The Netherlands, also known as Holland, is a part of mainland Europe and an important member to the European Union. Netherlands became the first non-native English speaking country to offer courses taught in English to international students. The Dutch system of education is mainly classified into three: Research Universities, University of Applied Sciences and Institutes for International Education. The Dutch are a welcoming nation of open people and you will find a very diverse culture in most cities and universities. The student need to apply for an entry visa called a Provisional Residence Permit or “Machtiging tot Voorlopig Verblijf” (MVV) in Dutch. This permit will allow you to enter Netherlands and live for six months and once in the country, the respective university will apply for Residence Permit on your behalf. After completing the studies in Netherlands, you can extend your visa for up to 1 year during which the student can live and work in Netherlands. This visa is called as “Zoekjaar”. Permanent Residency will be granted if you have continuously resided in Netherlands for 5 uninterrupted years. This is called as the Long Term Resident EC.