Minor Dutch Language & Culture
Are you an international student in the Netherlands seeking a deeper sense of belonging? Want to do a work placement here, feel confident in Dutch conversations, and truly understand the culture? The Dutch Language & Culture minor is your gateway to Dutch society, both socially and professionally.
Come and meet us
Choosing a minor is an important decision. That's why we will help you make your choice.
Why choose this minor?
- Enhance your wellbeing in a Duch speaking culture, mastering the language
- Boost your work placement and career opportunities in the job market
- Go beyond textbooks with cultural events, fieldwork, and real-life experiences
- Start from scratch, begin at A0 level and grow at your own pace
About this minor
This minor focuses on developing real-life language skills and cultural confidence. You will learn to communicate in Dutch, understand how Dutch-speaking workplaces operate, and reflect on your own cultural identity at the same time. Whether you are preparing for a work placement, planning to stay after graduation or simply want to feel more at home, this minor will help you achieve your goals.
Over 18 weeks, you will explore how to become a confident participant in Dutch-speaking cultures through four phases:
- Assessing your language level and setting goals
- Engaging in independent study, cultural events and research planning
- Reading activity and preparing for fieldwork
- Fieldwork in Dutch-speaking context and final presentation
Along the way, you will develop language skills, cultural awareness and research expertise, culminating in a final presentation that combines your findings with personal reflections.
After this minor
After completing this minor, you will speak Dutch with more confidence and have a deeper understanding of cultural dynamics. You will feel more at ease in Dutch-speaking environments and be ready to thrive. Whether that’s in the Netherlands, Belgium or the Dutch Caribbean, you will be ready to forge meaningful connections and seize new opportunities!
Practical information
When
Monday 31 August 2026 – Friday 31 January 2027
Where
All classes and meetings will take place on the BUas campus in Breda.
Teaching method
On average, 12–14 hours of on-campus education take place across three days per week. We aim to maintain this schedule throughout the semester, keeping it as fixed and structured as possible.
How to apply?
You can choose this minor if you study at BUas, but students from other higher education institutes are also warmly invited to join. This makes for a diverse and inspiring classroom!
- How to apply: BUas students
For BUas students, the application option in Osiris opens from 23 to 27 March 2026 (fall semester) & 5 to 9 October 2026 (spring semester). When you apply in Osiris you can indicate two preferences, these can be two different minors at BUas, but you should also indicate if you prefer to take an external minor. For more detailed information please visit the Minor Desk page on the student portal.
Please note that applicants will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis or via a selection procedure as mentioned at the admission requirements on this page.
- How to apply: non-BUas students
All information regarding the minors for 2026 -2027 is available on Kies op Maat. From 2 February to 15 May, the application option and thus the download of the learning agreement will be open on Kies op Maat.
The full step-by-step plan:
- Download the learning agreement on Kies op Maat. Ask your own university of applied sciences to sign the learning agreement for approval.
- Start your application via Studielink – this is possible until 26 June. Go to the Study Programmes tab and click 'add new enrolment application'. Then click at 'Educational institution' on Breda University of Applied Sciences and enter 'Minor' or 'KOM' as search term. A list of BUas KOM minors per academy will appear. Make sure you apply for the right minor. Check the learning agreement to see where your minor belongs to. After registering in Studielink you will receive two emails: one confirming your registration with BUas and immediately afterwards an email containing the login codes for and the link to Osiris Registration from BUas. If you do not receive the second e-mail, check your spam first and otherwise send an e-mail to [email protected].
- Receive access to My Online Application. Here you can complete – and keep track of – the next steps of your application.
- Upload the signed learning agreement in My Online Application (note: the learning agreement must be signed by your own university of applied sciences and yourself before uploading it on My Online Application)
- Since you are coming to BUas temporarily for a minor, it is important that you arrange payment in a correct manner via the following steps to arrange your proof of payment, a so-called BBC (Bewijs Betaald Collegegeld).
- Arrange the payment at your own institution
- Go to Studielink and request a BBC for BUas. Click here to go to the correct webpage (search on this page for the "Request for proof of paid tuition fees") for the step by step plan.
Make sure you complete all steps on time, as mentioned there are deadlines for downloading the learning agreement and starting your application. Once you have made a start in My Online Application, you have until 1 September / the start of the minor at the latest to complete your steps. Please note:
- Some minors have limited numbers of places available. Students will be admitted in order of application.
- If you are a student of an institution affiliated to Kies op Maat, the rules and agreements of Kies op Maat apply. The costs of the minor will be settled between BUas and your home institution. As a student, you won’t notice anything about this.
- If you are a student from a government-funded institution that is not affiliated to Kies op Maat, we will make separate arrangements about financing the minor before the start of the minor.