Associate degree programmes (ADs) were introduced in the Netherlands in the academic year 2006-2007. ADs are connected to a Bachelor course and last only two years. After completing an AD one receives an Associate degree, which prepares people to enter a (related) Bachelor course halfway through or to directly enter into employment. In behalf of the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, SEO Economic Research monitored the first pilots of ADs for a period of four years.