Student finance & scholarships in the Netherlands

While tuition fees in the Netherlands may not be as high as in other countries around the world, studying is still a significant expense. If you are looking into your options for funding your studies, you’ll be pleased to know that there are plenty of finance options, including student finance offered by the Dutch government, and a variety of scholarships for international students. Here’s what you need to know about student finance and scholarships in the Netherlands. 

Student finance in the Netherlands

The Dutch government operates a funding system to help students cover the cost of their tuition fees and other expenses like health insurance, accommodation and food. This is known as student finance (studiefinanciering). 

Student finance consists of a number of components, including a basic grant, a means-tested supplementary grant, a student travel product (giving you a discount or free travel on public transport), a loan, and a tuition fee loan. It is up to you which components you wish to take out. 

Is student finance in the Netherlands open to international students?

While Dutch student finance is primarily intended for Dutch students, some foreign students are eligible to apply. 

You are eligible to receive student finance if one of the following applies to you: 

• You are a Dutch national.
• You have a residence permit that is type II, III, IV or V. 

EU/EEA, Swiss and UK citizens

If you are from an EU/EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom, or your partner is from one of these countries, you may still qualify for student finance, if you fulfil one of the following conditions: 

• You have been living in the Netherlands for five years or more continuously.
• You are a migrant worker who works at least 32 hours per month in the Netherlands. 
• Your partner or one of your parents is a migrant worker, has EU/EEA/Swiss or UK nationality, and works at least 32 hours per month in the Netherlands. 

If you are from the UK, you must meet one of the conditions above, and also have a Dutch Article 50 residence permit (or your parent/partner must have an Article 50 residence permit) to qualify for student finance. This means that you were resident in the Netherlands before December 31, 2020. 

Students with type 1 residence permits

If you have a type 1 (temporary) residence permit, you may still be eligible for student finance. You can use this tool (in Dutch) from DUO to find out more.

Student finance requirements

On top of the nationality/residency requirements, you must also fulfil the following conditions in order to qualify for student finance: 

• You must be younger than 30 years old on the day your student finance starts. 
• You must be enrolled on either a school-based learning pathway, if you are studying at an MBO, or a bachelor’s, master’s or associate degree, if you are studying at an HBO or university. 
• You must be enrolled in a full-time or dual course. 
• Your course must last for at least one year.
• Your course must be officially recognised in the Netherlands. 

Student finance 2025

You receive more money if you live away from home than if you live at home with your parents. 

The maximum student finance amounts (per month) for students at universities or universities of applied sciences in January - August 2025 are as follows:

	Living at home	Living away from home
Basic grant	125,99 euros	314,00 euros
Additional grant	475,17 euros	475,17 euros
Loan	304,95 euros	304,95 euros
Tuition fee loan	210,83 euros	210,83 euros
Total	1.116,94 euros	1.304,95 euros

The maximum student finance amounts (per month) in September - December 2025 are as follows:

	Living at home	Living away from home
Basic grant	103,78 euros	338,68 euros
Additional grant	475,17 euros	475,17 euros
Loan	304,95 euros	304,95 euros
Tuition fee loan	216,75 euros	216,75 euros
Total	1.122,86 euros	1.301,87 euros

You can use this student finance calculator (in Dutch) to get an idea of how much student finance you might receive.

Apply for student finance in the Netherlands

You can apply for student finance online via the DUO website. You will need a DigiD or an eIDAS to log in. You should apply at least eight weeks before your course is due to start, to ensure you don’t miss any payments. 

If you are unable to log into the DUO website, you can send in a physical form, which you can download from the DUO website. 

Student finance for people over the age of 30

If you meet all of the other conditions of student finance but you are over the age of 30, you may still be able to borrow money to finance your studies, as long as you are below the age of 57. The Lifelong Learning Credit (levenlanglerenkrediet) allows you to borrow money to (partially) cover your tuition fees. 

Scholarships for international students in the Netherlands

There are literally dozens and dozens of scholarships available for international students to study in the Netherlands. There are scholarships for different education levels, for different study fields and for students from almost every country in the world!

Several major scholarships are administered by EP-Nuffic, a service centre for internationalisation in Dutch education. Here is an overview of some of the biggest ones. 

NL Scholarship

Formerly known as the Holland Scholarship, the NL Scholarship has been running since 2015 and aims to attract more international students to the Netherlands. It is for students coming to the Netherlands from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) to do a bachelor’s or master’s degree. 

The scholarships have a value of 5.000 euros each and are awarded to students in their first year to cover study costs. 

NL scholarships have an emphasis on talent and are awarded to several hundred international students per year. The specific scholarship selection criteria depend on the Dutch institution where the student is applying, as it is the institutions that make the selection.

Cultural Heritage Scholarship Programme

This programme offers up to 20 scholarships to students from Indonesia, Nigeria, South Africa, Sri Lanka and Suriname to come and study a one-year master’s programme in the Netherlands relating to their cultural heritage. 

Erasmus+

The new Erasmus programme is in effect from 2021 to 2027 and assists EU students in studying or doing a work placement in other EU countries for a period of between three and 12 months.

MENA Scholarship Programme (MSP)

For professionals from Algeria, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Sudan, Syria and Tunisia to do a short course (between two and 13 weeks) in the Netherlands. Applications open twice per year. 

LPDP-Netherlands Joint Scholarship Programme

Also known as the StuNed Scholarship Programme, this is a collaboration between the Netherlands and Indonesia and offers Indonesian mid-career professionals the chance to study a master’s in the Netherlands.

Fulbright grant

Fulbright partners with multiple universities in the Netherlands to fund study opportunities for US students. The exact grant amounts and lengths vary according to the award. 

Jean Monnet Scholarship Programme

The Jean Monnet Scholarship gives Turkish students the opportunity to research or postgraduate studies at an institution within the EU for at least three to 12 months. 

More about Dutch and international scholarships for expats 

You can find an overview of all scholarships available in the Netherlands via the StudyinNL website. Also, don’t forget to investigate grants and scholarships offered in your home country to help you study abroad!