Welcome to Holland
Welcome to Holland! Since Holland is just a part of our country, it’s more accurate to say: Welcome to the Netherlands! Whether you’re temporarily here to study, work and/or do an internship or whether you have decided to move here permanently, moving to the Netherlands requires solid preparation. Therefore, we have created a student financial guide: from getting the necessary visa to finding a living space, organizing your finances, applying for benefits and preparing all-important insurances. studentenverzekeringen.nl is happy to help you get started, so we’ve bundled all the relevant information for you in this section. Have a great time in the Netherlands!
Student financial guide
You are about to study, do an internship or work in the Netherlands. As a future student in the Netherlands, you might be looking for a clear guide and checklist regarding all necessary (financial) preparations for your adventure abroad. Download our Welcome to Holland Student Financial Guide to find a summarized overview of all the information in this section. The guide contains a summarized checklist on each relevant topic with online references to our pages for more in-depth information.
Download our Welcome to Holland: Student Financial Guide
Get started: Welcome to Holland!
Upon arrival, there are several important arrangements to make, such as municipality registration, opening a Dutch bank account, registration of your digital ID (DigiD) and, if required for your situation, taking out Dutch healthcare insurance. Furthermore, you’ll find more information about transport in the Netherlands, the Dutch language and integration.
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Student finance
Before studying, working and living in the Netherlands, it’s essential to dive into your finances. Find out more about the average costs of living, tuition fees and research scholarships, grants and important benefits & allowances you can apply for. If necessary, the Dutch government provides student loans. Another option to earn some extra money is to take a job on the side. Finally, students can obtain a ‘student travel product’ in the Netherlands, which allows them to travel for free during the week or at weekends.
Find out more on our page Student finance
Student insurance
If you’re temporarily living and studying in the Netherlands, you probably don’t have to take out Dutch healthcare insurance. You can keep your home insurance (or take out private healthcare insurance if desired). This changes if you also decide to work, do a paid internship or do voluntary work receiving an allowance. In that case, Dutch healthcare insurance is compulsory. You will receive a letter from the CAK (Central Administration Office) stating that you are uninsured. How to respond to this letter will be explained in this article. Furthermore, you will find detailed information on Dutch healthcare insurance, the different policies and the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). Last, other important insurances such as home insurance, liability insurance, travel insurance and mobile or outdoor insurance will be highlighted.
Visit our page Student insurance
Benefits & Allowances
To support lower-income groups, such as students, the Dutch government established different benefits & allowances. These allowances are called ’toeslagen’ and are issued by the Dutch Tax Authority (Belastingdienst). The ‘zorgtoeslag’, or Dutch healthcare allowance, is an allowance for Dutch healthcare insurance payments. Whether you qualify for a healthcare allowance depends on your income and capital. In addition to healthcare allowance, you might qualify for rent benefit. This allowance contributes to the payment of your monthly rent. In this section, you can read all requirements to successfully apply for rent benefits and additional information on Dutch tax benefits.
Read more on our page Benefits & allowances
Student housing
Finding a space to live in the Netherlands can be quite a search. Housing in the Netherlands, especially in the major student cities, is scarce. Therefore, it is crucial to start looking for a space to live in an early stage of your preparations. Depending on your budget and personal preferences, you can look for a student house, apartment or university accommodation. There are different ways to look for a space to live, by using websites and social media, housing corporations or through your university or student association. You can read all about it in this section, as well as information about temporary accommodation, housing rights and home insurance.
Go to our Student housing page
Student visa & permits
Do I need a student visa to study in the Netherlands? And do I need a residence permit as well? How do I apply for these documents? You might have different questions regarding student visas & permits. To help you get started and figure out what you need to arrange, you can visit our page with in-depth information on visa and residence permits for students.
Check out our Student visa & permits page
Student work
During your studies in the Netherlands, you might want to earn some extra money working a job on the side. Or maybe you’re doing an internship, working as a self-employed entrepreneur, au pair or thinking about doing voluntary work? You might wonder in what situations you need a work permit. The general rule is that all non-European students need a work permit and also face limitations regarding working hours. You can find all the detailed information on our page student work.
Read more on our page Student work
Frequently asked questions
Below, you’ll find an overview of frequently asked questions by (future) international students in the Netherlands.
Expertise
We are an independent website specialized in insurance and students. We work with a team of specialists in the field of student insurance.
Sources
This page was created by using the following sources:
- www.government.nl
- www.rijksoverheid.nl
- www.belastingdienst.nl
Information verified by expert
The information on this page has been verified by
Linda van Reenen. She is the specialist in the field of student insurance and has been working for Studentenverzekeringen.nl for over 6 years.
Medical advice
We are not a healthcare provider and are not allowed to provide medical advice. Do you have specific medical questions? We advise you to see a doctor or healthcare provider.