As the world population continues to grow rapidly, so does the demand for food. The food industry depends heavily on crop farmers, who have to contend with erosion, soil deterioration, drought, insect pests and plant diseases. This is where you come in. As a budding assistant plant breeder, assistant researcher or seed production specialist, you will develop resilient crop cultivars that ensure sustainable crop production. Our Plant Breeding programme prepares you for this with a combination of courses, research assignments, an internship and assessments for seed companies that we work closely with. So, are you going to play your part in providing global food security?
Plant breeding
- Duration
- 1 year
- Education type
- Bachelor programme
- Field of interest
- Biology
- Field of interest
- Plant sciences
Admission requirements
This is how you get admitted
Prior learning
Level of English
Applicants must also
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Do you have any questions about admission?
Please contact our International Office by sending an email to international.uas@aeres.nl.
Characteristics
Is this the programme for you?
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You love plants
Naturally, you love plants. This love runs deeper than that of the average plant enthusiast. You have a fascination for the biology and physiology of plants. And whenever you get the chance, you study plant matter under a microscope, grow plants to observe their development, and spend time researching different variations and their characteristics and applications.
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Researching comes naturally
Seeing that this programme is geared to sustainable crop production, you will spend much time researching and studying. This is so that you learn how to develop crop cultivars that are resistant to pests, diseases and changes in the environment. So, researching comes naturally to you.
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Global food security
As the world population rises, so does the demand for food. At the same time, farmers are dealing with erosion, soil depletion, drought and a decrease in the amount of arable land suitable for crop production. In your future role in plant breeding, you will help to provide global food security.
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Plenty of practice
This is a hands-on programme. So, you will get plenty of practice, carrying out assignments from real seed companies, where you analyse their breeding programmes and present advisory reports. When you are not applying new knowledge and skills, there will be excursions to leading seed companies.
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Learn from the best
In all modesty, studying at Aeres UAS means you will be learning from the best. It is the only university of applied sciences in the Netherlands with a programme tailored to a career in the seed breeding sector. And it is also the country’s food and agriculture education specialist.
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Study with like-minded people
Our students come from all over the world and have different backgrounds. What they have in common, besides their interest in plant breeding, is that they are precise, ambitious, open and friendly. So, you can look forward to studying with like-minded people.
Practical matters
What you need to know...
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Application
- Start date for this programme: 1 September
- Application open as of: 1 October
- Application deadline for non-EU applicants: 1 April
- Application deadline for applicants from the EU: 1 May
You can apply through Studielink. Studielink is an online application tool in the Netherlands that allows your enrolment details to be automatically forwarded to Aeres University of Applied Sciences.
On this page, you will find more information about your application.
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Fees and funding
- Tuition fee for students from the EU 2024-2025: €2.530,-
- Tuition fee for students from outside the EU 2024-2025: €9.434,-
- Non-EU applicants can apply forThe NL Scholarship
When you're going to study abroad, it's good to know what to expect finanicially. Here you can find information about tuition fees and other (study) costs.
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Other practical matters
Here you can find more information about:
Programme content
This is what you will learn
Year 1
We developed this programme for those who are interested in a career as an assistant breeder or as a research assistant in breeding or seed production at a seed company. On successful completion, you will be able to design, organise and implement a breeding programme, analyse data of marker assisted selections, and determine the best way to genetically modify crops at the different stages of the breeding programme. This is a 1-year programme made up of two minors in the first semester, which consist of courses, excursions, training sessions and assessments for the breeders of Dutch seed companies. In the second semester, you will do an internship and write a graduation thesis.
Minors
Qualification
Your options after graduation
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Career opportunities
Once you have successfully completed the Plant Breeding programme, you will be awarded a bachelor’s degree in Applied Biology. These are some of the career opportunities to look forward to:
- Assistant breeder
- Research assistant at a seed company
- Seed production specialist
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Experience from a former student
From the moment I first heard about plant breeding, I knew it was my passion. The study programme Plant Breeding offered a broad and in-depth introduction to both the theory and practical applications of this field.
My previous education in Applied Biology with a specialization in plants provided a strong foundation for this study programme. Throughout the programme, I learned various modules that together formed an applicable whole. This integrated learning process was particularly valuable to me because it helped me apply the theory directly to practice. What I appreciate most about this programme is the practical application of the acquired knowledge. I learned how to make selections, set up breeding schemes, and substantiate my choices. These skills are essential for my future career and have given me the confidence to be successful in the field.
Nouk Geelen, Alumnus Plant Breeding
