Saba News News and Information from Saba Island, Dutch Caribbean
Each year, in the weeks after graduation, a familiar scene unfolds on the small Caribbean islands of Sint Eustatius and Saba. Suitcases are packed, tearful goodbyes are exchanged at the airport, and young students leave home to begin the next chapter of their lives thousands of miles away. For many of them, the decision of where to study is not simply about choosing a university. It means navigating two vastly different education systems, languages, and financial realities.
Students from the two smallest islands of the Caribbean Netherlands usually face a difficult choice: continue their education in the Netherlands, which is often promoted as the more affordable option, or study in the United States, where tuition costs are higher, but classes are taught in English.
In an exploration for Caribbean Network, Hazel Durand spoke with students at different stages of their academic journeys — including current students abroad, recent graduates, and others who have temporarily returned home. Their experiences reveal that the transition from island schools to international universities is rarely straightforward.
Every year, between August and January, roughly 20 students leave Statia to study abroad. On Saba, the number is closer to 10. Despite their different ambitions and backgrounds, many encounter the same obstacles along the way. Language barriers, differences in educational pathways, and financial pressure repeatedly shape their experiences.
Delays and detours
For students graduating with the Caribbean Vocational Qualification (CVQ) — a qualification roughly comparable to the Dutch MBO level — the journey can be particularly complicated. Many struggle to find programs that recognize their credentials, forcing them to take longer and more indirect routes toward a degree.
Statia student Angelo Maharaj knows this challenge well. When he finished high school, Angelo initially hoped to continue his studies in the United States. But the cost was too high, so he decided to move to the Netherlands instead. His goal was simple: complete a bachelor’s degree within four years.
Three years later, he is still searching for the right academic path. After enrolling in a Marketing Communications program taught in English, Angelo eventually had to restart the same program — this time in Dutch. When he first arrived in the Netherlands, he did not speak Dutch fluently. Over time, however, he realized that mastering the language dramatically expands academic opportunities.
“Today I speak Dutch with everyone, including my teachers,” he said. “I’ve realized that I barely use English anymore. Sometimes I even forget English words, but remember them in Dutch. While it feels like I’m losing my first language, I’m gaining another — and right now that’s a major advantage.”
Choosing another route
Not all students can follow the Dutch path. Statia student Ishn Courtar originally hoped to study in the Netherlands, but quickly discovered that his CVQ level did not meet the entry requirements for the program he wanted. Following the traditional Dutch pathway would have required him to move through several levels of the MBO system — a process that could take nearly eight years before reaching a bachelor’s degree.
Instead, Ishn chose a different route. He completed the General Educational Development (GED) exam, which allowed him to apply to universities in the United States. Today, he is in his first semester of a four-year bachelor’s program in Communications.
Saba student Alejandro Benders faced a similar dilemma. After graduating at the CVQ level and completing the GED exam, he applied to several schools in the Netherlands despite being warned that the qualification is rarely recognized there.
None accepted him. Instead, Alejandro moved to the United States, where he spent two years studying at a community college before transferring to a university to pursue a bachelor’s degree in automotive studies. Recently, however, his study funding was cut off. To complete his degree, he is now working while finishing his final semester online, paying approximately $6,000 out of pocket.
The Netherlands: promise and reality
While studying in the Netherlands is frequently presented as the more affordable option, several students say the reality can be far more complicated. Saba student Alma Johnson learned this after experiencing both systems.
In 2022, she spent one semester studying in the United States. When financial difficulties made it impossible for her parents to continue supporting her there, she transferred to the Netherlands and enrolled in an English-taught bachelor’s program in Early Childhood Education.
The transition was challenging from the start. “My first year was hard because I felt like I had to do triple the work to catch up,” she said. Although she nearly completed all the required credits that year, she soon discovered a major problem: while the institution itself was accredited, the specific program was not. Even if she completed the degree, she would not qualify for a teaching license.
“To become accredited to teach in the Netherlands, I would have to learn Dutch and go to a Dutch university for another year or two,” she explained. “If I wanted to teach in English, I would have to go to the United States or England and study again.” Despite realizing the limitations of the program, Alma continued into her second year and eventually switched to a secondary education track. Still, she felt she was already behind other students.
Looking back, she says her semester in the United States felt far less stressful. “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. “The Netherlands was glorified to me. Nobody told me the cons.”
She also pointed out that many living costs in the Netherlands are hidden. Students must arrange and pay separately for rent, utilities, and other expenses. “In the United States, you make one payment, and most things are included,” she said.
When language closes doors
Language barriers can also determine what students are able to study. Billy Jean Rodriguez from Saba arrived in the Netherlands hoping to pursue a career in medicine. But she quickly discovered that most healthcare programs require a high level of Dutch proficiency. Without the language skills required for admission, she had to abandon her original plan.
Instead, she enrolled in a degree program in International Law. “I literally jumped into the deep water,” she said. “I can say I settled because I would’ve enjoyed working in the medical field more.” Now nearing the end of her studies, Billy Jean worries that the program has focused heavily on theory rather than practical experience. “I feel like I’m not prepared for the job market at all,” she said.
The transition to life in the Netherlands was difficult in other ways as well. She described experiencing culture shock, living in crowded student housing, and encountering racism. Financial pressures made the situation even harder. “The Netherlands is extremely expensive,” she said. “Nothing is included. You pay separately for water, heating, electricity, internet — everything.”
Although she initially worked to help ease the financial burden on her parents, balancing employment and studies proved overwhelming. “In the United States, you get the privilege of focusing on school,” she said. “Here you have to study, work, and manage everything on your own.”
Studying in a familiar language
For some students, studying in English in the United States provides a clearer path despite the higher cost. Lyieshah Peterson recently completed a bachelor’s degree in Biology and is now pursuing a master’s degree in Medicine. She chose the United States partly because pursuing medical studies in the Netherlands would have required first mastering Dutch.
Even so, the transition was academically demanding. “The curriculum here is more advanced,” she said. “Some of the material I studied in high school on Saba didn’t correlate at all to what I was learning here.” Despite the financial burden, she believes she made the right decision. “I graduated on time, got my degree, and now I’m in a master’s program,” she said.
After finishing her studies, she plans to gain professional experience through the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program, which allows international graduates to work in the United States in their field of study.
Practical barriers
For Saba student Bea Durand, practical concerns also played a role in her decision to study in the United States. She cited both the language barrier and the ongoing housing crisis in the Netherlands. “It’s very hard to find a place to stay there,” she said. “There’s a long waiting list.” She also found the application process for American universities far simpler.
In the Netherlands, the Early Childhood Education program she wanted was accredited only in Dutch — another obstacle. Now in her first semester, Bea says she feels more comfortable studying in an English-speaking environment. “Everything feels more organized,” she said. “If I had gone to the Netherlands, I would feel lost because of the language.”
A question of investment
For parents on Statia and Saba, sending their children abroad for higher education is both a financial investment and a leap of faith. The Netherlands is often promoted as the cheaper option. But for students educated primarily in English, the language barrier can limit program choices and delay academic progress.
The United States, meanwhile, offers clearer pathways in a familiar language — but at a significantly higher cost. As these students’ experiences show, the decision between the two is rarely simple.
For many families, it ultimately comes down to one difficult question: is it better to pay more for an education in a language students fully understand, or risk delays and detours in a system where the language itself can become the first barrier?
Hazal Durand
