In this guide
International students often arrive before they have a Dutch address, a BSN or a Dutch bank account, and in the meantime the university portal, the housing provider and the bank all want a Dutch mobile number. The usual solution is to buy a prepaid SIM first and switch to a monthly plan once the paperwork is done.
What follows is the student-specific version of that decision: contract length against degree length, how the budget brands work, and what calling home involves. If you want the general market overview instead, see our prepaid SIM comparison and the best sim-only plans guide.
Disclosure: this article contains affiliate links, including to Lyca Mobile, Odido, Vodafone, Budget Thuis Mobiel and Independer. If you sign up through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. You pay the same as going direct, and it does not affect our recommendations.
Quick answer: Start with a prepaid SIM in your first days: no monthly contract, and you get a +31 number. Once you have a Dutch address and bank account, compare sim-only plans and port your number. Compare current plans at Independer, or look at a budget provider such as Budget Thuis Mobiel. Match the contract length to your degree length, not to the discount.
Phase one: your first weeks, on prepaid
Prepaid means no monthly contract: you buy a bundle, use it for 30 days and renew only if you want to.
What you need: money, and possibly identification. Providers set their own activation and registration rules, so check the provider’s page before you buy.
Where to buy: online from the providers, and in shops; check each provider’s page for where it sells.
What it costs: prices differ by provider and change. On 8 October 2026 Lebara listed a prepaid SIM with 6 GB, unlimited minutes and texts at EUR 10 (struck-through price EUR 13) and a 1 GB bundle at EUR 5; Lyca Mobile listed prepaid bundles from 5 GB at EUR 10 per 30 days to 20+20 GB at EUR 20 per 30 days, each with unlimited national minutes and texts; Vodafone sells a prepaid SIM with 2 GB for €10 and a 2 GB monthly bundle for €9 (lebara.nl, lycamobile.nl, vodafone.nl, NL-Chrome 8 October 2026). Check current prices before ordering.
Which brand: for a few weeks of prepaid it matters less than the internet suggests. Lebara says it runs on the 5G KPN network. If you call family on real phone numbers abroad, compare the international bundles of the migrant-focused brands, Lebara and Lycamobile, for your destination. If you only use WhatsApp, a basic bundle is enough.
Register the new number with your bank, university, GP and landlord from the start, and keep it.
Phase two: the Dutch address and bank account
Providers set their own requirements for monthly subscriptions: typically identification, a Dutch address and a Dutch bank account for the direct debit, and they can run a credit check. Check the requirements on the order page of the provider you choose.
For the BSN, see our BSN application guide. For a bank account, see our comparison of Dutch banks for international students.
Sim-only versus a phone included
Providers sell subscriptions with a phone included. For students, sim-only is usually the better fit, for two reasons.
Cost transparency. A phone in a subscription is paid off in the monthly price over the contract term. Compare the total over the term with the price of the phone bought separately.
Your credit file. According to BKR, a purchase on instalment of more than EUR 250 is registered with BKR, the national credit register (bkr.nl). That registration sits in the file that lenders can later consult. Our guide on building a credit history in the Netherlands explains how the register works.
Bring the phone you own and buy sim-only.
Choosing a plan that fits a degree, not a discount
A common trap is a two-year plan with a low introductory price, signed by a student who leaves the country before the term ends. Vodafone states that if you leave before the end of the contract it charges the remaining subscription costs in one amount; other providers have similar terms, so read the cancellation terms before you order.
| Your programme | Sensible contract | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Exchange semester (4–6 months) | Prepaid only | A subscription term is longer than your stay |
| One-year master’s | Monthly or one-year term | A 24-month term may outlast your stay |
| Two-year master’s | 1-year term, or monthly | Leaves room for an early departure or thesis extension |
| Three-year bachelor’s | 2-year term | The promotional price is more likely to pay off |
Shorter terms can cost a little more per month: Vodafone, for example, charges EUR 1 a month more for a one-year term than for a two-year term, and Simyo advertises a monthly adjustable plan (vodafone.nl, simyo.nl, October 2026). Always find the price after the promotion ends.
Examples from the providers’ own pages (6 to 8 October 2026): Budget Thuis lists unlimited data, minutes and texts at EUR 10 per month for the first 8 months, and 30 GB from EUR 5.25 per month for the first 8 months, both for a 2-year term. Simyo lists 40 GB with 400 minutes at EUR 6.50 per month for the first 12 months of a 24-month term, then EUR 15 per month. Odido lists unlimited from EUR 20 per month with a 2-year term and its customer benefit. Check the standard price on each provider’s page before ordering.
What the budget brands actually are
There are three physical networks in the Netherlands: KPN, Odido and Vodafone. Several consumer brands run on top of them, according to their own sites:
- KPN network: KPN itself, Simyo (“5G from KPN”), Budget Thuis Mobiel (“the KPN network”) and Lebara.
- Odido network: Odido and Ben (“Odido network”).
- Vodafone network: Vodafone itself and hollandsnieuwe, which states it runs on the Vodafone and Ziggo network (hollandsnieuwe.nl, read 30 September 2026).
Brands on the same network use the same masts as the network’s own brand; differences are mostly in price, extras and service. For comparison, Vodafone’s regular two-year Sim Only prices are €20.00 for 15 GB and €24.50 for 30 GB, both with 150 minutes. Independer’s telecom comparison is a quick way to compare current offers; Budget Thuis Mobiel is a budget option on the KPN network.
If you would rather be with an operator: Vodafone Young
If you are between 18 and 28, check Vodafone Young, Vodafone’s offer “voor klanten tussen de 18 en 28 jaar”, with up to EUR 10 a month off your subscription (vodafone.nl/abonnement/young, 8 October 2026). Vodafone’s one-year term costs EUR 1 a month more than the two-year term, which suits a one-year master’s better than a two-year contract (vodafone.nl/abonnement/sim-only). Vodafone says “up to” EUR 10, so check the Young price for the bundle you want on Vodafone’s own page and set it against the budget brands’ post-promotion price.
How much data do you actually need?
Student accommodation often includes internet and campuses have eduroam, so mobile data use depends mainly on your habits. Check the last three months in your phone’s settings before you buy. What pushes usage up: intercity commuting with video, weak Wi-Fi in your accommodation and tethering a laptop. See the unlimited data plans comparison for the trade-off.
Calling and messaging home
Family who use WhatsApp, Signal or FaceTime. Calls over data cost only the data.
Family in the EU/EEA on ordinary phone numbers. Check whether your plan includes international calls within the EU or charges them separately: “unlimited calls” can mean unlimited domestic calls. Check the plan details on the provider’s page before you order, for example at Vodafone.
Family outside the EU on landlines or non-data phones. Providers such as Lebara and Lycamobile sell international bundles. Check the rate or bundle for your destination country, because the country lists differ per brand and change.
Check Lyca Mobile prepaid and international bundles →
Campus Wi-Fi and public networks
Eduroam is the academic network used on campus across the Netherlands and many other countries. On other public networks (cafés, stations, an open network in a shared house) a VPN such as NordVPN encrypts your traffic. Our VPN guide for the Netherlands covers alternatives.
Before you graduate: the exit checklist
- Give notice properly and check your contract’s term and notice period. Terms differ per provider.
- Move your two-factor authentication off the Dutch number before you lose it: bank apps, DigiD, university accounts and government portals.
- Decide whether to keep the number. Check the provider’s rules on how long a prepaid number stays active without a top-up.
- Check the final invoice before you cancel the direct debit.
The deregistration and leaving checklist covers the rest of the exit admin, and the student health insurance rules are another item internationals often get wrong.
The short version
Get a prepaid SIM in week one. Get your Dutch address and a Dutch bank account as soon as you can. Then move to a sim-only plan with a term that ends no later than your degree does, port your number, and check the price after the promotion ends.
Prices cited reflect publicly listed rates on the dates shown and change frequently, especially promotional pricing. Check current pricing and contract terms on the provider’s own site before ordering.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which SIM card should an international student buy on arrival in the Netherlands?
A prepaid SIM is the usual first step: there is no monthly contract and no long-term commitment, and it gives you a +31 number so you can receive messages from your university, housing contacts and bank. Providers set their own activation and registration rules, so check the provider's page. Once you have a Dutch address and bank account, compare monthly sim-only plans.
Can I get a Dutch phone contract without a BSN?
Providers set their own requirements for subscriptions, for example identification, a Dutch address and a Dutch bank account for the monthly direct debit, and they can run a credit check. Check the requirements on the provider's order page. Prepaid has no monthly contract and is the usual way to start.
Do Dutch providers offer student discounts?
Not as a general student tariff that we found. Vodafone Young gives customers aged 18 to 28 up to EUR 10 a month off (vodafone.nl, 8 October 2026). Otherwise the saving comes from comparing providers; budget brands often advertise lower introductory prices, so look at the price after the promotion ends.
Should I sign a two-year contract if my degree lasts one year?
Usually not. Vodafone states that if you want to leave before the end of your contract, it charges the remaining subscription costs in one amount, and other providers have similar terms, so read the cancellation terms first. Choose a plan with a shorter term or monthly cancellation if you will leave within a year.
How much mobile data does a student in the Netherlands actually need?
It depends on your habits and on the Wi-Fi in your accommodation and on campus. Check your phone's own data statistics for the last few months before paying for a large or unlimited bundle.
What is the cheapest way to call family abroad from the Netherlands?
For most people, calling over data with WhatsApp, Signal or FaceTime. If relatives use landline numbers or you need real voice minutes abroad, compare the international bundles of providers such as Lyca Mobile and Lebara for your destination country.
Can I keep my Dutch number when I switch providers or after I graduate?
Within the Netherlands you can keep your mobile number when you switch provider; the new provider arranges it (Vodafone: it works for Dutch numbers). Keeping a Dutch number after you leave means keeping a subscription or an active prepaid SIM, so check the provider's rules, and move any two-factor codes tied to the number before you leave.