Students from EU / EFTA countries may be eligible for loans from the Dutch government to cover a portion of their tuition fees.
If you go to study at university or study in higher vocational education (hbo) in the Netherlands, you have to pay tuition fees. If you want to do a Dutch course in vocational education (mbo) or adult education (vavo) and you are 18 or older, you have to pay course fees. In some cases you may be eligible for (full) funding for your studies (in Dutch: studiefinanciering) if you comply with one of the following conditions:
- you have the nationality of one of the countries of the European Union and you work in the Netherlands for at least 32 hours per month (at least 56 hours from 1 January 2014 on)
- you have the nationality of one of the countries in the European Union and you have been resident in the Netherlands for a minimum of 5 years without a significant break
- you have the nationality of one of the countries of the European Union and one of your non-Dutch parents or your husband/wife, registered partner has the nationality of an EU country and works in the Netherlands