Gerwin Woudt, a Dutch admissions counselor working in Latin America, told The PIE News that an increasing trend he’s seen is Peruvian students looking at the Netherlands above any other European destination.

“When it comes to Latin America, it’s politically very complicated; some kids, they don’t see as much of a future here.

“A lot of young people in Peru tend to have a double passport – a Peruvian and a European passport. And so, to study in the Netherlands, it becomes very cheap,” Woudt explained.

Some 80% of the clients Woudt takes on have an Italian, Spanish or German roots, making the Netherlands an extremely cost-effective choice.

However, this isn’t solely for the European-descended Peruvians – in general, the Netherlands are not as expensive as some European destinations have become, Woudt said.

Apart from Spain, which generally sees a more varied pool of fees for international students and is enduringly popular with the Latin American contingent, the Netherlands’ non-EU student fees are still middle of the road.

“The price is still very accessible, compared with the UK or compared with the US – or even with Peru,” he noted. Canada could also be included as a key destination for students from Peru, with post-pandemic numbers climbing by 370% in 2022.

Generally, students will have to pay for at least four years of study at a private university in Peru, with two years of general study and two of specialisation, which means the cost racks up locally too.

A 2023 study from Flywire said that 78% of Peruvian students they surveyed – a total of 1,800 – were looking to study abroad.

One student who spoke to The PIE agreed with the assessment of affordable pricing, and the quality of education compared to Peru – but also noted the word-of-mouth aspect works well in the country.

“Other Peruvian students who already studied in The Netherlands recommended it as a great country to live in,” said one student.

“It also helps that other kids have such a good experience that when they’re talking to their peers, another one would say ‘Oh, I want to also go to the Netherlands’”, Woudt added.

The price is still very accessible, compared with the UK or compared with the US

Gerwin Woudt, admissions counselor

Despite the interest, the Dutch government – which has been newly installed in 2024 and veers sharply to the right of previous iterations – the students who spoke to The PIE had mixed feelings about the country they study in curbing internationalisation and blocking more international students from coming in.

One noted that essentially, it’s what the Dutch people voted for.

“[If they] reduce the amount of immigrants and international students, it’s for a valid reason; foreigners should not be prioritised over Dutch people,” the student argued.

But another student said that while they “understand where the government is coming from”, more curbs on international student would be a “shame”.

“I think it is a pity that fewer international students are going to be able to take advantage of the excellent educational system the Netherlands offers; especially when there are so many international students that come here looking for an education their countries don’t offer,” they explained.