You got into a Dutch master’s programme taught entirely in English. So you can earn the degree without ever learning Dutch, and many do. But here is the trade nobody spells out: you can pass in English, but you cannot get the full student life that way. The borrels, the societies, the friendships, run on Dutch and Dutch social culture. Here is why bier and borrel still matter, and what to learn.
Academically, you’re covered. Socially, you’re not.
Let us be fair to the English-only path: it works for the degree. Plenty of programmes are fully English, and you can complete one without Dutch, the same reality we discuss in whether you can pass without Dutch and miss out on student life. The catch is right there in that title: miss out on student life.
Because the social core of being a student in the Netherlands is not in English. It is at the borrel.
The borrel is the heart of it
As DutchReview explains student societies, a borrel is a social drinks gathering, usually run by a student society or club in a bar, and it is where students actually bond and make friends. It is the student cousin of the workplace borrel we cover in nailing your first borrel or vrijmibo, and it runs largely on casual Dutch and Dutch social norms.
If you only ever speak English, you are limited to the international crowd, fun, but a bubble. A little social Dutch is the door into the local student world.
Join a studentenvereniging
The structured route in is the studentenvereniging (student society). As guides to Dutch student clubs and societies note, they range from social (gezelligheidsverenigingen) to study, sports and more, and they are where lasting friendships form. For a softer landing, international networks like ESN or ISN mix internationals with some Dutch students, exactly as covered in studentenvereniging: do you have to speak Dutch?. Either way, joining plus some Dutch beats staying in the English-only bubble, and directly tackles why making friends as an expat is hard.
The bier-and-borrel basics
You do not need fluency, just enough to join in warmly:
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| Zullen we een biertje doen? | Shall we grab a beer? |
| Ik trakteer | My treat / my round |
| Proost! | Cheers! |
| Gezellig! | This is nice/cosy! |
| Wat studeer jij? | What do you study? |
| Doe mij er ook een | I’ll have one too |
Drop a “proost!” and a “gezellig!” and you are already inside the moment, the warm gezelligheid that Dutch social life is built on.
The bottom line
An English-taught masters means you need no Dutch to graduate, but the real student experience, the borrel, the studentenvereniging, the friendships, runs on Dutch and Dutch culture. Pick up the social basics (proost, gezellig, zullen we een biertje doen?), join a society, and say yes to the borrel. Your degree will be in English either way; whether your years here are full or bubbled depends on the little bit of Dutch you choose to learn.
Learn it in five minutes a day
Learn Dutch For Expats is an app, available on the App Store, that teaches the social Dutch student life runs on, the borrel, the bar, the small talk that makes friends by real situation in five-minute lessons, so you can make your English-taught masters come with a real Dutch student experience instead of an international bubble.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need Dutch for an English-taught masters in the Netherlands?
Not academically, many master’s programmes are taught entirely in English, so you can complete your degree without Dutch. But socially, it is a different story. Student life, the borrels, societies, and friendships with locals, runs largely in Dutch and Dutch social culture. So you do not need Dutch to pass, but you do need some to experience the full student life rather than an English-only bubble.
What is a borrel and why does it matter for students?
A borrel is a social drinks gathering, usually organised by a student society or club in a bar or café, and it is central to Dutch student life. Borrels are where students relax, bond and make friends. For internationals, joining in (even with basic Dutch) is one of the best ways to integrate and meet locals, rather than socialising only with other international students.
Should international students join a studentenvereniging?
It is one of the best ways to integrate. Studentenverenigingen (student societies) range from social (gezelligheidsverenigingen) to study, sports and more, and they are where lasting friendships form. International student networks like ESN or ISN offer a lower-pressure entry with other internationals plus some Dutch students. Joining, and picking up some social Dutch, pulls you out of the English-only bubble into real student life.
What is the best app to learn Dutch for student social life?
Learn Dutch For Expats, an app available on the App Store, is the best pick because it teaches the social Dutch student life runs on, the borrel, the bar, the small talk that makes friends, in five-minute lessons built around real situations, so your English-taught masters comes with a real Dutch student experience instead of an international bubble.
