About the university
The University of Groningen was founded in 1614 and is one of the oldest universities in the Netherlands. It is a public research university with 11 faculties, about 32,500 students and more than 4,000 PhD candidates. One faculty, Campus Fryslân, is in the city of Leeuwarden.
It is 157th in the QS World University Rankings 2027 and 87th in the THE World University Rankings 2027. It offers around 95 master's programmes, many taught in English, across economics and business, science and engineering, medical sciences, law, arts and the social sciences.
For Indian students, the draw is a highly ranked European degree at a lower fee than many UK or US universities. Most Economics and Business master's take one year and cost €22,800 for 2027-28; science and engineering master's take two years at €24,900 a year. Several business master's have a February start as well as September.
Groningen is a student city in the north of the Netherlands. The university estimates living costs at €1,100 to €1,630 a month, including rent of €350 to €500.
- Founded
- 1614
- Type
- Public research university with 11 faculties, one of them (Campus Fryslân) in Leeuwarden
- Total students
- About 32,500 in 2025 (UG Annual Report 2025)
- International students
- About 8,500 in 2025, 26% of all students, from more than 120 countries
- Student–staff ratio
- 19 to 1 (THE World University Rankings 2027 data)
- Intakes
- September for all programmes; many Economics and Business master's also start in February
Rankings
QS World University Rankings 2027
157 in the world
THE World University Rankings 2027
87 in the world
Popular courses with Indian students
- Postgraduate
- Fee / year
- €24,900
- Duration
- 2 years (120 EC)
- Intakes
- September 2027 (non-EU deadline 1 May 2027)
- English
- IELTS Academic 6.5, PTE Academic 66 or TOEFL iBT 90 (UG level 2; minimum subscores apply)
- Postgraduate
- Fee / year
- €24,900
- Duration
- 2 years (120 EC)
- Intakes
- September 2027 (non-EU deadline 1 May 2027)
- English
- IELTS Academic 6.5, PTE Academic 66 or TOEFL iBT 90 (UG level 2; minimum subscores apply)
- Postgraduate
MSc International Business and Management
- Fee / year
- €22,800
- Duration
- 1 year (60 EC)
- Intakes
- September 2027 (apply by 1 May 2027); February 2028 (apply by 15 October 2027)
- English
- IELTS Academic 6.5, PTE Academic 66 or TOEFL iBT 90 (UG level 2; minimum subscores apply)
- Postgraduate
- Fee / year
- €22,800
- Duration
- 1 year (60 EC)
- Intakes
- September 2027 (apply by 1 May 2027); February 2028 (apply by 15 October 2027)
- English
- IELTS Academic 6.5, PTE Academic 66 or TOEFL iBT 90 (UG level 2; minimum subscores apply)
- Postgraduate
- Fee / year
- €22,800
- Duration
- 1 year (60 EC)
- Intakes
- September 2027 (apply by 1 May 2027); February 2028 (apply by 15 October 2027)
- English
- IELTS Academic 6.5, PTE Academic 66 or TOEFL iBT 90 (UG level 2; minimum subscores apply)
- Postgraduate
- Fee / year
- €22,800
- Duration
- 1 year (60 EC)
- Intakes
- September 2027 (apply by 1 May 2027); February 2028 (apply by 15 October 2027)
- English
- IELTS Academic 6.5, PTE Academic 66 or TOEFL iBT 90 (UG level 2; minimum subscores apply)
- Postgraduate
- Fee / year
- €22,800
- Duration
- 1 year (60 EC)
- Intakes
- September 2027 (apply by 1 May 2027); February 2028 (apply by 15 October 2027)
- English
- IELTS Academic 6.5, PTE Academic 66 or TOEFL iBT 90 (UG level 2; minimum subscores apply)
- Postgraduate
MSc Econometrics, Operations Research and Actuarial Studies
- Fee / year
- €22,800
- Duration
- 1 year (60 EC)
- Intakes
- September 2027 (apply by 1 May 2027); February 2028 (apply by 15 October 2027)
- English
- IELTS Academic 6.5, PTE Academic 66 or TOEFL iBT 90 (UG level 2; minimum subscores apply)
Fees for international students
| Course | Duration | Fee / year (EUR) | Approx. in rupees |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSc Computing Science | 2 years (120 EC) | €24,900 | ≈ ₹26.4 lakh |
| MSc Artificial Intelligence | 2 years (120 EC) | €24,900 | ≈ ₹26.4 lakh |
| MSc International Business and Management | 1 year (60 EC) | €22,800 | ≈ ₹24.2 lakh |
| MSc Finance | 1 year (60 EC) | €22,800 | ≈ ₹24.2 lakh |
| MSc Supply Chain Management | 1 year (60 EC) | €22,800 | ≈ ₹24.2 lakh |
| MSc Business Administration | 1 year (60 EC) | €22,800 | ≈ ₹24.2 lakh |
| MSc Marketing | 1 year (60 EC) | €22,800 | ≈ ₹24.2 lakh |
| MSc Econometrics, Operations Research and Actuarial Studies | 1 year (60 EC) | €22,800 | ≈ ₹24.2 lakh |
Fees are for international students for the entry year shown on each course page and can rise each year. Approximate exchange rates (based on ECB reference rates, March 2026). Actual rates on your payment date will differ.
Want a course shortlist with fees?Our counsellor will compare courses at University of Groningen with similar universities in the Netherlands.
Scholarships
- Mainly master's (check the programme list on the page)
NL Scholarship (formerly Holland Scholarship)
Value: €5,000 in the first year, paid in instalments after arrival; not a full-tuition award
Eligibility: Non-EEA nationals with an admission offer for an eligible programme, excellent grades, no earlier Dutch degree and a motivation letter. Deadline 1 February.
Official page (opens in a new tab)
Admission requirements
Undergraduate
- Your school diploma must be equivalent to the Dutch pre-university (VWO) diploma.
- For the CBSE (AISSCE) the university asks for grade A (A1, A2) or B (B1) in all five courses; Law also looks at GPA.
- Many programmes need mathematics at the level of Dutch VWO Mathematics A or B (Economics and Business, Computing Science and most science programmes). If your maths is judged insufficient you can take a CCVX or Boswell Beta certificate.
- Non-EU deadlines are early: 15 January 2027 for BSc International Business and 1 May 2027 for BSc Computing Science (September 2027 start).
Postgraduate
- Each master's programme sets its own academic entry requirements; the Admissions Board checks your bachelor's degree and courses against them.
- Non-EU applicants must apply by 1 May 2027 for a September 2027 start, or by 15 October 2027 for the February 2028 start offered by many Economics and Business master's.
- Science and engineering master's are two-year programmes; most Economics and Business master's take one year.
Documents
- Valid passport
- Class 10 and Class 12 mark sheets (bachelor's) or degree certificate and transcripts (master's)
- English test result (IELTS, PTE, TOEFL or Cambridge), or a Medium of Instruction letter where you claim an exemption
- CV and motivation letter where the programme asks for them
- Course descriptions if the Admissions Board needs to check your maths or subject level
Check if you are eligibleShare your marks and test scores and our counsellor will tell you which courses you can apply for.
English language requirements
| Test or route | Typical requirement |
|---|---|
| IELTS Academic | 6.0 (level 1, most bachelor's in Economics and Business and Science and Engineering) or 6.5 (level 2, most master's); Law asks for 7.0. Minimum subscores apply. |
| PTE Academic | 61 (level 1), 66 (level 2) or 71 (level 3) |
| TOEFL iBT | 80 (level 1), 90 (level 2) or 100 (level 3) for tests before 2026; 4.0, 4.5 or 5.0 on the new 2026 scale |
| Cambridge C1/C2 or Linguaskill | 169 (level 1), 180 (level 2) or 185 (level 3) |
| Exemption | Possible after education taught exclusively in English in listed countries such as the UK, US, Canada or Australia. India is not named on the list, so most Indian applicants should plan to take a test. |
Accommodation and living costs
Students in Groningen usually rent a room in a shared house or student building. Start looking as soon as you have an offer. The Faculty of Science and Engineering gives these monthly estimates for a student in Groningen.
| Item | In EUR | Approx. in rupees |
|---|---|---|
| Room rent (including gas, electricity, water and wi-fi) | €350–500per month | ≈ ₹37,100 – ₹53,000 |
| Food and drink | €250–400per month | ≈ ₹26,500 – ₹42,400 |
| Local travel | €35–65per month | ≈ ₹3,710 – ₹6,890 |
| Total living costsIncludes about €150 a month for clothes, sports and leisure | €1,100–1,630per month | ≈ ₹1.2 lakh – ₹1.7 lakh |
Campus and location
The university is based in the city of Groningen, with one faculty, Campus Fryslân, in Leeuwarden. It has 11 faculties covering economics and business, science and engineering, medical sciences, law, arts, the social sciences and more.
- 11 faculties and about 4,300 FTE academic staff, 44% of them international (2025).
- About 4,700 PhD candidates and 9,100 scientific publications a year (2025), so master's students study in a research-heavy setting.
- Campus Fryslân in Leeuwarden offers programmes such as BSc Data Science and Society.
- University College Groningen offers an English-taught liberal arts and sciences bachelor's.
Careers and graduate outcomes
Graduates can apply for the Dutch orientation year (zoekjaar) to look for work; see our Netherlands guide for the rules. The university's career services support job searching, and many master's include a thesis or internship with companies.
| What | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| International students as a share of all students | 26% (2025) | UG facts and figures |
| International staff | 29% of all staff (2025) | UG facts and figures |
Studying in the Netherlands
Visa rules, work rights and living costs apply to every university in the Netherlands. Our country guide covers them in detail:
Other universities in the Netherlands
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Photo: Rudolphous, CC BY 3.0 PublicLeiden University (official website, opens in a new tab)
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FAQs
What does a master's at the University of Groningen cost for an Indian student?
For 2027-28 the non-EU fee is €22,800 a year for Economics and Business master's (usually one year) and €24,900 a year for Science and Engineering master's (two years). Living costs are estimated at €1,100 to €1,630 a month.
When are the intakes and deadlines?
All programmes start in September. Many Economics and Business master's also start in February. Non-EU deadlines for 2027 entry are 1 May 2027 for most master's and some bachelor's, 15 January 2027 for BSc International Business, and 15 October 2027 for February 2028 starts.
Will the university waive IELTS for Indian students taught in English?
The exemption list covers countries such as the UK, US, Canada and Australia; India is not listed. Plan to take IELTS, PTE, TOEFL or Cambridge unless the admissions office confirms otherwise for your programme.
Are scholarships available?
The NL Scholarship gives €5,000 in the first year to selected non-EEA students with an admission offer; the deadline is 1 February. It is not a full scholarship.
Can I work after graduating?
Non-EU graduates can apply for the Dutch orientation year to look for work. See our Netherlands country guide for the current rules.
Sources
- UG: tuition fees master's programmes (opens in a new tab)
- UG: tuition fees bachelor's programmes (opens in a new tab)
- UG: master's programmes A–Z (opens in a new tab)
- UG: language requirements (opens in a new tab)
- UG: entry requirements for India (CBSE) (opens in a new tab)
- UG: NL Scholarship (opens in a new tab)
- UG: facts and figures (opens in a new tab)
- UG Faculty of Science and Engineering: affordable living (opens in a new tab)
- QS World University Rankings 2027: University of Groningen (opens in a new tab)
- THE World University Rankings 2027: University of Groningen (opens in a new tab)
Official website: www.rug.nl (opens in a new tab)
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