Law was the most popular bachelor’s degree course among first year students in the previous academic year but the popularity of sociology and social studies soared by 43%, according to an independent guide to higher education in the Netherlands.

In total, 6,403 new students signed up to study law, a rise of 17% on the 2019-20 academic year, according to the authors of the Keuzegids Universiteiten.

Meanwhile, the increase in the number of sociology students could be down to an increased focus on ‘social engagement’ among older teenagers, the report’s compilers said.

‘They have grown up in a period when issues such as the climate crisis, gender discussions and inequality came to the fore,’ the compilers said. ‘Seen in that light, it is not surprising that there is more interest in this field of study.’