All advanced astronomy education in the Netherlands is concentrated in NOVA, the Netherlands Research School for Astronomy. The mission of NOVA is two-fold: to carry out frontline astronomical research in the Netherlands, and to train young astronomers at the highest international level.
Five university institutes offer Astronomy MSc studies: the Anton Pannekoek Institute at the University of Amsterdam, the Kapteyn Astronomical Institute at the University of Groningen, Leiden Observatory at Leiden University, the Deparment of Astrophysics at the Radboud University of Nijmegen, and the Astronomical Institute at Utrecht University. NOVA is monitoring and coordinating these MSc programs, which are open to foreign students
The same institutes also offer PhD studies. NOVA ensures broading in the graduate education and is furthermore concerned with the progress monitoring of all astronomical PhD studies in the Netherlands, with emphasis on presentation skills and career prospects. A substantial fraction of the Dutch PhD-students is from foreign countries.
