Let us save you some time looking for answers: below are all the questions other international students have asked most frequently about financial matters.
Tuition fees
Contact the Erasmus Student Service Centre (ESSC), they know everything about tuition fees.
Please consult the table on the tuition fee page to see which fee is applicable to your situation.
- Are you an EU/EEA student? You will pay the statutory fee.
However, make sure to read the additional information about the statutory fee as well, in order to make sure you indeed belong to this group. There are situations where you have to pay the Institutional fee after all.
- Are you a non-EU/EEA student or are you not eligible for the statutory fee? You will pay the institutional fee.
Please contact the Erasmus Student Service Center about this matter. They are able to inform you in detail about the tuition fees and instalments.
In certain situations it is indeed possible to pay the tuition fee in instalments. Whether this is possible depends on the method of payment. Check the payment of tuition fee page for more details.
Please note: for non-EU/EEA students, who apply for an entry visa and/or residence permit, another procedure is applicable.
Payment in installments is available for bank account holders who have a bank account from a country in the SEPA area who pay by digital authorisation via Studielink before the 1st of the month your study programme starts.
In case you do NOT have a bank account from a country in the SEPA area, transfer the money at once to Erasmus University and make sure that we have received it before the 1st of the month your study programme starts. Payment in installments is not available in that case.
Please note: for non-EU/EEA students, who apply for an entry visa and/or residence permit, another procedure is applicable.
Follow the given directions in Studielink to finalize the payment or instalment. Should any other questions occur, please contact the Erasmus Student Service Centre.
Costs of living in the Netherlands
The costs of your accommodation depend on the city where you study, what is included in the rent and the arrangements made by the institution. Housing in Rotterdam for example is more expensive than in smaller towns.
A room in Rotterdam costs between €600-€1000. If you are concerned whether the asked rent is too high, don't hesitate to contact us.
You can use the Rent Checker to estimate a correct price.
Yes, there are discounts for student applicable for certain services. Many bars, restaurants, museums and cinemas give student discounts. Most of these ask for proof in the form of a student card from your institution. You should check in advance if a student discount is available.
Especially for international students, the International Student Identity Card (ISIC) can provide some interesting discounts and offers on travel, shopping, museums and more, worldwide. Find out more on the ISIC website.
Also contact ESN-Rotterdam in regard to discounts. They have a lot of sharp offers for you and can inform you about this in detail.
Spending approximately €150,- to €200,- on food per month is considered to be normal. That is, if you don't eat out too many times a week and do your grocery shopping not only at the higher priced Albert Heijn (but instead at Lidl or Dirk).
Doing your groceries at the weekly markets, at Aldi / Lidl instead of Albert Heijn, and paying close attention to deals and sales (compare supermarkets!) might be first things to consider. Bringing your own lunch and snacks and not going out for dinner / coffee can also be easy tricks to save some money. Are you already doing these things and still have financial issues? Don’t hesitate to contact our student counsellors, they’re here to help you.
Find more information and tips about daily expenses on out 'Cost of living in the Netherlands' page.
This depends on:
- How long you are staying in the Netherlands;
- How much minutes/data you spend a month.
If you stay in the Netherlands for at least one year, subscribing for a telephone plan would probably be the cheapest option. Most often it's not possible to cancel your plan within that year. Therefore this option is not interesting for you if you're staying in the Netherlands for only a few months. A prepaid sim card would be a good alternative instead.
Do you want a telephone plan, but do you have no idea how much data and minutes you use a month?
We recommend you to get a prepaid card first. Contact ESN-Rotterdam in order to get one. You can buy data/minute packages, depending on your needs. At the end of the month, you have a clear overview of your monthly usage and can subscribe for a telephone plan based on those needs.
Budget plan
Consult the Financial support page to inquire about your financial aid possibilities.
If the workload of your study programme allows, you can always go look for a side job. However, as an international student it’s important to make sure you know what to expect by reading through the information about side-jobs. There might be specific rules and regulations depending on your nationality.
You can check minimum wages in the Netherlands here.
Make sure to talk about your salary when applying for a job, so you know what to expect right away. As an international student, you have to take more things into account than salary though. For one, you’ll probably need public health insurance and this will cost you money. Read through all the information carefully, since rules and regulations around working depend on nationality.
Doing your groceries at the weekly markets, at Aldi / Lidl instead of Albert Heijn, and paying close attention to deals and sales (compare supermarkets!) might be first things to consider. Bringing your own lunch and snacks and not going out for dinner / coffee can also be easy tricks to save some money. Are you already doing these things and still have financial issues? Don’t hesitate to contact our student counsellors, they’re here to help you.
Find more information and tips about daily expenses on out 'Cost of living in the Netherlands' page.
There is a possibility you qualify for (full) student finance. Please see our webpage on student finance from Dienst Uitvoering Onderwijs (DUO) for more information.
You may be eligible to get healthcare allowance if you participate in the Dutch public healthcare insurance system. If you are insured via an independent policy (with an insurer such as AON or Lippmann) you will not be eligible for this allowance. You can find more information on the Study in Holland website
Depending on your financial situation, you might qualify for housing / rent benefit. This is a subsidy provided by the government to residents on a low income with high rental costs. More information can be found on the website of the Dutch government and tax authorities.
Scholarships & Grants
In order to filter out the scholarships you might be able to apply for, take the following steps:
- Select on this page your current situation.
By clicking on one of the situations, the scholarship overview that applies to you will be shown; - All the basic requirements of the scholarship are mentioned in the table of the scholarship overview page. Check for country and region eligibility, study level and faculty specific information;
- Click on one of the scholarships for more details;
- To apply, follow the given application instructions.
Your chances are slim, meaning that most students won't receive a scholarship. There are hundreds of new students each year, but there is not an equal amount of scholarships available. Therefore always make sure to have a plan B to cover your finances, in case you won't receive the scholarship.
Most of the requirement apply to:
- Study results / being an excellent student;
- Being able to demonstrate your ambition;
- Level of study;
- Obtained diplomas;
- Country of origin.
First, select on the Scholarships and grants page if you're a student planning to study at Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) or whether you're already studying at EUR and thinking about going on exchange.
After selecting one of these options, you'll land on a page with a scholarship overview applicable to your situation.
Preparing an application for a scholarship can be time consuming. Deadlines can be as early as January, so make sure to plan ahead. Start looking for scholarships 6-12 months in advance.
That depends on the scholarship. The scholarship may be a partial tuition fee waiver which means you still need to pay tuition fee. Please check the criteria of your scholarship carefully.
In a lot of cases you will receive the scholarship for only one year. Please check the scholarship criteria carefully to avoid unpleasant surprises. Think about ways to finance your 2nd and/or 3rd year in advance.
Loans
This depends on the type of loan and their corresponding requirements. We created an overview of organisations who are willing to issue loans for students. You can check per organisation what the set requirements are.
This differs per type of loan and organisation issuing the payment. Please consult the terms and conditions of the loan. On our Financial aid - Loans page, you can consult the set conditions of the loan carefully.
This differs per type of loan you registered for. Please consult the set conditions of the loan carefully.
On our Financial aid - page, you can consult the set conditions of the loan carefully.
Dutch bank account
Yes, you can! Nevertheless, there are some requirements and guidelines applicable in this situation.
For further instructions, please contact us via: orientation@eur.nl
Overall there are no huge differences between the 5 mentioned banks. Nevertheless, the banks do differ in some ways. Some examples:
- ABN AMRO provides all communication in English, in contrary to the other banks;
- On the other hand, ING Bank is able to provide you with a temporary card way faster;
- Triodos bank is focusing more on sustainability and less on profit;
- With Bunq’s Premium membership you get a choice of 3 cards (Maestro and/or Mastercard). The app is available in Dutch, German, Italian, French, Spanish and English. And real-time support is available in English. Since the last update Bunq added products especially for internationals: TransferWise in the app: 8 times cheaper international payments. Or ZeroFX: save up to 3% when using your card for other currencies.
As you can see: each bank has its own pros and cons. So what to choose then? Pick a bank either close to your accommodation (so it's easier to visit the bank during office hours) or choose a bank where registration is made quite easy.
Working in the Netherlands
Please consult the official EUR Career Services webpage to keep updated on this matter.
The jobs where English is expected as the main language are in the minority.
Didn't find an answer to your question?
Know who to reach:
- Questions about your programme? Contact the faculty directly.
- Erasmus Student Service Centre (ESSC) can help with: tuition fees, ERNA details, Studielink, etc.
- For anything else on financial matters: send us an email!
- Don't forget to mention your name, student number and faculty (if applicable) if you email us.