Tilburg University

Why choose Tilburg University?

Tilburg University is a top 250 world university (Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2020) and is located in the south of Holland. The city is home to 200,000 residents and 28,000 students. As a relatively small city compared to Amsterdam and Rotterdam, Tilburg offers the perfect study environment as well as a lower cost of living.

A top business university

Tilburg University is one of the best universities for business and economics. It has an excellent reputation for research-led degrees in Business and Economics. With one of the best business schools in the world, Tilburg University ranks 28th in the world for Business and Economics (Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject 2019).

Connect to industry

Throughout your studies, you’ll develop analytical thinking and will have plenty of opportunities to connect with the business world. Economic Business weeks Tilburg is one of the largest on-campus recruitment events in Holland, linking students to companies such as L’Oréal, KPMG, ING Bank, ExxonMobil and Deloitte. You could also have the opportunity to spend a semester abroad at a choice of partner university locations, such as Canada, France or Australia.

Your pathway to Tilburg University

Prepare for your degree at Tilburg University with a one-year programme taught at the International Study Centre. Once you successfully complete your programme and achieve the required academic grades, you can progress to a choice of degrees at Tilburg.

Progression degrees
International Study Centre programme Degree Award Overall grade English grade
Business, Economics and Social Sciences Economics BSc 55% 60%
Business, Economics and Social Sciences Econometrics and Operations Research BSc 55% 60%
Business, Economics and Social Sciences Entrepreneurship and Business Innovation BSc 55% 60%
Business, Economics and Social Sciences Global Management of Social Issues
 BSc 55% 60%
Business, Economics and Social Sciences Human Resource Studies: People Management
 BSc 55% 60%
Business, Economics and Social Sciences International Business Administration BSc 55% 60%
Business, Economics and Social Sciences International Sociology
 BSc 55% 60%

Explore Tilburg University

Students at Tilburg University taking a break on the green grass outside
Enjoy the social common areas at Tilburg University
Tilburg University
Dutch students cycle to and around around Tilburg University, a campus university
Study with modern facilities and rooms with campus views at Tilburg University
Relax and socialise with friends in the communal areas at Tilburg University campus

Student life

Tilburg University has a modern, green and compact campus. It has six schools, plenty of study areas and great sports facilities. There are more than 40 student organisations to join and you will immediately feel part of the community. Tilburg is passionate about 'Understanding Society' and this creates a supportive environment amongst staff and students. Take a 360 tour of the campus.

Private or shared housing is available off campus. 

Campus facilities include:

Library  Computer rooms 
Sports centre  Bookshop
Restaurants Cafés
Bike shop  Green space 

Tilburg has a rich industrial heritage and lots of cafés, culture and entertainment venues to enjoy, so there is plenty to see and do. You could:

  • See wildlife at the Beekse Bergen Safari Park 
  • Have a day out to one of the nearby beaches
  • Visit the Old Town Square for antiques, artwork and jewellery
  • See a concert at Pop Stage 013
  • Relax in Muse Garden, one of the city parks
  • Discover Holland’s textile history of years gone by at the Textiel Museum
  • Enjoy one of the largest funfairs in Europe, Kermis, which entertains one million people every year.
Travelling around

The old town is small so it's easy to walk everywhere, while renting a bike is a great option if you have further to travel.

  • Amsterdam Airport Schiphol – the largest international airport in Holland is about 2 hours' train journey from Tilburg. 
  • Maastricht Achen Airport - a regional airport flying to destinations across Europe is 2.5 hours from Tilburg by train.
  • Bus and rail travel to other cities like The Hague, Rotterdam and Amsterdam is simple and convenient with the OV-chipkaart system. 

Tilburg University location

28th for Business and Economics

Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject 2019

Hear from our students on campus

Tilburg University campus sign
Amiel from Saudi Arabia on Tilburg University campus

I would describe the University as somewhere that’s very friendly. There’s a really big community feeling and I feel like that’s partly due to the campus style that we have. I have friends from different courses and I feel like that’s something very unique. That community feeling and the fact that you can spend all day on campus if you want to, there’s always something to do. 

Amiel from Saudi Arabia
Studying BSc (Hons) International Business Administration at Tilburg University

International community

1,500 international students from 102 nations on campus

Coronavirus (COVID-19) – Our latest guidance and updates, including information for current students, frequently asked questions and our move to offering programmes online.