Utrecht University - UU vs Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam - VU Amsterdam vs HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht vs TIAS School for Business and Society vs ONCAMPUS Global
Side-by-side comparison from 316 verified student reviews. Scan one row at a time — winners are highlighted
- +High quality education and independent thinking encouragement
- +Broad course selection and academic freedom
- +Insightful and practical courses useful for future careers
- +Diverse international environment and student life
- +Strong academic programs with practical application
- +Opportunities for personal growth and specialization
- +Practical, real-world focused programs
- +Experienced and insightful lecturers
- +Friendly community and international atmosphere
- +Personal assistance and welcoming atmosphere
- +Engaging professors and insightful discussions
- +Supportive and approachable teachers
- +Excellent student support services
- +Convenient campus location and facilities
- +Supportive teachers and peer collaboration fostering confidence.
- +Diverse and engaging course options with student choice.
- +Practical, project-based learning and real-world application
- +Welcoming atmosphere and supportive community
- +Opportunities for personal and professional growth
- -Administrative and communication issues are a major concern.
- -Lack of teacher and supervisor support negatively impacts the learning experience.
- -The environment is perceived as stressful and lacking in positive support.
- -Administrative and management issues cause frustration.
- -Outdated facilities and a lack of resources are disappointing.
- -Course content and teaching quality are inconsistent.
- -Chaotic organization and unclear expectations.
- -Lack of adequate resources and outdated facilities.
- -Poor communication and unresponsive administration.
- -Administrative and management issues cause significant frustration.
- -Outdated facilities and technology impede learning and comfort.
- -Lack of clear communication and support from staff is a recurring problem.
- -Outdated facilities and poor maintenance are prevalent.
- -Inefficient administrative processes and lack of clear communication are frustrating.
- -Limited resources and support for academic needs are a concern.
- -Administrative & management issues cause disorganization and inefficiency.
- -Unfriendly interactions and lack of empathy from staff are prevalent.
- -The school's overall operational approach is ineffective and not student-centric.
- -Lack of organization and poor management pervade all aspects of the institution.
- -Ineffective communication and a general lack of teacher availability and feedback leave students unsupported.
- -Unclear assignments and inconsistent assessment practices create confusion and frustration.
Student feedback reveals a generally strong university experience. Location and Student Life stand out as the highest-rated aspects, both exceeding 4.25. Internationality and Value also received excellent scores, around 4.2. Facilities and Professors are rated well, though slightly lower than the top areas. Accomodation is the weakest point, scoring significantly lower than other categories.
This university demonstrates a well-rounded profile, with exceptionally high ratings for **Internationality** (4.28) and **Professors** (4.12). Students also seem to appreciate the **Student Life** (3.98) and **Value** (4.18). Conversely, **Accomodation** received the lowest score (3.12), indicating an area for potential improvement. **Facilities** also scored moderately lower (3.76).
This institution demonstrates considerable strengths in its academic offerings and campus environment. Professors received the highest rating, closely followed by facilities and student life, which were also strong performers. Location and internationality garnered solid scores. Areas for potential improvement include accommodation, which received the lowest rating, and value, which, while good, is not as prominent as other positive aspects.
Across the surveyed categories, this institution excels in its **facilities, professors, location, internationality, and perceived value**, all receiving perfect scores. In contrast, areas for development appear to be **student life and accommodation**, with significantly lower ratings in these aspects.
This institution garners strong approval across multiple aspects, with particularly high marks for its **Professors (4.76)** and **Location (4.75)**. Student life and internationality also score well, above 4.5. **Accommodations (4.35)** received the lowest rating, though still generally positive, while facilities and value demonstrate solid, above-average performance.
The university receives its highest marks for **Location**, scoring a perfect 5. In contrast, **Accomodation** is the weakest area, with a rating of 2.67. Other aspects like Facilities and Internationality are rated a solid 3, while Professors, Student Life, and Value fall in the mid-range between 3.33 and 3.67.
Exceptional ratings were awarded to the university's **Facilities** (4.43) and **Internationality** (4.47). **Student Life** also scored well at 4.08 and **Value** at 3.98. The area requiring the most attention appears to be **Accomodation**, which received the lowest rating at 3.65, with **Professors** also scoring moderately lower than other categories at 3.81.
Approximately 98.3% of feedback is positive, highlighting high-quality education, independent thinking, and freedom in course selection. A small portion of feedback mentions disorganization and lack of guidance.
Vast majority (~100%) of reviews are positive, praising the multicultural environment and valuable opportunities like study abroad and guest lectures. Educational quality and practical application are frequently highlighted. No negative feedback was recorded.
Around 62% of reviews are positive, highlighting friendly people, useful programs with practical focus, and experienced lecturers. A single negative review mentioned disorganization and uncertainty.
With one review, the average rating is 5/5. This suggests a highly positive experience, with feedback praising personal assistance and engaging professors. No negative feedback was reported.
All 21 reviews are positive, averaging 4.76/5 stars. Students frequently praised helpful teachers, strong academic support, and good facilities. Some also highlighted a positive transition experience and newfound confidence.
With a 3/5 average, about 60% of reviews are positive, highlighting engaging courses and personal growth. Roughly 20% express dissatisfaction with disorganization and unfriendly interactions.
Approximately 94% of reviews are positive, highlighting practical learning, ample opportunities, and a welcoming atmosphere. A small percentage of negative feedback cites disorganization and communication issues.
Utrecht University strikes the ideal balance between top-tier academics and an amazing student experience. As a science major, I love how challenging and research-focused the program is—it really pushes me to think deeper. The Utrecht Science Park campus is super modern, sustainable, and just a great place to study. What really makes UU special is its international vibe. Working with classmates from all over the world brought fresh perspectives to every project. The libraries are fantastic (I lived in both the silent study zones and the lively café areas!), and a cool bonus is the free Dutch classes for international students—they seriously helped me feel at home. Utrecht itself is the perfect student city: historic canals, fun events, and just the right mix of energy and coziness. Sure, there’s some paperwork headaches sometimes, but overall, UU gave me everything I needed to grow—both academically and as a global citizen.
As a computer science student at the Vrije Universitet in Amsterdam, I have been thoroughly impressed with the quality of education and the level of expertise of the professors at this esteemed institution. The faculty members are passionate about their subjects and are always willing to provide guidance and support to students. The curriculum is rigorous, and the coursework is designed to challenge students and prepare them for the ever-evolving world of technology. The courses cover a broad range of topics, from programming languages and algorithms to artificial intelligence and machine learning. The faculty also encourages students to take part in research projects and internships, providing valuable opportunities to apply what we have learned in the classroom to real-world scenarios. The campus facilities are excellent, with state-of-the-art labs and equipment available for students to use. The university's location in Amsterdam also offers plenty of opportunities for students to engage in cultural and recreational activities outside of their studies. One of the things that stand out to me is the diverse student body. Being exposed to different perspectives and backgrounds has enriched my learning experience and expanded my understanding of computer science as a field. Overall, I would highly recommend the Vrije Universitet to any computer science student looking for a challenging and rewarding academic experience, excellent faculty, and a diverse and inclusive community.
I knew it wasnt the est rated school here in the Netherlands, first few days i already found out way. its just not organised well, lots of uncertainties for students on what is asked from them. overal way to chaotic.
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The only reason I studied at the HKU conservatory was my main subject teacher and a few other teachers whom I found supportive and from whom I learned a lot. However, my overall experience was not pleasant. I think the way the school works is not effective or on the student's side at all. There are many staff members but for some reason, everything still seems to turn out disorganized. Also, the interaction is usually very unfriendly and there's zero empathy. For example, it is a slow process to get your credits after completing a course and in case you need a document from school for some other purpose, like for a student loan application, they might simply refuse to write you one. The student service desk replies to emails with delay (up to two weeks easily) and phone calls with them are unpleasant if you manage to get through. For an orchestra-oriented string player, the conservatory is not a good choice because they only have a string orchestra and therefore no opportunities for learning symphonic repertoire. The teaching is very heavily oriented towards music pedagogy instead of artistic development as an instrumentalist. In practice, this means that during the bachelor's program you have to teach students in years 2 and 3 and also follow a didactics course. In year 4 you are expected to write an educational dissertation. The curriculum does not focus on developing and deepening your main subject skills enough but instead forces you to follow mandatory side subjects such as choir and piano which consists of having weekly lessons for two years. If you are a violinist, in year 3 you have to attend viola lessons too. I don't see "trying a bit of everything" as a plus. I believe I would have benefited more if I had had more focus on the actual main subject. Such as longer main subject lessons, sonata workshop with an accompanist, music history for your specific instrument/instrument group, performance coaching, mental training, different chamber music projects, audition training and opportunities for playing in a symphony orchestra. It would be also great if the school would be able to offer orchestral internships or at least gigs so that instrumentalists would also gain professional experience in that field and not just from teaching. Another huge problem with the school is that even though all mandatory courses are offered in English, the mandatory teaching internship (Bachelor of Music year 2) is with Dutch-speaking children. I don't see you a student benefits from this kind of teaching experience when they don't even share the same language with their pupils. Practice facilities are very limited and the system does not work well. After graduation, the future does not look very bright for you if you don't speak Dutch. It is hard to find jobs in the music field in the Netherlands if you are from abroad. I would not recommend.
Studying Creative Business at NHL Stenden has been a great experience with a few bumps down the road. Generally speaking, I'm very glad about my choice to study here - as an international student I am surrounded by other internationals which makes me feel more welcome and comfortable; this university has provided me with numerous extracurricular opportunities, which were not only great for networking and finding like-minded connections, but also getting extremely nice and useful experience, whether it's working on a real set with professional production equipment or creating content and representing my course on social media! When it comes to the study itself, it usually is pretty confusing, as students are usually just thrown into practical projects without initial preparation and sometimes not enough guidance. However, once you get used to design-based education, you realize how exciting the assignments actually are - working with real clients, producing your own ideas and seeing them come to life, and just "creativity, creativity, creativity" everywhere. I recommend this university for those who are not afraid of teamwork, thinking outside of the box, and being independent.
