Dutch student grant can be used for study abroad

Dutch students will soon be able to study anywhere in the world and still receive a student grant from the Dutch government, just like domestic students. This was recently announced by the State Secretary for Education, Culture and Science, Mr Bruno Bruins. He noted that this plan has the support of the entire Dutch government.

In an interview with De Telegraaf, the largest daily newspaper in the Netherlands, Bruins is quoted as saying, “There are currently many more foreign students coming to the Netherlands than vice versa. That needs to change if we want to keep our international outlook. Making student grants and loans portable will give this ambition a major boost.”

Dutch students can normally expect to get a grant of about 250 euros a month. If their parents have a low income, students can also take out a loan which is paid back later at a reduced rate of interest. Despite this, many Dutch students prefer to take a part-time job for a few hours a week rather than end up in debt.

Expected to come into force in autumn 2007, the ‘global roaming’ plans for student grants will make it much easier for Dutch students to study abroad. Yet no one expects a mass student exodus. The study programmes available in the Netherlands are of a high quality, meaning that Dutch higher education remains competitive.

To qualify for ‘global roaming’, students will have to demonstrate that the programme they intend to study is of a comparable quality to Dutch study programmes. Nuffic’s role in this procedure is currently being discussed with IB-groep, the organization that administers the student grant and loan system in the Netherlands. It is likely that Nuffic will share its expertise in the field of study abroad opportunities and procedures, and that IB-groep will be the point of contact for students who want to study in another country with their Dutch student grant.

Source: NUFFIC press release, 12 September 2006