For students from Saint Eustatius (Statia) and Saba, choosing whether to pursue further education in the Netherlands or the United States is shaped by a complex mix of personal and practical factors. In this three-part series the Caribbean Network explores the study experiences of students from the smallest islands of the BES – Statia and Saba. Part 2 of this exploration examines the experiences of those who are studying or have studied, in the United States and the Netherlands. It’s an eye-opening account of the harsh realities many students face, including financial constraints, significant language barriers, and continued limitations caused by restricted access to Dutch-language programs.
On Statia and Saba, studying in the Netherlands is often promoted as the more affordable option, an argument that resonates strongly with both students and parents. However, according to Saba student Alma Johnson, the ‘glorification’ of the Netherlands could be placing students in a trap.
Alma initially spent one semester studying in the United States in 2022. Due to financial constraints faced by her parents, she decided to continue her education in the Netherlands, where she enrolled in a bachelor’s program in Early Childhood Education taught in English.
‘Triple the work’
“My first year was hard because I felt like I had to do triple the work to catch up, but I was able to finish the first year just shy of the total credits needed. But I wasn’t truly happy with the way this curriculum was set up, I felt like it was very random and not focused on the program I chose.” Within six months of starting the program, Alma discovered that it was not accredited.
“The school itself was accredited, but the program wasn’t. That’s why they still gave me the study loan: because the school is accredited,” she recalls. Ultimately, even if she had completed the program, she would not have been eligible for a teaching license in Early Childhood Education.
Graduate and continue, or switch
“The school wasn’t accredited by the Dutch government, so I was told that once I graduated, I should go a year or two, to a Dutch university. But I would have to learn Dutch so that I could get accredited to teach in Dutch schools. But if I wanted to teach in English, I would have to go to the United States and do a year or two over there, or maybe England, which would have cost more money.”
Despite realizing the limitations of the program, Alma chose to continue into her second year and even switched to a secondary education track halfway through. “Some of my credits were transferred, but I felt like I wasn’t learning what I needed to know, and I didn’t have the experience other students had, so I was already a few steps behind.” She indicates, however, that the Dutch-language version of the program appeared to be more structured, according to what she had learned from other students.
US: Stress-free, supportive – still steep
Reflecting on her time in the United States, Alma compares the two experiences: “I noticed that I did so much better in my one semester in the United States, that I wasn’t stressed at all.” For her, the overall experience studying in the United States was ultimately more positive than her time in the Netherlands.
“The United States is expensive, that’s obvious, but I feel there is more support and they care about you understanding the concepts,” she said. “To me, the Netherlands is being glorified, basically. Nobody told me about the cons. I did not get a good idea of what it’s like to study there. I thought it would be simple. I do have a Dutch passport, and everything was indeed easy for me because of my Dutch nationality, except academically: there I really struggled.”
‘Obstacle course with hidden costs’
Alma hopes to continue her studies, but this time in the United States. “I really liked how the academics are structured there. It’s clearer and more straightforward. In the Netherlands, I felt like I was in an obstacle course,” she explains. While the Netherlands is often promoted as the more affordable academic option, Alma emphasizes the hidden costs of living there. “In the Netherlands, you pay for rent and are charged for almost everything separately. In the United States, you make one payment and most things are included,” she remembers.
Alma’s advice to schools is, that during trips to the Netherlands when potential students are introduced to student life, they should look beyond the excitement of the visit and consider the realities of studying there. “You are moving there without any family, being miles away in a completely different time zone, and sometimes without enough money. Students don’t have any skills in budgeting, because we are not taught how to survive over there, and because of that a lot of us struggle.” Summing up three ways she has seen students fail, she says: “I noticed that a lot of students either dropped out and started working, went back home, or just got lost up there.”
Settling for the less desired
Billy Jean Rodriguez graduated from secondary school at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) level and completed two years of the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) program before moving to the Netherlands. “I wanted to go to the Netherlands to study medicine, but that didn’t work out, because I quickly realized that if you study anything in healthcare, you need to know Dutch well, and my Dutch was not at the level needed to enter medical school or any other Dutch program.”
Ultimately, Billy Jean decided to pursue a degree in International Law instead. “I was tired of being on Saba and just wanted to get out of there. So, I chose law, which was something I literally didn’t know anything about. I figuratively just jumped into the deep water, without even realizing it. You could say that I settled for a less desired course, because I really would’ve enjoyed working in the medical field more,” she admits.
‘All theory, no practice’
Billy Jean has one more year of studies before she can finally return home, as she now eagerly wishes. However, she does not feel fully confident about entering the labor market with her degree, as she believes her program emphasized theory over practical experience. “All they teach you is theory. I feel like I’m not prepared for the job market at all, which is something I’m really scared of.”
Despite her concerns, Billy Jean is determined to complete her studies. “To be honest, I’m just sticking it out because I don’t want to be one of those students who just return home and do nothing with their life, while having this huge debt to pay off. I want to just finish school even if it takes me an extra 10 years. A lot of students also come here and change their programs more than once, but every year you change, you’re starting all over again. The first year was really hard for me and I did fail a lot of classes, but I told myself that I’m going to just stick this out, even if it’s not what I want to do in the future.”
‘As soon as they hear me speak’
She also expressed concern about not speaking Dutch fluently, noting that most jobs require it. Reflecting on her work experiences outside of her studies, she shared how her limited mastery of Dutch has cost her valuable opportunities. “I’ve had opportunities to have really good jobs, but as soon as they hear my Dutch, it’s like: “No, we can’t have you.”
Additionally, Billy Jean described her transition to the Netherlands as extremely challenging. She experienced a complete culture shock when she was placed in a student flat with ten other students, and faced racism on an unimaginable scale. “I feel you are not told about these things that you have to go through. Also, they say that the Netherlands is cheaper, but that’s a lie. The Netherlands is extremely expensive,” is her sentiment.
A lot to juggle
After her experience living with so many other students, Billy Jean decided to rent private housing. “My living expenses are very high because nothing is included. I have to pay for everything separately: water, heating, gas, electricity, telephone, Wi-Fi. And even groceries are very costly. So even if your parents are helping, they are paid in dollars, not euros, and the conversion makes a big difference, especially now,” she explains.
She initially had a job to help ease the financial burden on her parents. However, balancing work with her studies proved extremely difficult, and she eventually stopped working. “In the United States, you get the privilege of just focusing on school, which is amazing. Here, it’s much harder, you have to work, focus on your studies, and manage your life. You’re far away from your family, and if you don’t have any relatives here, it’s even worse,” she states.
In Part 3 the Caribbean Network shares the experiences of students currently studying in the United States and highlights the clear benefits of pursuing higher education in the mother tongue – English.
