EU/EEA students within residence area
As of 1 September 2010, a new law came into force in the Netherlands known as the Administration Reinforcement Act (Wet versterking besturing). This law may have consequences for the level of the tuition fees that you pay, so please read the information below carefully.
How was it before?
Nationality determined your tuition fees
Maastricht University has a lower and a higher rate for tuition fees. Before, your nationality determined the rate you had to pay. Students from the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA), Switzerland and Suriname paid the lower fee (€1,713), while those from other countries paid the higher fee (€12,000 for a full-time master's and €8,500 for a full-time bachelor’s programme).
How is it now?
Nationality and place of residence determine your tuition fees
Under the new law, both your nationality and your place of residence determine the rate of tuition fees you pay. This is known as the residency requirement: students who do not reside in the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg or one of the German states of North-Rhine Westphalia, Lower Saxony or Bremen must pay higher tuition fees. To be eligible for a lower fee, students who are EU or EEA citizens but currently live outside these areas will have to move to a location within them.
What does this mean for you?
- You are a citizen of an EU/EEA country (or Switzerland or Suriname), you live within the residence area and you have given your address to UM.
You are eligible for the lower tuition fee.
NOTE: If you will be in the Netherlands for longer than four months, you must - in addition to having an address within the residence area - register with the Municipal Administration (Gemeentelijke Basis Administratie or GBA). To be eligible for the lower tuition, you must be registered before 1 December of the relevant academic year. You can register by visiting the city hall (Gemeentehuis) where you live. It is advisable to check in advance if you need to make an appointment. Since the registration with the city hall takes a minimum of two weeks, you should begin the registration process no later than 1 November. - You have an EU/EEA (or Switzerland or Suriname) nationality and currently live within the residence living area, but have not yet given your address to UM.
You must, by 1 September of the relevant academic year, submit your current address within the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, North-Rhine Westphalia, Lower Saxony or Bremen to UM via email to: studentservices@maastrichtuniversity.nl to qualify for the lower tuition fee. - NOTE: If you will be in the Netherlands for longer than four months, you must - in addition to having an address within the residence area - register with the Municipal Administration (Gemeentelijke Basis Administratie or GBA). To be eligible for the lower tuition, you must be registered before 1 December of the relevant academic year. You can register by visiting the city hall (Gemeentehuis) where you live. It is advisable to check advance if you need to make an appointment. Since the registration with the city hall takes a minimum of two weeks, you should begin the registration process no later than 1 November.
Study and internship abroad
If you go abroad for your studies, you may continue paying the lower tuition fee (as long as you have been living in the residence living area immediately before your departure). Your faculty will record that you are temporarily doing an internship or participating in an exchange programme and report this to the Admissions Office: Based on this registration the Admissions Office can calculate the tuition fee.
If, however, you permanently move outside the residence area (Netherlands, Belgium, Luxemburg, North-Rhine Westphalia, Lower Saxony or Bremen) during your study, you must pay the higher tuition fee.
If you do not meet these conditions on time, you will have to pay the higher tuition fee. Please begin taking these steps immediately to take care that you do not needlessly have to pay extra money!
Questions? Please contact our call center at +31 43 388 5388 (Monday through Friday: 8.30 -17.00) or email: study@maastrichtuniversity.nl.