The Netherlands is an excellent destination for international students but living costs can be high. The cost of accommodation is probably the biggest challenge, but here are some tips on how to save money on other things, such as groceries and public transportation, and make the best of your student experience.
The average budget while studying in the Netherlands will most likely range between 800 euros and 1,100 euros per month. You’ll spend at least 400 euros out of this budget on rent. As a rule of thumb: try to squeeze your rent costs at 30% of your budget, so you don’t feel overwhelmed. It is not possible to avoid the high rent costs in the Netherlands, but it is possible to save money on other things[1] and still enjoy your stay.
The Netherlands is a top study destination because of its broad range of English thought programmes, good quality education, and affordable tuition fees. For EU students, tuition costs start at € 2,200 per year, and first-year students get 50% discount. As a plus, although the official language is Dutch, almost everyone speaks high-level English, and Dutchies are considered the best non-native English speakers in the world.
If you think that you will not afford to study in the Netherlands with the budget you have at the moment, don’t give up hope. The Dutch government provides a lot of benefits and student funding for low-income families. Getting a student job is possible and should be a priority, and next to that, there are other ways for you to earn or save some money as a student. In this article we will give you some suggestions on how to fulfil your study dreams in the Netherlands without financial help from your parents. Read below and find some tips on how you can save a few euros and make the most of your time here while studying.
AFFORDABLE UNIVERSITIES IN THE NETHERLANDS
Get a student job. There are plenty of options.
As an international student in the Netherlands, you might want to find a part-time job,. Even if you don’t speak Dutch, finding a job to support yourself through your studies and get some extra money is quite easy. If you are looking for flexible working hours, you can try to apply for delivery jobs, like Flink or thuisbezorgd. These companies provide food delivery with the e-bike, and it is the most common part-time job that students take. Also, do not forget to check the job boards on your university’s main website; most universities offer their students part-time job offers within the university or outside of it, like working at a music festival or waitressing at a local restaurant.
If it is not possible to get a part-time job during the academic year, a good alternative would be to find a job for your summer holidays that usually last for 2 months. The minimum salary in The Netherlands is around €1600 per month (depending on your age). So a full-time job during the summer holidays could earn you a decent amount of money. The easiest way to find a job is through an employment agency or uitzendbureau. Some of them even specialise in student recruitment. Check out the Tempo-team, Timing, or Olympia and what unqualified jobs they have to offer. These agencies are one of the biggest, meaning they have offices and job offers everywhere in the Netherlands.
Apply for state health and rent allowances.
As a student, you usually don’t have a high income, so the government can help you to pay your rent and health insurance. It is possible to apply for allowances, such as:
- Zorgtoslag (health insurance allowance)
- Huurtoeslag (rent allowance)
Zorgtoslag is especially beneficial if you have a job in The Netherlands because then having Dutch healthcare insurance becomes mandatory. The price of health insurance may vary from €100 to €160 per month, but with the health allowance, you can get a €110 discount, meaning that you will need to pay only around €15 per month for basic insurance.
If you live in a rented house, you may be entitled to the rent benefit. In order to qualify for it, you need to be at least 18 years old, have a signed rental agreement with your landlord, and your rent shouldn’t exceed €442,46 per month.
To check if you are eligible to get these allowances, you can visit the tax authority website www.belastingdienst.nl for more information.
Access STUDENT FUNDING for international students.
In the Netherlands, it is also possible to get study funding, even if you do not hold Dutch nationality. In this case, however, there is one requirement: you must work 56 hours per month. The Dutch student finance consists of 3 parts:
- Loan (to cover your study costs)
- Supplementary grant (up to €420, and it’s only possible to get it if your parents don’t have a high income)
- Student travel products (you can travel for free with public transport on a weekday basis or at the weekends, depending on your needs)
If you feel that you need more information, or maybe you think it will be impossible for you to work 56 hours per month to be eligible for student finance, I would suggest reading this article by Avant Advocaten. According to them, 56 hours criterion is a lie, and all European students are entitled to equal treatment under European Law. If you receive a rejection on your application, Avant lawyers can help you solve the problem.
Travel smart and save TRANSPORT money
Cycling is the cheapest and sometimes even the fastest option if you want to avoid traffic, especially in the big cities. Dutch infrastructure is unique in the world,with separate cycling paths along all the roads which enables you to cycle pretty much everywhere—the cost of a second-hand bike range from 30-100€ in Marktplaats. Or, if you are fancy enough, you can try Swapfiets and get a bike for a fixed monthly fee of 18€.
If you are not willing to cycle every day and decide to use public transport when it rains or you want to get to another city, the best option is to get yourself OV-chipkaart. This card will let you buy bus or train tickets at a lower rate. Also, it is possible to choose from a wide range of subscriptions, like getting a 40% discount for train tickets that travel outside rush hours or at the weekends.
Get discounts and special offers for your GROCERIES
Many stores like Lidl, Action, and Kruidvat offer Bonus cards which you can use for special offers and discounts. To store all cards in one place, download the Stocard app, and by scanning your cards, they will land directly on your phone, so you don’t have to worry about carrying all the cards everywhere with you.
If you live in a student house, the excellent alternative to save costs on food will be food waste apps like toogoodtogo or nowoodwasted. For the price of €5, you can get a magic box that contains vegetables, fruit, or meat. Most of the items will expire the same day, but if you share the box with your roommates or freeze the items from the box, you can save a lot of money and help our planet by reducing food waste.
Be moderate with your LIFESTYLE and FREE TIME expenses
Going out can also be quite expensive, but necessary and, fortunately, also manageable. If you love watching movies, Pathe Netherlands offers a monthly subscription card[5] for €21 per month, so you don’t need to pay for a ticket whenever you want to watch a film. People who love visiting museums can avail of Museum Card , which gives access to over 400 museums across the country.
Regarding eating out, a decent meal with a drink costs an average of €25. So if you plan a date night, check groupons.nl or fork.nl for affordable discounts in various restaurants. And if you want to do the things like a true Dutch, don’t forget to split your bill with your mates using the Tikkie app.