Utrecht University - UU vs University of Amsterdam - UvA vs Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam - VU Amsterdam vs Hanze University of Applied Sciences - UAS vs Arnhem Business School

Side-by-side comparison from 317 verified student reviews. Scan one row at a time — winners are highlighted

Quick verdict
Higher overall rating: Business School Netherlands (5.00)
Utrecht University - UU: wins 0/7 categories
University of Amsterdam - UvA: wins 0/7 categories
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam - VU Amsterdam: wins 0/7 categories
Hanze University of Applied Sciences - UAS: wins 1/7 categories
Arnhem Business School: wins 0/7 categories
Business School Netherlands: wins 3/7 categories
Webster University Leiden: wins 3/7 categories
Comparing
Utrecht, The Netherlands
4.10
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60 reviews
×
Best programme: Biochemistry
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
4.40
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164 reviews
×
Best programme: Communication Sciences
Best programme: B.Sc. in Psychology
Best programme: International Communication
Arnhem, The Netherlands
4.00
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3 reviews
×
Best programme: Accounting and Finance
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
5.00
Top
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1 reviews
×
Best programme: Executive MBA
Leiden, The Netherlands
4.80
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5 reviews
×
Best programme: International Relations
Category ratings
Facilities
4.21
4.26
3.74
4.20
4.00
Not rated
4.75
Win
Location
4.28
4.59
3.96
4.31
3.33
Not rated
5.00
Win
Professors
4.03
4.10
4.13
3.77
4.00
5.00
Win
4.80
Internationality
4.24
4.49
4.26
4.58
3.67
5.00
Win
4.80
Student life
4.29
4.07
3.98
4.52
Win
4.00
Not rated
3.60
Value
4.20
4.05
4.19
4.03
4.33
5.00
Win
4.80
Accommodation
3.75
2.96
3.11
3.16
3.67
Not rated
4.80
Win
Pros & Cons
Pros
  • +High quality education and independent thinking encouragement
  • +Broad course selection and academic freedom
  • +Insightful and practical courses useful for future careers
  • +Accessible programs and flexible study structures
  • +Supportive and approachable lecturers
  • +Well-designed, up-to-date curriculum
  • +Balanced theory/practice with real-world application
  • +Diverse and international student community and faculty
  • +High-quality, challenging education with expert guest lectures
  • +Practical, skills-based learning and interconnected subjects
  • +Helpful, inspiring teachers and supportive staff
  • +International atmosphere and diverse group work opportunities
  • +Exceptional professors and engaging teaching
  • +Valued friendships and strong community
  • +Emphasis on empathy and ethical leadership
  • +Holistic learning approach
  • +Positive overall experience
  • +Strong recommendation
  • +Dedicated and knowledgeable lecturers with ample time for students.
  • +Comfortable and accessible accommodation close to campus.
  • +Excellent career prospects and strong business programs.
Cons
  • -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.
  • -Lack of administrative and faculty support
  • -High costs with perceived low value and outdated facilities
  • -Poor communication and inflexible policies
  • -Administrative and management issues cause significant frustration.
  • -Outdated facilities and equipment are a common complaint.
  • -Poor communication and lack of support negatively impact the student experience.
  • -Outdated curriculum and irrelevant content.
  • -Lack of practical application and low teacher commitment.
  • -Inefficient administrative processes.
  • -Outdated facilities and inadequate resources are a significant concern.
  • -The administrative and management systems are perceived as inefficient and unsupportive.
  • -Communication and transparency from the institution are consistently lacking.
  • -Outdated facilities and poor maintenance.
  • -Ineffective teaching and unsupportive instructors.
  • -Administrative and management issues.
  • -Administrative and management issues are a recurring problem.
  • -Outdated facilities and lack of modern resources are frequently mentioned.
  • -Inconsistent teaching quality and a lack of academic support are significant concerns.
Rating summary
What students say

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 scores exceptionally well in several key areas, with Location standing out as the highest rated at 4.59. Internationality also receives a strong score of 4.49. Conversely, Accomodation is the weakest point, with a significantly lower rating of 2.96. Other aspects like Facilities, Professors, Student Life, and Value are all rated around the 4.0 to 4.2 mark, indicating solid but not exceptional performance in these domains.

This institution shows a strong performance in key areas, with Internationality (4.26) and Value (4.19) receiving the highest marks. Professors (4.13) also earned a notably positive rating. Student Life (3.98) and Location (3.96) are also well-regarded. The weakest area, however, is Accomodation, which received a considerably lower score of 3.11.

This institution demonstrates exceptional strengths in student life and internationality, both scoring above 4.5. Location also received a high rating. Conversely, accommodation presents the weakest area with a score of 3.16. Professor quality and facilities are rated moderately well, while value for money is also a positive aspect.

This institution presents a strong overall profile, excelling particularly in **Value** with a rating of 4.33. Facilities, Professors, and Student Life also received favorable scores of 4. The university's weakest area appears to be its **Location**, rated at 3.33. Accomodation and Internationality received solid mid-range scores, indicating good but not outstanding performance in these aspects.

This institution receives top marks in key areas, including its professors, international outlook, and overall value. Conversely, it scores zero in facilities, location, student life, and accommodation. These extreme ratings suggest a university that excels in academic and global aspects, but has significant shortcomings in its physical campus and student experience offerings.

This institution garners exceptional scores in several key areas. Its location is rated a perfect 5, with facilities, professors, accommodation, and internationality all achieving a near-perfect 4.8. Value is also highly regarded at 4.8. The student life rating of 3.6 is the lowest, indicating room for improvement in this particular aspect.

Reviews summary
Highlights

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.

~96% of reviews are positive, praising accessible programs, supportive lecturers, and useful facilities. A small ~4% of feedback highlights concerns about value, student support, and communication.

~93% of 51 reviews are positive, highlighting good theory-practice balance, knowledgeable lecturers, and program flexibility. No negative feedback was recorded.

~70% of reviews are positive, highlighting helpful teachers, practical learning, and an international atmosphere. A small portion of feedback (~3%) mentions outdated curriculum and low teacher commitment.

With an average rating of 4/5 from 3 reviews, ~67% are positive. Students praise exceptional professors and the development of strong friendships, emphasizing empathy in business education. No negative feedback was provided.

With a perfect 5/5 average rating, feedback is overwhelmingly positive. Students praise the learning experience and highly recommend the university.

With a 4.8/5 average, students praise small class sizes, dedicated lecturers, and comfortable accommodation. Limited extracurricular activities and program variety are minor concerns.

Rating distribution
5★
18%
31%
39%
21%
33%
100%
80%
4★
72%
62%
49%
48%
33%
0%
20%
3★
8%
11%
12%
27%
33%
0%
0%
2★
0%
2%
0%
3%
0%
0%
0%
1★
2%
2%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
Most useful review
Most liked
Eco friendly zone for learning.

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.

Education system

I didn’t felt the program was worth my money and it was definitely not what I expected. From the professors to the actual syllabus I didn’t learned much and I feel this debt I just acquired was definitely a waste of time a big mistake

:)

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.

Review: Bachelor Marketing & Communications

I followed the Marketing & Communications Bachelor at Hanzehogeschool and the course has taught me very little with regards to what is actually required in the marketing field. To start off, 90% of the teachers do lectures as a side job, very low commitment from most of them I spent a full year learning and applying marketing theories that were branded outdated in the 90's and early 2000's. In addition a whole semester was wasted on a theory one of the teachers came up with. The professor who guided my while writing my thesis laughed at the premise of using it. Current and future marketing is mostly based on digital marketing. The """"professor"""" digital marketing knew squat, zero. In the digital marketing field, aspects such as SEO, SEA, Google AdWords etc are vital. This was not taught properly in the curriculum. A fellow student who had a side job working with AdWords stopped showing up, as he claimed the teacher was explaining it wrong. If you want to get into marketing, go somewhere else. Hanze will teach how to do a SWOT analysis (debunked in the 90's) every year you attend and not teach you the skills vital in a new marketing environment. I do not work in marketing or advertising, I feel and know I do not possess the necessary skills from merely reading the job vacancy. I finished the degree to make sure I have a Bachelor standard and not completely waste my time and money.

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Pros - Classes are small-sized which helps lecturers have enough time for students and explain concepts. - Friendly staff. - Accommodation is top notch and easily accessible. - Career prospects is excellent. - Great facilities. - Racial diversity is great. Cons - Not enough programs to choose from. - Limited payment plan/time.

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