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Student visa for the Netherlands
Money to show for the visa: €1,130.77 a month, about €13,569 for a year. Work while you study: 16 hours a week during the year, OR full time in June, July and August, not both. Checked against the official pages on 24 September 2026.
The numbers
- Money you must show
- €1,130.77 a month, about €13,569 for a year
- Visa fee
- €254
- Work while you study
- 16 hours a week during the year, OR full time in June, July and August, not both
- Stay after you graduate
- Orientation year (zoekjaar): 1 year, free access to the labour market
Valid 1 January to 31 December 2026. Resets every January.
IND: Required amounts income requirements, checked 2026-09-24
Your institution applies on your behalf; you cannot apply yourself.
IND fees, checked 2026-09-24
Your employer must obtain a work permit (TWV).
IND, checked 2026-09-24
IND, checked 2026-09-24
Worth knowing: Housing is the biggest risk, with a national shortage of about 20,200 student rooms and Amsterdam costing €1,400 to €1,800 or more a month.
The residence permit
You cannot apply yourself. Only your institution can, and only if it is an IND-recognised sponsor. In practice you send documents and money to the international office and they file with the IND.
Fee €254. The legal decision period is 60 days, but because applications come through a recognised sponsor the working target is about two weeks. Add time for the MVV appointment at the embassy afterwards.
Nationals of the EU/EEA, Switzerland, Australia, Canada, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, South Korea, the UK, the US and Vatican City do not need the MVV entry visa, but still need the residence permit.
The money: €1,130.77 a month, about €13,569 for a year, valid through 2026. This resets every 1 January: it rose 4.4% for 2026, so an application spanning a year boundary can be assessed against a figure you did not budget for. The 2027 amounts appear around late December 2026.
A condition that catches people out: you must earn at least 50% of your credits each academic year. Your institution is legally obliged to report underperformance to the IND, which can withdraw the permit. This sits alongside the binding study advice most institutions apply in year one. Failing a semester is not a private matter between you and your tutor.
EU, EEA and Swiss citizens
No student visa is needed: citizens of the EU, the EEA and Switzerland may live and study in the Netherlands. For more than three months you normally register your residence after you arrive, and show that you are enrolled, insured and can support yourself.
Where to apply
At the embassy or consulate of the Netherlands that covers your country, or through the visa application centre it names. Book early: in the busiest months appointments can be weeks away. Apply only through the official website; nobody can sell you a faster place in the queue.
Government scholarships to study in the Netherlands
- NL Scholarship see the official page for dates
Which of these are open to your nationality
By nationality
From Algeria
From Armenia
From Azerbaijan
From Bangladesh
From Brazil
From Cameroon
From Canada
From China
From Colombia
From Egypt
From Ethiopia
From Georgia
From Ghana
From India
From Indonesia
From Iran
From Iraq
From Japan
From Jordan
From Kazakhstan
From Kenya
From Lebanon
From Malaysia
From Mexico
From Morocco
From Nepal
From Nigeria
From Pakistan
From Philippines
From Russia
From Saudi Arabia
From Senegal
From South Africa
From South Korea
From Sri Lanka
From Syria
From Tanzania
From Tunisia
From Türkiye
From Uganda
From Ukraine
From United Arab Emirates
From United States
From Uzbekistan
From Vietnam
From ZimbabweQuestions students ask
How much money do I need to show for a Netherlands student visa?
€1,130.77 a month, about €13,569 for a year. Valid 1 January to 31 December 2026. Resets every January. (IND: Required amounts income requirements, checked 2026-09-24).
How much is the student visa fee for the Netherlands?
€254.
Can international students work in the Netherlands?
16 hours a week during the year, OR full time in June, July and August, not both.
Can I stay in the Netherlands after I graduate?
Orientation year (zoekjaar): 1 year, free access to the labour market.
Do EU citizens need a student visa for the Netherlands?
No. EU, EEA and Swiss citizens may live and study in the Netherlands without a student visa. For a stay of more than three months they normally register their residence after arriving.
This page is general information from official sources, not immigration advice. For a decision about your own case, the official source or a regulated adviser is where that belongs.