Netherlands

EU/EEA and Swiss citizens do not need a visa or a residence permit – your ID card or passport proves that you are staying legally. According to the immigration service IND, you must meet three conditions:

• you are enrolled at an institution in the Netherlands,
• you have health insurance – a foreign policy is enough if it covers you in the Netherlands (e.g. your European Health Insurance Card, EHIC),
• you have enough money to support yourself and do not rely on social assistance.

If you stay longer than 4 months, register at the municipality (gemeente) where you live as soon as possible.

Students from outside the EU/EEA need a student residence permit (for university or higher professional education) and, depending on your nationality, also an entry visa (MVV). You do not apply yourself: only your institution can apply for you, as a sponsor recognised by the IND – it will contact you after you enrol. You will need to show that you have enough money: in 2026 the IND study norm is €1,130.77 a month for university and HBO students. Foreign documents must be legalised and translated into Dutch, English, French or German. The permit is valid for the length of your programme plus 3 months, and you must earn at least 50% of the credits each study year. On arrival you register in the municipal personal records database (BRP) where you live.

Note: the IND updates the study norm every 1 January – €1,130.77 applies to 2026. If you start your studies or renew your permit in 2027, check the current amount on the IND website or with your institution.

Health insurance: as long as you only study, you cannot take out Dutch basic insurance – a private or foreign policy that covers you is enough. Once you start working (whether you are from the EU or not), you must take out Dutch basic health insurance from your first day of work – Study in NL estimates it at around €133 a month (Nibud, 2024).