By law you must have health insurance in the Netherlands, but which kind depends on why you are here. Of all the topics in this series this is the one where the official answer surprises people most, so read it carefully.

This is general information, not legal or immigration advice. The IND decides on residence permits and your institution decides on admission.

If you are here only to study

Study in NL that if you are in the Netherlands for study purposes only, you are legally not allowed to take out Dutch public health insurance. You need cover from your home country with enough coverage, or a private health insurance. EU/EEA students may be eligible for a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), which covers necessary medical costs during your stay. Check with your home insurer, because this differs per EU member state.

If you work

You are required to have Dutch public health insurance as soon as you have a (part-time) job. If you are self-employed (zzp'er), contact the Sociale Verzekeringsbank (SVB) and ask for an assessment of your Wlz position. The SVB decides whether you need Dutch public insurance.

If you do an internship

It depends on nationality. Study in NL says that if you are from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland and not from a treaty country, you are insured under the Wlz scheme if you are paid at least the Dutch minimum wage. Expenses count as pay, and room and board may as well. For EU, EEA, Swiss and treaty-country students, the rules changed from 1 September 2025 and Study in NL refers you to the SVB. When in doubt, start the Wlz assessment with the SVB.

How to take out Dutch public insurance

  1. Register with a municipality first. You need to be registered before you can take out basic health insurance.
  2. Choose a Dutch public health insurer and fill out its application form.
  3. The registration is complete when you receive the policy sheet (polisblad).
  4. If you stop working or leave the Netherlands, cancel the insurance and deregister from the municipality.

Study in NL also links a checklist from SKGZ on what to look for when you take out basic insurance.

Money and warnings

  • Healthcare benefit (zorgtoeslag) can only be applied for through the Tax Office if you are eligible for Dutch public health insurance.
  • The Nibud cost figure Study in NL quotes for basic Dutch health insurance when you work is €133 a month (2024).
  • If the CAK sends you a letter about your insurance obligation, you must act within three months or face a fine. The page gives €529.72. This applies even if you got the letter by mistake, so contact the SVB.
  • After an orientation year permit, you cannot take out Dutch public insurance until you start work.

For the full list of first-week jobs, including the BSN you need for any insurance, see its after-arrival checklist.

Sources

Opened and checked on 5 October 2026. Figures that change from year to year are marked "as of October 2026"; check the source before you rely on them.