Study & living expenses
Your living expenses will depend on your individual lifestyle. We have estimated that an average student will spend about €853 per month on basic items. This does not include things such as mobile telephone costs or (sports) club memberships, etc.
Maastricht is relatively compact, so most students walk or cycle and spend little money on transportation.
| Cost category | Avg. monthly cost |
|---|---|
| Rent: including gas, water, electricity | € 350 |
| Groceries | € 180 |
| Books and materials | € 35 |
| Insurances* | € 98 |
| Clothing and personal care | € 90 |
| Leisure expenses | € 100 |
| Total | € 853 |
* Insurances include health care insurance, third party insurance, and fire and theft insurance. You can find more information on mandatory health care insurance on the web pages of the Student Services Centre. Students having Dutch health insurance might be eligible for 'Zorgtoeslag' through the Dutch tax authorities.
Work & study
You will soon realise that it can be difficult to live on a budget and that your scholarships or loans will probably not cover all your accommodation costs. Working during your studies can be helpful but it can also affect your student loan, taxes and health insurance. International students need to comply with certain requirements and regulations. For more information, visit the DUO (Dienst Uitvoering Onderwijs) and the NIBUD (National Institure for Family Finance Information) websites.
International students
If you are from a country outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland and would like to work in the Netherlands, in most cases you need both a residence permit and a work permit (this also goes for Bulgarian and Romanian nationals).
You also need to apply for a citizen service number ('Burger Service Nummer/BSN'). Whether or not you have to pay tax depends on your nationality and the agreements that the Netherlands has with other countries. As an international student you are allowed to work three consecutive months during the summer (June, July and August) or 10 hours a week during the rest of the year. For more information, please visit the Nuffic website.
Students from EU/EEA countries, including Switzerland, are free to work as many hours as they like outside their studies. Your employer does not need a to have a work permit for you.
