets face it, the UK is a few hundred km’s further that way (I’m pointing left), but there they charge you charge with the real cost of studying and not the symbolic 1700 euros per year.