Student in the Netherlands

Conditions

If you wish to stay in the Netherlands to study at a university or at a university of applied sciences, you will need a provisional residence permit (mvv) and/or a residence permit. The provisional residence permit is a special visa for stays of more than three months in the Netherlands.

Other conditions apply to persons with the nationality of an EU/EEA country or Switzerland and their family members.

Conditions to migrate to the Netherlands to study for more than three months at a university or at a university of applied sciences

In some cases, it is possible to stay in the Netherlands to attend secondary and vocational education.

More on the admission to attend secondary and vocational education

Do you have a valid residence permit for study issued by another Member State of the European Union and do you want to pursue part of your study programme in the Netherlands? Then you may also reside and study in the Netherlands for a maximum of 360 days within the context of intra EU-mobility.

Conditions to stay in the Netherlands with a study residence permit of another EU Member State (Directive (EU) 2016/801)

Procedures

Where and how to apply

To travel to the Netherlands, you need a provisional residence permit (mvv). The mvv is a sticker that the Dutch representation places in the passport. In some cases, you do not need an mvv. 

Only a recognised educational institution can submit an application on behalf of a student. The educational institution is your recognised sponsor.

The educational institution applies for the mvv and the residence permit at the same time. Your educational institution uses the application form. The forms are at the bottom of this page. The educational institution sends the application to the IND.

The IND collects the fees of the application from your educational institution. All costs for applications for visa or resident permits can be found at Fees: Costs of an application (ind.nl).

Documents required

The educational institution has a list of documents that you need. You have to have official foreign documents legalised and translated into Dutch, English, French or German.

Duration of validity of permits

The residence permit for study is valid for the duration of your education plus 3 months. You can get 1 extra year for a preparatory education or a transition year, for example to learn Dutch. The residence permit is issued for a maximum period of 5 years.

Further requirements

Upon arrival, you must:

• make an online appointment to collect the residence document in person from an Immigration and Naturalisation Service desk;
• register in the Municipal Personal Records Database (BRP) in the municipality where you will be living;
• make an appointment within three months after the permit has been granted with the Area Health Authority (GGD) to undergo a tuberculosis test if required;
• if you are in the Netherlands for study purposes only, it is not required and not possible to take out basic Dutch health insurance. You can remain insured with the health insurer in your home country. If you have a part-time job next to your study, you are required to have a basic health insurance with a Dutch health insurer from the first day of work. If you are going to do an internship for which you are being paid at least as much as the Dutch minimum wage, you must be insured with a basic Dutch health insurance. Expenses are regarded as income for your internship, room and board may also be seen as such. On the website of the Zorgverzekeringslijn, you can read whether you are required to have a basic health insurance with a Dutch health insurer.

Appeals

If the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) has rejected your application, this will be specified in an official letter (= Decision) from the IND. If you do not agree with the decision, you can register an objection to it or authorise someone in the Netherlands to do so on your behalf. The official letter explains how to start the procedure for this.

In some cases, the IND is not able to reach a decision in time. The IND may be in default. You can then send a written notice of default to the IND.

If after having registered an objection, the IND has stated your objections to be unfounded, it is possible for you to appeal against this decision to the Dutch court.

Further information

More on the admission as a student at a university or at a university of applied sciences

Rights

Extension of stay

If you wish to extend your stay, you must apply for this. The application for an extension of your residence permit can be submitted in writing. The IND will assess whether you meet the requirements for prolonging your stay.

Change of status

Has something changed in your situation that influences your residence permit? Are you quitting your studies for example? Or is the student's progress insufficient? Please report this immediately to the IND. It may mean that, due to the changes in your situation, the residence permit has to be changed.

Have you finished your education? You can change your residence permit to a residence permit to look for work in the Netherlands or to work as a highly skilled migrant.

Are you directly changing your residence permit within 3 years to a residence permit to work as a highly skilled migrant? A lower income requirement applies.

Employment

On the back of your residence permit, it says 'Tewerkstellingsvergunning (TWV) vereist voor arbeid van bijkomende aard, andere arbeid in loondienst niet toegestaan'. This means that you may only work in paid employment if your employer has a TWV for you. You are then allowed to work for a maximum of 16 hours a week or full-time during the summer months (June, July and August).

Next to your study, you are allowed to work in the Netherlands as a self-employed person (without a TWV). It is important that you continue to meet the requirements for your residence permit for study.

If you are going to do an internship in the Netherlands, you do not need a TWV if the internship is relevant to your study. You and your educational institution must have signed an internship agreement with the company where you will do your internship. You can find more information on doing an internship in the Netherlands at Nuffic.

Permanent residence

If you have lawfully lived in the Netherlands for an uninterrupted period of five years and you have a valid residence permit for a non-temporary purpose of stay, you can apply for a permanent residence permit.

Study, however, is a temporary purpose of stay.

Family reunification

As the holder of a residence permit as a student, it is possible to bring your spouse, (registered) partner or minor child(ren) to the Netherlands. Certain conditions will have to be met in order to be allowed to bring your family members.

Mobility

Intra EU-mobility for students

If you have a permit/visa for studies in an EU country and are covered by an EU or multilateral programme or an agreement between universities, you may carry out part of your studies and work (in addition to your studies) in the Netherlands if you fulfil certain requirements. You may reside and study in the Netherlands for up to 360 days.

If you are not covered by a programme or agreement, you can apply for a new permit/visa in the Netherlands.

Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND)

Conditions

You want to reside and study in the Netherlands for a maximum of 360 days within the context of intra EU-mobility. You do not need a separate Dutch residence permit if you meet the following conditions:

• the student has a valid residence permit for study purposes in another EU Member State,
• the student is coming to study through an educational programme in which it is stated that the student will be studying in several countries (mobility measures), or the student is coming on the basis of an agreement between two or more schools of higher education,
• the student is pursuing part of the studies in the Netherlands. The education establishment in the Netherlands is recognised as a sponsor by the IND. If you want to find out whether an education establishment is recognised as a sponsor, check the public register of recognised sponsors,
• the student is staying in the Netherlands for study purposes for a maximum of 360 days. The residence permit from the other EU Member State is valid for that entire period,
• the student has sufficient funds. Find out more about the income requirement for students,
• there is no reason to assume that the student wants to live in the Netherlands for a purpose other than studying,
• the student will not be doing any work that is prohibited under the Labour Act for Aliens (Wet arbeid vreemdelingen),
• the student poses no threat to public order or national security.

Family members of a student

If you come to the Netherlands as a student within the context of intra EU-mobility, then your family members are not allowed to accompany you. An application for a residence permit for your family members will be rejected.

Procedure

Are you a student and do you want to make use of the intra EU-mobility? You have to submit a notification and supporting documents to the IND. This can be done in 2 ways:

1. you authorise the recognised educational institute in the Netherlands to submit the notification and supporting documents for you. This is an efficient way of doing things. Most institutions have a lot of experience with submitting notifications. Has the authorised institution been recognised as a sponsor by the IND? Then the institution is allowed to use their own attestations.
2. you submit the notification and supporting documents yourself. You are responsible for submitting the notification and supporting documents in time.

Costs

This procedure is free of charge.

Documents required

You will find all necessary supporting documents in the notification form.

Registration with the municipality​

If you are coming to the Netherlands as a student and are staying for longer than 4 months, you must register in the Personal Records Database (BRP) in the municipality where you will be living. If you are staying for less than 4 months and you need a citizen service number (Burgerservicenummer – BSN), you can register as a non-resident. You can also do this at the municipality.

To register at the municipality, you will need a legalised and translated birth certificate. You must therefore take it with you when you travel to the Netherlands. Always check with your municipality beforehand which other (certified and translated) documents/certificates you need to bring with you.

Take out health insurance

Everyone who lives in the Netherlands must take out health insurance. You must do this within 4 months of arriving in the Netherlands.Read more about health insurance in the Netherlands.

If you are younger than 30 years of age and are staying in the Netherlands solely in order to study, you will not be able to take out basic insurance with a Dutch healthcare insurer in the Netherlands. Foreign health insurance is sufficient in such cases.

If you will be working in addition to your studies, you must take out basic insurance with a Dutch healthcare insurer. The same applies to voluntary work, but not if you are doing an internship for your studies.

Obtain more information by visiting the Zorgverzekeringslijn website

Right to work

Are you staying in the Netherlands within the context of intra EU-mobility for students? Then the following employment status applies to you: 'TWV vereist voor arbeid van bijkomende aard, andere arbeid in loondienst niet toegestaan'. This means the following:

Paid employment

You are only allowed to work if your employer has been granted a working permit (TWV). In that case, you may:

• work for a maximum of 16 hours a week
• work full time during the summer months: June, July and August.

The UWV can grant a working permit if you can prove your lawful stay within the context of EU intra-mobility or by means of the residence endorsement sticker in your passport.

Self-employed work

You are allowed to work in the Netherlands as a self-employed worker without a working permit. However, it is important that you continue meeting the conditions for your residence permit for study.

Termination of right of residence

If you no longer meet the conditions, then you or the authorised educational institute will receive a letter from the IND. In this letter, it will say that your right of residence within the context of incoming mobility has ended. You will then be ordered to leave the Netherlands immediately and return to the first Member State.

If you do not obey this order or in case that your immediate departure is deemed necessary, the IND can impose a return decision.