Good to know
Tuition fees: statutory vs institutional
Wettelijk collegegeld ·Administered by Ministerie van Onderwijs, Cultuur en Wetenschap
Tuition in the Netherlands comes in two flavours. The statutory rate is fixed nationally and is what most EU/EEA students pay for a first bachelor's or master's. Non-EEA students and second-degree students pay the much higher institutional rate, typically €8,000–25,000+ per year.
Who qualifies
- Statutory rate: EU/EEA/Swiss/Surinamese nationality (or qualifying residence permit) and no prior Dutch degree at the same level
- Institutional rate: everyone else
How to apply
Nothing to apply for — your institution assigns the rate at enrollment. Paying in installments by direct debit is possible for a small fee.
Recent & announced changes
The first-year 50% tuition discount was abolished for new students from 2024/25 — older blog posts claiming half-price first years are outdated.
Sources
- Hoogte van het collegegeld — Rijksoverheid (retrieved 10 July 2026)
- Regeling wettelijk collegegeld 2026/27 — Staatscourant (retrieved 10 July 2026)
Last verified 10 July 2026