NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences
speciality: Tourism & Hospitality

I think NHL Stenden has everything you could possibly want in a university: it has a wide range of degrees to choose from, in English and in Dutch.
They also are very welcoming to international students, with multiple resources you can access (such as student accommodation, financial consultancy, language center).
What most stood out for me was the teaching method: instead of just learning from book, it’s much more hands on. Most of my classes was spent in groups, understanding the theory and then putting it into practice with real-life case scenarios, which were very helpful to relate them in tourism.
Not only that, but the university itself is brilliant: the buildings offer a wide range of study spots, cafés, and special rooms for our different associations (like student council, ambassadors, etc).
Honestly, NHL Stenden made my college experience unforgettable.

My experience at NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences in Leeuwarden has been both challenging and highly rewarding, mainly due to its strong focus on practical learning and its dynamic student environment. I would highly recommend this university without hesitation, as it offers an engaging atmosphere where boredom is never really an option. There are many extracurricular opportunities, including student associations, side jobs, and volunteer work connected to the university, as well as events and workshops throughout the year. This makes it easy to meet new people, build connections, and develop both personally and professionally.

I am studying Hospitality Management, one of the university’s most distinctive programs, and what stands out the most is its hands-on approach. Throughout the course, students participate in practical experiences where they interact with real guests and work with real-life management systems. This makes the learning process much more engaging and helps bridge the gap between theory and real-world application. These moments are not only valuable academically but also help build confidence and essential industry skills.

Another aspect I truly value is the international environment. Being surrounded by people from different cultures, backgrounds, and perspectives has helped me develop important soft skills such as communication, adaptability, and teamwork. At the same time, as an international student, I did notice that the large number of Dutch students can sometimes be a challenge. Although classes are in English, Dutch is occasionally spoken during lectures or group work, which can feel isolating. However, over time, this becomes easier as you find your own circle and connect with people who create a more inclusive environment.

Academically, the program goes beyond operations and includes strategic and business-oriented assignments, such as simulations and in-depth analyses, which provide a realistic insight into hotel management. That said, the program can feel quite intense, especially during group projects where expectations may change depending on the business partner. While this reflects real-life industry situations, it can sometimes create stress if not communicated clearly. Additionally, the level of guidance can vary between modules, and more consistency in structure and support would further improve the experience. However, the first months can feel overwhelming and confusing, so it’s important not to expect everything to be easy at the beginning. Don’t worry since, as time passes, things start to fall into place, and the experience becomes more enjoyable and exciting. The lecturers are generally supportive and approachable, and although some coursework may occasionally feel less challenging, there are plenty of opportunities to take initiative and push yourself further.

Overall, my experience has been very positive, and I feel that I am growing both professionally and personally. NHL Stenden prepares students well for their future careers while also offering a memorable and enriching student life. Despite a few minor areas for improvement, I would not consider changing my choice as it has been a truly defining and developing experience.

I am an international student from Germany studying Hospitality Management at NHL Stenden in my first year. I chose this study because I wanted an English-taught programme with a more practical approach. What I enjoy most is the international atmosphere, the community and the practical way of learning. Through different “practices” the programme gives an insight into different hospitality fields, with an on-campus hotel and restaurant and multiple food and coffee outlets.
Adding on, the classes are very small and create a personal feeling with around 30 people in your main class. This creates a comfortable learning environment and usually the facilitators (teachers) know you by name. The teaching style is very much based on learning by doing, which can sometimes be a bit challenging and confusing at first. However, when you accomplish something by figuring it out yourself it is very rewarding. A downside is that there is a lot of group work for which you receive the same grade as your group, but it already gives a good insight into real work-life.
I really enjoy student life here because there are a lot of opportunities to meet new people, join an association and connect with students from other study programmes. The campus is very beautiful and offers many places to study and sit down and relax.
One thing that could definitely be improved is that Dutch courses are not included in the study for international students. You can book an extra course, but the costs for this are very high and not realistic for students.
Overall, I would definitely recommend NHL Stenden to students who are looking for a practical style of education, with a lot of freedom to form their own studies in an international environment.

I chose the Master at NHL Stenden because I was interested in the management side of hospitality. However, due to a last-minute name and programme change from International Service and Hospitality Management to Sustainable Innovation in Hospitality, the content turned out to be different from what I expected. The focus is now more on sustainability, innovation, and topics like strategy and AI, instead of hospitality management. This was not what I originally planned for.
That said, I still learned a lot, especially about strategy and risk analysis with long-term thinking. Overall, the workload is manageable if you stay on track, but it can become challenging if you fall behind or only start last minute.
The teaching quality is overall good. Some lecturers are very engaged and passionate, while others rely more on presentations, but all have strong industry knowledge. The programme could be better organised at times, but all information is available if you take the time to go through it. Support is there when you ask for it, but you are expected to take responsibility for your own study.
I love the international environment. The diversity of students and lecturers creates a great experience and brings many different perspectives to group work. Also, the campus is modern and clean, and offers many good study spaces.
I would recommend this master to students interested in sustainability and innovation in hospitality, but less to those looking for a program that focuses on management.

The Tourism Management program at NHL is generally good, and I have had a very positive experience overall. One thing I really like is the Design Based Education system, because it is more practical compared to traditional studying. We often work on real cases and group projects, which makes the learning process interesting and helps develop skills that are useful for the future, especially when working with real clients.

I also love the location and the infrastructure of the university. The campus is modern and has good facilities, with a lot of different places to study, work in groups,enjoy the free time as well. The international environment is also a big plus, because you get to meet people from many different countries, and this university also helps going abroad in different countries.
What I don’t always enjoy is the organization of the program. Sometimes the planning is a bit confusing. This can make things stressful even when the courses themselves are interesting. However, I think that some professors really make a difference. When the teachers are well organized, supportive, and explain things clearly, the whole experience becomes much better.
Overall, I think the program has many good aspects, especially the practical approach and the learning environment, even though the organization could sometimes be improved.

I’m currently a 4th-year Hospitality Management student, so I will be graduating at the end of this year. And I can say that I had an amazing time as a student at NHL-Stenden in Leeuwarden!
Leeuwarden is a smaller city, but that doesn’t mean that it’s boring. Since it’s smaller, it quickly gave me a feeling of “home”, and I easily met new people from all over the world.
The opportunities to go abroad are very exciting. In my 3rd year, I went on Grand Tour (minors) to Thailand and Indonesia, it was an amazing experience! And right now I started my 10-month internship in Aruba (an island in the Caribbean). All in all, there are plenty of options to choose from.
In my opinion, the Hospitality study course has a good structure. With a blend of theoretical classes and a good focus on practical education. However, at some moments, the theoretical part of this study can feel quite vague and unclear, which can be confusing when making assignments. But in the end, teachers are always there to help and provide you with feedback.
What I enjoy about this study is that you can make it as busy and challenging as you want, with a lot of extracurricular activities and specialisation courses to choose from (competition teams, diverse associations, workshops, extra wine courses to obtain certificates…)
During my study period, I not only gained knowledge about the Hospitality Industry, but I also learned a lot about myself as a person and a professional, which is very valuable to me.
Overall, I am very positive about my choice of studying at NHL-Stenden. I am grateful for all my experiences and the people I met.

As a second-year tourism management student at the NHL Stenden, I can happily say that my overall experience at the NHL Stenden has been very positive so far. I especially appreciate the practical and hands-on approach the study offers and how almost all modules are connected to real projects in cooperation with real clients. They not only help you to understand what the industry expects and how it works but also shows you the purpose of the study, at all times. We are able to study a variety of topics throughout our study preparing us for the general world of business, management and marketing, always connected to our client projects. While the number of courses can be time consuming, I know it will be worth it and teaches us the necessary basics for the projects. I also enjoy how international the campus and study are, connecting with people and cultures preparing you for an international work environment, while finding amazing friends. Most lectures are supportive and genuinely want to see you do well. Its furthermore a very personal environment with small classes and first name bases. However, the study is based on a demanding schedule most of the time and connected to quite a few tests. It can be a big workload when it’s time for deadlines and the test week and it would be nice if they would be even more practical evaluations, then test. Overall, I am very happy with the study, and I am glad I chose this program. I am looking forward to plenty of opportunities to grow personally and professionally and would recommend the study to everybody who is eager to learn about the tourism business or is looking for a study where that prepares them for the world of management and marketing without study only business economics.

I am a second-year Leisure and Events Management student, and for my year here, I have become accustomed to both the education and life in Leeuwarden. I managed to adjust very quickly, thanks to the Study Start Week organized by students, where I met my classmates and got to know the city very well.

The DBE (Design-Based Education) method uses a practical approach that allows us not only to work with different clients, such as SPOT Groningen, Noorderzone, and Neushoorn, but also to find solutions to the problems these companies face.

Furthermore, as a second-year student, you are required to complete a 168-hour internship. I already completed mine, together with a few classmates, as one of the organizers of this year’s field trip to Paris and Disneyland. The trip lasted five days and included around 140 participants. We also attended an inspiring lecture from the creative directors at Disney Imagineering, where they explained the work behind some of the famous Disneyland rides.

This experience has been my biggest learning curve so far, and I am grateful for the opportunity. At this university, there are many opportunities—it is up to each person to be proactive in order to take advantage of them.

It is a great study! The diversity is very broad so you learn all kinds of things. Sometimes I would have hoped it would go more into detail. The practice was for me the most interesting and the modules that were about the practice.

Stenden is an amazing University. Having 5 campuses worldwide, namely in The Netherlands which is the main campus, Thailand, Bali and South Africa which is the campus i enrolled in. With an exchange program offered by the university we as students are exposed to the various cultures which is a stepping stone to gaining Cultural intelligence which is very beneficial for the Hospitality Industry.

We also have an operating 4 star Hotel where we gain real life experience in the industry thus allowing us to be more than ready to face the world once we graduate.

The campus life is very intimate as it’s not a very big university but this allows us to interact with one another. The professors are patient and well informed about the subjects they teach also the classes are well scheduled.