38 Best universities for Philosophy in the Netherlands

Updated: March 02, 2025

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in the Netherlands ranked based on their research performance in Philosophy. A graph of 10.7M citations received by 339K academic papers made by 38 universities in the Netherlands was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

1. University of Amsterdam

Netherlands | Amsterdam

For Philosophy

#8 in Europe

#40 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Enrollment: 41,000
Founded: 1632

2. Utrecht University

Netherlands | Utrecht

For Philosophy

#16 in Europe

#71 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1636

3. Radboud University

Netherlands | Nijmegen

For Philosophy

#27 in Europe

#99 in the World

Founded: 1923

4. University of Groningen

Netherlands | Groningen

For Philosophy

#45 in Europe

#135 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 34,000
Founded: 1614

5. Free University Amsterdam

Netherlands | Amsterdam

For Philosophy

#64 in Europe

#169 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Founded: 1880

6. Leiden University

Netherlands | Leiden

For Philosophy

#71 in Europe

#181 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 27,713
Founded: 1575

7. Delft University of Technology

Netherlands | Delft

For Philosophy

#77 in Europe

#191 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 24,703
Founded: 1842

8. Erasmus University Rotterdam

Netherlands | Rotterdam

For Philosophy

#90 in Europe

#214 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 53%
Founded: 1913

9. Maastricht University

Netherlands | Maastricht

For Philosophy

#120 in Europe

#280 in the World

Enrollment: 18,000
Founded: 1976

10. Tilburg University

Netherlands | Tilburg

For Philosophy

#145 in Europe

#336 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 57%
Enrollment: 17,378
Founded: 1927

11. Wageningen University

Netherlands | Wageningen

For Philosophy

#158 in Europe

#367 in the World

Enrollment: 12,819
Founded: 1918

12. University of Twente

Netherlands | Enschede

For Philosophy

#163 in Europe

#376 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Founded: 1961

13. Eindhoven University of Technology

Netherlands | Eindhoven

For Philosophy

#167 in Europe

#388 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 13,069
Founded: 1956

14. Hogeschool van Amsterdam, University of Professional Education

Netherlands | Amsterdam

For Philosophy

#650 in Europe

#2033 in the World

Founded: 1619

15. Rotterdam University

Netherlands | Rotterdam

For Philosophy

#713 in Europe

#2234 in the World

Enrollment: 36,000
Founded: 1988

16. University of Humanistic Studies

Netherlands | Utrecht

For Philosophy

#740 in Europe

#2352 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Enrollment: 550
Male:Female: 30:70
Founded: 1989

17. HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht

Netherlands | Utrecht

For Philosophy

#836 in Europe

#2872 in the World

Founded: 1993

18. Fontys University of Applied Sciences

Netherlands | Venlo

For Philosophy

#874 in Europe

#3083 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Founded: 1996

19. Zuyd University

Netherlands | Heerlen

For Philosophy

#918 in Europe

#3297 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 49%
Founded: 2001

20. Hague University of Applied Sciences

Netherlands | The Hague

For Philosophy

#943 in Europe

#3402 in the World

Founded: 1987

21. Nyenrode Business University

Netherlands | Breukelen

For Philosophy

#945 in Europe

#3408 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1946

22. HAN University of Applied Sciences

Netherlands | Arnhem

For Philosophy

#962 in Europe

#3515 in the World

Founded: 1996

23. Hanze University of Applied Sciences, Groningen

Netherlands | Groningen

For Philosophy

#970 in Europe

#3564 in the World

Founded: 1986

24. Breda University of Applied Sciences

Netherlands | Breda

For Philosophy

#986 in Europe

#3614 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 57%
Founded: 1966

25. NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences

Netherlands | Leeuwarden

For Philosophy

#1037 in Europe

#3962 in the World

Founded: 2008

26. Windesheim University of Applied Sciences

Netherlands | Zwolle

For Philosophy

#1042 in Europe

#3980 in the World

Founded: 1986

27. Saxion University

Netherlands | Enschede

For Philosophy

#1089 in Europe

#4222 in the World

Enrollment: 27,000
Founded: 1989

28. Utrecht School of the Arts

Netherlands | Utrecht

For Philosophy

#1090 in Europe

#4227 in the World

Founded: 1987

29. AVANS University of Applied Sciences

Netherlands | Breda

For Philosophy

#1106 in Europe

#4330 in the World

Founded: 2004

30. INHolland University of Applied Sciences

Netherlands | Haarlem

For Philosophy

#1134 in Europe

#4491 in the World

Founded: 2002

31. Hogeschool Leiden, University of Professional Education

Netherlands | Leiden

For Philosophy

#1165 in Europe

#4642 in the World

Founded: 1984

32. Codarts University of the Arts

Netherlands | Rotterdam

For Philosophy

#1236 in Europe

#5075 in the World

Founded: 1930

33. TIAS School for Business and Society

Netherlands | Eindhoven

For Philosophy

#1244 in Europe

#5121 in the World

Founded: 1986

34. University of Aruba

Netherlands | Oranjestad

For Philosophy

#1256 in Europe

#5218 in the World

Founded: 1970

35. Ede Christian University

Netherlands | Ede

For Philosophy

#1333 in Europe

#5666 in the World

Founded: 1994

36. Van Hall Larenstein University of Applied Sciences

Netherlands | Velp

For Philosophy

#1359 in Europe

#5850 in the World

Founded: 2003

37. HZ University of Applied Sciences

Netherlands | Vlissingen

For Philosophy

#1386 in Europe

#6056 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 84%
Enrollment: 1,100
Founded: 1987

38. ArtEZ Institute for the Arts

Netherlands | Arnhem

For Philosophy

#1388 in Europe

#6086 in the World

Founded: 2002

The best cities to study Philosophy in the Netherlands based on the number of universities and their ranks are Amsterdam, Utrecht, Nijmegen, and Groningen.