In this guide
Almost every international student arriving in the Netherlands is told two contradictory things in their first fortnight. The university welcome pack says Dutch health insurance is mandatory for everyone. A well-meaning housemate says students do not need it and should not buy it. Both statements are partially true, and the difference between them is worth several hundred euros a year — plus a possible fine if you get it wrong in the other direction.
The rule that resolves it: international students who are in the Netherlands for study only are legally not allowed to take out Dutch public health insurance, while students who have a (part-time) job must have it (Study in NL). Paid internships fall under separate rules that changed on 1 September 2025.
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Quick answer: If you only study and do not work, you are generally not required — and not allowed — to take Dutch basisverzekering: use your home-country cover, an EHIC, or private international student insurance. If you take paid work or a qualifying paid internship, you must have a Dutch basisverzekering. Compare Dutch insurers on premium, policy type and supplementary cover; for a study stay with no Dutch work, an international policy such as SafetyWing is one of the options to weigh against your university’s recommended student policy.
The two systems you are choosing between
Dutch basisverzekering
The basic insurance is the compulsory Dutch statutory package. Every insurer must accept you for the basic insurance (the acceptatieplicht) and must cover the same legally defined package, which includes GP care and hospital care. Insurers compete on premium, on which care providers they contract with, and on the supplementary (aanvullende) add-ons, for which they may refuse you.
Two numbers define the cost. The monthly premium, which in 2026 averages €157 a month (Rijksoverheid), depending on insurer and policy type. And the verplicht eigen risico, the mandatory annual deductible of €385, which you pay yourself before the insurer starts reimbursing most care — with exceptions, including GP care and care for children under 18 (Rijksoverheid).
If you are in the Netherlands for study only, you are legally not allowed to take out Dutch public health insurance (Study in NL). That is the reason behind the “students are not allowed to buy it” advice.
Private international student insurance
Private student policies are ordinary insurance contracts, designed for people staying temporarily. Their scope varies by policy, and some include extras that the Dutch basic package does not, such as repatriation or liability cover. Check the premium, coverage limits, exclusions (for example for pre-existing conditions) and how claims are paid. Read the policy conditions rather than the marketing page, and check three things specifically: whether the policy is accepted by the IND for your residence permit if you need one, whether it covers pregnancy and mental healthcare, and what happens if you switch to Dutch insurance mid-year because you start working.
Nomad and traveller policies such as SafetyWing sit in this second category. Our SafetyWing review sets out where it works well and where it does not, and the SafetyWing versus Cigna comparison is useful if you want a heavier international policy.
Decide your situation in five questions
1. Are you an EU, EEA or Swiss national studying only? Check with your home health insurer whether you can get a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) before you leave; the rules can differ per EU member state (Study in NL). The EHIC covers medically necessary care during your stay. It is not a full substitute for insurance, so check what it does not cover, for example repatriation or private treatment.
2. Are you a non-EU national studying only, on a study residence permit? Your home-country policy usually will not travel with you. Check whether your university has a recommended student policy, and check the IND requirements attached to your permit. Most students in this position take a private international student policy.
3. Do you have — or expect — paid work in the Netherlands? Then you are required to have Dutch public health insurance if you have a (part-time) job (Study in NL). Take out the insurance when you start working, and ask the SVB if your position is unclear.
4. Are you doing an internship? The rules changed on 1 September 2025 for students from the EU, EEA, Switzerland and treaty countries, and depend on nationality. For these students, a paid internship makes you insured under the Wlz if you are also insured under an employee insurance scheme, such as sickness benefit. For students from other countries, you are insured under the Wlz if you are paid at least the Dutch minimum wage; expenses and room and board can count as remuneration. If you are in doubt, start a Wlz assessment with the SVB, which is free of charge.
5. Are you doing a PhD? PhD candidates employed by a university on a salaried contract are working, so Dutch insurance applies to them. Scholarship-funded or externally funded researchers may be in a different position; ask the SVB for an assessment. Our PhD guide for international researchers covers the wider financial picture.
What happens if you get it wrong
The enforcement body is the CAK. If you receive a letter from the CAK about your insurance obligation, you need to take action within 3 months or you receive a fine of EUR 529.74 (Study in NL, checked 8 October 2026). This applies even if the letter reached you by mistake.
If the letter reaches you in error, do not ignore it. Ask the SVB (free of charge) to assess your position under the Wlz and send a copy of the decision to the CAK, using the contact option “regeling onverzekerden”. The assessment can take 6-8 weeks, so act immediately. If you start work mid-semester, arrange your insurance when you start.
The reverse error also costs money: at the 2026 average premium of €1,884 a year, a Dutch basisverzekering you are not entitled to is an expensive mistake.
Choosing a Dutch insurer as a student
If you are in the mandatory group, the basic package is identical everywhere, so the decision is about price, network and service language. Practical criteria for students:
Premium and policy type. Policy types differ in how they reimburse care from providers the insurer has no contract with. Restitution policies are no longer offered (NZa), and some insurers offer cheaper policies with a narrower choice of providers. Check that the hospital and GP you would use are covered.
Voluntary deductible. Raising the deductible above the mandatory €385, up to a total of €885, can lower the monthly premium. It means you pay more yourself if you need care, so think about how likely that is.
Aanvullende add-ons. Add-ons such as dental care or physiotherapy are optional, and insurers may refuse you for them and change terms each year. Our guide to supplementary insurance works through when they pay off.
English service. Some insurers publish English policy documents and offer support in English; others do not. If you do not read Dutch, check this before you choose.
Put these points side by side for the insurers you are considering before you choose. For the wider picture, see our Dutch health insurance guide for expats and the pillar comparison of 2026 plans.
Zorgtoeslag: the subsidy students forget
Zorgtoeslag is a means-tested healthcare allowance from the Dutch Tax Administration. You can only apply if you are eligible for Dutch public health insurance, so students who study only and hold private cover do not qualify. The conditions: you are 18 or over, you hold a Dutch basisverzekering, and your income and assets stay under the annual thresholds. For 2026 the maximum for a single person is €129 per month, with an income limit of €40,857 and an asset limit of €146,011.
Update your income forecast in Mijn Toeslagen when it changes; if your actual income turns out higher than your forecast, you may have to pay allowance back. Our guide to zorgtoeslag and huurtoeslag covers the application, and DUO student finance covers the separate question of study grants and loans for internationals.
The first-month checklist
- Register with the gemeente if you are staying longer than four months, and get your BSN (see our BSN guide). Almost everything else needs it.
- Confirm your insurance category — study only, or working. If there is any ambiguity, request the free SVB Wlz assessment in writing.
- Arrange cover accordingly. Private student policy, EHIC plus top-up, or Dutch basisverzekering from the start date of any work.
- Register with a huisarts near your accommodation. Practices can have waiting lists, so ask in your first weeks.
- Open a Dutch bank account so premiums, rent and any zorgtoeslag payments run through one IBAN. See our comparison of Dutch banks for students.
- Apply for zorgtoeslag if you are insured under the Dutch system and under the income thresholds.
- Save the policy document and your insurer’s emergency number to your phone. You will want them at 2am, not in a folder at home.
Three mistakes worth naming
Buying Dutch basic insurance “to be safe” while not working. It is the single most expensive misunderstanding in this area. If you are not insured under the Dutch system, a Dutch policy is not the safe option — it is a payment for cover you may not be able to claim on.
Assuming a part-time job is too small to count. According to Study in NL, a (part-time) job means you must have Dutch public health insurance.
Letting a CAK letter sit unopened. The three-month window is the difference between a simple correction and a EUR 529.74 fine.
The short version
Study only: private student insurance or EHIC, no Dutch basisverzekering. Any paid work, and most paid internships: Dutch basisverzekering from day one, plus a zorgtoeslag application if your income is low. Register with a GP either way, answer official post promptly, and check your position again when your circumstances change, because starting a job changes your insurance position.
Related reading
- Dutch health insurance guide for expats 2026
- Best Dutch health insurance plans 2026
- Best Dutch banks for international students 2026
- DUO student finance for international students
- Zorgtoeslag and huurtoeslag for expats
External sources: Study in NL — healthcare insurance for the official student rules and the CAK procedure, and Belastingdienst — zorgtoeslag conditions for the allowance thresholds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do international students need Dutch health insurance?
Not automatically. If the sole purpose of your stay is study and you do not work, you are generally not required — and not permitted — to take out Dutch basic health insurance. You cover yourself with your home-country insurance, an EHIC if you are an EU/EEA national, or private international student insurance. Whether you must insure depends on your insurance position under the Wlz, in practice on whether you work, not on the fact that you study.
What happens if I take a part-time job while studying?
If you have a (part-time) job in the Netherlands, you are required to have Dutch public health insurance (Study in NL). If you work as a self-employed person (ZZP'er), ask the SVB to assess your Wlz position.
Does a paid internship count as work?
It can. The rules changed on 1 September 2025 for students from the EU, EEA, Switzerland and treaty countries. For these students, a paid internship makes you insured under the Wlz if you are also insured under an employee insurance scheme. For students from other countries, you are insured under the Wlz if you are paid at least the Dutch minimum wage; expenses and room and board can count as remuneration. If in doubt, request a Wlz assessment from the SVB (Study in NL).
What is the fine for being uninsured in the Netherlands?
If you receive a letter from the CAK about your insurance obligation, you need to take action within 3 months or you receive a fine of EUR 529.74 (Study in NL). This applies even if you received the letter by mistake. Ask the SVB (free of charge) to assess your insurance position under the Wlz, and send a copy of the decision to the CAK. The assessment can take 6-8 weeks, so act as soon as the letter arrives.
How much does Dutch basic health insurance cost a student in 2026?
Basisverzekering premiums in 2026 average €157 per month (Rijksoverheid), depending on insurer and policy type, on top of the mandatory deductible (verplicht eigen risico) of €385 for most care. The basic package is the same at every insurer, so compare premium, policy type and service.
Can students claim zorgtoeslag?
Only if you are eligible for and hold Dutch basic health insurance — private student policies do not qualify. You can only apply for zorgtoeslag if you are eligible for Dutch public health insurance (Study in NL). If you are 18 or over, hold a basisverzekering, and your income and assets stay below the annual thresholds, you can apply through the Dutch Tax Administration. For 2026 the single-person maximum is €129 per month, with an income limit of €40,857 and an asset limit of €146,011 (Belastingdienst).
Do I still need a Dutch GP if I have private student insurance?
Yes, register early. In the Netherlands the huisarts (GP) is the usual first point of contact and refers you to specialists where needed. Practices can have waiting lists, so ask about registration in your first weeks.