Student residence permit for university or higher professional education
Requirements
- You meet the general requirements that apply to everyone.
- You have proof of registration or temporary proof of registration as a student at a university or institute of higher professional education (in Dutch: hoger beroepsonderwijs or HBO).
- Your study programme is accredited: this means that it has been recognised by Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders or NVAO (in the Netherlands) or the European Quality Assurance Register for Higher Education or EQAR (Europe).
- Your educational institution is a sponsor recognised by the IND.
- You will enrol on a full-time study programme.
- You meet the income requirements.
- Every year you make enough progress in your studies. This means that you obtain at least 50% of the credits for each study year.
Assessment of study progress
Your educational institution assesses your progress and lets you know if you have obtained enough credits. Is your study progress insufficient? Then your educational institution must assess whether you have good reasons. The educational institution does this by checking against the Higher Education and Research Act (WHW). Do you not have good reasons for insufficient study progress? Then the educational institution must report this to the IND. After that, the IND assesses whether you still meet the requirements for study.
Do you want to know more about your study progress? And how the educational institution assesses this? Then contact your educational institution.
Preparatory period
Does your educational institution require you to pass extra courses or to take a language test to be admitted to the study programme? Or do you need to prepare for a master’s degree programme after your bachelor’s degree (pre-master)? The student residence permit also gives you a right of residence in the Netherlands during a preparatory period. This preparatory period usually lasts 1 year. During this period you work on meeting the requirements of the study programme of your choice. After the preparatory period your educational institution determines if you meet the admission requirements. Do you not meet the requirements? Then the educational institution will deregister you at the IND.
Process and costs
These are the steps in the application process for your student residence permit at a university or institute of higher professional education.
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1. Check requirements open minusA valid provisional residence permit (MVV) is needed for this application
Make sure you meet the requirements.
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1. Check requirements open minusMake sure you meet the requirements.
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2. Collect documents open minusThe educational institution has a list of documents you need. Collect all documents before your educational institution submits the application.
Have official foreign documents legalised and translated into Dutch, English, French or German.
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2. Collect documents open minusThe educational institution has a list of documents you need. Collect all documents before your educational institution submits the application.
Have official foreign documents legalised and translated into Dutch, English, French or German.
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3. Apply open minusYour educational institution submits the application and applies for your MVV and student residence permit at the same time.
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3. Apply open minusYour educational institution submits the application for your student residence permit.
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4. Pay for application open minusThe application costs € 243,00. For all fees and exceptions, visit our web page Fees: application costs.
The costs are paid through the educational institution.
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4. Pay for application open minusThe application costs € 243,00. For all fees and exceptions, visit our web page Fees: application costs.
The costs are paid through the educational institution.
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5. Wait for decision on application open minusThe IND must take a decision within 60 days. This is called the decision period.
We can extend the decision period if it takes longer to decide. For example, because the application is not complete. In that case, your educational institution will be notified.
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5. Wait for decision on application open minusThe IND must take a decision within 60 days. This is called the decision period.
We can extend the decision period if it takes longer to decide. For example, because the application is not complete. In that case, your educational institution will be notified.
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6. Decision on application open minusYour educational institution will receive the decision in a letter. The decision will be positive or negative.
- Positive decision: you will get an MVV and a student residence permit.
- Negative decision: you will not get an MVV or student residence permit. You can object against this decision.
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6. Decision on application open minusYour educational institution will receive the decision in a letter. The decision will be positive or negative.
- Positive decision: you will get a student residence permit.
- Negative decision: you will not get a student residence permit. You can object against this decision.
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7. Make appointment for MVV visa sticker and travel to the Netherlands open minusYour can travel to the Netherlands with the MVV.
Make appointment within 3 months of decision
You will have to make an appointment at the Dutch representation. This is the embassy or consulate that you filled in on the application form. You have to make the appointment within 3 months after the IND has taken a decision on your application.
Biometrics
You must provide biometric data during the appointment at the Dutch representation. You will put a signature and the Dutch representation will take fingerprints. You also needs to bring 1 new passport photo. Go to netherlandsworldwide.nl for information on requirements for ID photos.
Valid passport required
Your passport must be valid for at least another 6 months when the Dutch representation places the MVV visa sticker in the passport. The MVV is valid for 90 days.
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8. Collect residence permit open minusWhen your student residence permit is ready at the IND desk, your educational institution will receive a letter. You must make an appointment to collect it. Make an appointment to collect your residence document.
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7. Collect residence permit open minusWhen your student residence permit is ready at the IND desk, your educational institution will receive a letter. You must make an appointment to collect it. Make an appointment to collect your residence document.
Application form
Your educational institution submits the application for you and uses this application form:
Written application forms
Written application forms
The residence permit
Find out what else you need to know about your student residence permit.
TB test
Did the educational institution indicate at the time of the application that you will take a TB (tuberculosis) test? Then make an appointment with the public health service (in Dutch: Gemeenschappelijke Gezondheidsdienst or GGD). Do this within 3 months after you have received the residence permit. Take with you to the appointment:
Working with the residence permit
On the back of your residence permit, it says´Work permit required for additional work, other work as an employee not permitted´ (in Dutch: Tewerkstellingsvergunning (TWV) vereist voor arbeid van bijkomende aard, andere arbeid in loondienst niet toegestaan).
Working as an employee
You may work as an employee if your employer has a work permit (TWV) for you. If you want to work, then you must choose: up to 16 hours a week; or fulltime during the months of June, July and August.
The Netherlands Labour Authority (in Dutch: Nederlandse Arbeidsinspectie) checks whether your employer has a TWV, and whether you are not working more than is allowed. Are you working more than is allowed or without a TWV? Then the Netherlands Labour Authority will report this to the IND and give your employer a fine. The IND will contact your educational institution.
Working as a self-employed person
As long as you still meet the requirements for the residence permit, you may work as a self-employed person. You do not need a TWV and you may work as much as you want as a self-employed person. You must, however, register with the Chamber of Commerce (in Dutch: Kamer van Koophandel or KvK) and pay tax. You may also need to arrange for Dutch healthcare insurance.
Traineeship
You may follow a traineeship if this is part of your study programme. Then a TWV is not needed. Visit the website of Nuffic for more information.
Change educational institutions
During your studies you are allowed to transfer to another educational institution. Your residence permit remains valid. The new educational institution must be recognised as sponsor. And you and the new educational institution also have to notify the IND of your switch.
Temporary study outside the Netherlands
Intra-EU mobility
EU Directive 2016/801 makes it possible to study in several EU countries (we call this intra-EU mobility). You can study with your Dutch residence permit in other EU countries for up to 360 days. Intra-EU mobility does not allow to do just an internship in another EU country. Your studies abroad must be part of an educational programme which states that you may study in several countries under the mobility provisions. Or you must go and study in a different EU country under an agreement between two or more higher education institutions. Your educational institution must notify the IND in time of your study in the EU using the form: Notification form for study purposes (meldingsformulier voor studie).
No intra-EU mobility
Do you want to study abroad? But do you not meet the rules for intra-EU mobility? You can study abroad for up to 12 months. This may also be a traineeship. During your stay abroad you must make enough study progress.
Legal obligations
Your educational institution has as a recognised sponsor for study purposes an obligation to provide information, an obligation to keep records and a duty of care. If you are a student, you only have an obligation to provide information.
Find out more about the legal obligations of the recognised sponsor and the foreign national’s obligation to provide information.
The IND checks whether you meet your obligations. If you do not, you may get an administrative fine.
Validity of residence permit
The residence permit for study is valid for 3 months longer than the duration of your study. A preparatory period is part of the duration of your study. The IND will issue the residence permit for a maximum of 5 years. The residence permit will remain valid as long as you meet the requirements for study.
Type of residence permit
The residence permit is type I, temporary regular residence permit.
Other applications
Replacement of the residence permit
Has your residence permit been damaged, lost or stolen? Then have the residence permit replaced. Visit the web page residence permit damaged or change of personal details or residence permit lost or stolen.
Extend the residence permit
Will your residence permit expire soon? Then you can extend your residence permit.
Apply for a different residence permit
Have you completed your studies? Then you can apply for a different residence permit to:
- look for a job after study.
- work as a highly skilled migrant. Then a lower income requirement will apply to you.
- work as a start-up entrepreneur (start-up).