Last update: 19 January 2023, 11:31
Erasmus University Rotterdam is shocked by the Russian invasion of Ukraine and sympathises with all those who have been affected. We feel a responsibility towards all affected students/staff, regardless of their origin or nationality. We notice that the situation in Ukraine causes acute problems, for example for students with regard to finances, study progress and residence status/visa. Questions and requests for help can be directed to various places.
Information for students
This differs per institution and programme. Please contact the relevant university to check whether registration is still possible.
It is not necessary to apply for a student visa for students fleeing from Ukraine, as they are given the status of displaced persons under the European Temporary Protection Directive.
These students should email their permit (front and back) to edf.es@eur.nl so that it can be registered.
At the beginning of March, the European Union activated the Temporary Protection Directive for people who have fled from Ukraine. In order to prove that they are covered by this directive, they must register with the municipality in the Basic Registration of Persons (BRP). This is followed by a simple IND process, in which refugees sign an asylum application and receive proof that they are allowed to stay, study and work here.
We understand that you have a lot on your mind at the moment and that you are worried about your studies, among other things. Please contact your study advisor, they can help you with this.
If it is not possible to follow online education, please contact your study advisor. Your study advisor can discuss with you whether there are other possibilities. Also, if you have any other concerns, you can discuss them with your study advisor.
The regular prerequisites apply to students from Ukraine. You can find more information on the websites of the study programmes and at www.studyinholland.nl.
The emergency fund of the Erasmus University Rotterdam can support you if you are a student at Erasmus University Rotterdam and if your study progress is endangered by financial hardship due to the war in Ukraine. We can grant you financial aid that will allow you to resolve a temporary financial need for living expenses in the Netherlands (not for tuition fee, neither for study materials).
Are you a student at the Erasmus University Rotterdam, and are you currently residing in the Netherlands? You can apply for a grant by sending an e-mail to studentcounsellor@eur.nl.
Your application must contain the following documents:
- A budget plan (download and fill out budget form below)
- An explanation that shows you are in need for financial support
- A motivation letter (who are you, how were you (financially) affected by the war in Ukraine?)
- A copy of your debit card
The available resources are limited, that is why we cannot guarantee that all students can receive a grant.
Please note that no appeals can be made against the decision on your application.
All guidelines and provisions apply to displaced persons from Ukraine, including third-country nationals.
EUR has decided that current Ukrainian students, i.e. those who started in 2022-23 under the low fee, will be allowed to finish their studies at the reduced rate.
The following conditions apply:
- You have Ukrainian nationality and,
- You were enrolled in academic year 2022-23 under the reduced rate (at the statutory rate), and
- You are enrolling in the same course in 2023-24, and
- You have continuous enrolment.
Note: Students of Ukrainian nationality who enroll at EUR for the first time in 2023-24, or who start in a new program, will pay the regular (high) institutional rate. You can find the applicable rate on this page.
For refugees from Ukraine, an allowance is available with which they can meet their basic needs, the so-called living allowance. Refugees from Ukraine who stay in a host family receive 260 Euros living allowance per person per month and can get a housing allowance on top of that. This allowance with host families is 215 Euros per month for adults and 55 Euros per month for children. The total monthly allowance for an adult in a host family is therefore 475 Euros and for a minor 315 Euros Refugees from Ukraine receive living allowance (260 Euros).
We advise students and employees who will be staying in the Netherlands for a longer period of time to open a Dutch bank account. Students and employees who are customers of one of the above-mentioned banks are advised to transfer sufficient funds to a Dutch bank account before 12 March 2022 for living expenses and tuition fees. Due to the exclusion of a number of Russian banks from SWIFT, it may be difficult to transfer funds from Russia to a Dutch account in the future. As a result, students and staff may have limited or no access to funds, which may prevent them from paying their tuition fees or supporting themselves.
If this places you in acute financial need, the EUR Student Emergency Fund of the Erasmus Trust Fund may apply to you. Please consult our student counsellors if you have any questions.
We advise students and employees who will be staying in the Netherlands for a longer period of time to open a Dutch bank account. Due to the withdrawal limits at Ukrainian banks, it can be difficult to transfer money from Ukraine to the Dutch bank account. As a result, students and staff may have no or limited access to funds, which may prevent them from paying their tuition fees or providing for their sustenance.
If this places you in acute financial need, the EUR Student Emergency Fund of the Erasmus Trust Fund may apply to you. Please consult our student counsellors if you have any questions.
Please contact the ESSC, your study advisor or the student counsellors. They can see what is possible.
We understand that you are concerned about the war in Ukraine and that you may have mental complaints as a result. You can contact our student psychologists, and/or consult the EUR platform 'Are you OK out there'.
For all students directly involved in the Ukraine war and who as a result have psychological complaints, a special consultation hour with the student psychologists has been arranged. You can schedule an appointment via this link.
Do you want to take a break, or do you need a listening ear? Then drop by The Living Room. You can just walk in, there is no need to make an appointment. There is always a host (a student) present to welcome you. The Living Room is located in the white tent at Plaza Woudestein and is furnished like a real living room to make every student feel at home. Opening hours: Monday through Friday from 12:00 to 17:00. Activities are also regularly organised to boost your well-being and personal development. Keep an eye on Instagram for more info: @eurlivingroom
It is not necessary to apply for a student visa for students who have fled from Ukraine, as they are granted the status of displaced persons under the European Temporary Protection Directive. However, the status is valid (provisionally) until February 2023 and the right to follow a study programme in the Netherlands may lapse at that time. This status can be extended up to one year, with a maximum of three years. The Universities of the Netherlands are holding talks with the government about the right of residence after the temporary protection measure expires.
The Temporary Protection Directive (2001/55/EC) gives the right to reception, medical care and education for minor children in the Netherlands. And it gives the possibility to work. Anyone who falls under the directive may stay in the Netherlands until 4 March 2023. A student or employee falls under the Directive in the Netherlands if one of the following situations applies to him or her.
- The student or employee has the Ukrainian nationality
- Has left Ukraine after 26 November 2021.
- Has travelled from Ukraine before 27 November 2021. And was then in the Netherlands for a longer period of time, because the student or employee had a residence permit or had applied for asylum. The student or employee can prove that he/she was in The Netherlands before 27 November 2021 and not in another EU country.
- The student or employee does not have Ukrainian nationality
- Was a refugee recognised by Ukraine on 23 February 2022.
- Had a valid Ukrainian residence permit on 23 February 2022.
- The student or employee lived in Ukraine as a family member of someone covered by the directive
- Is a partner (married or unmarried) and has a lasting relationship.
- Is a child under 18 and not married.
- Is a family member and lived together with the family and is (mostly) dependent on this family.
- For more information, check out the website of the IND.
No, the IND will extend the visa for as long as the conflict lasts.
Ukrainians are not EU citizens and should not be seen as such. Recent developments do not change this for the time being. On the basis of the European Temporary Protection Directive, it is possible for Ukrainian refugees to stay in the Netherlands.
We apply for a Dutch study permit for you. We start with requesting a MVV (entry-visa) and residence permit for study. Once we receive the approval letter from the IND, you do not have to visit the embassy in Kiev (as it’s closed) and you can enter the Netherlands without your MVV.
Once in the Netherlands, you have to schedule an appointment with the IND in The Hague to have your biometrics taken. After this appointment, the IND will produce your residence permit and we will inform you once it’s ready to collect.
If you have any questions, please contact immigration@eur.nl
We apply for a MVV and Dutch residence permit for study for you. If you have a residence permit or visa from the country you are currently residing, please upload this together with your passport. If you do not have any document, please write a statement when you entered the other country and how long you have been there and the reason. We will then request the IND to send your MVV to the embassy in that country. You will then visit the Dutch embassy in that country, and after receiving your MVV you can enter the Netherlands. We will then inform you once your permit is ready to collect.
If you have any questions, please contact immigration@eur.nl
If you have applied for the temporary protection status, we still need to apply for a Dutch residence study permit for you, as this status does not (yet) give you the right to study at an University. If anything changes, we will adjust this FAQ.
Your temporary protection status will be the exemption for your MVV. Please upload this in your immigration case under the tab: Schengen permit/visa. Once everything is approved, you schedule an appointment to have your biometrics taken and we inform you once your permit is ready to collect.
If you have not applied for the temporary status, but are here within your 90-day visa free period, we will also exempt you from an MVV and apply for a Dutch residence permit for you. Please upload a document in Osiris informing us when you arrived the Netherlands and the reason. We use this as your exemption. Once your application is then approved, you have your biometrics taken at the IND desk and we inform you once your residence permit has been approved.
If you have any questions, please contact immigration@eur.nl
Ukrainians who come to the Netherlands can usually travel freely. If they have a Ukrainian biometric passport they do not need a visa. Ukrainian nationals who hold a biometric passport can stay in the Schengen area for up to 90 days. According to the website of the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) there are currently no consequences if Ukrainians stay longer in the Netherlands.
More information on coming to the Netherlands as a Ukrainian can be found on the website of the Dutch Immigration and Naturalisation Service.
Frequently asked questions about travelling from Ukraine to the Netherlands can be found on the Netherlands worldwide website.
Refugees may do a traineeship for their education, if they fall under the Temporary Protection Directive. However, a training agreement must be concluded between the trainee, the employer and the educational institution.
Yes, since 1 April refugees are allowed to work as employees. This applies to refugees who fall under the Temporary Protection Directive of the European Union. The employer does not need a work permit. The employer must, however, report this to the UWV.
The Netherlands and other EU countries are working on a scheme especially for Ukrainians who want temporary protection. New arrangements will be made, for example about access to health care services and when they are allowed to work or study. The new scheme will be published here soon: https://ind.nl/en/ukraine/Pages/Staying-in-the-Netherlands-as-a-Ukrainian.aspx
Both degree and exchange students can complete their studies here. The possibilities for new exchange is unclear, pending a decision by the Dutch government. Receiving new Russian students and students from Belarus is not formally excluded. Given the sanctions, however, there are serious restrictions due to the exclusion of a number of banks from SWIFT and travel restrictions between Russia and other countries. Universities have no formal grounds to refuse Russian students if they have the right prior education and can meet their financial obligations.
Dutch students, teachers and researchers who are in Russia or Belarus are urgently advised to return to the Netherlands if this is possible in a safe manner. For more information, please consult the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Please contact the Dutch Embassy in Moscow.
No, the IND extends your visa for as long as the conflict lasts.
Students who want to request asylum are always free to do so. More information can be found at IND.nl. The universities do not have an explicit role in this.
Offering help
Eastern European Students Association (EESA) is currently collecting items for Ukraine. Check https://www.eesa-eur.com/ukraine to see what items are needed and where you can take them.
There are several options:
- You can donate money to Giro 555 of the cooperating aid organisations
- Various events are organised to raise money for Ukraine. For example by Studium Generale.
- You can donate money to the EUR Student Emergency Fund of the Erasmus Trust Fund. With this fund we can provide financial support to students who have been directly affected by the war and are currently facing urgent financial problems.
You can donate money to the EUR Student Emergency Fund of the Erasmus Trust Fund. This fund enables us to provide financial support to students who have been directly affected by the war and are currently facing urgent financial problems.
Information for employees
No, universities are expected to (temporarily) freeze existing formal partnerships. This applies to all companies, government agencies and knowledge institutions that are primarily located in Russia and Belarus. Freezing means, among other things, that no financial transactions, data or knowledge exchange or joint events will take place.
Institutional collaborations with Russian and Belarusian organisations are frozen, but many collaborations in education and research are based on peer-to-peer relationships with Russian and Belarusian researchers. Many of them have publicly criticised the invasion at the risk of their lives. Therefore, the EUR would like to give their staff every opportunity to continue the existing personal contacts with these researchers, where appropriate. It should be assessed on a case-by-case basis whether personal contact and cooperation with Russian and Belarusian researchers can be continued. If required, the Department of Integral Safety can be contacted for assistance in this assessment. The national 'Loket Kennisveiligheid' (Knowledge Security desk) can also be contacted for advice.
No, the government stance is that no more joint (scientific) events will take place, participants from Russian and Belarusian institutions are excluded from participation.
If there are compelling reasons to invite someone, please contact HR international for instructions.
(hr.international@eur.nl)
Ukrainians who come to the Netherlands can usually travel freely. If they have a Ukrainian biometric passport they do not need a visa. Ukrainian nationals who hold a biometric passport can stay in the Schengen area for up to 90 days. According to the website of the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) there are currently no consequences if Ukrainians stay longer in the Netherlands.
More information on coming to the Netherlands as a Ukrainian can be found on the website of the Dutch Immigration and Naturalisation Service.
Frequently asked questions about travelling from Ukraine to the Netherlands can be found on the Netherlands worldwide website.
The Netherlands and other EU countries are working on a scheme especially for Ukrainians who want temporary protection. New arrangements will be made, for example about access to health care services and when they are allowed to work or study. The new scheme will be published here soon: https://ind.nl/en/ukraine/Pages/Staying-in-the-Netherlands-as-a-Ukrainian.aspx
Dutch students, teachers and researchers who are in Russia or Belarus are urgently advised to return to the Netherlands if this is possible in a safe manner. For more information, please consult the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Together with the initiators of the Young Academy, the EUR is investigating the possibilities of accommodating scientists in need within its own academic ranks. Unfortunately, it is no longer possible in the Netherlands to place scientists at universities via Scholars At Risk (SAR) due to legal obstacles. On a national level, we are working hard to set up a construction that will make it possible again to offer a workplace to refugees in need. This initiative has a longer history and serves the interests of all scientists in need.
If your department is interested in offering a place to work to a scientist in need, please let HR International know.
(hr.international@eur.nl)
The situation has a major impact on the well-being of researchers, teachers and other staff in our EUR community. For those with family or friends in the area, of course, but possibly also for staff members who are sympathetic and concerned.
Do you have questions or encounter problems? Talk to your manager.
Employees with Ukrainian, Russian or Belarusian nationality can also address their questions to the HR advisors of their faculty or HR International (hr.international@eur.nl).
Are you worried, do you notice decreased concentration, do you feel tense? Know that you can always turn to OpenUp, an anonymous helpline for EUR employees who could use some help. Open to anyone with an ERNA account.
Current
You can read more information about the situation on rijksoverheid.nl
Read the most recent information about the consequences of the situation in Ukraine for residence on ind.nl
The latest information on cooperation with the Russian Federation and Belarus can be found at the 'Loket Kennisveiligheid': Frequently asked questions Russia and Belarus (in Dutch).
Contact
Employees and students who have questions and/or concerns can turn to their manager or student advisor.
Cybersecurity
Contact the Servicedesk if there are matters that require extra attention in the area of cybersecurity.
News
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