The tuition fees charged by Dutch universities and other higher education institutions vary depending on a student’s situation and nationality. Here's what you need to know about tuition fees in the Netherlands.
Tuition fees at Dutch universities
The cost of studying in the Netherlands is mostly covered by the government. However, students are required to pay nominal tuition fees (collegegeld) to the institution.
These fees fall into two different categories:
- Statutory tuition fees (wettelijk collegegeld)
- Institutional tuition fees (instellingscollegegeld)
Which types of tuition fee you pay depends on your personal situation.
Statutory tuition fees
You pay statutory tuition fees if you meet these three conditions:
- You are studying at a funded higher education institution.
- You have not yet obtained a bachelor's degree from a funded programme (if you are enrolling on a bachelor's degree course) or you have not yet obtained a master's degree from a funded programme (if you are enrolling on a master's degree course).
- You have Dutch, EU, Swiss or Surinamese citizenship, or you have one of the following residence permits:
- Type EU/EEA
- Type family member EU/EEA
- Type article 50 TEU
- British nationality with residence permit 28, 29 or 40
- Type II, III, IV or V
- Type 1 with a European Blue Card
- Type 1 with the indication "Research within the meaning of Directive (EU) 2016/801"
- Type 1 which entitles you to student finance
Exceptions for second programme of study
Even if you have already completed a funded bachelor's or master's degree programme, you might still qualify for statutory tuition fees in the following circumstances:
- If you start a second degree programme while still studying your first degree (for example, you switch to a new programme), and you continue this second degree programme uninterrupted.
- If you previously obtained a bachelor's or master's degree, but are now starting a course in the field of health or education for the first time.
Statutory tuition fees in 2024, 2025 and 2026
The statutory tuition fees for universities in the Netherlands are determined each year by the government, and the amount is the same for all educational institutions.
The statutory tuition fees in 2023/4, 2024/5 and 2025/6 are as follows:
Note that certain courses (those offering intensive education) are permitted to charge higher tuition fees. The maximum allowable fee is five times the statutory tuition fee.
Halving statutory tuition fees
Up until 2024, it was possible for students to halve their statutory tuition fees for a maximum of one year in the year that they started higher education for the first time. For instance, in 2022/3 students could pay 1.105 euros instead of 2.209 euros for their first year of study. This option has been discontinued as of the academic year 2024/5.
Institutional tuition fees
You pay institutional tuition fees if you do not meet the requirements to pay for statutory tuition fees. This might be the case, for instance, if you are starting your second degree, having already completed a funded course, or if you are a non-EU citizen and don't hold one of the residence permits mentioned above.
How much are institutional tuition fees?
Universities and colleges are free to determine their institutional tuition fees themselves. The amount will vary per programme and per group of students. The institutional tuition fee can never be lower than the statutory tuition fee.
To find out the exact amount, it’s advised to research costs directly with the institution of your choice.
Private school costs in the Netherlands
Private schools (particuliere scholen) such as business schools fall under the institutional tuition fees rules. They run bachelor and MBA programmes with tuition fees ranging from roughly 16.000 to 36.000 euros for a complete programme.
Student financing in the Netherlands
The Dutch government also has a student financing system (studiefinanciering) to assist students with paying for their study and living costs. What it comprises of exactly depends on what you study. Student financing is available to Dutch students, but non-Dutch students are sometimes also eligible. Through student finance, you can get a tuition fee loan to cover (part of) your tuition fees. Find out more in our guide to student finance in the Netherlands.