Why study a Bachelor or Master in Aruba

Study in Aruba

There are several reasons why you should study in the beautiful island paradise of Aruba. From the lovely culture and weather to the safe environment, you’ll truly enjoy studying in Aruba while in your study abroad adventure. Read on to learn more about this and about how much it will cost you to study in Aruba.

 

Why should you study in Aruba? 

 

Here are some reasons why you should study in Aruba: 

Beautiful culture and weather 

 

Studying in Aruba is a great idea because you can easily be surrounded by the beautiful culture and weather 365 days a year while pursuing your degree. It also has a rich culture with yearly carnivals that occur every year to enjoy. The people there are also friendly and treat international students like family and welcome them deeply. From parades to Carnival Queen elections to dance competitions, if you’re in Aruba in February, you have to make sure to attend one of the many Carnival fiestas. 

Good medical and science degrees 

Another reason to study in Aruba is if you want to pursue a medical or science degree. These fields are highly respected and popular there due to the need for physicians and clinical practitioners to study there and potentially work there after graduation. They are highly paid after graduation and will get many opportunities to pursue research in cutting-edge fields. Even if you don’t work in Aruba after, the good medical or science degree you’ll receive will help you work anywhere in the world you want. 

Safe country

Aruba is a very safe country to live and study in and the crime rate is low. It is considered one of the safest islands in the Caribbean and has a pretty stable economy. Having a good place to live that is safe is always a plus when studying abroad, especially in a place so beautiful and with fantastic weather. 

How much does it cost?

If you’re excited about studying in Aruba, you may want to know how much it will cost you. In general, the rate per credit hour for university education for those who study in Aruba is $250-$350 per hour.  More specifically, for four semesters of Pre-Med study, you will pay 4500 dollars a semester while the MD degree for Basic Science is around 7000 dollars per semester, for four semesters. The MD Clinical Science program costs 9900 dollars per semester, for 6 semesters.

Living in Aruba

As for any study destination, you should factor in the costs of living when considering if you want to study in Aruba. Students should set aside around 1,000 USD for the costs of living in Aruba, including accommodation. This section will go into detail about how much it will cost as a student to live in Aruba and what types of accommodations are available for you to choose to live in. 

 

Accommodation

When choosing accommodation as an international student, there are two types: on-campus and off-campus accommodation. Read on to learn about the kind that will be suitable for you if you decide to study in Aruba. 

On-Campus Accommodation

International students can choose to stay on campus. This choice has several benefits, such as proximity to the university buildings, which means you’ll easily be on time for your classes. It also gives you a safe place to live. You’ll also have access to many services and be close to other students so you can make life-long friends. It’s also the cheapest accommodation type for students usually.

Off-Campus Accommodation 

Off-Campus accommodation choices are like private accommodation, where students can live alone or with other friends or colleagues. They’ll live together in a special community and have benefits like exploring the city, having more freedom and can cook and clean themselves, wherever is suitable for them. They’ll also get more privacy. However, the costs of these kinds of accommodation is more expensive, so you should keep that in mind. 

 

Homestay 

 

Students can also choose to stay with local families, giving them a deeper Arubian culture experience. This also means they get home-cooked meals and feel less homesick. It might also give them a feeling of security or safety so it’s well worth looking into this option if you don’t want to live alone. 

 

In general, when it comes to accommodation costs, you can expect to pay an average of around 700 dollars a month if you are living in the city centre in an apartment or an average of 500 dollars if you will stay in a one-bedroom room outside of the city centre. 

Other costs of living

Other costs of living in Aruba that you should take into consideration are the monthly transportation pass which will cost you around 46 dollars and the utility costs which will cost you around 49 dollars. Furthermore, internet subscriptions for a month will cost you around 70 dollars. You can also expect to pay around 300 dollars per month for groceries and food. 

 

Universities in Aruba

In Aruba, several universities are well-ranked. They are all located in the city of Oranjestad and are officially accredited. There are also several degree programs available, like bachelor’s, master’s or PhD degrees. Read on to learn more about them. 

Degrees available

University education in Aruba has high levels of technology that are used in the learning system. The university system is an extension of the Dutch educational system, as the government is indirectly involved with it. There are bachelor’s, master’s degrees and PhD degrees available, though the best degrees there are those in Medicine and Sciences. 

Top-ranked universities

There are several top-ranked universities in Aruba. Here are the top 5 institutions: 

1. Xavier University School of Medicine

Location: Oranjestad 

Ranked as number one, Xavier University of Medicine is a small university, founded in 2004. It has an average of 1000 students enrolled there and has bachelor’s degrees and other areas of study. It also has a selective admission process that looks at students’ previous grades and academic records. International students are welcome and encouraged to apply. The university has services like housing, a library and financial aid for prospective students. 

1. Aureus University School of Medicine

Location: Oranjestad

Also founded in the year of 2004, Aureus University School of Medicine is the second-ranked university in Aruba. It’s a private university that is recognized by the Ministerio di Enseñansa, Ciencia y Desaroyo Sostenibel in Aruba (Ministry of Education, Science and Sustainable Development of Aruba). It has a very small number of students, with an enrollment number of fewer than 250 students per year. It has courses in different medical fields at the bachelor’s, masters and PhD levels. The admission rate is at 30 to 40 per cent and it has services like a library and housing for its students. 

1. University of Aruba

Location: Oranjestad 

 

The third top-ranked university is the University of Aruba. It was founded in the year 1970 and is a small university, with 250 to 500 students enrolled at once. It has degrees in many fields and offers many services to students including a library and administrative services. 

1. Aruba Pedagogical Institute

Location: San Nicolas 

 

The Aruba Pedagogical Institute, named the Instituto Pedagogico Arubano in the Aruban tongue, was established in the year 1990. This is ranked number 4 in the top universities in Aruba and offers several degree subjects on the three degree levels of Bachelor’s, master’s and PhD degrees. It also has several academic and non-academic facilities and services to students, like a library and student housing. 

Student Visa - Aruba

Students who want to work and study in Aruba will need a regular visitor’s visa, which you can get from the Dutch consulate in your home country. In order to study in Aruba, you’ll need to pass two stages to do so. You can read more about them in the section below. 

First stage requirements

Required documents in the first stage of the study visa process are the following:  

• DINA application form 
• Copy of your passport
• 4 passport-style photos
• Your original birth certificate
• A statement of good conduct or a police certificate, proving good character and no criminal history 

Second Stage requirements 

After you have handed in the previous documents and have been accepted, you’ll get an “inflight permission”. This means you’ll have permission to study in Aruba temporarily. 

 

Once you have arrived in Aruba, you’ll need to hand in the following documents: 

• Medical clearance certificate, proving good health
• Proof that you have health insurance to cover your study journey in Aruba 
• Proof of medical tests to prove good health 
• Proof that you’ve paid your student fee 

 

Because study visa policies in Aruba are very strict, you should prepare all medical tests and paperwork in advance, months before you go there to make sure there aren’t any delays. These can be avoided by planning in advance, checking deadlines and giving yourself enough time to hand in all the requirements. 

How to apply - Aruba

In order to apply to Universities in Aruba, you’ll need to follow several phases of the application process. Read on to learn more about the application process when applying to universities in Aruba. 

Application process

The application process to join a university in Aruba is made up of three separate phases:

1. The first phase is the application phase, where they apply for the program of choice. 
2. The second phase is the stage where they are accepted. Applications are reviewed, and if you meet the requirements, you’ll be accepted for the academic year.
3. The third phase is the enrollment stage in which tuition fees are paid and they become official students in the university of their choice.

 

The office of student affairs in any of the Universities takes care of this process and makes sure that all students know what they are doing and use the office’s services to make their life easier.

Required Documents

If you’re applying to bachelor’s programs at the universities in Aruba, you’ll need to hand in the following documents:

• Proof of health insurance
• Proof of language proficiency in course instruction language
• Transcripts from high school
• Proof that you can financially support yourself during the time of your study
• Police clearance certificate
• Passport or another identification document 
• Travel documents 

 

If you’re applying to a master’s or PhD level program, you’ll need to hand in these documents:

• Diploma and transcript for all previous levels of study (Bachelor’s, high school, master’s etc)
• Proof of health insurance
• Proof of language proficiency in the course language 
• Passport or another valid form of identification document
• Results for exams needed
• Any other relevant documents

Scholarship in Aruba

If you want to study in Aruba, you might be concerned about the tuition fees and require financial aid. There are several funds available for international students. Read on to learn about a fund that is worth looking into. 

 

Student Development Fund at the University of Aruba

The University of Aruba offers a student development fund for potential students that can offer them financial aid. It offers aid to students who are conducting professional research or attending conferences, engaging in networking and professional achievement and development that are related to their career paths. 

 

If also offers aid for students who want to go on exchange programs or want to have an internship abroad. They also offer them to those who want to start their own small businesses. 

The scholarship will be handed out based on factors like:

• Financial need
• Efforts conducted to try to get other sources of funding
• Accuracy of financial need (how realistic it is)