Skip to content

Studies & Degrees in Dutch language and culture (in Universities)

Dutch language and culture, also called Dutch studies, is the university study of the Dutch language, its literature and the societies that use it. According to the Taalunie, the language union of the Netherlands and Flanders, there are about 24 million Dutch speakers: roughly 17 million in the Netherlands, 6.5 million in Belgium and 400,000 in Suriname. The Taalunie adds that no exact research data on the number of speakers exist. Dutch is an official language in six countries: the Netherlands, Belgium, Suriname, Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten.

What students learn depends on where they start. Programmes for native speakers analyse the language and its literature in depth. The bachelor's degree at the University of Groningen, for example, is built on four pillars: linguistics, language use and communication, older literature and modern literature. Programmes for foreign students add intensive language training and courses on the history, politics, art and society of the Netherlands and Flanders.

Qualifications and levels

  • Bachelor's degree for native or advanced speakers. The bachelor's degree in Dutch Language and Culture at the University of Groningen takes 36 months and has 180 ECTS credits. It is taught in Dutch and starts in September.
  • Bachelor's degree for international students. Leiden University offers a three-year Bachelor of Arts in Dutch Studies, taught in Dutch and English. Leiden describes it as the only programme in the Netherlands for international students who want to specialise in Dutch language, culture, history and society at academic level. It accepts students from absolute beginner to advanced level, classes in Dutch start in the first semester, and the bachelor's thesis is written in Dutch. Students whose Dutch is already advanced may be able to finish in two years. The first year can also be taken on its own as a one-year programme.
  • Dutch studies abroad. Outside the Dutch-speaking countries the subject is usually one of two subjects in a combined degree. The Universität Duisburg-Essen in Germany, for example, has a two-subject bachelor's and master's degree in Niederlandistik and a bachelor's and master's degree called Kulturwirt Niederländisch.
  • Master's degrees. Groningen names a master's degree in Dutch studies and a teacher-training master's degree in Dutch as programmes that follow directly on its bachelor's degree.

Admission and language level

Programmes for native speakers require a good command of Dutch from the start. For applicants with a foreign diploma, the University of Groningen accepts the state examination Dutch as a second language (NT2, programme II), which corresponds to CEFR level B2, and recommends level C1. The tuition fee it lists for 2026-27 is €2,694 for EU/EEA students and €14,000 for students from other countries. The Leiden programme in Dutch Studies needs no previous knowledge of Dutch.

Learners outside a degree programme can certify their level with the Certificaat Nederlands als Vreemde Taal (CNaVT), a Taalunie project with five examinations at four CEFR levels, from A2 to C1.

Where to study it

SpainExchange lists 4 active universities for Dutch language and culture, two in the Netherlands and two in Germany: the University of Groningen, Leiden University, the Universität Duisburg-Essen and the University of Bremen. The choice mainly depends on your level of Dutch. Beginners need a programme that includes language training, such as Dutch Studies in Leiden or a Dutch studies degree at a university outside the Netherlands. Degrees taught entirely in Dutch suit students who already speak the language well.

Compare also the balance between language, literature and culture, the option of a second subject or a minor, and the time spent in a Dutch-speaking environment.

Careers

The University of Groningen lists the fields its graduates choose: the cultural sector, publishing and the book trade, education, online and traditional media, marketing and research. Teaching covers secondary and vocational schools and also Dutch as a second language for refugees and expatriates. Graduates from other countries often combine Dutch with their own language, in translation, language teaching and work for companies and organisations with links to the Netherlands or Belgium. Translators, interpreters and school teachers may need a further professional qualification, depending on the country.

Frequently asked questions

Can I study Dutch language and culture without speaking Dutch?

Yes, in programmes designed for foreign students. Dutch Studies at Leiden University accepts absolute beginners and teaches in Dutch and English.

How long does the degree take?

Three years in the Netherlands. The bachelor's degree in Groningen has 180 ECTS credits, and the Leiden programme may be shortened to two years for students with advanced Dutch.

What level of Dutch do I need for a degree taught in Dutch?

The University of Groningen accepts the state examination NT2, programme II, which corresponds to CEFR level B2, and recommends level C1.

How many people speak Dutch?

About 24 million, according to the Taalunie, most of them in the Netherlands, Belgium and Suriname.