The Hague (Den Haag) is the seat of the Dutch government and home to the International Court of Justice and a long list of international organisations, which is where its nickname, the city of peace and justice, comes from. It suits students of international relations, law, and public policy especially well, and unlike most of the Netherlands, it has a genuine coastline on its doorstep.

Universities and major institutes

Leiden University (The Hague campus)
The Hague University of Applied Sciences
International Institute of Social Studies (Erasmus)

Cost of living

A room in The Hague commonly runs €600 to €950 a month, cheaper than Amsterdam but still a significant cost given the city’s international profile. Add groceries, Dutch health insurance if you work, and transport, and a reasonable estimate for costs beyond rent might sit around €600 to €850 a month, though students living near the beach in Scheveningen sometimes pay a premium for the location. Housing is tight here too, driven partly by demand from the international organisations and their staff as well as students, so start your search as early as you can and treat institutional housing offers, where available, as worth taking even if the room is smaller than hoped.

Getting around

The Hague is flat and compact enough to cycle across in well under half an hour, and a second-hand bike, usually available for somewhere around €80 to €150, is how most students get to lectures. Trams and buses run on the OV-chipkaart or contactless OV-pay system and make a useful backup on wet or windy days, particularly for the trip out to Scheveningen beach. Trains from Den Haag Centraal or Den Haag HS reach Rotterdam, Delft, Leiden, and Amsterdam within roughly an hour or less, making The Hague a workable base for exploring the wider Randstad. The subsidised domestic student travel product is, as elsewhere, largely reserved for those studying under Dutch funding arrangements, so factor ordinary fares into your budget unless you confirm otherwise.

Weather and lifestyle

Sitting directly on the North Sea coast, The Hague gets a fair share of wind and rain, arguably more than its inland neighbours, and Scheveningen’s beach can feel bracing rather than balmy for much of the year. The upside is a proper seaside city: terraces along the boulevard and around Plein in the centre fill up whenever the sun cooperates, and the city marks King’s Day on 27 April with its own markets and festivities, generally calmer than Amsterdam’s but still a good excuse to be outside.

Working while you study

The national rule holds here as everywhere: non-EU students can typically work up to 16 hours a week in term time, or full-time during the summer, provided their employer has the required TWV permit. The Hague’s economy is heavy on international organisations, government, and legal and policy work, much of it in English, so students with strong English and a relevant field of study sometimes find internships or part-time roles connected to their studies. Outside that niche, hospitality and retail remain the more accessible options without Dutch.

Neighbourhoods for students

Centrum: central and walkable.
Zeeheldenkwartier: trendy and popular.
Scheveningen: by the beach, lively in summer.
Laak / Rivierenbuurt: more affordable and well-connected.

Studying in The Hague