Masters Degrees in Groningen, Netherlands

Situated in the north of the Netherlands, Groningen is an attractive university city with a sizeable student population. There are two universities in Groningen: the University of Groningen and the Hanze University of Applied Sciences.

What’s it like to study a Masters in Groningen?

Groningen was an important trade hub during the Middle Ages and an independent city-state until the 16th century. Today, Groningen is the largest city in the north of the Netherlands and is considered the economic and cultural capital of the region (also known as Groningen).

Masters students in Groningen will find themselves in good company: a student population of around 58,000 makes it one of the most popular university towns in the country, as well as the Dutch city with the youngest average population.

Groningen’s youthful nature is reflected by its vibrant nightlife and café culture, centred on the Poelestraat area, home to countless characterful pubs and bars that overspill onto the cobbled streets during sunny weather.

But there’s much more to Groningen than student bars and cheap beer. The Groninger Museum – a colourful, modernist structure poised upon the surface of a canal opposite the train station – houses a excellent collection of traditional and contemporary art. Elsewhere in Groningen, the Vismarkt (Fish Market) is a bustling square (well, rectangle) where you can sample the local cuisine or pick up some fresh produce.

Groningen is a relatively small city and it’s possible to cycle to most places within 15 minutes or so. As you’d expect in the Netherlands, bikes are the dominant mode of transport (60% of all trips are made by bicycle). In fact, Groningen was one of the first Dutch cities in the 1970s to prioritise bikes over cars – a legacy that has resulted in Groningen having the cleanest air of any urban area in the Netherlands.

The number of students in Groningen and its compact nature means that finding accommodation can be challenging, so it’s advisable to begin your search as early as possible.

Universities in Groningen

The University of Groningen (Rijksuniversiteit Groningen) is the largest university in Groningen, with 30,000 students (6,000 of which are international). It’s a public, research-based institution that offers many Masters programmes in English.

With 38,000 enrolled students, Hanze University of Applied Sciences (Hanzehogeschool Groningen) has a more vocational focus. English-taught Masters are available at Hanze in subjects like Architecture, Business Administration and Renewable Energy.

Careers in Groningen

Biomedicines and pharmaceuticals are important sectors in Groningen, which also has a healthy start-up scene.

The region of Groningen has the biggest natural gas field in Europe and the city is home to the companies Gasunie and GasTerra, who specialise in natural gas infrastructure, trade and transport. Groningen province has a background in ship-building and is one of the largest shipping centres in the Netherlands.