7 big differences between studying in Vietnam and the Netherlands

In 2024, my daughter received admission offers from two Dutch universities: Erasmus University Rotterdam and Maastricht University. She chose to study Psychology at Erasmus.

For the first few months after she left for school, we video-called every night at midnight. Vietnam and the Netherlands have a five-hour time difference in summer and six in winter. The only time she could talk was after returning from school at 6 p.m. in the Netherlands, which was midnight in Vietnam.

A group of students is having a discussion. Illustration photo by Pexels

From what she shared, I found that Dutch university education is different from Vietnam's in several ways.

First, once enrollment is complete, Dutch universities send out the full-year class schedule for all courses. In Vietnam, students usually wait until the second semester for the rest of the year's class schedule. Lectures follow the schedule strictly from the first to the last week. Lecturers show up on time, sometimes even early. Late starts rarely happen.

The Psychology undergraduate program in the Netherlands lasts three years. Each year has four terms instead of two. By September 2024, when my daughter started, she already had the schedule for every course in her first year.

Second, Vietnamese universities divide students into fixed classes for both general and major-specific courses, keeping the same classmates throughout. In my Chinese Studies class, I studied with the same 20-plus students for four years.

At Erasmus University Rotterdam, the Psychology cohort of 2024–2027 has 600 students. Each course assigns groups of 20 students, but these groups change for each subject.

Over three years, students rotate through different classmates. There is no fixed class of 20 students for the full program. So, students must adapt and work with everyone in their cohort. The list of students for each course is published on the university website at the start of the academic year.

Third, Vietnamese public universities often run classes from Monday to Friday, 10 periods a day from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. In the Netherlands, students have fewer class hours. They attend classes on four days a week. Each day includes one or two two-hour sessions. On weekends, my daughter books time at the faculty or university library to self-study more than 100 pages of English-language psychology material.

At the start of each week, students discuss what they learned from the assigned reading. Lecturers only guide the discussions and answer difficult questions. They do not teach the entire content like in Vietnam.

Student-teacher interaction in the Netherlands is strong. Classes are divided into small groups for discussions. Students can freely share their thoughts with each other. A group representative then presents the shared viewpoint to the class.

Lecturers summarize the ideas from each group, explain them, and add supporting insights. This helps turn student ideas into shared class knowledge. The method requires students to study on their own and come to class well prepared.

Students must prepare thoroughly before class, reading a wide range of materials tied to the topic. At the end of each session, lecturers assign reading for the next class. Teachers are no longer the center of the classroom, and their workload becomes lighter.

All these methods aim to prepare students not just with core knowledge but also key skills like teamwork, independent work, creativity, decision-making, public speaking, and the habit of analyzing problems from multiple angles, including critical and opposing views.

Fourth, most Vietnamese students still learn through lectures. In the Netherlands, students learn in more practical settings. They work on real-world assignments and group projects based on current issues.

In the first term, my daughter joined a university project that helped immigrants adjust to life in the Netherlands.

In the second term, another course required students to pair up. Each pair had to contact a foreign family with a child under 15 who spoke English. They had to sign a contract with the child's parents, get permission to schedule interviews with the child, and record both video and audio for their group assignment.

Living alone in a foreign country forces students to adapt quickly. Without family or friends nearby, they must take full responsibility for their studies and stay independent, creative, and hardworking.

Fifth, essay writing is still new to many Vietnamese students. In the Netherlands, students often write essays in English or Dutch. Each term includes both multiple-choice tests and essay writing. Besides writing, reading is one of the most important skills. The reading list is long. My daughter said there was too much to cover and not enough time to do it.

Sixth, the Dutch grading system works differently than Vietnam’s. Both use 10 as the highest score, but in the Netherlands, students need 5.5 to pass instead of 5.

In computer-based multiple-choice tests, Vietnam gives full marks for the right answer. But in the Netherlands, the software calculates whether a student truly understood the answer or guessed it. A guessed answer can cost students 0.6 to 0.7 points.

That is why scores of 10 are rare. Most students get moderate results. Unlike in Vietnam, Dutch universities do not have 70% of students graduating with honors.

In Vietnam, students can retake failed courses again and again until they pass. In the Netherlands, students only get one retake. If they fail again, they are expelled and cannot continue studying in that university.

Because of this policy, far fewer students graduate than those who started. The exit process is much more demanding than in Vietnam.

Seventh, age does not matter in class. Some of my daughter's classmates are over 30. They already have degrees, jobs, and families, but still study full time at university like her.

In Vietnam, people with jobs usually earn second degrees through night classes, weekend programs, or remote learning. In the Netherlands, even if you already finished a degree, you must pass the entrance exam again and attend full-time classes. You cannot work and study at the same time.

Because the curriculum, teaching, and grading systems are different, the quality of higher education also varies. If Vietnam wants real change in university teaching, it must reform the entire system, not just parts of it.

*Dr. Vu Thi Minh Huyen is working at the Vietnam Academy of Traditional Medicine and Pharmacy.