Finance

The statutory tuition fee for the upcoming academic year 2023-2024 is €2,314 per year.

You are eligible for the statutory fee if:

1. You comply with one of the following nationality requirements:
   - You have the nationality of an EU/EEA country(opens in new tab), Switzerland or Suriname.
   - You are a family member of an EU/EEA, Swiss or Surinam citizen who resides in the Netherlands.
   - You have a residence permit in the Netherlands.
   - You are married to or have a cohabitation contract with an EU/EEA, Swiss or Surinam citizen.
2. You have not been awarded a degree in Dutch higher education (that is equivalent of your current programme of study) after 31 August 1991.

If you do not fulfil both requirements, you pay the institutional tuition fee.

Reduced statutory fee

Tuition fees have been halved for students in their first year of higher education. This means that you will pay €1,157 in 2023/2024 instead of €2,314. You qualify for this reduced fee if you meet the following conditions:

• you are starting a course at a Dutch university or University of Applied Sciences for the first time;
• the statutory fee applies to you.

Note: As of 2024/2025 the reduced tuition fee might not be applicable anymore.

See all terms and conditions on government.nl(opens in new tab)

If you are not from the EU/EEA or do not meet the conditions applicable to statutory tuition fees, you pay institutional tuition fees. The tuition fee for 2022 entry is € 6,620 per year for full time study.

Please note: fees are subject to change in line with government changes and inflation.

Windesheim does not charge fees to exchange students from our partner universities. However, if you pay tuition fees to your home institution, you will probably have to continue paying those while you are in the Netherlands. Please contact our International Office if you have any questions.

Are you a free mover? Please send an e-mail to our International Office.

An average room in Zwolle costs somewhere between €350 to €650 a month. Prices depend on the location, facilities, room size and what is included in the rent.

Housing benefit

Rent can eat up a big chunk of income each month, especially if you are a student. Housing benefit could help you to meet those costs and save you some worry.

You could get housing benefit if:

• You are 18 years or older.
• You rent independent accommodation.
• You, your possible benefit partner, and co-occupants are registered at your Dutch home address.  
• Your rent, (combined) income and capital are not too high.
• You have the nationality of an EU country, Liechtenstein, Norway, Iceland or Switzerland or you have a valid residence permit or work permit.

You can apply for the rent benefit yourself if you have a citizen service number (burgerservicenummer or BSN). You will receive your number if you register with the municipality. As a foreign student, you can apply for a BSN at the municipality within two weeks of your arrival in the Netherlands.

Please note: housing benefit does not apply to student residences such as the HIVE or Talentenplein.

Bachelor's degree students have to pay for their own books, readers and field trips in addition to tuition fees. Exchange students only have to pay a small amount for readers.

You need to bring your own laptop, but we offer free Microsoft Office software.

Average costs per programme

• Global Project and Change Management: €250
• International Business: €600 for the first year

You will need budget for things such as food, clothes, travel, going out and using your mobile phone. What you spend will depend on your lifestyle, but €350 to €550 a month is fairly normal. 

Health and liability insurance

Dutch law requires everybody living in the Netherlands to have health insurance. That includes students who are only here for a few months. It is your own responsibility to arrange insurance coverage that is best suited to your personal circumstances. A health insurance costs approximately €100 to €140 a month.

Besides this, we strongly advise you to have a liability insurance.

Read more about insurances

Public transport

The Netherlands has a good public transport network. Travelling by train and bus is easy, but can be expensive. On the websites of the Dutch Railways(opens in new tab) and other forms of transport like bus and metro(opens in new tab), you can find departure and arrival times as well as ticket price information and information on the OV-chip card.

Student society

A quick and easy way to meet other students is joining a student society. Membership fees are typically about €50 a year.

Find out more about student life in Zwolle

The total costs for international students, studying at our University of Applied Sciences, are:

• EU/EEA students: between € 11,000 and € 16,000 euro per year
• Non-EU/EEA students: between € 15,000 and € 21,000 euro per year

The Dutch government has set up a funding system(opens in new tab) to pay for study costs, tuition fees, health insurance and costs of living. It is meant for students under the age of 30, registered in full-time education in the Netherlands. You have to have either the Dutch nationality, or a nationality or residence permit that provides the same rights as Dutch nationals. In addition, you or your parents work at least 56 hours per month in the Netherlands, or you have a monthly income of at least 50% of the social security norm (2023: €567.94 per month, or if you are younger than 21: €147.60 per month)

Through this system, you can also get a grant of maximum a few hundred euro’s per month, and a card for free public transport. Find the full explanation on the Study in NL website(opens in new tab) and the website of DUO(opens in new tab) (of the Ministry of Education).

Another option, recently developed in Romania, is   FINS:(opens in new tab) offering student loans to EU students with support of the European Investment Fund.(opens in new tab)

Windesheim does not offer scholarships. There might however be other possibilities, depending on your country and programme. StudyinHolland.nl(opens in new tab) presents an excellent overview of the scholarships available.

It is also advisable to speak to the Dutch embassy in your country, as they can give you advice on which scholarships and grants you may be eligible for.

Having a job alongside your study can help you finance your study. We do not recommend starting a job immediately after your arrival. Take at least six months to a year to get used to the country, your programme, and to make friends. Once you are settled, it is also easier to find a job.

If you are from an EU/EEA country (other than Croatia) or a Swiss national, you can work as much as you like while studying, without needing a permit. If you are from another country, you can either do seasonal work or get a small part-time job, provided you get a work permit. Your employer has to apply for the work permit. Please be aware that not all employers are willing to do this, so finding a job as a non-EU student is not always easy!

If you work, you must get health insurance. For details, also about working during an internship, check Study in Holland(opens in new tab).

Students setting up their new life in the Netherlands will need to open a Dutch bank account to rent a room, receive their salaries, or to just take a trip down to the shop.

Most people in the Netherlands use their debit card for everyday purchases, such as grocery shopping or restaurant bills. Credit cards are mainly used online for expenses abroad, such flights or to rent a car.

Since most people use their debit card or smartphone to make payments, cash is used less. The number of ATMs is therefore decreasing. At most places you can also make contactless payments. All you need to do is hold your telephone or debit card against a payment terminal and the amount will be debited from your current account straight away.

Good to know: there is no extra charge for cash withdrawals and payments made using a debit card. If you use a credit card to withdraw cash, you will be charged extra.

Go to iamexpat.nl for more information on banking(opens in new tab)