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Finance

Student finance and student travel product

Student finance is money from the Dutch government for students in vocational education (mbo), higher vocational education (hbo), and university (wo). If you are entitled to this, you will receive this money from 'Dienst Uitvoering en Onderwijs' (DUO). You must be a Dutch national or have the same rights. This means non-Dutch can also apply for student finance.

What is student finance?

Student finance consists of different components, such as the basic grant, the supplementary grant, the student travel product, the interest bearing loan and the tuition fees loan.

You will get the supplementary grant for the official duration of your study programme. This is usually 4 years. The amount of the supplementary grant depends on the following:

    • your parents income from 2 years ago.
    • whether your parents are repaying a student debt to DUO.
    • whether you have any siblings who receive a supplementary grant.
    • whether your parents are caring for any other school-age children.

    Don’t miss out on any money. Always apply for the supplementary grant. You only need to do so once. We will calculate every year if you are eligible.

    Parental income out of consideration

    Have you lost touch with one or both parents? Or do you have a serious dispute with one of them or both? Then you can ask us to leave the parental income out of consideration. You might qualify for a supplementary grant or a higher supplementary grant. That is only possible if you have already applied for a student grant with supplementary grant.

    This applies to the following situations:

    • You were not acknowledged by your parent;
    • The contact with your parent was severed before your 12th birthday;
    • You have a serious ongoing dispute with your parent about issues other than just money;
    • Parental authority has been ended by court order;
    • You came to the Netherlands as a refugee without your parent;
    • The whereabouts of your parent are unknown;
    • The child maintenance (alimony) as determined has been uncollectible for at least 12 consecutive months.

    If you wish to discuss whether you qualify for parental income out of consideration and/or you want to ask a student counsellor to provide a statement for you as an 'expert,' please make an appointment with a student counsellor to discuss your situation.

    If you need extra money for your education, you can take out a loan. You do not need to borrow the maximum amount, it is also possible to borrow less. You are free to decide this yourself. You can adjust or cancel your loan on a monthly basis. You are always required to repay the loan with interest after completing your education.
    With the student travel product you can travel for free or at a reduced rate by train, tram, bus and metro throughout the Netherlands. You can choose either a weekday or a weekend subscription. You arrange the student travel product along with your student finance.

    If you quit during the 1st year after getting student finance and you disenrolled before 1 February, you may not have to pay back your grant and student travel product for the 1st year.

    If you are studying HBO or university, you can apply for a tuition fees loan. Even if you fail to meet the nationality requirements for student finance.

    You always have to pay back the tuition fees loan, with interest.

     

    Do you have questions about your student finance or student travel product? You can phone DUO (+31 50 599 77 55), email or visit one of their Service Desks. Or ask your question via their social media channels.