Student loans in the Netherlands for international students

Below, we break down who may qualify, what each part covers, how to apply, and when repayment starts. 

Key takeaways

• You need to meet DUO rules on nationality or residence status, age, course type, and enrollment before student finance is possible.
• Being an international student alone does not create eligibility.
• DUO student finance can include grants, a student travel product, a regular loan, and a tuition fee loan.
• Regular loans and tuition fee loans stay repayable.
• Some grants and the student travel product can become a gift if you meet the diploma rules.

What student finance means in the Netherlands

Dutch student finance is a package, not one single loan. You choose which DUO components to apply for, and the mix can differ by route.

Tuition is separate. Tuition fees are paid to your HBO institution or university, not to DUO, and a tuition fee loan is only one way to help cover that bill.

Student finance, grants, and tuition fee loans compared

Who can get student finance as an international student?

DUO looks at more than your passport. Eligibility can depend on nationality, residence status, age, course type, whether you study full-time or dual, and whether your program lasts at least one year.

EU, EEA, Swiss, and UK routes

For many EU/EEA, Swiss, and UK students, studying under a qualifying route matters as much as nationality. DUO lists routes such as five years of consecutive residence in the Netherlands, the migrant-worker route, or a qualifying parent or partner route. 

At the time of research – 21st September 2026 – DUO gives current examples such as 32 work hours a month or a monthly income of 50% of the social assistance norm, but those figures can change, so check the live DUO page before you apply. If you study at HBO or university, DUO also says you cannot receive student finance from a foreign authority at the same time. UK students also need a Dutch Article 50 residence document, the post-Brexit residence status DUO checks.

Residence-permit routes for non-EU students

Some non-EU students can qualify through Dutch residence rights, including certain permit types named by DUO. Many others cannot. A Dutch student residence permit on its own does not automatically unlock student finance, so check DUO’s permit-specific guidance and Dutch student visas if your status, BRP registration (personal records database), BSN timing (citizen service number), or IND immigration paperwork is still in progress.

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Age, course, and enrollment rules

You generally need to be under 30 when student finance starts. DUO focuses on recognized MBO BOL vocational education, plus HBO tertiary education and WO, higher professional and university programs, that are full-time or dual. Part-time, BBL apprenticeships, work-based learning, and home-study routes usually do not qualify. Your course must usually last at least one year, and if your enrollment starts after the first day of the month, eligibility usually starts the following month.

Which parts are loans, grants, or travel benefits?

Not every DUO component works the same way once you finish studying. A performance-related grant means some support can later turn into a gift if you meet the diploma rules.

• Grants and the student travel product can convert into a gift if you meet the diploma rules in time.
• Both the regular loan and the tuition fee loan stay repayable with interest.
• Example: if you use only the tuition fee loan for your university bill, you still leave with student debt.

What becomes a gift and what stays repayable?

For HBO, WO, and MBO 3 or 4, grants and the student travel product are not always gifts up front. If you do not meet the diploma rules in time, those parts can become debt instead. The regular loan and tuition fee loan stay repayable either way, and for HBO or university the first five months of supplementary grant can stay a gift even without a degree.

Can you get a tuition fee loan only?

Yes, sometimes. DUO’s tuition fee loan can still be available to some students who do not qualify for full student finance.

This route is for HBO or university in the Netherlands, not general living costs. You normally need to be under 30, in a full-time or dual accredited program of at least one year, paying Dutch tuition fees, and within the right nationality or residence route. Statutory tuition fees are the government-set rate. Institutional tuition fees are set by the school, often at a higher level. Check which type applies in Mijn DUO and with your institution.

When a tuition fee loan is possible without full student finance

Before you apply, confirm:

• your age on the start date
• whether your course is full-time or dual HBO or WO
• whether you pay statutory or institutional tuition fees
• whether your nationality or residence route fits DUO’s tuition fee loan rules

How to apply through DUO

To apply for student financing first you usually need BRP registration, which puts you in the Personal Records Database, then your BSN, the citizen service number, and then DigiD, the Dutch government log-in, or eIDAS if available.

After that, apply in Mijn DUO and upload your route-specific evidence within four weeks. If your route depends on work or foreign parent-income documents, incomplete files can slow things down.

Digital applications are usually quicker than paper forms. If you cannot use Mijn DUO, DUO also provides application forms for higher education and MBO routes.

What you need before you apply

Bring your BSN, DigiD or eIDAS access, ID, proof of enrollment, and any route-specific documents. If your claim depends on work, DUO may ask for a signed contract, your latest payslip, and the matching bank statement, or six months of proof if you are below the main work-hours example. 

Register with your municipality as soon as you have a valid Dutch address, because BSN and DigiD timing can delay everything else. Remember to keep every payslip and matching bank statement, because DUO may re-check worked hours later.

What happens after you submit?

DUO notes that a reply often takes up to eight weeks, and supplementary grant checks can take longer when foreign parent-income documents are involved. You may get a temporary decision or a request for more proof. If you apply late, student finance can still be granted retroactively to the start of the current academic year, but the student travel product cannot be added for past months.

How interest and repayment work

Here is the repayment timeline before you borrow.

When do repayments start?

Repayment does not usually begin right after you stop studying. The two-year preliminary phase starts on January 1 after your student finance ends, and monthly repayments usually begin on the next January 1 after that phase ends.

How are monthly repayments calculated?

Monthly repayments depend on your total debt, the repayment rules that apply to you, interest, and your financial capacity. DUO may also consider partner income where relevant. Use Mijn DUO or DUO’s repayment tools for the latest figures.

What if you do not qualify for student finance?

If you do not qualify for full DUO student finance, a few other routes are worth checking.

Other routes to check

• A tuition fee loan, if your route fits DUO’s separate rules
• Lifelong learning credit, where relevant
• Scholarships through Study in NL or your school
• Family support or home-country funding
• Broader cost planning in studying in the Netherlands

Managing overseas family support and cross-border repayments

Some international students still need help that sits outside of DUO. That may mean receiving family support from abroad, paying tuition from another currency, or repaying a student loan in your home country while living in the Netherlands.

In those cases, compare the exchange rate, transfer fee, and payment delivery timing together. Major local banks such as ING, ABN AMRO, and Rabobank can be convenient, but some of the total cost may sit inside the exchange rate rather than a separate fee. Holding euros ahead of known bills can also make budgeting easier – some students find that having multi-currency accounts from providers like Wise makes it easier to manage international student finances.

Where Wise fits and where it does not

Wise does not provide DUO student finance, tuition loans, or grants. However, Wise can be useful if you need to receive family support from abroad, send international transfers, repay a home-country student loan from the Netherlands, or hold euros alongside other currencies in a multi-currency account. If that applies to you, compare the full cost and timing against your bank before you move money.

Sources

• DUO student finance overview – DUO
• DUO eligibility – DUO
• DUO eligibility for EU/EEA, Swiss, and UK students – DUO
• DUO supporting documents and checks – DUO
• DUO application guidance – DUO
• DUO tuition fee loan – DUO
• DUO tuition fees – DUO
• DUO gift or repayment – DUO
• DUO repayment overview – DUO
• DUO interest – DUO
• IND student residence permit information – IND
• Study in NL finances – Study in NL
• Wageningen University international students blog: DUO Student Finance – Wageningen University & Research