The time has nearly come, you’re heading off to uni in the Netherlands. Before you set off, you do one last check to make sure you’ve thought of everything. Whatever you do, make sure you open a free ABN AMRO student account before your departure. It will only take you five minutes, and you can do it on your mobile.
Open your free Dutch student account now. No BSN needed!
Good news! You can now open a free student account even if you don’t have a Dutch personal identification number (BSN) yet. That’s really convenient, because it means you won’t have to wait for weeks to get your account and debit card. And that debit card is also free of charge by the way, as are cash withdrawals, transfers, and debit card payments.
Do apply for a BSN after arrival, though, because the bank will need it further down the line.
Many universities in the Netherlands will ask you to deposit an amount of anywhere between 5.000 and 10.000 euros as a financial guarantee. Obviously, this money will be returned to you, but you’ll need a bank account for that.
This is another reason why it is handy to already have a bank account when you get to the Netherlands, because it allows you to get the money back quickly. This way, you won’t have to worry about being able to pay rent or having money to buy groceries either.
Naturally, you also want to be well insured during your studies in the Netherlands. With ABN AMRO’s Student Insurance, it’s easy to organise your home contents and / or personal liability insurance. It will only cost you 3,52 euros per month. And if you add accident insurance to your Student Insurance, it will only cost you 0,30 cent extra per month.
Take a look at ABN AMRO’s competitively priced Student Insurance
As soon as you arrive, you will notice that the Netherlands leads the way in digitalisation. Most people pay for all their purchases with their debit card, Apple Pay or Google Pay. People hardly carry any cash anymore. Even so, cash is still accepted virtually everywhere.
When paying online, most Dutch people use iDEAL, which offers an easy, quick, and secure way to confirm payments using the ABN AMRO app. With this app, also available in English, you always know where you stand financially.
Learn more about payments and cash withdrawals in the Netherlands.