NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences challenges its students, staff
and partners to explore beyond existing solutions and possibilities, to
discover and develop their talents so as to contribute to social progress.
NHL Stenden does all it can to facilitate, inspire and trigger its students and staff to help them flourish. Students, lecturers, researchers and industry professionals work together on problems and assignments set by industry, so that you can develop into enterprising and resourceful professionals with an interdisciplinary mindset. Through practical assignments, direct contact with experts in the field, and personal contact with your coach, you grow on a professional and personal level. And your assignments and internship open up career opportunities and broaden your network, so you get a headstart on your career.
Research
Research and education are intertwined at NHL Stenden. Our university of applied sciences has 44 professorships of applied sciences. These are divided among our three focus areas: Vital Regions, Smart Sustainable Industries, and Service Economy. Together with local and international partners, we build and expand our expertise by employing practice-based research.
Career
Your professional and personal development go hand in hand during your studies. By working on real assignments from external clients, you gain invaluable hands-on experience that potential employers value. And with a personal study coach guiding you throughout, you learn how to set and achieve learning goals so that you can take the right steps and develop the skills you need for your dream position on graduation.
Build your professional network from day 1 by working with and for the industry.
Gain practical experience while you study with an internship. Many of our students get to stay on or return to their intern company on graduation.
80% of all alumni find a job within three months of graduation.
Top reasons to study here
Learn using a practical approach, working in groups on assignments set by industry partners and developing usable solutions
Get more international opportunities and spend part of your degree studying or doing your internship in a different country, drawing on our global network
Get the most out of your studies with relatively low tuition rates, well-priced housing (and a housing guarantee) and homely and affordable student cities
NHL Stenden University of Applied SciencesKey Statistics & Highlights
1 Courses
Public Institution Type
Student services
Whatever your question, the Student Info Desk can point you in the right direction. They’re on hand to deal with your queries about registration, tuition fees, tests, certificates and practical questions about your time as a student. The Student Counselling Office can help you if you’re worried about your studies and the progress you’re making. There’s always someone to turn to.
Housing services
At NHL Stenden, we offer a housing guarantee for international students with our official accommodation partners. Conditions apply. In the Netherlands, students usually rent a room in a shared house or apartment with other students. There are also options to rent a one-bedroom or studio apartment. Student accommodation is usually provided by real estate agents or private landlords who advertise their rooms on different platforms.
Library services
Borrow books, use the smart boards, printers and scanners, follow workshops on digital skills, use the computers and study spaces and ask the information specialists for help finding answers.
ICT services
NHL Stenden offers the learning, library and IT facilities you need to take you through your studies. From something as simple as good wifi right up to the farthest corner of the campuses to 3D printing in our X-Lab. From free software to purpose-built design and recording studios.
Medical services
The Dutch healthcare system is a universal, multi-payer system. This means healthcare is funded through a combination of public and private contributions.
Campus life
You have access to a whole range of top facilities on campus that not only support you and help you get the best out of your studies, but also help make your student life easier. It's more than just the free tea and coffee expansive study landscapes and individual work pods, it's also the excellent public transport links, the huge underground bike park, the car parking, and the coffee bars and the canteen and food court run by our hotel management students. And it's the smart boards and printers you can access, the audio-visual equipment you can borrow, the recording studios, the theatre and auditoriums and the merchandise and the sports facilities. Why not check it out online with our virtual tour
Accreditation
All degrees offered by NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences are accredited by the NVAO in the Netherlands (The Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders).
NHL Stenden University of Applied SciencesOverview
NHL Stenden University of Applied SciencesCampus Locations
NHL Stenden University of Applied SciencesStudent Reviews & Awards
4.1
Based on 100 reviews
5 Star
24 Reviews
4 Star
72 Reviews
3 Star
4 Reviews
2 Star
0 Reviews
1 Star
0 Reviews
How Students Rated This University
Overall Satisfaction4.1
Student Teacher Interaction4.2
Student Diversity4.5
Admission Process4.6
Quality of Student Life4.0
Career Development4.2
4/5
Overall Experience at NHL Stenden
Back when I was about to finish high school, I spent a lot of time thinking, and honestly overthinking, about what path would truly suit me, and which university would feel right. I had always dreamed of studying abroad, exploring new places, and stepping out of my comfort zone. The hardest part was that my heart was pulling me toward creativity, while my mind was leaning more toward business, but with Creative Business, I never had to choose between the two. This program has already taught me so much. Not just about working on real-life challenges, but also about what it actually means to work in a team. It�s not always easy, we�ve had disagreements, different opinions, and stressful moments�but that�s exactly what made it real. It helped me grow, both professionally and personally, and showed me how to handle situations I know I�ll face in the future too.
What I gained here goes far beyond knowledge or career opportunities. I found friendships that have become really close to my heart, and that�s something I truly value. Because of this university, I feel every day that I�m exactly where I�m meant to be, like somehow everything led me here for a reason. And for that, I�m incredibly grateful.
Posted byVeres
Studied fromUnknown
Posted onAug 2026
4/5
Creative Business
In a dictionary, this degree's name can stand right next to the definition of chaos.
The best part about this degree is the customisation it offers for every student. No matter what creative skill or interest you have, you can explore it even further in this degree, while still also navigating how to get hired by professional companies for those skills. If you just want to focus on management and business side, that is also possible. The downside is that not every coach has the same approach to the degree, so this creative vs business part is felt here the most. What helps is that you can figure out what most coaches want. So you end up learning both, even if you came just for one side of it.
Posted byNina
Studied fromUnknown
Posted onAug 2026
3/5
Chaos with potential (if you put in effort)
I decided to do the Creative Business program because after my highschool graduation I didn't really know what I want from life. I knew I am a creative person so i chose Creative Business. In that sense it really helped me to explore different areas of the creative industry. Every semester you tap into a different field, which really helps to understand what you want and like before moving on to your specialization (minor and internship).
Unfortunately this broadness comes with a lot of unclarity and chaos from the management side. Curriculum changes every semester have the result that sometimes coaches don't even understand what we need to work on. In general it is nice to have coaches with industry experience but you can feel how the feeling and expertise for how to teach someone is missing. Therefore, you need to work out a lot of things on your own, often resulting in a "figuring out along the way" attitude.
However, NHL offers a lot of opportunities on the side (e.g. student theatre, student council, camera equipment) and the student community in general is very open and proactive, so I think if you are willing to take the extra step this can be one of the most valuable things!
Overall, the best part about NHL is the international and creative open community where you learn and thrive together but if you want a program with structure and clarity, maybe think about different options.
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