Student admission down, enrolment remains steady

7 Feb 2022 17:07 | Communication

The number of new students who opted for a programme at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences in the 2021-2022 academic year declined compared to the record year 2020-2021. Student intake decreased by 1,603 students to 13,906 (-10.3%). Nationwide, the admission figures also decreased, by 7.6%.

The annual figures were published today by the Netherlands Association of Universities of Applied Sciences. Because of last year's exceptionally high admission numbers (caused by corona conditions), the figures have been compared to the previous year. They show that the AUAS intake decreased by 4.7% compared to 2019, while the nationwide decreased was 2.8%.

The decrease applies to all sectors and is strongest in economics (-15.0%), beta technology (-9.2%), education (-8.3%) and social studies (-7.2%). The number of students choosing health care at the AUAS remained consistent with levels a year ago, while nationally there was a slight (-2.2%) decrease. When comparing the AUAS figures with the national trend over the past two years, the AUAS performs better in engineering and health care and worse in education.

The total enrolment figures at AUAS remain virtually the same (-0.1%), which is similar to the situation nationally (+0.5%). Over the past two years, enrolment has increased by 6.2%, which is also the case across the Netherlands. An explanation for the growth may lie in the relaxation of the BSA (binding study advice) rules and study delays due to corona. In the current academic year, 2021-2022, 48,570 students are registered at the AUAS.