Work & study

When starting life at university, earning some extra money always comes in handy. 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. Many students start working, for instance, as tutors, student assistants or in pubs or restaurants. Working during your studies can affect your student loan, taxes and health insurance. International students need to comply with certain requirements and regulations.

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.

Internships
If you are registered as a student in the Netherlands you are allowed to do a traineeship or an internship as part of your study programme. There are a number of factors to consider though. For further information, go to the Internship page on the Nuffic website or contact your student advisor.