Student residence permit for the Netherlands
Students from outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland need a residence permit for study from the IND (the Dutch immigration service). The part that surprises most people: you do not apply yourself. The institution you are admitted to, if it is a recognised sponsor, applies on your behalf.
How it works
- Get admitted through Studielink and the institution.
- Send your documents to the institution, including proof of sufficient means. The institution tells you what it needs.
- The institution applies to the IND. If your nationality needs an entry visa (an MVV, machtiging tot voorlopig verblijf), the institution applies for the MVV and the residence permit together, in one procedure the IND calls TEV.
- Collect your MVV at the Dutch embassy or consulate if you need one, then travel. The IND says the MVV must be collected within three months of the decision and gives you 90 days to travel after that.
- Collect the residence card in the Netherlands after you arrive. Your institution will explain the appointment.
Citizens of some non-EU countries do not need an MVV. The IND keeps the current list of exemptions; check it for your passport.
What the IND checks
- You are registered with an educational institution recognised as a sponsor.
- You have enough money: see sufficient means.
- You have no criminal record of the kind that blocks a permit.
- You are insured for healthcare costs in the Netherlands: see health insurance.
- For some nationalities the IND also requires a tuberculosis test at the Municipal Health Service (GGD) after you arrive. The IND will tell your institution if it applies to you.
How long it lasts, and the 50% rule
The permit is valid for the length of your studies plus three months, to a maximum of five years, and only while you keep meeting the conditions. One of them is that you earn at least half the credits (ECTS) each year. Fall behind and the institution has to report it, which can end the permit.
Working
With a study permit you may work at most 16 hours a week, or full-time in June, July and August. Your employer must hold a work permit (TWV) from UWV for you. The Dutch Labour Inspectorate checks hours and permits, and the employer can be fined for breaking the rules.
After you graduate: the orientation year
Graduates of an accredited Dutch bachelor’s or master’s programme can apply to the IND for an orientation year permit (zoekjaar) within three years of graduating. It lasts up to one year, you may take any job or internship, and you can use it to look for work as a highly skilled migrant. The government says a lower salary requirement applies to highly skilled migrant jobs found within three years of graduation. IND forms and the Dutch government’s page list the exact conditions.
EU, EEA and Swiss students
You do not need a residence permit for study. The IND has a page on what you must arrange if you stay longer than a short visit.
This page is general information, not immigration advice. The IND decides on your case; your institution’s international office is the first place to ask.
Sources
- IND — International students and the IND — Institution applies; ~2 weeks; valid for studies + 3 months, max 5 years; 50% of credits; work rules; orientation year
- IND — Decision periods — 90-day legal term
- IND — Apply for MVV and residence permit from abroad — MVV and TEV procedure
- IND — MVV exemptions — Who does not need an MVV
- Government of the Netherlands — Orientation year for highly educated persons — Conditions, one year, any job
- IND — Staying in the Netherlands as an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen — EU/EEA/Swiss students
Last checked: 5 October 2026. Rules and amounts change; confirm them on the official page before you act on them. This is general information, not legal or immigration advice.
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