5 Reasons To Study In Amsterdam For Business School

Bikes, bridges, canals, museums… Amsterdam is a picturesque city with many unique characteristics that combine to make it a top tourist destination in Europe. 

The city hosts millions of tourists each year, however it’s also a hub for international business, home to the headquarters of multinational companies as well as a thriving startup ecosystem.

The combination of a unique living experience and strong career opportunities makes Amsterdam a popular destination for business school students. They can study at top local schools, such as Nyenrode Business University, which offers a highly international MBA program and a Master in Management (MiM) ranked among the global top 100 by the Financial Times.

If you’re looking to enroll in a business school in Europe, Amsterdam could be the right place. Here are five reasons why. 

1. A unique living experience

Part of Amsterdam’s allure is the broad array of cultural experiences and attractions available on a daily basis in the historic city. 

There are more museums per square meter in Amsterdam than any other city in the world. You can also find a thriving market culture. Studying in Amsterdam means you could go for an evening boat ride on one of the many famous canals, or spend a weekend cycling around the city. 

This makes for a vibrant study experience. While students spend most of their days in-class, there are many opportunities during free time to enjoy the local culture.

This is particularly beneficial for international students looking to enhance their cultural awareness. With two campuses—one based in the heart of the city and another in nearby Breukelen—Nyenrode offers students the chance to do this. 

2. An innovative approach to education 

Free time is important, but just as important is the time you spend in class while studying at business school. Students at Nyenrode gain the opportunity to take part in a unique learning experience in Amsterdam. 

The school’s highly customizable MiM degree offers students a range of practical experiences within the city, including visits to local companies. There’s even the opportunity to undertake international trips: Bence Tornai visited Wall Street in New York while studying. 

“That was a very interesting, lifetime experience,” he says. “It is great to learn from books, but I think most of the things you can gain are from these field experiences.”

The school’s similarly innovative MBA program gives students the opportunity to pitch their business ideas to CEOs of multinationals and firms based in the Netherlands. This helps them establish links with companies and even secure career opportunities after graduation. 

3. An international business hub

Career opportunities are a hugely important factor in choosing your business school destination. 

Business schools typically offer extensive career support including links to industry leaders and multinationals located nearby. Studying in Amsterdam, one of Europe’s key business hubs, means gaining the opportunity to work with an array of internationally recognized firms. 

Previous employers from the Nyenrode MBA, for example, include professional services firms such as EY and Accenture, consumer goods conglomerates including The Kraft Heinz Company, and financial corporations like ING. 

Amsterdam is also home to a thriving startup ecosystem. Booking.com and Adyen—two local tech startups that have gained unicorn status—encapsulate the city’s ability to foster dynamic entrepreneurship. Both have also hired students from the Nyenrode MBA. 

The presence of both multinationals and internationally recognized startups is heavily linked to the city’s international environment. Most business in Amsterdam is conducted in English, while 30% of the city’s residents were born abroad. 

4. An opportunity to travel 

One of the key capital cities in Europe, Amsterdam offers extensive opportunities to travel, both within the Netherlands and to nearby countries. 

With its canals and coffee shop culture, Amsterdam has a unique offering; however you can find an entirely different experience in other large cities in the Netherlands such as the seaport of Rotterdam or the ancient religious center, Utrecht. 

With international links via train to the likes of Brussels, Paris, Munich, and London, you can also capitalize on opportunities to use your study period to gain diverse cultural experiences. 

5. Affordable study opportunities 

The combination of opportunities—both personal and professional—on offer in Amsterdam make it a highly desirable place to live. However, within a city comprising just over 1.1 million people, this is reflected in a relatively high cost of living. 

However, there are schemes available to ease the financial burden of living and studying in the city. For example, Nyenrode partners with the OurDomain student campus in Amsterdam to offer MBA and masters students the option of living in a modern, affordable housing complex located 15 minutes from the city center. 

You can also find top programs with comparatively low tuition fees. The Nyenrode MBA, for example, costs around $42,000 (€39,000), while studying an MBA in other top European cities such as London or Paris can cost in excess of $60,000. 

There are also numerous needs- and motivation-based scholarship opportunities offered by the school to help reduce the cost of studying. 

While studying in Amsterdam will require a significant initial investment, the experiences and career opportunities you can gain ensure that you’ll see a strong return on your investment.