Student Visas & Permits in the Netherlands

Planning to study in the Netherlands? Before you start thinking about student housing, bicycles and your first week at university, it is important to understand whether you need a visa or residence permit.

The rules depend mainly on your nationality, how long you will study and the type of educational institution you will attend. For some students, the immigration side is very simple. For others, the university or college will need to arrange a residence permit and possibly an MVV before the student can move to the Netherlands.

The good news is that, for higher education, your Dutch educational institution normally plays a major role in the process. You are not expected to arrange everything yourself.

EU, EEA and Swiss Students

If you are a citizen of an EU or EEA country or Switzerland, you generally do not need a student visa or Dutch residence permit to study in the Netherlands.

You can enter the Netherlands with a valid passport or national identity card and study here under EU free-movement rules.

However, studying without a residence permit does not mean there is nothing to arrange after arriving. If you are going to live in the Netherlands for more than four months, you will normally need to register with the municipality where you live. This registration places you in the BRP and gives you a BSN if you do not already have one.

You will also need to think about practical matters such as health insurance, housing, banking and registering for DigiD.

Students From Outside the EU

If you are from outside the EU/EEA or Switzerland and are coming to the Netherlands for a full-time university or higher professional education programme, you will generally need a student residence permit.

For university and HBO students, you cannot normally submit this application independently. Your educational institution applies for the residence permit on your behalf, and the institution must be recognised as a sponsor by the Dutch Immigration and Naturalisation Service, better known as the IND. Your programme must also meet the applicable accreditation requirements.

This means that after you have been accepted, your university or educational institution should provide instructions about the immigration process and tell you which documents it needs from you.

Do Students Need an MVV?

Some international students also need an MVV, which is a long-stay entry visa.

Whether you need an MVV depends mainly on your nationality and whether an exemption applies. If you need both an MVV and student residence permit, your educational institution normally applies for them together.

The MVV allows you to travel to the Netherlands for your long-term stay. Your student residence permit is the document that allows you to continue living in the Netherlands while studying.

So although people often use terms such as “student visa” and “study visa”, the actual process may involve both an MVV and a residence permit.

Your Educational Institution Is Your Sponsor

One important thing to understand about the Dutch student immigration system is the role of your educational institution.

For a university or HBO student residence permit, your institution must be a recognised sponsor with the IND. It submits the application and communicates with the IND about your studies and residence status.

You will still need to provide the requested documents and meet the conditions yourself, but your university or college guides you through much of the process.

This is also why you should be careful when choosing where to study. If you are a non-EU student who needs a residence permit, make sure your institution and programme meet the necessary requirements before paying large amounts of money.

What Are the Main Requirements?

For university and HBO studies, you need to be enrolled, or provisionally enrolled, in a full-time programme at an eligible educational institution. The programme must be appropriately accredited and the institution must be recognised by the IND as a sponsor.

You must also show that you have enough money to support yourself while studying in the Netherlands.

For 2026, the IND study norm for university and HBO students is €1,130.77 per month. This is the amount used to demonstrate sufficient funds for living and studying, and it does not include tuition fees. The amount is reviewed annually, so students applying in a later year should always check the current figure.

Your university will normally tell you how to demonstrate that you have sufficient funds and which documents it accepts.

You Need to Make Progress With Your Studies

A student residence permit is not simply permission to remain in the Netherlands until the expiry date on your card. You must continue meeting the conditions of your permit.

For university and HBO students, one important condition is study progress. You are generally expected to obtain at least 50% of the credits for each academic year. Your educational institution monitors your progress.

If your progress is insufficient, the university considers whether there is a valid reason. If there is no acceptable reason, it may have to report the situation to the IND, which can then assess whether you still meet the requirements of your student residence permit.

So your residence status and your studies are directly connected.

Can International Students Work?

Yes, but the rules depend on your nationality.

EU/EEA and Swiss students generally have much broader access to the Dutch labour market.

If you hold a Dutch student residence permit, you can also work as an employee, but there are restrictions. Your employer must obtain a TWV work permit for you. You then have a choice: work for a maximum of 16 hours per week throughout the year, or work full-time during June, July and August.

It is the employer who applies for the TWV, not the student.

This is worth checking before accepting a part-time job. An employer saying that “students are allowed to work” does not automatically mean that all the required paperwork has been arranged.

What About Freelancing or Self-Employment?

The rules are different if you work as a self-employed person.

According to the IND, students holding the relevant residence permit may work as self-employed people without a TWV and without the same hourly restriction that applies to employment, as long as they continue meeting the conditions of their student residence permit. You will need to register with the Dutch Chamber of Commerce (KvK), pay applicable taxes and potentially arrange Dutch health insurance depending on your situation.

If you are considering freelancing alongside your studies, make sure you understand the tax, insurance and business-registration requirements as well as the immigration rules.

Internships During Your Studies

Many Dutch study programmes include an internship or traineeship.

If the internship forms part of your university or HBO study programme, a separate TWV is generally not required under the student residence-permit rules.

Your university and the company offering the internship should be able to explain what documentation is required.

Do not automatically assume that every internship follows the same rules, particularly if it is unrelated to your studies.

How Long Is the Student Residence Permit Valid?

For university and HBO students, the residence permit is generally valid for the duration of your studies plus three months, with the IND issuing it for a maximum period of five years at a time. It remains valid only while you continue meeting the conditions for study.

If your programme takes longer than expected and your permit is approaching its expiry date, your educational institution can help you understand whether an extension is required.

If you change universities, your residence permit can remain valid, but the new institution must also be a recognised sponsor and the change must be reported to the IND.

What About MBO and Secondary Education?

There is also a student residence permit for people coming to the Netherlands for certain secondary or vocational education (MBO) programmes, but the conditions are different and more restrictive than those for university and HBO students.

For example, the educational institution must be recognised as a sponsor, the programme must be full-time, and there are additional conditions concerning why the Netherlands is the appropriate country for your education.

For 2026, the IND study norm for secondary and MBO education is €928.58 per month, excluding tuition or school fees.

If you are coming for MBO or secondary education rather than university or HBO, make sure you follow the specific IND rules for that category.

After You Arrive in the Netherlands

Once you arrive, immigration is only one part of getting settled.

If you are going to live in the Netherlands for more than four months, you will normally need to register with your municipality and obtain your BSN. You can then arrange other practical matters such as DigiD, banking and healthcare.

Your university will often provide an arrival checklist for international students, and some institutions organise registration days or provide assistance with local administration.

Housing should also be taken seriously. Student accommodation can be difficult to find in many Dutch university cities, so don't assume you can arrive first and find somewhere permanent afterwards.

Health Insurance for International Students

Health insurance deserves special attention because the answer isn't exactly the same for every international student.

Whether you need Dutch basic health insurance can depend on factors such as whether you are working alongside your studies and your personal situation. Simply being an international student does not mean that exactly the same insurance arrangement applies to everyone.

Check the requirements for your own circumstances rather than automatically buying the same insurance as another student.

What Happens After Graduation?

Finishing your degree doesn't necessarily mean you have to leave the Netherlands immediately.

Eligible international graduates can apply for an orientation year residence permit, often called the zoekjaar. It allows qualifying graduates to stay in the Netherlands while looking for work or developing a business after their studies.

Graduates may also move directly to another residence status, such as a highly skilled migrant permit, if they meet the relevant requirements. The IND specifically lists looking for work, becoming a highly skilled migrant and starting a business among possible routes after completing studies.

If you're hoping to stay in the Netherlands after university, it is worth researching these options before graduation rather than waiting until your student permit is about to end.

Keep Track of Your Own Permit

Your university handles an important part of the immigration process, but your residence status is still your responsibility too.

Know when your permit expires, understand the conditions attached to it and keep copies of important IND and university correspondence. If you stop studying, change institutions or your circumstances change significantly, find out whether this needs to be reported.

And remember that immigration rules and financial requirements can change. Olandija can help you understand the process, but always check the latest requirements with your educational institution and the IND before making an important decision.

Studying abroad involves plenty of administration, but once the visa and residence-permit side is sorted, you can focus on the more interesting part: finding a home, meeting people, surviving group projects and actually enjoying student life in the Netherlands.