Dutch Government Student Finance (Studiefinanciering) 2026–2027 – Netherlands

Location: Netherlands

Program: Postgraduate Programs

Eligibility: International Students

Duration: Up to 4 years for a

Deadline: No fixed deadline – Apply at least 8 weeks before the date student finance is due to start

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Dutch Student Finance (Studiefinanciering) is administered by DUO (Dienst Uitvoering Onderwijs the Education Executive Agency) of the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. It provides financial support to eligible students enrolled in accredited MBO, HBO, or university programmes in the Netherlands. Student finance consists of several components that students can apply for individually: the Basic Grant (basisbeurs), the Supplementary Grant (aanvullende beurs), the Student Travel Product (OV-chipkaart), a Tuition Fees Loan, and a Regular (Interest-Bearing) Loan. The Basic Grant is a non-repayable gift if the student obtains their diploma within the nominal programme duration plus one extra year (the “performance grant” system). If the diploma is not obtained within this timeframe, the basic grant must be repaid as a loan.

DUO (Dienst Uitvoering Onderwijs) is the Dutch government’s executive agency for education, operating under the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (Ministerie van Onderwijs, Cultuur en Wetenschap). DUO is responsible for administering student finance, school funding, educational data, and the implementation of Dutch education legislation. DUO serves approximately 670,000 students receiving student finance annually and processes all student finance applications, grants, loans, and repayments through its online portal Mijn DUO. The Netherlands is widely regarded as one of the world’s most student-friendly countries in terms of accessible and affordable higher education, and DUO’s student finance system is a cornerstone of this commitment.

Benefits of the Programme

This programme will provide the following to its recipients:

MBO Students (August–December 2026 rates):

Basic Grant: €107.26/month (living with parents) | €350.03/month (living away from home)
Supplementary Grant (maximum): €442.50/month (living with parents) | €470.82/month (living away from home)
Regular Interest-Bearing Loan: up to €233.65/month
Total maximum student finance: €783.41/month (living with parents) | €1,054.50/month (living away from home)

HBO and University Students (September–December 2026 rates):

Basic Grant: €130.21/month (living with parents) | €324.52/month (living away from home)
Supplementary Grant (maximum): €491.08/month
Regular Interest-Bearing Loan: up to €315.17/month
Tuition Fees Loan: up to €224.50/month (up to €1,122.50/month for institutional tuition fees)
Total maximum student finance: €1,160.96/month (living with parents) | €1,355.27/month (living away from home)

Student Travel Product (OV-chipkaart):

Free public transport (bus, tram, metro, train) across the Netherlands — weekdays or weekends depending on choice

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Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for this programme, applicants must meet the following:

Must be under 30 years of age on the day student finance starts
For MBO: minimum age of 18 for a grant or loan (under-18s may still receive the student travel product)
For HBO and university: no minimum age requirement

Must be enrolled in one of the following: MBO school-based learning pathway (BOL); HBO or university bachelor’s, master’s, or associate degree programme
Must be enrolled in a full-time or dual course — part-time programmes, work-based learning pathways (BBL), external students (“extraneus”), and exam candidates are not eligible
Must be enrolled on the first day of the month — enrolment after the first day results in eligibility from the following month
The course must last at least 1 year and must be officially recognised in the Netherlands
Home study programmes are not eligible

Must hold Dutch nationality, or a Dutch residence permit type II, III, IV, or V
Holders of residence permit type I may qualify — use the DUO eligibility assistant to check
EU/EEA citizens, Swiss nationals, UK nationals, and their partners or parents who are EU/EEA/Swiss/UK citizens may qualify
Persons covered by the Temporary Protection Directive Ukraine do not qualify for student finance

Note: Kindly check the official webpage for full and detailed requirements.

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Selection Criteria

Dutch Student Finance is not a competitive scholarship all students who meet the eligibility requirements are entitled to receive it. DUO automatically calculates each student’s entitlement to the supplementary grant each year based on their parents’ income, so students are strongly encouraged to always apply for the supplementary grant even if they are unsure of their entitlement. The basic grant and supplementary grant are converted into non-repayable gifts if the student graduates within the nominal programme duration plus one additional year; otherwise they must be repaid with interest as a loan.