Studying in the Netherlands - admission, fees, student permit and costs

• Check the institution's website for the programme's admission requirements and whether you must apply through Studielink, the national application portal. Some institutions use their own system for international applicants.
• Deadlines: Study in NL lists 15 January for programmes with limited places (numerus fixus) and 1 May for most other programmes, but institutions can set earlier dates, especially for non-EU applicants who need a visa.
• Numerus fixus: you can apply to at most two such programmes per academic year (and only one each of medicine, dentistry, dental hygiene and physiotherapy). Selection takes place after the January deadline.
• Application fees: some institutions charge non-EEA applicants or applicants without Dutch prior education a handling fee, typically €75 to €100.
• Your institution assesses your foreign diploma for admission; you usually do not need a separate evaluation. See recognition of diplomas if you also want one for work.

• Statutory fee (wettelijk collegegeld): €2,694 for 2026-2027, for students from the EEA, Switzerland or Suriname who have not already obtained a similar degree at a government-funded Dutch institution.
• Institutional fee (instellingscollegegeld) for other students: Study in NL gives averages of €9,000 to €20,000 a year for a bachelor's and €12,000 to €30,000 for a master's. Check the exact amount per programme.

Scholarships exist but are limited; check Study in NL's scholarship finder and the institution's own pages. EU, EEA and Swiss students may, in specific cases, qualify for Dutch student finance from DUO; DUO's eligibility pages explain the conditions.

Only your educational institution can apply, and it must be an IND-recognised sponsor. If you need an MVV entry visa, the institution applies for the MVV and the residence permit together. According to the IND:

• you must be admitted to a full-time programme and make sufficient study progress (the IND page mentions at least 50% of the credits for each study year);
• you must have enough money: €1,130.77 per month for HBO or university (€928.58 for MBO) in 2026, usually shown to the institution before it applies;
• the fee is €254 (2026), paid through the institution;
• the IND has 60 days to decide;
• the permit is valid for the length of your programme plus three months, up to five years, and can include a preparatory year if that is a condition for admission;
• a TB test may be required within three months of receiving the permit.

EU, EEA and Swiss students do not need a permit. The IND expects them to be registered with an institution, have health insurance and have enough money to support themselves.

• Non-EU students: according to the IND, you may work up to 16 hours a week as an employee, or full-time in June, July and August. Your employer needs a work permit (TWV) for you. Self-employment is possible as long as you keep meeting the permit conditions, and internships that are part of your programme are allowed.
• EU, EEA and Swiss students can work without restrictions.

The statutory minimum wage for workers aged 21 and over is €14.99 per hour from 1 July 2026. Taking a job affects your health insurance (see below).

If you come only to study, Study in NL explains that you are not allowed to take out Dutch public (basic) health insurance. You need a private international student policy or, as an EU/EEA student, possibly your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). As soon as you take a paid job, even part-time, you must take out Dutch basic health insurance, and you may then be eligible for healthcare benefit. Paid internships and self-employment have special rules; the Social Insurance Bank (SVB) can assess your situation.

Study in NL estimates that students spend on average €1,000 to €1,500 a month, with Amsterdam at the expensive end. It cites Nibud averages (2024) of about €561 for rent, €244 for groceries and €67 for transport per month across the country. An average room costs €450 to €1,000 a month depending on the city.

Student housing in Amsterdam is in short supply. Ask your institution early about housing it offers or recommends, never pay for a room you have not seen or verified, and check that you can register at the address. See temporary accommodation in Amsterdam and finding housing in Amsterdam.

Graduates of an accredited Dutch bachelor's or master's programme, of certain post-master's programmes, of an Erasmus Mundus joint master's, of a top-200 university abroad, and researchers who did research in the Netherlands can apply for the orientation year permit (zoekjaar hoogopgeleiden) within three years of graduating. It is valid for one year, costs €254 (2026), and lets you work freely without a work permit while you look for a job. During it, and within three years of graduation, the reduced salary criterion of €3,122 gross per month (2026) applies if you then switch to a highly skilled migrant permit. See highly skilled migrant permit.