How Much Does It Cost to Study in the Netherlands? Tuition Fees and Housing

Fee figures: catalogue of 6 October 2026.

The Netherlands has two prices for the same programme. Students from the EU pay a single fee set by the government. Most students from outside the EU pay a fee set by the institution, which is several times higher. Which price you pay depends on your nationality and residence status, not on the programme.

The statutory fee

At publicly funded universities and universities of applied sciences, the statutory fee (wettelijk collegegeld) for full-time study in 2026/27 is €2,694 a year, according to DUO, the government agency that administers it. It is the same for every programme, from Law to Nursing.

You pay the statutory fee if you are a citizen of the Netherlands, another EU or EEA country, Switzerland or Suriname, or if you hold one of the Dutch residence permits listed by DUO, for example a permit as the family member of an EU citizen.

There used to be a half fee for first-year students. It was abolished from 1 September 2024, so it no longer applies.

The institutional fee

Everyone else pays the institutional fee (instellingscollegegeld). Each institution sets it, it can differ from programme to programme, and it is never lower than the statutory fee. In our catalogue the typical institutional fee for a bachelor's programme at a public institution is €10,684 a year. Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Medicine are the most expensive, at up to €35,640 a year.

The institutional fee also applies to EU students in one case: if you already hold a Dutch publicly funded degree of the same type, a second bachelor's usually costs the institutional fee. There are exceptions for a second programme in education or healthcare.

We show the institutional fee on a programme page when the institution has published it. Where it has not, the institution's fee page is the source.

Private institutions

Private institutions receive no public funding and set the same price for all students, whatever their nationality. In our catalogue they charge from €4,798 to €28,000 a year, mostly business schools and small universities of applied sciences. Check that the programme is accredited before you pay.

Money for the residence permit

Non-EU students need a residence permit for study. Your institution applies for it on your behalf, and the IND, the Dutch immigration service, charges a fee of €254, paid through the institution.

You must also show that you can support yourself. For students at a university or university of applied sciences, the IND requires €1,130.77 a month in 2026 (valid from 1 January to 31 December 2026). Your institution checks this before it applies. The amount changes every January, so check the IND page for the year you start.

Housing

Housing is the hardest part of studying in the Netherlands and often the biggest cost. Study in NL, the official portal run by Nuffic, says an average room costs between €450 and €1,000 a month, and quotes average student rent of €561 a month based on 2024 figures from Nibud, the Dutch budgeting institute. Its estimate for total living costs, including rent, is €1,000 to €1,500 a month.

Amsterdam, Utrecht and other large cities are the most expensive. Smaller cities such as Enschede are cheaper. Ask your institution as soon as you are admitted whether it can help you find a room.

Health insurance

Everyone needs health insurance. If you take a paid job in the Netherlands, you must take out Dutch basic health insurance, which Study in NL puts at about €133 a month based on 2024 Nibud figures. See health insurance for students in Europe.

How to keep costs down

Check your status first. Some residence permits give you the statutory fee.
Compare institutional fees. They vary widely between institutions for similar programmes.
Look at scholarships. Many institutions offer their own scholarships for non-EU students.
Start looking for a room the moment you apply, and consider a smaller city.

Where to look next

Official sources

DUO: statutory fee and who pays it (in Dutch)
IND: required amounts for students
IND: residence permit for study
Study in NL: student living costs

Always check current information on the official website of the university before you apply.