Student finance
A new system of student finance (Dutch ‘studiefinanciering’) was introduced on 1 September 2015. Bachelor’s and master’s students from the EU/EEA or Switzerland who start a new programme of study after 1 September 2015 will no longer receive a basic scholarship grant. They can now take out a loan instead. You decide how large the loan is that you would like to take out. The mandatory repayment phase has been extended from 15 to 35 years. If you obtain your diploma within 10 years, the supplementary grant and the student travel product (Dutch: "OV" student card) will be converted into a gift.
Gain insight into your funding needs
Are you starting in higher education next year and do the rules of the new system apply to you? Then you can calculate your student grant using DUO's student finance calculator (in Dutch) . Make sure you know what your parents' income was two years ago. You will need to enter this information in the calculator.
The calculator provides insight into:
- how much student finance you need
- how much supplemental funding you can get
- how large the loan is that you can take out
- how much debt you will build up
- what your monthly payback amount will be
For international students: What is student finance?
Student finance (‘studiefinanciering’ in Dutch) is funding service for university students distributed by the Dutch government’s Dienst Uitvoering Onderwijs (DUO). It consists of a loan, a student travel product (‘OV-kaart' in Dutch) and –depending on the income of your parents- a supplementary grant. To qualify for student finance, you must be a Dutch national or have the same rights.
An additional loan to pay your tuition fee
You can borrow extra money to pay for tuition. This is called a 'tuition fee loan' (Dutch 'collegekrediet'). You will have to pay this amount back after you graduate, including the interest on the loan.
Study finance for students who follow a pre-master
Students who follow a pre-master ('schakelprogramma') at Maastricht University can apply for study finance via the Dienst Uitvoering Onderwijs (DUO). Students must meet the requirements for applying for a grant from DUO (this depends on age, nationality and education). For more information about the application for student finance and the conditions, please visit the DUO website: www.duo.nl/particulier/international-student
Lifelong learning credit
If you are not or no longer eligible for regular student finance or the tuition fee loan, then you can apply for the ‘lifelong learning credit’ to pay for your tuition fees or course fees. The lifelong learning credit is a loan.
Want to know more? For the conditions, how much you can borrow and more information, to go DUO's website.
Student grants for non-Dutch citizens
Some non-Dutch students can also request student finance. However you need to satisfy several conditions. Would you like to find out if you are eligible? And would you like to know more about the conditions?
Take a look at the detailed information and the conditions at DUO
Tuition fee loan for EU/EER students
If you are not entitled to 'regular' student finance, you may still be eligible for a 'tuition fee loan'.