Best Student Loans in The Netherlands

Compare the best options on the market and choose the one which best adapts to your day-to-day needs.

Further Below: Our Guide To Student Loans in the Netherlands, Everything you need to know.

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Student Loans in The Netherlands, All You Need To Know:

Whether a Dutch or EU national, there are a host of student loans in the Netherlands that help you to easily achieve your academic goals. It all starts from being informed about the best options available, which factors to consider before choosing them, and how student loans work in the Netherlands. 

This article covers all that. Scroll down!

Quick Summary

What you should know about student credits:

• The type of student credit you take out depends on the type of studies
• Student loans are often referred to good debt because it has better conditions than conventional loans
• Most lenders will require you to have a guarantee before approving your application
• Some loans will have the parent apply, especially when the student is a minor
• Depending on the type of loan, the credit can cover fees and other educational expenses such as hostel rent, transport, etc.
• A student credit has a long grace period of up to 5 years (the period varies with entities).

All About the Student Loan System in the Netherlands

• A new student loan system was introduced in the Netherlands in 2015 after the old one was scrapped. Getting a loan for higher education including bachelor’s and master’s degree courses is now easier. 
• Beneficiaries of student loans in the Netherlands are required to be working for a minimum of 56 hours in a month to demonstrate the ability to repay the loan. 
• Student loans are designed to cover the student’s whole tuition fees for the whole tenure of their studies. 

Types of student loans we can apply for

A loan provider may have the credit designed to finance your college tuition only while others may have an allowance for other related expenses. Let’s discuss this:

• Financing a degree will come in two options:
  • Loans that are designed to finance only the costs of tuition. Presenting the tuition itself as proof, we will be granted the total cost (or a percentage) of this, depending on the entity.
  • Loans that cover all expenses related to studies such as tuition, material, transportation, or even hostel rent.
• Scholarship Advances: Whether it is a scholarship to study in Austria or abroad, the grants will most probably arrive after the beginning of the course. Hence, a student will receive the loan and then repay it after the scholarship funds are released.
• Postgraduate studies: Such as a master’s degree, a postgraduate diploma, or a doctorate. Depending on the credit, we can finance only the registration fee or all the expenses associated with the course.
• Studies abroad: For whichever level of studies or course you’re going to pursue, the provider will give you the funds from the beginning of the term so you can refund them once the scholarship funds arrive.
• Specialized or short courses: Such as a middle or higher grade training cycle, computer classes, etc.
• Financing of laptops: Both banks and big brands offer special offers for the purchase of laptops in installments with more advantageous conditions.

Student loans are designed to cater to the needs of students. It’s noteworthy that the services, terms, and conditions vary with entities. Hence, taking time to do personal research or consult with the entity will be of importance.

Financing linked to the educational center

Almost every institution of higher learning in the Netherlands has developed a mutual agreement with student loan lenders. The student loans are way preferable that other generic options since they are tailored to address your course’s specific needs and finance you in every way needed.

Be sure to consult with your school to know whether such loans are offered. If yes, take time to go through their terms of service to determine whether they’re best for you.

Are student loans cheaper?

Generally, when compared to personal loans for any purpose, student loans have better interest rates. However, this is all dependent on the terms and conditions of your lender.

Student loans have better conditions such as long repayment periods (10 years), flexible repayment methods, and in exceptional cases, the interest of 0%.

Characteristics of student credits

While student loans come with good conditions such as low interest rates and long repayment period, it’s important to look at all aspects before contracting one:

• Interest: some lenders will provide loans at 0% interest. A good student credit in the Netherlands should be lower than 6% in interest.
• Commission: be sure to know whether a loan attracts any commissions because many loans do have commissions
• Since many loans require repayment after the course of your study, making early repayments may attract an early repayment fee that’s normally 0.5-1%.
• Binding. As for the conditions of tying, the credits to study can include some type of tying, generally, they are free-tied products adapted to the profile of the student like a current account and a card that we will have to use.
• Read through the contract documents to be prepared for any added fees in the future
• Endorsements and guarantees: a guarantor is required when a student applicant is a minor or not an employee.

Requirements to be able to apply for a loan as a student

Student loans notably have less stringent requirements than other loan types. However, it would be important to meet all the requirements asked by an entity to avoid having your application disapproved.

Here are some of the requirements in the Netherlands: 

• Be of legal age. All loans must have a holder of legal age. If we are minors, it must be the parents or guardians who apply for the financing as holders. On the other hand, some entities will only fund student applicants who are younger than 30 years.
• Some lenders will either grant applicants who have a source of income or have the parent apply for them.
• Have proof of study 
• A lender will set a certain number of years to fund you. Some will finance you for four years while some may extend. 
• Present proof of payment. It will be indispensable to present the registration of the studies or the concession of the scholarship to be able to accede to this type of income.
• Some entities will finance you even without a source of income after an agreement of repaying the funds later after getting a job. 
• In the case of unstable income, you’ll be required to have a guarantor with a stable income source.
• Be a Dutch resident with proof

Can I get a student loan if I don’t work?

While some lenders will finance you only when you demonstrate the ability to repay the credit through having a stable job, others will require guarantors, who in most cases are parents, in case an applicant is a minor or doesn’t have a stable source of income. However, other entities will not have space for guarantors, hence, you’ll automatically be disqualified for the loan without a job.

In the case of scholarship advances, as it is necessary to provide proof of the award of this aid, it is easier for the student himself (even if he does not work) to hire him without a guarantee.

There are study credits that can be paid later

Generally speaking, student loans have a grace period, which varies with entities, which allows students to stay for some time without repaying the loan. This is what makes a student loan a good debt because most students take them out while they’re still unemployed and without much academic advancement and repay them when they are employed and are better persons in the economy.

About this page, our methodology

About this page: we are passionate about helping you get the best financing that best addresses your needs. We, therefore, marshal the best available information about consumer credits and how to compare the options to end up with the most attractive offer right now.

Source: the information regarding the main characteristics of student loans in the Netherlands and their current regulation comes from government portals, and Dutch Law, among other reference portals.

Methodology: The data relating to the conditions of these products (amount, term, interest, etc.) have been obtained through online research and consultation of the official statistics of the aforementioned reference sources.

About Us: FUNDGECKO is an online comparator website specializing in personal finance and home economics products. We help our users not only compare the available financial products in the market but also provide rich information that will shorten the decision-making process and help them end up with the best offer.

Note: the services we offer are totally free for the user, as FUNDGECKO obtains its income from advertising and its featured products.