Netherlands: student grants to be replaced by loans

Dutch students are about to face a major change in the funding of their higher education. Netherlands’ Minister for Education, Culture and Science, Jet Bussemaker, has agreed to a bill that would start officially from 1^st January 2015 that is aiming at converting student grants into student loans, which means students will need to repay their loans later in life and therefore start their career with a debt. According to University World News, this plan will enable the government to free about 1 billion euros, it also says 20% to 30% of this amount will be redistributed to students having a family income lower than 46,000€.

Until the end of 2014, students will be able to receive a grant from the government (called Studiefinanciering) with two tiers.

1. Students living with their parents: €100.25/month.
2. Students not living with their parents: 279.14€/month.

At the moment, many Dutch students receive the basic grant, as conditions seem easy to reach. Any of the below can entitle a Dutch student to receive the Studiefinanciering.

• Work 56 hours a month in a registered job
• If married or have a registered partner from the EU and Switzerland, if they work 56 hours a month with a contract from a Dutch employer
• If the parent works 56 hours a month with a contract from a Dutch employer (and is resident in the Netherlands)
• If the student or his/her partner or the parent is an independent entrepreneur and/or freelancer based in the Netherlands, works 56 hours a month.

Currently a student loan (named Collegegeldkrediet) taken in 2014 will have to be repaid within 15 years after graduation, with a start date set to two years after graduation. Any European is technically entitled to subscribe to this study loan.

According to the QS World University Rankings®, the highest ranked Dutch institutions are University of Amsterdam (ranked at 58) and Leiden University (ranked at 74). These universities will both charge €1,906 of tuition fees for a Bachelor’s degree for the 2014/2015.

More information about grants and loans in Netherlands.