Condition for a residence permit for study: income

​The amount you need to have, is called study norm

The study norm equals the amount Dutch students receive in study benefit when they are living in a dorm. The amount does not include school or college fees. The amount changes every year on 1 January. Check the study norm.

Show income every study year

Each study year you will have to show your income. Your educational institution will ask you to prove your income. You should have sufficient money to live and study in the Netherlands for 12 months. The educational institution will ask you to fill out the form Appendix 'Foreign national’s own statement: income within the context of a study'. 

You can show your income in different ways

You will now read 6 ways to show sufficient income. You should prove your income with documents. These documents should be in Dutch, English, German or French. Is this not the case? Then you should have the documents translated.

You have the money on your own bank account

You have the study norm for 1 year (12 x study norm) on your own bank account. This bank account is in your name. And you can freely withdraw the money from the bank account. With a current account or a regular savings account you can always withdraw cash freely. Do you have a different type of account? Please show that the balance can be withdrawn freely. Certificates of deposit are only accepted when they indicate that you may and can withdraw the money.

Do you have a joint account with another person? A statement is then required. This statement indicates that you may and can use the money.

You shows this with one of the following documents:

• An original bank statement.
• A copy of an account statement.
• A printout of the internet of the bank account. Is it a foreign bank account? You then also need to show an original bank statement.

All documents may not be older than 3 months. The bank statement, copy of an account statement or the printout of the internet of the bank account should have the following information:

• the date;
• your personal details (at least your initials and surname);
• the bank account number;
• the balance;
• the contact details of the bank (website/email, bank branch including address and telephone number).

You deposit money on the account of your educational institution

You deposit the study norm for 1 year (12 x the study norm) on the bank account of your educational institution. The amount is on the account when your educational institution submits the application. Or when the educational institution registers you at the IND as a student.

Your educational institution keeps a copy of their account statement in their administration. This account statement has the following information:

• the date;

• the bank account number and name of the educational institution;

• the amount paid by you. When depositing the money you have, for example, mentioned your name and student number in the transaction.

The copy may not have any handwritten text.

You receive a scholarship

​You show this with a scholarship declaration. The declaration shows:

• the date;

• the institution granting the scholarship;

• your personal details (initials, surname and date of birth)

• the start and finish of the scholarship (start and end date);

• the amount you receive;

• Optional: the name of the scholarship programme.

Does the educational institution grant you a scholarship on behalf of a different institution? For example an organisation or company? Then the educational institution should keep the agreement between them and the organisation in question in their administration.

You receive funds from a company

The company has the study norm for at least 1 year on a bank account. The company can freely use this money.

You show this with:

• The Appendix 'Financial statement of support (company)'. The statement is not older than 3 months. You may also use another statement. Make sure that statement shows the following information:

  • the first name, surname, date of birth, place of birth, nationality and passport number of the signatory;
  • name and contact details of the company;
  • your first name, surname, date of birth, place of birth, nationality and passport number;
  • the amount to be transferred monthly;
  • the start and finish of the financial support (start and end date);
  • the place and date the statement is signed;
  • the signature of the person acting on behalf of the company.
• An original bank statement of the company. This bank statement is not older than 3 months. The bank statement shows:
  • the name of the company;
  • the bank account number;
  • the balance;
  • the contact details of the bank (website/email and bank branch).

You receive money from a person abroad

This person is your financier. Your sponsor has the study norm for at least 1 year (12 x the study norm) on a bank account.

Your financier can freely withdraw money from the account. With a current account or a regular savings account your financier can always freely withdraw money. Does your financier have a different type of account? Than he should show that the money may freely be withdrawn.

Do you have a joint account with another person? A statement is then required. This statement indicates that you may and can use the money.

You show this with:

• The Appendix 'Financial statement of support (private person)'. This statement is not older than 3 months.

• A copy of the passport or identity document of the financier.
• Proof of a bank account on the name of the financier. The financier can show this with one of the following documents:
  • an original bank statement;
  • a copy of a account statement;
  • a printout of the internet of the bank account.

The bank statement, account statement of printout is not older than 3 months. And they should show the following information:

• the date;
• the personal details of the financier (at least the initials and surname);
• the bank account number;
• the balance;
• the contact details of the bank (website/email, bank branch including address and telephone number).

You receive money from a person in the Netherlands

This person is your financier. Your financier in the Netherlands should show he has income. Your financier can read which rules apply for his income on the page 'You live in the Netherlands and finances the study of a foreign student'.

You show this with the following documents:

• The Appendix 'Financial statement of support (private person)'. The statement is not older than 3 months.

• An original extract from the Municipal Personal Records Database of the municipality where your financier is living. The extract shows the family composition of your financier. The extract is not older than 3 months.

• Proof of the income of the financier. The appendix Proof of income states which documents your financier needs for his type of income.