If you are from outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland, you will almost certainly need a student residence permit. The part that surprises people is who applies for it: your institution does, not you.

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

Who applies

The IND’s page for university and HBO students says only the educational institution can apply for the residence permit for you. The institution has to be a recognised sponsor of the IND. The IND background article adds that recognised institutions have signed the Code of Conduct for International Students in Higher Education.

In practice, per Study in NL, when you enrol in a programme your institution contacts you to start the application. If it does not, ask the international office.

What the permit requires

  • Registration as a student at an accredited university or HBO institution, full-time.
  • The IND's general requirements for all applicants.
  • Enough money to live and study for 12 months. See our guide to the income requirement.
  • Progress: you need to earn at least 50% of the credits each study year.

How long it lasts

The permit stays valid for the length of the study plus three months, up to a maximum of five years, and only while you meet the requirements. The IND page says it processes applications within 60 days, while its background article says the IND usually decides within about two weeks on applications submitted by an institution. Treat the longer figure as the safe planning number.

The MVV

Depending on your nationality you also need an entry visa, the MVV, for stays over 90 days. Study in NL explains the order: once your institution receives the IND's letter of approval (the inwilliging), it lets you know, and then you apply for the MVV at the embassy or consulate in your home country. The MVV is valid for 90 days and is meant to be followed by the residence permit.

Citizens of the EU do not need a visa to stay or a work permit to work.

Dates to know

The IND says there is a large peak of applications in summer and that it has organised central collection days where students pick up their permits. In 2023 about 14,000 students picked up permits on those days. Do not book a flight until your institution confirms the approval.

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.