Whether studying at a university of applied sciences (HBO) or a research university (WO), an almost equal share of students either spend at least three months of their education or obtain 15 credits abroad: credit mobility is seen among 22 percent of HBO students and 23 percent of WO students. More WO than HBO students (84 and 60 percent respectively) attend lectures at a foreign university, possibly combining it with an internship. On the other hand, HBO students are more likely to go abroad solely for an internship (40 versus 16 percent).
Main reason is personal development
HBO and WO students with international credit mobility largely share the same motives to complete part of their education abroad. They consider studying abroad to be a valuable experience for their personal development (this was cited as a reason by 97 percent) and for their future career (as stated by 86 percent). In addition, relatively many HBO students indicate that studying abroad is a compulsory part of their curriculum.
Commitments at home often reason not to study abroad
Forty-four percent of students indicate they never considered a stay abroad. The most cited reasons for not going abroad were other commitments in the Netherlands, such as job or care duties (47 percent), as well as the related costs (43 percent). Both reasons were cited more often by HBO than by WO students. Furthermore, relatively many WO students consider the quality of education to be higher in the Netherlands than abroad, or indicate that a temporary stay abroad is difficult to combine with their studies at home.
