24 months
Duration
9740 EUR/year
2601 EUR/year
Unknown
Unknown
Apply date
Unknown
Start date

About

In this two-year River Delta Development Master programme from Van Hall Larenstein University of Applied Sciences, you will address the most pressing challenges of this century. Such as flooding, subsidence and salinisation of groundwater.

Visit programme website for more information

Overview

Building bridges between ecology, technology, and society

River deltas are crucial for millions of people and diverse ecosystems. They are indispensable for global food production and economic activities but face threats from climate change and overpopulation. We need visionaries who can connect ecology, technology, and society. Is that you? The Master’s program in River Delta Development will prepare you for this role.

Facilitators of change in delta zones

In this two-year Master's program, you will address pressing challenges such as flooding, subsidence, and groundwater salinization. You'll gain extensive knowledge about river deltas and engage in practical assignments in Living Labs with local communities, businesses, and policymakers.

This unique program is a collaboration between three universities, each focusing on different aspects: HZ University of Applied Sciences (coastal areas), Van Hall Larenstein University of Applied Sciences (river systems), and Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences (urban water). Studying and working in these locations will broaden your knowledge and network.

After graduation, you'll be equipped to work in international organizations, consulting firms, government agencies, or NGOs. You could become an urban planner, agricultural consultant, or researcher, shaping future deltas where humans and nature coexist harmoniously with water.

River Delta Development

The Master’s program in River Delta Development was created with input from professionals. It addresses the need for experts who can think and work constructively, understand transitional processes, and drive change in organizations. Delta areas face significant challenges due to high population density and vulnerable locations, requiring passionate young people to develop resilient, sustainable solutions.

Career Opportunities: Graduates can become process managers, project initiators, civil change facilitators, researchers, administrators, or consultants.

Examples of Job Roles:

Freshwater Project Officer in Morocco: Responsible for executing a project in the Sebou delta to reduce the impact of water extraction on biodiversity. This role involves network building, project planning, and technical and financial reporting.

Urban Water, Wastewater and Climate Resilience Senior Associate in the USA: Focuses on enhancing business opportunities for multilateral development banks in urban water and wastewater treatment. Develops marketing strategies and provides technical assistance to ensure project quality and timeliness.

Monitoring and Evaluation Officer in Bangladesh: Monitors the impact of climate change on coastal communities, particularly women, and assists the government in strengthening local resilience. Ensures cost-effectiveness, results, and strategic vision of the project.

Urban Water and Climate Adaptation Senior Specialist in the Netherlands: Develops strategies for urban water management and climate resilience. Works on projects like climate safety for Utrecht city, creating stress tests for municipal governments, and master plans for water management. Focuses on sustainability, security, and quality of life through modeling and analysis.

Accreditation

All study programmes at VHL are accredited by the Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders (NVAO). This is the official organisation responsible for evaluating the quality of higher education institutions in the Netherlands.

Programme Structure

Intensive Kick-Off

Your Master’s program begins with a one-month orientation at HZ in Middelburg. You'll meet fellow students and faculty, explore the delta on a field trip, and analyze the delta system. You will then write a personal learning plan with guidance from your coach.

Learning in Delta Systems

Next, you'll study the coast delta system at HZ, spending one day a week on campus for lectures and coaching. After 15 weeks of research, there will be an evaluation week to assess your findings. Similar 17-week blocks on river systems at Van Hall Larenstein University of Applied Sciences and urban water at Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences follow, building your knowledge, research skills, and professional development.

Final Evaluation

In the final 17-week phase, you'll create and present a final product. Your competencies will be tested through a portfolio and an oral assessment at one of the three universities.

Key information

Duration

  • Full-time
    • 24 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Credits

120 ECTS

Delivered

On Campus

Academic requirements

We are not aware of any specific GRE, GMAT or GPA grading score requirements for this programme.

Student insurance

Make sure to cover your health, travel, and stay while studying abroad. Even global coverages can miss important items, so make sure your student insurance ticks all the following:

  • Additional medical costs (i.e. dental)
  • Repatriation, if something happens to you or your family
  • Liability
  • Home contents and baggage
  • Accidents
  • Legal aid

We partnered with Aon to provide you with the best affordable student insurance, for a carefree experience away from home.

Get your student insurance now

Starting from €0.53/day, free cancellation any time.

Remember, countries and universities may have specific insurance requirements. To learn more about how student insurance work at Van Hall Larenstein, University of Applied Sciences and/or in Netherlands, please visit Student Insurance Portal.

Other requirements

General requirements

  • Admission and Registration

    Admission Requirements To join the Master’s program in River Delta Development, you need a bachelor’s degree or equivalent from a recognized university or accredited institution in a related discipline (submit a certified copy of your diploma and transcript).

    Applicants with the following Dutch Bachelor’s degrees are automatically eligible:

    • Water Management CROHO 34074 / 34332
    • Delta Management CROHO 39278
    • Civil Engineering CROHO 34279
    • Urban and Regional Planning CROHO 34282
    • Spatial Development CROHO 30038
    • International Development Management CROHO 34203
    • Coastal and Marine Management CROHO 39204
    • Land and Water Management CROHO 34226
    • Management of the Living Environment CROHO 34859
    • Built Environment CROHO 39280

    Proficiency in English is also required. The required level for admission is equivalent to an IELTS score of 6.0.

    Application Process Submit a letter of motivation and participate in an intake interview with the admission committee. The HZ student office will guide you through this process. If both are positively assessed, you'll receive an admission confirmation, which you can use to apply for any necessary grants.

    Read about our application procedure and apply.

    Letter of Motivation and Intake Interview Your English letter of motivation (± 750 words) should cover:

    • Your interest in and knowledge of river deltas and your goals for the program.
    • Your self-reflection on current knowledge and skills.
    • Your ability to become a facilitator of change, showing your willingness to apply change, innovation, and creativity in complex processes.

    The intake interview will discuss your goals, background, and knowledge of river deltas. You’ll also give an elevator pitch about a river delta case to assess your English proficiency.

Tuition Fee

To always see correct tuition fees
  • International

    9740 EUR/year
    Tuition Fee
    Based on the tuition of 9740 EUR per year during 24 months.
  • EU/EEA

    2601 EUR/year
    Tuition Fee
    Based on the tuition of 2601 EUR per year during 24 months.

 

Living costs for Velp

780 - 1160 EUR /month
Living costs

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Funding

Funding your studies can be challenging, but there are financial support options available. The availability of these options depends on your nationality.

  • European Students: European students can apply for student finance and a tuition fee loan from the Dutch government. To qualify for student finance, you must work at least 32 hours per month. Please check the specific requirements.

  • Non-European Students: Non-European students are eligible to apply for the NL Scholarship only. Further details can be found on our website.

In order for us to give you accurate scholarship information, we ask that you please confirm a few details and create an account with us.

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find Master's scholarship opportunities for River Delta Development.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

Independent provider
Grant
4000 USD
Deadline
20 Dec 2025
OAS ISS Scholarship
Merit-based

Read more about eligibility

The General Secretariat of the Organization of American States
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
100000 INR
Deadline
21 Apr 2025
JN Tata Endowment for the Higher Education of Indians
Merit-based

Read more about eligibility

IHE Delft Institute for Water Education
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
50000 USD
Deadline
15 Apr 2025
Qalaa Holdings Scholarship Foundation
Merit-based

Read more about eligibility

IHE Delft Institute for Water Education
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
1220 EUR
Deadline
01 Jun 2025
MENA and Horn of Africa, Sahel, and SIDS Scholarships
Merit-based

Read more about eligibility

IHE Delft Institute for Water Education
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
Various benefits
Deadline
01 Jun 2025
Partial Scholarships for Latin American students in the field of Sanitary Engineering and Sanitation
Merit-based

Read more about eligibility

IHE Delft Institute for Water Education
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
100000 INR
Deadline
Anytime
Inlaks Scholarships
Merit-based

Read more about eligibility

IHE Delft Institute for Water Education
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
20000 USD
Deadline
15 Apr 2025
NAF Study Loan Program
Merit-based

Read more about eligibility

IHE Delft Institute for Water Education
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
15000 EUR
Deadline
Not specified
Mahmoud S. Rabbani Scholarship
Merit-based

Read more about eligibility

IHE Delft Institute for Water Education
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
Various benefits
Deadline
07 Apr 2025
FirstRand IHE Delft Water Education Scholarship for a MSc in Water and Sustainable Development at IHE Delft
Merit-based

Read more about eligibility

IHE Delft Institute for Water Education
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
Various benefits
Deadline
28 Feb 2025
COLFUTURO Joint Loan Scholarship
Merit-based

Read more about eligibility

IHE Delft Institute for Water Education
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
Various benefits
Deadline
Anytime
IHE Early Bird discount for self-paying students
Merit-based

Read more about eligibility

IHE Delft Institute for Water Education
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
Various benefits
Deadline
Anytime
Hardship Scholarship
Merit-based

Read more about eligibility

IHE Delft Institute for Water Education
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
Various benefits
Deadline
Anytime
Water Leader Scholarship
Merit-based

Read more about eligibility

IHE Delft Institute for Water Education
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
1000000 INR
Deadline
Anytime
Education Future International Scholarship
Merit-based

Read more about eligibility

Education Future
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
Various benefits
Deadline
Not specified
WFF Russell E. Train Education for Nature Program
Merit-based

Read more about eligibility

IHE Delft Institute for Water Education
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
Various benefits
Deadline
15 Apr 2025
Rotary Scholarship for Water and Sanitation Professionals
Merit-based

Read more about eligibility

IHE Delft Institute for Water Education
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
33600 EUR
Deadline
01 Jul 2025
Mundus MAPP EMJM Scholarship
Merit-based

Read more about eligibility

Mundus MAPP
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
Various benefits
Deadline
24 May 2025
Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarships
Merit-based Need-based

Read more about eligibility

ACU (The Association of Commonweath Universities)
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
1500 USD
Deadline
15 Sep 2025
Headway’s Book Lovers Scholarship
Merit-based

Read more about eligibility

Headway
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
1000 USD
Deadline
01 Jun 2025
1040 Abroad International Studies Scholarship Initiative
Merit-based Need-based

Read more about eligibility

1040 Abroad
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
Various benefits
Deadline
Not specified
Erasmus+ - Grants for study mobility
Merit-based

Read more about eligibility

OeAD, Austria's Agency for Education and Internationalisation
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
7000 USD
Deadline
24 Apr 2025
Go Global MBA Scholarship
Merit-based

Read more about eligibility

educations.com
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
5000 EUR
Deadline
15 May 2025
Study a Master's in Europe Scholarship
Merit-based

Read more about eligibility

educations.com
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
3000 USD
Deadline
30 Jun 2025
Essay Writing Contest from EduLegit
Merit-based Need-based

Read more about eligibility

Edulegit
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
1000 USD
Deadline
09 Jul 2025
Dream Chaser Scholarship
Merit-based

Read more about eligibility

Salvado Law
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
1000 USD
Deadline
02 Jul 2025
Jewish Heritage Scholarship
Merit-based

Read more about eligibility

Diamant Gerstein
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
90000 AUD
Deadline
Not specified
World Universities Ramsay Postgraduate Scholarship
Merit-based Need-based

Read more about eligibility

The Ramsay Centre
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
3000 USD
Deadline
31 Dec 2025
Scholarship for students with disabilities
Need-based

Read more about eligibility

Anonymous Hope Fund
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
2000 USD
Deadline
01 Sep 2025
The Rick Blight Leadership in Action Scholarship for Athletes
Merit-based

Read more about eligibility

Canadian Men’s Health Foundation
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
8000 EUR
Deadline
Not specified
Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters scholarships
Merit-based Need-based

Read more about eligibility

European Commission
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
3000 USD
Deadline
Not specified
AAPG Foundation Grants-in-Aid
Merit-based Need-based

Read more about eligibility

American Association of Petroleum Geologists Foundation
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
1000 USD
Deadline
20 May 2025
PlagiarismSearch 2025 Essay Contest
Merit-based

Read more about eligibility

PlagiarismSearch
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
1000 USD
Deadline
01 Mar 2025
Voice Talent Online Scholarship
Merit-based Need-based

Read more about eligibility

Voice Talent Online
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
965 USD
Deadline
Anytime
Dr. Martin Blank – SYB Scholarship
Merit-based

Read more about eligibility

Shield Your Body
Location not available

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River Delta Development
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