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As an EU student, you may be eligible for student finance from the Dutch government. There are of course various conditions to meet, so read on to find out more.
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Student finance by the Dutch government
You may be eligible for student finance (provided by the Dutch government to students in higher education) if you meet the following requirements:
- You are under the age of 30
- You are registered as a full-time or dual student in the Netherlands
- You hold a Dutch passport or have similar rights depending on nationality or residence permit
- You have lived in the Netherlands for at least 5 consecutive years or be employed for at least 56 hours a month
How does it work?
Student finance consists of 4 parts: a regular loan, student travel product, supplementary grant and tuition fee loan. The supplementary grant and student travel product do not have to be repaid if you obtain your degree within 10 years. The supplementary grant depends on your parents' income.
1. Regular loan (Studiefinancering):
As a non-Dutch citizen, you are eligible if you meet one of the following conditions:
- You work 56 hours a month
- You hold a Dutch passport or have similar rights depending on nationality or residence permit
- You have lived in the Netherlands for at least 5 consecutive years
You can decide how much you want to receive each month (up to the maximum possible amount). How much you receive each month depends on your parents' income.
2. Student travel product (OV chipkaart)
You are eligible for a student travel product if you are entitled to the regular loan (Studiefinancering: please see above for the conditions). This travel product allows you to travel by public transport for free or at a reduced rate. You can choose either a weekday or a weekend travel card and can switch the subscription for free up to twice a year. Please note that there are certain periods where you cannot switch. An added advantage of the student financing-your-studies travel product is that it offers 40% discount for up to three people travelling together by train in off-peak hours.
3. Supplementary grant
You are eligible if you are entitled to the regular loan (studiefinancering) and meet the requirements stated above.
4. Tuition fee loan (Collegegeldkrediet)
You are eligible for a tuition fee loan if you meet the following conditions:
- You are under the age of 30
- You are registered as a full-time or dual student in the Netherlands
- You are an EEA country or Swiss national
You always have to pay back the tuition fee loan.
If you are eligible for the tuition fee loan (Collegegekrediet) and the regular loan (Studiefinancering), please note that it is paid out as a single package.
DUO calculator
To check the loan amount you would be eligible to receive, we recommend using the DUO calculator.
How to apply
Be sure to apply in time, as it may take several months for your application to be processed. You will need a Dutch BSN number (Citizen Service Number) and a DigiD account, which provides access to online services provided by Dutch government agencies.
There’s more to explore
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