In this guide
A semester in the Netherlands needs some preparation: housing, a visa or residence permit if you are not from the EU/EEA, health insurance and a way to pay in euros.
💡 Looking for a complete banking comparison? Read Best banking for expats in the Netherlands 2026 — covers ABN, ING, Bunq, Wise, Revolut & 5 others by expat use case.
Before You Arrive: Your Checklist
- Confirm your exchange placement and receive your acceptance letter from your Dutch host university
- Ask the host university about its housing procedure and deadlines
- Sort your visa or residence permit if required (non-EU nationals, see below)
- Arrange health insurance
- Set up a way to access money in euros
- Book temporary accommodation for your first nights if you do not have a room confirmed
Visas and Entry
EU/EEA and Swiss Nationals
No residence permit is required. If you will live in the Netherlands for more than 4 months, you must register with the municipality (gemeente) within 5 days after arrival, and you then receive a BSN (burgerservicenummer) (Rijksoverheid). See our BSN registration guide for what to bring.
Non-EU Students: Stays Up to 90 Days
The IND states that you need a residence permit for a stay of more than 90 days. For a shorter stay, check at ind.nl whether your nationality needs a visa. Check also whether you may work or must register at the gemeente during a short stay, and arrange travel or health insurance for the period.
Non-EU Students: Stays Over 90 Days
For a stay of more than 90 days, non-EU students need a residence permit. According to the IND:
- The educational institution where you will study applies for the residence permit, if it is recognised as a sponsor
- In many cases you also need an MVV (entry visa). If it is granted, the institution tells you, and you collect the MVV at the Dutch embassy or consulate within 3 months and then have 90 days to travel to the Netherlands
- On arrival you collect your residence permit within two weeks, and the institution tells you where and when
- You need sufficient means to support yourself for at least one year. For hbo and university students the IND’s 2026 amount is €1,130.77 per month, excluding tuition
- The IND application fee for a study permit is €254 in 2026; ask your institution who pays it
Nationals of Australia, Canada, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, Vatican City, the United Kingdom, the United States, South Korea and Switzerland do not need an MVV (IND).
Contact your host university’s international office as soon as your placement is confirmed. For more on student visas, see our student expat guide.
Erasmus+ Grants
If you take part in Erasmus+, the grant is paid by your home institution, so the amount, the payment schedule and the top-ups for a disability, dependent children or a lower income depend on your home university and country. Ask your home university’s international office.
Housing
What to Do
Step 1: Check your host university’s exchange housing. Many universities have a housing procedure for incoming exchange students. Ask about the application deadline as soon as you have your placement.
Step 2: Use Kamernet. If university housing is not available, Kamernet is a Dutch platform for rooms. Set up an alert for your target city.
Step 3: HousingAnywhere. This platform lets you look for accommodation from abroad.
Be careful with scams. Do not pay a deposit for a room you have not seen, at least by video call, and do not send money by untraceable payment methods. See our guide to rental scams.
Read the Dutch rental contract guide before signing anything. The deposit (waarborgsom) is limited to a maximum of two months rent for contracts from 1 July 2023.
Health Insurance
Whether you must take out Dutch basic health insurance depends on your situation. An IND brochure on studying in the Netherlands states that students who work or do an internship in the Netherlands must take out Dutch public health insurance, and that students who have not found a job or whose internship allowance is below the Dutch minimum wage can use foreign health insurance. Ask your host university what applies to you. Either way, make sure you have valid cover for the whole stay.
Your options:
Option 1: Your home country’s student health insurance. Check whether it covers you in the Netherlands and for which care.
Option 2: European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). EU students with a valid EHIC are covered for medically necessary care during a temporary stay. It does not cover everything: for example, planned care and the return journey home are not covered (Government.nl).
Option 3: International student health insurance. SafetyWing’s Nomad Insurance Essential is travel medical insurance from USD 62.72 per 4 weeks for ages 10-39 (safetywing.com, 31 October 2026). SafetyWing lists hospital stays, surgeries and medications for new, unexpected issues, cover in 180+ countries (US coverage is extra) and cover for up to 364 days at a time. Check the policy terms for your situation.
Register with a local GP (huisarts) as soon as you have a Dutch address. See our guide on finding an English-speaking doctor in the Netherlands.
Banking and Money
Option 1: Open a Dutch Bank Account
For longer stays, a Dutch bank account can help with rent and local payments. Banks ask for a Dutch address, ID and your BSN, but ABN AMRO and ING let you hand in the BSN after opening (ABN AMRO within 120 days, ING within 90 days for non-EEA passport holders). See our bank account opening guide.
Option 2: Use Wise
For shorter stays, Wise gives you EUR account details with a non-Dutch euro IBAN, which you can use to receive euro transfers and pay by card. Check whether your landlord accepts a non-Dutch euro IBAN, and compare Wise’s fees and exchange rate for your amounts.
Public Transport and Cycling
The OV-chipkaart is the rechargeable smart card for public transport across the Netherlands. See our OV-chipkaart guide for how to get and load one. Ask DUO or your institution whether your situation qualifies for a student travel product; if not, load your own OV-chipkaart.
Cycling is the other priority. See our cycling guide.
Practical Life
Phone and SIM
Get a Dutch SIM card or an EU-roaming SIM on arrival. KPN, Vodafone and Odido (formerly T-Mobile) are Dutch mobile providers. See our best SIM card guide.
Language
Daily life outside your courses, such as supermarkets, government offices and landlords, often involves Dutch. Basic Dutch phrases help. See our best apps to learn Dutch.
Cost of Living Tips
- Compare supermarkets; discounters such as Lidl and Aldi often have a smaller range
- Cook at home
- Use student discounts where offered, and carry your student card
Making the Most of Your Semester
Weekend destinations within the Netherlands: Kinderdijk, the Wadden Islands (ferry required), Maastricht and the Hoge Veluwe national park are popular options.
For social life, attend the orientation events at your host university. See our guide to making friends in the Netherlands as an expat for broader tips.
Dutch Daily Life as an Exchange Student
Food and Groceries
See our Dutch supermarkets guide and our Dutch food culture guide.
Getting Around
Within a city, many people cycle. See our OV-chipkaart guide and cycling guide.
Dutch Customs
Splitting the bill is common, and Dutch people are often direct. See our Dutch birthday traditions guide and Dutch social etiquette guide.
For the emotional side of moving abroad, see our culture shock and expat burnout guide.
Academic Calendar and Dutch University Life
Teaching formats and calendars differ per university, so check your host university’s academic calendar. Grading scales differ between countries; ask your host university’s exchange coordinator for a conversion table and check with your home university that the ECTS credits you earn will be recognised in your degree programme.
For the full academic context, see our broader study in the Netherlands guide.
Practical Questions
Can I travel to other Schengen countries during my exchange?
Check the conditions on your residence permit or visa, and carry your residence permit card or passport.
Do I need to speak Dutch for university courses?
Check the language of instruction for your courses with your host university.
Can I extend my exchange into a second semester?
That depends on your home university’s exchange agreement and your host university. Contact both international offices early. If your stay becomes longer, ask your host university whether your residence permit needs to change.
What if my housing situation is unsafe or involves fraud?
Contact your university’s student counsellor. Verify the landlord’s identity, do not pay a deposit before you have seen the room in person or by video call, and do not send money by untraceable payment methods.
Making the Most of Your Exchange
Learn some Dutch. Ask your university whether it offers Dutch language classes for international students.
Get outside the international circle. Joining a sports club, choir or other activity brings you into contact with Dutch students.
Document your results. At the end of your exchange, make sure you receive an official transcript from your host university, with an explanation of the grading scale.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do exchange students need a visa to study in the Netherlands?
It depends on your nationality and the length of your stay. EU/EEA and Swiss nationals do not need a residence permit. For a stay of more than 90 days, other nationals need a residence permit, which your host university applies for if it is a recognised sponsor, and many nationalities also need an MVV entry visa (IND). Nationals of Australia, Canada, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, Vatican City, the United Kingdom, the United States, South Korea and Switzerland do not need an MVV. Check your nationality and the length of your stay at ind.nl and with your host university.
How does the Erasmus+ grant work in the Netherlands?
Erasmus+ grants are paid by your home institution, so the amount and conditions depend on your home university and country. Ask your home university's international office for the monthly amount for the Netherlands and for any top-up grants.
How do exchange students find housing in the Netherlands?
Ask your host university first, because many have a housing procedure for incoming exchange students with deadlines, and apply as soon as you have your placement. If university housing is not available, platforms such as Kamernet and HousingAnywhere list rooms. Be careful with advance payments for a room you have not seen.
Do exchange students need Dutch health insurance?
It depends on your situation. According to an IND brochure, students who work or do an internship in the Netherlands must take out Dutch public health insurance, while students who have not found a job or whose internship allowance is below the Dutch minimum wage can use foreign health insurance. Ask your host university what applies to you, and check that your cover is valid for the whole stay.
Can exchange students work in the Netherlands?
Non-EU students with a residence permit for study can work up to 16 hours per week, or full time in June, July and August if they do not work during the study year. In both cases the employer must apply for a work permit (IND). EU/EEA students do not need a permit.
What bank account should an exchange student use?
For a short stay, you can compare a Dutch account with a multi-currency account such as Wise, which gives you EUR account details with a non-Dutch euro IBAN. For a longer stay, a Dutch account can be handy for rent and local payments. Check each provider's current conditions.