Swiss Federal Institute of Technology - ETH Zurich vs Czech University of Life Sciences Prague vs University of Helsinki vs Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam - VU Amsterdam vs Wageningen University

Side-by-side comparison from 366 verified student reviews. Scan one row at a time — winners are highlighted

Quick verdict
Higher overall rating: Tie
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology - ETH Zurich: wins 1/7 categories
Czech University of Life Sciences Prague: wins 0/7 categories
University of Helsinki: wins 4/7 categories
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam - VU Amsterdam: wins 0/7 categories
Wageningen University: wins 1/7 categories
NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences: wins 0/7 categories
University of Reading: wins 1/7 categories
Comparing
Best programme: Computer and Information Science
Best programme: Bachelor of Business Administration
Helsinki, Finland
4.30
Read more reviews
19 reviews
×
Best programme: Botany
Best programme: B.Sc. in Psychology
Wageningen, The Netherlands
4.10
Read more reviews
14 reviews
×
Best programme: Environmental Sciences
Best programme: Creative Business
Reading, The United Kingdom
4.30
Read more reviews
78 reviews
×
Best programme: Law
Category ratings
Facilities
4.28
4.18
4.85
Win
3.76
4.69
4.43
4.31
Location
4.25
3.50
4.42
3.94
3.77
3.93
4.49
Win
Professors
3.76
3.91
4.57
Win
4.12
4.00
3.81
4.19
Internationality
4.26
3.73
4.36
4.28
4.54
Win
4.47
4.38
Student life
4.20
4.18
4.79
Win
3.98
4.08
4.08
4.24
Value
4.54
Win
4.00
4.50
4.18
4.08
3.98
4.21
Accommodation
3.05
3.40
4.43
Win
3.12
4.31
3.65
4.03
Pros & Cons
Pros
  • +High-quality education and demanding curriculum
  • +Excellent digitalization and accessible learning platforms
  • +Vibrant campus life and strong student support systems
  • +Vibrant campus life and diverse international community
  • +High educational standards and comprehensive, practical programs
  • +Excellent international relations and globally recognized degrees
  • +High-quality teaching and research
  • +Supportive academic environment and student culture
  • +Balance of independence and guidance in studies
  • +Diverse international environment and student life
  • +Strong academic programs with practical application
  • +Opportunities for personal growth and specialization
  • +Passionate, knowledgeable, and caring teachers
  • +Relevant courses with career focus and internship opportunities
  • +Inclusive, multicultural environment with modern facilities and green spaces
  • +Practical, project-based learning and real-world application
  • +Welcoming atmosphere and supportive community
  • +Opportunities for personal and professional growth
  • +Supportive and inclusive community
  • +Knowledgeable and approachable lecturers
  • +Engaging courses with practical application
Cons
  • -Administrative and management issues cause significant frustration.
  • -Outdated facilities and a lack of modern resources are a common complaint.
  • -A perceived lack of student support and engagement is a recurring negative.
  • -Experiencing biased treatment and bullying from professors, especially regarding language proficiency.
  • -Witnessing unfair grading practices where Czech students receive preferential treatment over international students.
  • -Administrative and management issues are a consistent problem.
  • -Outdated facilities and resources are a significant drawback.
  • -Poor communication and lack of support are frequently mentioned.
  • -Administrative and management issues cause frustration.
  • -Outdated facilities and a lack of resources are disappointing.
  • -Course content and teaching quality are inconsistent.
  • -Administrative and management issues cause significant problems.
  • -Conflict of interest among professors detracts from the academic experience.
  • -The value for tuition fees is questioned.
  • -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.
  • -Unapproachable and rude staff, with a hands-off teaching mentality.
  • -Lack of student motivation and university support.
  • -Safety concerns regarding the town.
Rating summary
What students say

Assessing this university reveals a generally positive student experience. Value for money is outstanding, scoring highest, closely followed by internationality and facilities. Student life and location also receive strong endorsements. However, accommodation presents the weakest area, with a notably lower rating. Professors' ratings are respectable but fall below the other strong categories.

Academic and student life aspects of this university stand out, with Facilities and Student Life both scoring an impressive 4.18. Value also received a strong rating of 4. Areas for potential improvement include Location and Accommodation, which scored lower at 3.5 and 3.4 respectively. Professors and Internationality received solid mid-range scores, indicating a generally positive but not exceptional performance in these areas.

The university garners exceptional ratings in several key areas. Facilities stand out with a near-perfect score, closely followed by a robust Student Life. While professors and accommodation also score highly, Internationality represents the lowest-rated aspect, though still at a respectable level. The overall value proposition remains strong.

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 receives excellent scores across the board, with its **Facilities** standing out as a particular strength at 4.69. **Student Life** and **Value** are also highly rated, both achieving 4.08. The **Location** received the lowest score at 3.77, though overall satisfaction remains high.

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.

Among the surveyed categories, this institution excels particularly in its **Location**, receiving a rating of 4.49. **Accomodation** stands out as the area with the lowest rating at 4.03, though still respectable. Other strong points include Facilities, Student Life, and Internationality, all scoring above 4.24. Professors and Value also received solid ratings, indicating a generally positive student experience.

Reviews summary
Highlights

With an average rating of 4.3/5 from 43 reviews, nearly all ~93% are positive. Students highlight an impressive academic environment, high teaching quality, and good digitalization. Some mention demanding workloads and variable organization.

University reviews are overwhelmingly positive (~83%), highlighting a great atmosphere, campus life, and diverse study opportunities. A small minority (~8.3%) encountered challenges with accents and perceived unfairness in oral exams.

With 17 out of 19 reviews being positive (~89%) and an average rating of 4.32, students praise the high-quality research and teaching, supportive environment, and city life. No negative feedback was provided.

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.

~80% of reviews are positive, praising knowledgeable teachers, relevant courses, and a multicultural environment. A smaller ~20% express concerns regarding supervision and specific management departments.

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.

With an average rating of 4.27/5 from 78 reviews, ~96% are positive, praising knowledgeable lecturers and supportive environments for academic and personal growth. A small minority (~4%) found teaching methods less effective or noted issues with staff approachability.

Rating distribution
5★
40%
42%
42%
39%
57%
23%
44%
4★
51%
42%
47%
50%
21%
64%
45%
3★
9%
8%
11%
11%
0%
7%
8%
2★
0%
8%
0%
0%
21%
1%
3%
1★
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
5%
1%
Most useful review
Most liked
Geting a very deep understanding of the material.

Pro: Very good education. Con: Very high workload. We get tought more details and theory behind the concepts we learn than at other universities. However, this also shows in a higher workload. Nevertheless, it is very interesting. For student life, there are lots of great student associations, there is really something for everyone and plenty of events to attend or associations to join.

Bulling against Russian students

In overall that was a sad experience unfortunately as instead of concentrating on the learning you had to be stressing out on how strong your accent was in Czech in order not to get another portion of bullying from professors for where you’re from. Oral part of each exam was a total madness as again, Czech students were lucky to get a mark 3 just for a couple of words, while Russian students were kept for 40 min and still were left with “not succeeded” results. We were all in the same room, so we witnessed that with our own eyes. Due to that a lot of Russian students had to repeat the program twice and graduate not in 3 years, but in 4-6 years. I’m glad a few professors were sane and very pleasant people, but mostly Economical faculty especially Business Administration program in Czech language was a nightmare for students from Russia. We were so happy to finally graduate at least for Bachelor program and never to continue with this horrible faculty PEF specialty Podnikani a Administrativa (in cz) again. I’m taking about time period 2013-2019, hopefully those professors are not there anymore. For the sake of my objective opinion, I’m happy to mention that I’ve been working for a big international company for many years now, I speak several languages fluently and accents were never a problem in the international environment, but for this university it did unfortunately. I’m so happy I’m not a student anymore and I don’t recommend to study in Czech for any foreigners here in Prague , rather choose English programs even in the same faculty PEF at this university.

High quality teaching and research

Helsinki University is a diverse and cozy university with high quality teaching and research. The teachers are intelligent and kind and easy to talk to. The programs and subjects are well planned out and the work load for courses are usually decent, not too much or too little. I also loved the student culture and clubs on the campus. Also. If you ever need help with your studies you can always get help and guidance to plan your studies or solve problems.

:)

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.

Perfect study/social uni

I have overall had a great experience at WUR. As an international student, I felt very much included very fast, because there as so many internationals, and the Dutch also practically all speak English there. The courses being offered in English also helped with this. The teachers speak very clearly during lectures overall and are of great help during tutorials, where you are in smaller groups of students to put into practice the theory learned in class. Also, the campus is very modern, the classrooms and library are well taken care of and even have adjustable tables and chairs, to help avoid back/neck/arm pain when studying. The university also allows each student to have a study advisor for academic orientation or personal questions, guiding the students through the process to make sure they achieve their academic goals in the most adequate way for them. The manner of learning is also very multidisciplinary, which I really enjoy because it helps to get an overview of the world’s problems from each side of the story, taking all into consideration. The student life in Wageningen is quite in a cozy atmosphere I must say, because the city is so small, everyone is connected somehow and it is very easy to make friends. Lots of parties are house parties or some casual pot-luck dinners with friends. But there are also some nice pubs or bars and restaurants in the cute city centre where you can enjoy a drink or meal on a terrace. You can get from any point A to point B within 15-20min maximum in Wageningen with your bike, so it’s really practical for going out, groceries, or not having to wake up too early for classes! Many extra-curricular activities are offered by associations, where you can get accustomed to Dutch culture, sustainability projects, sports, and parties! I recommend this university to anyone looking for a nice balance between social and study life.

Creative Business

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.

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