Cost of living & financial assistance

To make sure your expenses don’t exceed your income, it’s wise to make a personal budget. You can use the Excel sheet (in Dutch) from Nibud (the National Institute for Budget Information). Your personal budget should be based on your actual monthly bills.  

The cost of living in the Netherlands can vary depending on your choices, such as whether you live with roommates or on your own, whether you eat out often or cook, etc. The following table shows figures from the 2021 Nibud national student survey (in Dutch), which have been adjusted for general inflation rates in 2022 and 2023 (4.1%, 11.6%).   

You can also find more information about the cost of living at mymaastricht.nl.  

In addition to the UM funds that provide financial aid, you may be eligible for other financial support from the Dutch government such as: 

• Dutch student finance / DUO (studiefinanciering):  
• rental subsidy (huurtoeslag) 
• health insurance subsidy (zorgtoeslag) 
• local tax remission (kwijtschelding) 
• childcare allowance  (in Dutch)
   

On Nibud's Bereken Uw Recht website (in Dutch), you can answer a few questions to check the types of financial support you may be entitled to. The site also explains how to apply for the benefits.

You can also look into any additional funding that your municipality may offer, such as a study allowance (studietoeslag) for students with a disability. Support may be available to you from Hoger Onderwijs Toegankelijk. More about studying with a disability. 

Need help understanding the Dutch information and forms?
If you need help understanding Dutch information about various types of financial assistance or help filling out forms in Dutch, UM's International Student Helpdesk (ISH) is here to assist you. 

Several organisations offer free, sometimes anonymous, assistance: 

• Humanitas  
• geldfit.nl (in Dutch) 
• Schuldhulpmaatje (in Dutch)  
• Landelijk Stimuleringsnetwerk Thuisadministratie (LSTA) (in Dutch)  
   

For advice and tips, consider using apps like FiKKs (in Dutch) and Geldwijzer Maastricht (in Dutch).

Trajekt (website in Dutch) also offers assistance with administration and can help answer questions about income, housing, work, welfare and parenting. 

If you're at risk of falling behind on your rent or health insurance payments, contact your landlord or health insurer to discuss possible solutions. You may be able to arrange a payment plan. It's important to make agreements that you can realistically keep. 

If you’re unsure whether your rent is accurate, contact Huurteam Zuid-Limburg. They can help you calculate the maximum legal rental price for your accommodation. 

If you're unable to pay for necessary expenses (e.g., increased energy costs), you may qualify for individual special assistance from your municipality. The conditions for this assistance vary by location. For Maastricht, visit the municipality's page Special assistance / Bijzondere bijstand (in Dutch).

For serious financial problems or debts, contact your municipality as soon as possible. Early intervention can prevent issues from escalating. For more information about debt assistance in Maastricht, visit the municipality's page Help with money and debt. If you live outside Maastricht, check your own municipality's website.

Financial problems can be very stressful and impact your studies. If these issues are threatening to delay your progress, contact your study adviser immediately. You can also reach out to the Student Deans for questions about UM's financial regulations.

Sometimes, study delays can also lead to financial difficulties. You might be eligible for financial support from the UM 'Profileringsfonds' for students if you face study delays due to the following: 

• special circumstances such as disability, chronic illness, special family circumstances or  pregnancy
• fulfilling a position on the board of a student organisation
• combining your study with top-level sports
  
  As of 1 September 2025, the UM 'Profileringsfonds' will be renamed to Student Support Regulation.

• MyMaastricht - Finances  
• Studiekeuze 123 - Studiekosten (in Dutch) 
• Dutch student finance (DUO) 
• Study in NL - Financing your studies
• Rijksoverheid - Money Wise Platform (in Dutch) 
• ECIO - Financieel slim studeren met een beperking (in Dutch) 

Please note: The information on this page has been compiled carefully, but eligibility for these options depends on individual circumstances.