Netherlands university fees and costs for international students

Statutory and institutional fees

EU/EEA students pay the Dutch statutory fee (€2,694 for 2026–27). Students from outside the EU/EEA pay an institutional fee set by each university: for a master's, mostly between about €18,000 and €26,000 a year, and up to about €37,000 for medicine and dentistry.

Tuition fees at each Dutch university

These are the yearly institutional fees for full-time students from outside the EU/EEA, as each research university publishes them. Fees go up every year, usually by about 3%, so check the year column: TU Delft's MSc fee is €25,633 for 2026–27 and €26,479 for 2027–28. TU Eindhoven's bachelor's fee rises more, from €18,600 to €22,400.

University	Year	Bachelor's	Master's
University of Amsterdam	2027–28	€15,730 to €34,500	€13,200 to €37,200, by faculty
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam	–	Set per programme	Set per programme
Leiden University	2027–28	–	€22,900; €23,300 in science; €34,000 for Medicine and Pharmacy
Utrecht University	2026–27	€13,415 to €28,416	€21,342 to €32,562
University of Groningen	2026–27	€14,000 to €32,000	€19,900 to €32,000
Tilburg University	2026–27	€13,400	€19,900 (main rate)
Erasmus University Rotterdam	2026–27	€13,500; RSM €14,000; Erasmus MC €32,200	€21,000; RSM €25,800; Erasmus MC €34,100
Radboud University	–	Set per programme	Set per programme
Maastricht University	2026–27	€13,200 to €32,000	€21,500 to €32,000
TU Delft	2026–27	€19,906	€25,633
TU Eindhoven	2026–27	€18,600	€21,700
University of Twente	2026–27	–	€18,200 or €21,700, by programme
Wageningen University	2026–27	–	€21,900

A dash means the fee is set programme by programme; the programme's own page on the university's site gives the exact amount. Other 2027–28 rates already published: Utrecht's master's fees run from €22,000 to €33,500, Twente's are €18,720 or €22,320, Eindhoven's master's fee is €22,400, and Groningen's bachelor's fees start at €14,400.

Universities of applied sciences: the lower-cost route

Universities of applied sciences (hogescholen) teach practice-based bachelor's degrees, and some master's, in English. They charge non-EU students far less than research universities: about €9,300 to €10,700 a year at most of them for 2026–27, against €13,200 to €34,500 for a bachelor's at a research university. These are the institutional fees each school publishes for students from outside the EU/EEA, cheapest first.

School	Year	Bachelor's, non-EU	Good to know
Windesheim	2026–27	€9,314	Fees may change with government policy and inflation
HAN University of Applied Sciences	2026–27	€9,320 or €10,940	€9,320 for Communication, International Business and International Social Work; €10,940 for engineering and the life sciences. Its master's cost the same two rates
Saxion	2026–27	€9,360	Master's fees set per programme; its cost table lists no application fee
HZ University of Applied Sciences	2026–27	€9,893	The same rate for its two-year River Delta Development master's
Van Hall Larenstein	2026–27	€9,950	€8,830 for International Agribusiness and Trade; 2027–28 fees not yet announced
Avans	2026–27	€10,308	The same rate for bachelor's and master's
NHL Stenden	2026–27	€10,335	€10,630 for 2027–28; most master's the same, a few €11,995
The Hague University of Applied Sciences	2026–27	€10,528	€14,000 for a full-time English-taught master's
Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences	2026–27	€10,684	€11,949 for the English-taught International Business bachelor's
HAS green academy	2026–27	€10,690	Paid in full before 1 May
Breda University of Applied Sciences	2027–28	€13,680	Bachelor's institutional fee

As at research universities, the fee rises each year and a few programmes have their own rate, so check the programme's page before you budget.

Application fees, and the Dutch universities that charge none

Almost every Dutch research university charges €100 to applicants whose previous degree is from outside the Netherlands. It is not refunded if you are turned down, and the university will not assess your file until it has been paid.

University	Application fee	Good to know
University of Amsterdam	€100	One payment covers all your UvA master's applications for the year
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam	€100	Covers up to four programmes and stays valid for two academic years
Leiden University	€100	Covers several programmes
Utrecht University	€100	Paid once, valid for three years
University of Groningen	€100	Paid once per academic year
Tilburg University	€100	Paid once per academic year
Radboud University	€100	Paid once per academic year; €75 for non-EEA master's applications to the February 2027 intake
Erasmus School of Economics, Rotterdam	€100	Charged again for each programme you apply to
TU Delft	€100	Bachelor's and master's
Eindhoven University of Technology	€100	Per application, by bank transfer only; bank charges come on top
University of Twente	€100 in three faculties	Only master's programmes in the BMS, EEMCS and ET faculties charge it
Maastricht University	€100	Refunded once you start your studies there
Wageningen University	None listed	Its application steps and cost table list no application fee

So the Dutch universities you can apply to without losing money are Wageningen, Twente for master's programmes outside those three faculties, and Maastricht, which gives the fee back when you enrol. Among universities of applied sciences, Saxion's cost table lists no application fee either. Our list of Dutch universities with no application fee covers the universities of applied sciences too, and our guide to universities with no application fee covers other countries.

The cheapest options

The lowest non-EU fees in the Netherlands are at universities of applied sciences. For a 2026–27 bachelor's, Windesheim (€9,314), HAN (€9,320 for Communication, International Business and International Social Work), Saxion (€9,360), HZ (€9,893) and Van Hall Larenstein (€9,950) charge least, and Van Hall Larenstein's International Agribusiness and Trade costs €8,830.

Among research universities, the lowest non-EU master's fees for 2026–27 are at the University of Twente (€18,200 for its lower-rate programmes), Groningen (€19,900 in arts, philosophy and religion) and Tilburg (€19,900). For a bachelor's, Maastricht (from €13,200), Tilburg (€13,400), Utrecht (from €13,415) and Erasmus (€13,500) cost least. Wageningen charges non-EU master's students €21,900 for 2026–27, with €22,500 expected for 2027–28.

The only way to study in the Netherlands for nothing is a full scholarship, such as the three below.

Full scholarships

Three routes on this board cover tuition and living costs:

TU Delft's Justus & Louise van Effen Excellence Scholarship: about 16 awards across two-year MSc programmes; apply with a complete MSc application by 1 December.
Maastricht University's NL-High Potential Scholarship: 18 awards for 2027–28 covering tuition, living expenses (€20,150 for a 13-month programme), insurance and visa costs; master's application by 10 December, scholarship by 1 February.
The University of Groningen's Eric Bleumink Fellowship: four awards a year for students from 79 developing countries, covering tuition, €1,250 a month, flights and insurance; complete your Groningen master's application before 1 December.

Apply early

Dutch scholarship deadlines fall months before regular admission deadlines, and you normally need a complete admission application first. For a September start, have your transcripts, English test and references ready by November of the previous year.

Housing

Student housing is scarce in Delft, Amsterdam, Utrecht and other university cities. Look as soon as you are admitted, and be wary of listings that ask for payment before you have seen a contract.

Proof of funds for your residence permit

The Dutch immigration service (IND) asks you to show the study norm: €1,130.77 a month for university and higher professional education in 2026, the most a Dutch student can receive in study finance when living away from home. You need it for a year (twelve times the monthly amount, €13,569.24), and in practice you usually transfer it to your university, which applies for the permit for you. The amount changes every 1 January.

Working while you study

You may work as an employee only if your employer has a work permit (TWV) for you, and then you must choose: up to 16 hours a week, or full time in June, July and August. Self-employment does not need a work permit, as long as you still meet the conditions of your study permit.

After you graduate: the orientation year

Within three years of finishing your studies, you can apply for a residence permit for an orientation year for highly educated persons. It lasts one year, and during it you may work freely: your employer does not need a work permit.

Common questions

Which universities in the Netherlands have no application fee?

Wageningen University lists no application fee. Maastricht University charges €100 but refunds it once you start your studies, and at the University of Twente only master's programmes in three faculties charge it. The other research universities charge €100 to applicants with a non-Dutch degree.

How much are tuition fees in the Netherlands for international students?

Students from outside the EU/EEA pay an institutional fee set by each school. At universities of applied sciences it is about €9,300 to €10,700 a year for most 2026–27 bachelor's programmes. At research universities a master's costs mostly €18,000 to €26,000 a year, and up to about €37,000 for medicine and dentistry; the cheapest start at €18,200 at Twente and €19,900 at Groningen and Tilburg.

Which are the cheapest universities in the Netherlands for international students?

Universities of applied sciences: for a 2026–27 bachelor's, Windesheim charges non-EU students €9,314, HAN from €9,320, Saxion €9,360 and HZ €9,893. Among research universities, Twente, Groningen and Tilburg have the lowest master's fees. A full scholarship such as TU Delft's Van Effen, Maastricht's NL-High Potential or Groningen's Eric Bleumink Fellowship covers tuition and living costs.

How much money do I need for a Dutch student residence permit?

The 2026 study norm for university and higher professional education is €1,130.77 a month, and you need it for a year: €13,569.24.

Can I work while studying in the Netherlands?

Only if your employer gets a work permit for you, and then up to 16 hours a week or full time in June, July and August.

Can I stay in the Netherlands after graduating?

Yes. Within three years of graduating you can apply for a one-year orientation year, during which you may work without a work permit.

The Netherlands: tuition, application fees and the scholarships that cover them

Funded routes in Netherlands