Student finance (‘studiefinanciering’ in Dutch) is funding service for university students distributed by the Dutch government’s Dienst Uitvoering Onderwijs (DUO). The exact amount of student finance changes every year. The table on the website of DUO gives more information about the possible student finance amounts.
Student finance - tuiton fee loan
Full-time EU/EEA-students under the age of 30 are eligible for a tuition fee loan. Students of UCU, and UCR, PPE pay a higher (statuary) tuition fee and may request DUO for a higher tuition fee loan. You will have to pay this loan back after you graduate, including the interest on the loan.
Student finance - loan, travel product and supplementary grant
Full-time EU/EEA-students may be eligible for a student grant of DUO. It entails a monthly contribution towards the cost of your studies and your living costs. This student grant includes nowadays:
- A supplementary grant (depending on parental income);
- A student travel product (Studenten OV-chipkaart);
- A loan;
- (Optional) tuition fee loan. Students of UCU, PPE and UCR pay a higher (institutional) tuition fee and may request for a higher tuition fee loan
The student travel product and supplementary grant are converted into a gift if you graduate (i.e. a master’s degree) within 10 years. If you fail to meet this requirement, you will have to pay back the student grant in full, including interest as well as a sum for every month you held a student travel card. If you obtain a bachelor's degree, you can request DUO to convert the supplementary grant of the first 36 months into a grant. Otherwise you will have to repay them including an interest.
Terms and conditions student grant
Full-time EU/EEA-students may be eligible for student finance, if you meet the following requirements:
- You must be a citizen of an EU or EEA country.
- You must be a full-time student on a higher education course in the Netherlands which is eligible for a student grant.
- You have been living in the Netherlands for 5 consecutive years or more.
- You must have at least 56 hours of employment per month.
- You must have an employment contract for that work.
- You must be under the age of 30 when you apply for a student grant (you may continue to receive the grant up until you turn 34, but only if the period during which you receive the grant is uninterrupted).
- You must hold a Dutch bank account in your own name.
If you do not meet these requirements, there are some special cases in which you might be entitled to the regular student grant. For more information see DUO's nationality chart.
More information
For more information you can visit the DUO website that answers questions such as:
- What is covered by student finance?
- For how long will I be eligible for student finance?
- Terminating the student grant as of 1 February
- Other options for students from the EU/EEA as lifelong learning credit or grant or subsidy for a teacher training course (information of this grant and subsidy available in Dutch only).
How long am I entitled to receive student finance?
University master of |
1 year |
2 year |
3 year |
4 year |
Loan: | 7 year | 8 year | 9 year | 10 year |
Supplementary grant: |
4 year |
5 year |
6 year |
7 year |
Student travel card: |
5 year |
6 year |
7 year |
8 year |