How to get a student visa for the Netherlands

Education system in Dutch schools

Education is compulsory in the Netherlands from the ages of 5 to 16. However, most children start to attend primary school at age four. Primary schools in the Netherlands have eight grades known as groepen. These grades range from grade 1 or Groep 1 (4-year olds) to grade 8 or Groep 8 (12-year olds).

Dutch secondary schools are divided into three stages: one is preparing students for vocational training (VMBO), the other is preparing students for university (VWO) and the third is preparing students to study at universities of applied sciences (HAVO).

The Dutch primary and secondary schools are divided into two categories:

Topics reviewed in this article:

• Studying for a bachelor’s degree in the Netherlands
• Studying for a master’s degree in the Netherlands
• Studying for a master’s degree in the Netherlands
• Scholarships in the Netherlands
• Study sports management in the Netherlands
• Cost of living and studying in the Netherlands
• Working while studying in the Netherlands
• Family reunification for international students in the Netherlands
• Top universities in the Netherlands
• Required documents for getting a student visa for the Netherlands
• Financial ability for a Dutch student visa
• Working in the Netherlands after graduation
• Citizenship for international students in the Netherlands after graduation

Studying for a bachelor’s degree in the Netherlands

Applicant who want to get a student visa to study for a bachelor’s degree can study in various fields of study (180 ECTS), which will usually last for 3 years. At almost all bachelor’s programs you need to do a course in research methodology and a bachelor’s thesis. At universities of applied sciences, students can enroll in bachelor’s programs (4 years, 240 ECTS) in various fields such as economics, health care, fine arts, agriculture, etc…

Studying for a master’s degree in the Netherlands

Applicant who want to get a student visa to study for a bachelor’s degree can study in various fields of study (180 ECTS), which will usually last for 3 years. At almost all bachelor’s programs you need to do a course in research methodology and a bachelor’s thesis. At universities of applied sciences, students can enroll in bachelor’s programs (4 years, 240 ECTS) in various fields such as economics, health care, fine arts, agriculture, etc…

Studying for a PhD degree in the Netherlands

Pursuing a PhD means spending a minimum of four years conducting original research and writing a dissertation. Throughout this time, PhD candidates work in close collaboration with their supervisor. A PhD is not regarded as study, but as serious research and PhD candidates in the Netherlands are often in paid employment. Applicant are required to have an IELTS language certificate with a minimum score of 6.5. PhD students usually conduct research at a college or research institute.

Scholarships in the Netherlands

There are a lot of scholarships available for international students to study in the Netherlands. In 2015, the Dutch government introduced the Holland Scholarship to attract more international students to the Netherlands. These scholarships are for international students who intend to pursue a bachelor’s or master’s degree in the Netherlands. Scholarships are usually awarded to students to cover tuition fees for the first academic year. Dutch scholarships are often awarded to students based on their academic CV. Scholarships are administered by an institution called EP-Nuffic and the most important ones are shown in the table below:

Study sports management in the Netherlands

Sports management is an attractive field of study that includes management and business. Student who graduate in this field are allowed to stay in the Netherlands for one year and look for a suitable job and enter the job market of this country. The duration of sports management courses in the Netherlands is 18 to 24 months, and to study in this field, you must have an IELTS language certificate with a score of 6.5. On average you have to pay 7,000 euros per year to study for this course.

Cost of living and studying in the Netherlands

The cost of study at Dutch universities and other higher education institutions varies depending on a student’s nationality. Students from the Netherlands, other EU/EEA countries and Switzerland, often pay lower tuition fees compared to non-EU/EEA students and tuition fees are mostly covered by the government. These students are also required to pay a tuition fee of around 2,000 euros per year.

 Tuition fees are usually higher for non-EU and EEA students than for Dutch student. The amount of tuition fees depends on the institution, the degree, the student’s residence permit type. Tuition fees usually range from 16,000 to 36,000 euros for students.

The following table shows the amount of tuition fees for different educational stages:

Working while studying in the Netherlands

The Netherlands has strict rules for granting work permits to student during their studies. Many international students need a work permit to work part-time in the Netherlands which depends on the individual’s nationality. International students need a work permit to work in this country. Dutch immigration law limits the number of hours a student is allowed to work in two ways:

• International students may do seasonal work full time

But only in June, July and August

• International students may work part-time throughout the year

But not more than ten hours a week

It is the responsibility of your employer or the employment agency to apply for your work permit from the UWV. Applicant cannot do this on their own. The student work application must be accompanied by a copy of your residence permit for study purposes and a statement from your institution confirming that you are enrolled as a student. It will take about five weeks to process the application.

Family reunification for international students in the Netherlands

A Dutch student visa applicant can apply for a companion visa to Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND). This visa is based on family reunification law. Keep it in mind that a companion visa won be issued simultaneously; In other words, the applicant for a Dutch student visa must first come to the Netherlands and his/her companion will join him/her a few months later. Companions are not allowed to work in the first year, but after that they can apply to work in the Netherlands.

Top universities in the Netherlands

One of the reasons why students are lucky enough to get a Dutch student visa and study in the Netherlands (as mentioned earlier) is the validity of Dutch universities. The following table shows the top 10 Dutch universities in the world.

Required documents for getting a student visa for the Netherlands

To get a student visa in the Netherlands you are required to provide a complete list of documents.

There might be different requirements for different universities. However, some standard requirements for a Dutch student visa include the following:

Your university degree

Admission letter from a Dutch university

A complete study plan (Study Plan). (You must explain why you want to study in that particular field and how it relates to your previous studies)

Prove that you can support yourself financially while studying in the Netherlands. It is better to show that you have about 870 euros per month to spend

Travel and health insurance for the duration of your stay

Visa application fee

Medical examination and health certificates. (You must obtain it within three months after entering the Netherlands, otherwise your visa or residence permit will be revoked)

You must be enrolled in the university / college you want to study at

You must be enrolled in a full-time, daily course

Applicants who want to get a student visa in the Netherlands must note that they must have the original and a copy of all of their documents, including passports and previous visas. Also keep in mind that all official documents must be approved by a government official in the applicant’s country. All your documents must be in Dutch, English, French or German. If not, they must be translated by a reputable Dutch translator and must be submitted along with the original documents.

Financial ability for a Dutch student visa

For Immigration and Citizenship (IND), you must provide financial proof showing that you have sufficient financial means to cover both your living expenses and your tuition fee.

Proof of financial means: If you are a bachelor’s or master’s student, you must have sufficient funds to cover your living expenses for a period of 12 months (€11,100), plus your tuition fee.

Cost of living: The minimum amount required for your living expenses is 925 euros per month.

Generally, full amount you have to show financial proof for is related to the number of months you will be enrolled (with a maximum of 12 months). For example, if the duration of your program is:

From September to February (first semester): 5 months x 925 Euros = 4,625 Euros

From February to August (second semester): 7 months x 925 Euros = 6,475 Euros

One year or more: 12 months x € 925 = € 11,100

If you register for a pre-master or preparation course: 12 months x 925 Euros = 11,100 Euros

Working in the Netherlands after graduation

Students can stay in the Netherlands for one year after finishing their studies. As a destination for studying abroad, the Netherlands provides unique opportunities for international students. The most pronounced one is the post study work permissions or “zoekjaar” in Dutch. Simply put, students who complete their bachelor’s and master’s degrees from a reputable Dutch university are eligible to apply for “zoekjaar”, which is valid for one year.

As an International Student you are eligible to apply for a permit for Orientation Year in Netherlands if:

You have completed bachelor’s/ master’s programs from a Dutch higher education institution, or

You have completed a postgraduate course with a minimum duration of 12 months in the Netherlands.

You are a PhD graduate from a Dutch University.

You have completed a scientific research and fall under the highly skilled migrant category.

You have completed an Erasmus Mundus Master’s course.

You are trained in the framework of specific cultural policy development cooperation policy.

You have completed a master’s degree from a foreign top 200 university, which means that the candidate has relevant English language proficiency (highly skilled professionals).

Citizenship for international students in the Netherlands after graduation

By having a student visa in the Netherlands you can’t get a permanent residence permit in this country. The applicant needs to look for a job and if he / she finds a suitable job, he / she can convert his/her student visa into a work visa and obtain a permanent residence permit in the Netherlands. Usually the applicant will be granted a permanent residence permit after 5 years of residence in the Netherlands, provided that he / she has no criminal record and have sufficient financial means, after that if the applicant has been working in the Netherlands during this period and he/she has paid for insurance and taxes, he/she can apply for Dutch citizenship and passport.