Working while studying

As an EU/EEA-student in the Netherlands, you are free to work without restrictions. You do not need a work permit and there are no restrictions on working hours.

However, if you work in the Netherlands, you will need to take out a Dutch health insurance policy.

If you work in the Netherlands for a minimum of 32 hours per month or if you meet one of the other eligibility conditions, you may be eligible for Dutch study finance for EU/EEA students. 

As a non-EU/EEA student in the Netherlands, you need a work permit to have a part-time job. You will also need to change your health insurance policy so that it complies with the requirements of the Dutch government. With a work permit, you will be allowed to work either 16 hours per week or full time during the months of June, July and August. You will have to take account of several practical matters:

How to acquire a work permit

You cannot apply for a work permit yourself. An employer must apply for the work permit at least five weeks prior to the start of your employment. This means you must first find an employer or employment agency that is willing to do this for you. The application is free of charge. A work permit is always issued for a specific employer and exclusively for the type of work and the employer stated in the document. The Employee Insurance Agency (UWV) is responsible for issuing work permits.

Conditions

• You need a residence permit before your employer can apply for a work permit. Please note that the application for a residence permit usually takes around two months. After this, it takes around five weeks to process your work permit.
• You must have a BSN number, for which you need to register register with the municipality.
• You are permitted to work either full-time in June, July and August OR no more than 16 hours per week throughout the academic year.
• The work permit is valid for the same period as your residence permit. When you extend your residence permit, you must also extend your work permit.

Please note that it can be difficult to find a job and work permit procedures take at least five weeks.

For more information, please consult Nuffic website.

If you are studying and you wish to take part in an internship as part of your study programme, you do not need a work permit. Instead, you need to sign an internship agreement with your host institution and your internship provider. You can find a standard internship agreement here.