DutchNews.nl - DutchNews.nl brings daily news from The Netherlands in English

20 October 2025
Newsletter Donate Advertise
  • News
  • Life in the Netherlands
  • Jobs
  • Podcast
  • About us
  • Search
  • Home
  • Economy
  • Election 2025
  • Art and culture
  • Sport
  • Europe
  • Society
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Housing
  • Education
  • News
    • Home
    • Economy
    • Election 2025
    • Art and culture
    • Sport
    • Europe
    • Society
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
    • Education
  • Life in the Netherlands
    • Latest
    • Opinion
    • Books
    • Travel
    • 10 Questions
    • Learning Dutch
    • Inburgering with DN
    • Food & Drink
    • Ask us anything
  • Jobs
  • Podcast
  • About us
    • Team
    • Donate
    • Advertise
    • Writing for Dutch News
    • Contact us
    • Privacy
    • Newsletter
  • Search

Universities will be able to use a lottery for popular courses again

February 15, 2023
The library at Delft University. Photo: Depositphotos.com
The library at Delft University. Photo: Depositphotos.com

Dutch universities and hbo colleges will soon again be able to use a lottery system to allocate places on popular courses, now MPs have voted in favour of the plan by education minister Robbert Dijkgraaf.

Lotteries were abandoned several years ago and selection for over-subscribed courses currently takes place on the basis of a motivational letter and exam marks.

Dijkgraaf said that there are indications the student body has become less diverse and that certain groups of students are less likely to be given a place since lotteries for courses such as medicine were stopped.

In January government inspectors also called for a rethink, saying the current system for selecting students did have an impact on equality of opportunity.

It will be up to higher education establishments themselves to decide whether or not to use the lottery in their selection procedures.

The senate still has to vote on the plan before it can become law.

Share this article
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Copy URL
Education
Thank you for donating to DutchNews.nl.

We could not provide the Dutch News service, and keep it free of charge, without the generous support of our readers. Your donations allow us to report on issues you tell us matter, and provide you with a summary of the most important Dutch news each day.

Make a donation
Latest
Show more
Europe at risk of cyberattacks because of “digital dependency”
The big election issues: climate change and the environment
Ajax's home defeat to AZ fuels speculation over Heitinga future
The Dutch are frustrated by lack of political progress
Just dance! Amsterdam Dance Event invites young and old to party
NewsHomeEconomyElection 2025Art and cultureSportEuropeSocietyEnvironmentHealthHousingEducation
Life in the NetherlandsLatestOpinionBooksTravel10 QuestionsLearning DutchInburgering with DNFood & DrinkAsk us anything
About usTeamDonateAdvertiseWriting for Dutch NewsContact usPrivacyNewsletter
© 2025 DutchNews | Cookie settings

Help us to keep providing you with up-to-date news about this month's Dutch general election.

Our thanks to everyone who donates regularly to Dutch News. It costs money to produce our daily news service, our original features and daily newsletters, and we could not do it without you.

If you have not yet made a donation, or did so a while ago, you can do so via these links

The DutchNews.nl team

Donate now

Dutchnews Survey

Please help us making DutchNews.nl a better read by taking part in a short survey.

Take part now