Eligibility

Whether you qualify for student finance depends on your age, course and nationality or residency status.

Age

  • If you are studying at MBO (secondary vocational education), the minimum age for a grant or interest bearing loan is 18. However, if you are under 18 you can still get a student travel product.
  • There is no minimum age for HBO (higher professional education) and university.
  • You must be younger than 30 on the day your student finance starts.

If you already receive student finance, it will continue after your 30th birthday, unless you stop it. You cannot restart it after that. 

Course

  • You are enrolled in 1 of the following courses:
    • MBO: school-based learning pathway (BOL)
    • HBO or university: bachelor, master or associate degree
  • You are enrolled in a full-time or dual course. You will not get student finance for a part-time programme or work-based learning pathway (BBL). Or if you are enrolled as a external student ("extraneus") or exam candidate.
  • You have to be enrolled on the first day of the month. If you're enrolled after the first day of the month, you will be eligible the following month.
  • Your course lasts at least 1 year.
  • Your course must be officially recognised in the Netherlands. Your school or university can tell you if this is the case.

Are you taking a transition year ("schakeljaar") or a premaster programme? You will only get student finance if you are registered as a full time or dual bachelor student.

Sometimes you can get student finance for a programme abroad (link in Dutch).

Home study

You will not get student finance for a programme you are following from home. 

Nationality

  • You have the Dutch nationality or a residence permit type II, III, IV or V.
  • Do you have a residence permit type I? Then you may also qualify for student finance.
  • Do you have the nationality of an EU/EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom? Or is your partner or parent a citizen of one of these countries? Then you may also qualify for student finance.
Requirements residence permit type I

Use the eligibility assistant to find out if you qualify for student finance.

Permit type I eligibility assistantPermit type I eligibility assistant

Requirements EU/EEA citizens and Swiss

Conditions

You qualify for student finance if you meet 1 of the following requirements. You must also meet 1 of these requirements to get only the student travel product.

  • You have been living in the Netherlands for 5 consecutive years or more.
  • You are a migrant worker. You work in the Netherlands for at least 32 hours a month or you have a monthly income of at least 50% of the .
  • Your parent or partner has the nationality of an EU/EEA country or Switzerland and is, or was, a migrant worker. Your parent or partner works, or has worked, in the Netherlands for at least 32 hours per month. Or your parent or partner has, or had, a monthly income of at least 50% of the .

If you are a migrant worker, your employment contract must start on the 1st of the month. If your employment contract starts later, you won't be eligible for student finance until the next month.

If you are unsure whether you meet the requirements, please phone us.

Working fewer than 32 hours

The norm is 32 hours of work per month in the Netherlands. Under 32 hours you are not eligible for student finance. Except in the case of 6 months of work, or more. Then an average of 24 hours a month or more is sufficient. For instance, if you, your parent, or your partner has already been working in the Netherlands for 6 months. Or if there is a permanent contract.

  • Do you work between 24 and 32 hours per month? Then DUO will assess if you are working for at least 6 months or have a permanent contract.
  • Do you work fewer than 24 hours per month? Then you are usually not eligible for student finance.
  • Does, or did, your parent or partner work between 24 and 32 hours per month? Then DUO will assess if your parent or partner is working for at least 6 months or has a permanent contract.
  • Does, or did, your parent or partner work fewer than 24 hours per month? Then you are usually not eligible for student finance.

Apply

If you meet the requirements, or if you believe you are eligible for student finance despite the requirements, please apply.

  1. You can apply for student finance via Mijn DUO.
  2. Find out which supporting documents you need to send under 'Documentary evidence for EU/EEA citizens, UK citizens and Swiss' below. You can upload the documents in Mijn DUO after finishing your application.
  3. Within 6 to 8 weeks you'll receive a letter.
Requirements UK citizens

You qualify for student finance if you meet 1 of the following requirements:

  • You have a Dutch residence permit Article 50 and you been living in the Netherlands for 5 consecutive years or more.
  • You have a Dutch residence permit Article 50 and you are a migrant worker. You work in the Netherlands for at least 32 hours a month or you have a monthly income of at least 50% of the .

    Do you work between 24 and 32 hours a month? Then you are not eligible for student finance. Unless you work for 6 months or more.

    Your employment contract must start on the 1st of the month. If your employment contract starts later, you won't be eligible for student finance until the next month.
  • Your British parent or partner has a Dutch residence permit Article 50 and is, or was, a migrant worker. Or your non-Dutch parent or partner has the nationality of an EU/EEA country or Switzerland and is, or was, a migrant worker. Your parent or partner works, or has worked, in the Netherlands for at least 32 hours per month. Or your parent or partner has, or had, a monthly income of at least 50% of the social security norm.

    Does, or did, your parent or partner work between 24 and 32 hours per month? Then you are not eligible for student finance. Unless your parent or partner works for 6 months or more.

You must also meet 1 of these requirements for only the student travel product.

Do you meet 1 one of these requirements?

  1. You can apply for student finance via Mijn DUO.
  2. Find out which supporting documents you need to send under 'Documentary evidence for EU/EEA citizens, UK citizens and Swiss' below. Send these documents to documenten@duo.nl.
  3. Within 6 to 8 weeks you'll receive a letter.

Are you unsure whether you meet the requirements? Please contact us.

Documentary evidence for EU/EEA citizens, UK citizens and Swiss (new application)

If you are not yet receiving student finance, read here what documents to include or upload with your application.

5 or more consecutive years in the Netherlands

We need a copy of your ID card. Are you a citizen of the United Kingdom? Then we also need a copy of the front and back of your Dutch residence permit Article 50.

Working with a contract

Are you working in the Netherlands with a permanent, fixed-term (temporary) or stand-by contract? Then we need the documents below. If you are applying for student finance for months that have already passed, please also include the pay slips for those months.

  • employment contract (signed by both parties) + most recent payslip and matching bank statement
  • in case of fewer than 32 hours of work per month: pay slips and matching bank statements for the past 6 months insofar you already worked in the Netherlands
  • ID card
  • if you are a citizen of the United Kingdom: a copy of the front and back of your Dutch residence permit Article 50.
  • if you are working through a temporary employment agency: the confirmation of your placement.

If your parent has an employment contract:

  • employment contract (signed by both parties) + most recent payslip and matching bank statement
  • in case of fewer than 32 hours of work per month: pay slips and matching bank statements for the past 6 months insofar your parent already worked in the Netherlands
  • your ID card + your parent's ID card
  • If your parent is a citizen of the United Kingdom: a copy of the front and back of your parent's Dutch residence permit Article 50.
  • if your parent is working through a temporary employment agency: the confirmation of their placement.

If your partner has an employment contract:

  • employment contract (signed by both parties) + most recent payslip and matching bank statement
  • In case of fewer than 32 hours of work per month: pay slips and matching bank statements for the past 6 months insofar your partner already worked in the Netherlands
  • your ID card + your partner's ID card
  • your marriage or civil partnership certificate
  • If your partner is a citizen of the United Kingdom: a copy of the front and back of your partner's Dutch residence permit Article 50.
  • if your partner is working through a temporary employment agency: the confirmation of their placement.

Freelancer or self-employed

If you are a freelancer or self-employed, please send us the following documents:

  • your ID card
  • the letter titled 'BTW-identificatienummer'
  • proof of your registration with the Chamber of Commerce (Kamer van Koophandel or KvK)
  • your KOR decision from the Tax Administration, if you applied for this scheme.

If your parent is a freelancer or self-employed, please send us the following documents:

  • your ID card and your parent’s
  • the letter titled 'BTW-identificatienummer'
  • proof of your parent’s registration with the Chamber of Commerce (Kamer van Koophandel or KvK)
  • your parent’s KOR decision from the Tax Administration, if they applied for this scheme.

If your partner is a freelancer or self-employed, please send us the following documents:

  • your ID card and your partner’s 
  • the letter titled 'BTW-identificatienummer'
  • proof of your partner’s registration with the Chamber of Commerce (Kamer van Koophandel or KvK)
  • your partner’s KOR decision from the Tax Administration, if they applied for this scheme.
  • your marriage or civil partnership certificate

Internship

If you are doing an internship and applying for student finance, please phone us. An employee will discuss your eligibility for student finance with you.

Check hours worked

DUO checks regularly how many hours you, your parent or your partner worked and how much was earned. This also applies if you only have the student travel product.

Documentary evidence for EU/EEA citizens, UK citizens and Swiss (prolongation)

Has your study finance been awarded for a limited period of time, and do you want to apply for prolongation? Read here what documents to include or upload with your application.

Working with a contract

Are you working in the Netherlands with a fixed-term (temporary) or stand-by contract? Or is your parent or partner? Then we need the following documents:

  • pay slips for the past 6 months showing how many hours a month were worked
  • bank statements for the past 6 months showing the wages that were paid
  • employment contract(s) for the past 6 months. Employment contracts must be signed by both parties
  • in case of work through a temporary employment agency: the confirmation of the placement.

If the employment contract ends, send us the new contract as well (signed by both parties). Were you not offered a new contract, and haven't you found a new job yet? If so, register with the UWV Link opent externe pagina as a jobseeker and contact us.

Freelancer or self-employed

Are you a freelancer or self-employed, or is your parent or partner? please send us the following documents:

  • the turnover tax (VAT) returns with the Tax Authority for the quarter(s) you received student finance
  • the full administration (bank statements, proof of purchases)
  • all invoices to customers (bank statement and/or receipts). Only paid hours count towards the 32 hours norm.
  • cash register purchases/sales if there is a cash flow in cash
  • the hour registration per week or month

Internship

If you are doing a compulsory internship, please send us the internship agreement between yourself and the internship company and a statement from your educational institution saying:

  • that you remain enrolled with the educational institution during your internship
  • that the internship is a compulsory part of the study programme or that you will receive credits for it
  • the exact period of the internship, and
  • with which company, institution or organization you are taking the internship.

Exchange student

Are you going abroad through an exchange programme? Please send us proof of your enrollment with the foreign educational institution and a statement from the Dutch educational institution saying:

  • that the exchange is a compulsory part of the study programme or that you will receive credits for it
  • the exact period of the exchange.

You must be able to prove that you have worked 32 hours during the month prior to your internship. And you must have been eligible for student finance during this month.

If your internship or exchange is not compulsory and you do not receive credits for is, please phone us. An employee will discuss your eligibility for student finance with you.

Still waiting for a residence permit

Apply for student finance, even if haven’t received your residence permit yet. Your application will be rejected, because you don’t meet the nationality requirements. However, if you contact us within 6 weeks after receiving your residence permit, we will award your student finance retroactively. That is, if you meet all the other conditions as well.

If you do not qualify for student finance

If you do not qualify for student finance, you may be eligible for another scheme: