Delft University of Technology (TU Delft)

Key facts

Checked against the sources listed at the bottom of this page on 5 November 2026.

About TU Delft

TU Delft was founded on 8 January 1842 by King William II as the Royal Academy for the education of civilian engineers. It was renamed Delft University of Technology in September 1986 and is described as the oldest and largest public technical university in the Netherlands.^[7]

The university says it covers almost 40 technological and scientific disciplines, with more than 26,000 students and more than 7,500 FTE of staff on its general about page.^[8] The newer count for 2026/27 is nearly 28,000 students, with a provisional note that it is based on data as of 30 September.^[1] Besides the main campus in Delft, TU Delft has a second location at Turfmarkt 99 in The Hague, opened in 2016 in a building it shares with Leiden University.^[7]

How is TU Delft ranked?

In the QS World University Rankings 2027, published on 18 June 2026, TU Delft is 48th in the world with a score of 83.1, ahead of the University of Amsterdam (60th), Utrecht University (113th) and Leiden University (119th).^[2]

The sources do not fully agree. A Utrecht University news item says in its text that TU Delft dropped one place to 48th, but its table prints 47 for 2027. We follow the NL Times report and the news text.^[10] TU Delft’s own rankings page does not state an overall figure. It says TU Delft keeps a place in the global top 15 of the QS subject ranking for Engineering & Technology, without naming the edition.^[11] Rankings differ by publisher and year, so treat one position as one view. How we compile rankings.

What can you study at TU Delft?

TU Delft has eight faculties:^[7]

• Aerospace Engineering
• Applied Sciences
• Architecture and the Built Environment
• Civil Engineering and Geosciences
• Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science
• Industrial Design Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering
• Technology, Policy and Management

Six bachelor’s programmes select their students (numerus fixus, a fixed number of places): Aerospace Engineering; Architecture, Urbanism and Building Sciences; Industrial Design Engineering; Clinical Technology; Nanobiology; and Computer Science and Engineering. The university runs the selection itself, with criteria set per programme.^[4] Some bachelor’s programmes are taught in Dutch, and the admission page says that these require Dutch proficiency.^[4]

How much does TU Delft cost in 2026/27?

The statutory rate applies to Dutch, other EU/EEA, Swiss and Surinamese nationals and to holders of a Dutch residence permit that entitles them to it. The institutional rate applies to everyone else.^[3]

Transitional rates

Students who have been enrolled continuously in the same programme since 2025/26 pay lower transitional institutional rates: €18,175 for a bachelor’s and €23,404 for a master’s in 2026/27.^[3]

Living costs and other items

Non-EU bachelor’s and master’s students must show living costs of €14,200 a year under immigration rules (IND); TU Delft refunds this amount after deducting the residence permit and housing fees. The residence permit costs €254 and the TU Delft housing fee is €285.^[3] TU Delft lists total cost figures of €34,106 (non-EU bachelor’s) and €39,833 (non-EU master’s) for 2026/27; these equal the institutional rate plus the €14,200.^[3] Master’s applicants also pay a non-refundable €100 application fee.^[9] The tuition page itself carries no date, so confirm the rates before you apply.

How do you apply to TU Delft?

Everyone who wants to study in the Netherlands registers through Studielink, the national enrolment system.^[12]

• Bachelor’s: you need a secondary diploma equivalent to the Dutch pre-university (VWO) diploma. For other diplomas you must have passed final exams in mathematics and, for most programmes, physics; some programmes also need chemistry or biology. Documents include a certified diploma and grade list, English proof, an extensive English CV and a passport copy.^[4] For the six selective programmes the final ranking is announced in mid-April, and if you are not ranked within capacity you must withdraw that application in Studielink before a second-choice programme can be processed.^[4]
• Master’s: your bachelor’s degree must be comparable to one from a Dutch research university, with a CGPA of at least 75 percent of the scale maximum unless country-specific rules apply. You may apply for one MSc programme per year. The steps are Studielink (type of study “WO Master”, full-time), NetID activation, then the online application in Osiaan, where you upload documents and pay the €100 fee.^[5][9]

We give no deadlines here because they change every year and differ by programme. Check the dates on the programme page before you start.

Which English level do you need?

Bachelor’s

For the English-taught bachelor’s programmes the admission page lists TOEFL iBT 90, IELTS Academic 6.5 overall, or Cambridge CPE or CAE. It names Aerospace Engineering, Computer Science and Engineering, Nanobiology and Applied Earth Sciences. For Dutch-taught programmes it lists TOEFL iBT 70, IELTS 5.5 or Cambridge FCE grade B, plus Dutch proficiency with a placement test.^[4] Test certificates older than two years are not accepted. Nationals of the USA, UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and Canada are exempt.^[4]

Master’s

The master’s requirement is higher: IELTS Academic 7.0 overall with at least 6.5 in each section; TOEFL iBT 100 with 22 per section for tests taken before 21 January 2026, or an overall 5 with 4.5 per section for tests from that date; or Cambridge C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency with at least 185. All scores must come from a single test, and the test may not be older than two years on the day you apply. TOEFL MyBest scores are not accepted. You are exempt if you are a national of Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK or the USA, or hold a bachelor’s degree from one of those countries. A degree taught in English elsewhere does not exempt you.^[5]

More about studying in Netherlands

• Netherlands: best universities
• Study in Netherlands: complete guide
• Cost of Studying Abroad
• International Student Scholarships
• University Ranking Methodology

More university profiles in Netherlands

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• Nyenrode Business University
• Open Universiteit (Open University of the Netherlands)
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• Tilburg University
• University College Utrecht
• University of Amsterdam (UvA)
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