Most Dutch research universities charge €100 to applicants whose previous degree is from outside the Netherlands, and they keep it if you are turned down. But you can apply to some good Dutch universities without paying anything, one refunds the fee when you enrol, and how far €100 goes differs a lot from one university to the next. Here is each one, for applications made from autumn 2026.
Dutch universities you can apply to for free
| University | Type | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Wageningen University | Research university | Its application steps and cost table list no application fee |
| University of Twente | Research university | No fee for master's programmes outside three faculties; BMS, EEMCS and ET master's charge €100 |
| Maastricht University | Research university | Charges €100, then refunds it once you start your studies there |
| Saxion | University of applied sciences | Its cost table lists no application fee; €9,360 a year for a non-EU bachelor's in 2026–27 |
| Windesheim | University of applied sciences | Its finance page lists tuition only, €9,314 a year for non-EU students in 2026–27 |
| Avans | University of applied sciences | Its application page lists no application fee; €10,308 a year for non-EU students in 2026–27 |
| The Hague University of Applied Sciences | University of applied sciences | Its how-to-apply page lists no application fee; non-EU students pay a package fee that covers first-year tuition, the residence permit and insurance |
| Hanze, Fontys and Inholland | Universities of applied sciences | Their application and finance pages list no application fee |
Universities of applied sciences (hogescholen) teach practice-based bachelor's degrees and some master's, and they cost non-EU students far less than research universities. Their non-EU fees and the cheapest options are in our Netherlands guide.
What the €100 covers at each research university
| University | Application fee | How far it goes |
|---|---|---|
| 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, not refunded |
| 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 |
The universities will not assess your file until the fee has arrived, so pay it as soon as you submit.
University of Groningen: who gets the fee waived
Groningen says it waives the application fee only in very specific cases:
- students with refugee status in the Netherlands;
- applicants to an Erasmus Mundus programme, although the programme itself may decide to charge a fee;
- Double Degree applicants whose previous university has already assessed their diploma;
- applicants with a Dutch secondary education diploma or a Dutch bachelor's degree;
- applicants with a VWO diploma from Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, Saba, Sint Eustatius or Suriname.
Everyone else pays once per academic year, however many Groningen programmes they apply to, and the fee is not refunded. Applicants who qualify for an exemption are told by email how it works.
How to spend as little as possible
- Start with the free ones. Wageningen, most Twente master's and the universities of applied sciences above cost nothing to apply to.
- Pick universities where one fee covers several programmes. At VU Amsterdam one payment covers four programmes, at Utrecht it lasts three years, and at Groningen, Tilburg and Radboud it covers the whole academic year.
- Count Maastricht as free if you will go. Its fee comes back once you start your studies there.
- Watch the per-programme fees. Erasmus School of Economics and TU Eindhoven charge again for every application.
If the fee is a worry because the whole degree is, look at the scholarships that pay Dutch tuition: TU Delft's Van Effen, Maastricht's NL-High Potential and Leiden's Excellence Scholarship. For universities in other countries that charge no fee, read universities with no application fee for international students.
Sources
- University of Groningen: Application fee
- Windesheim: Finance
- Avans: Applying
- The Hague University of Applied Sciences: How to apply
- Hanze: Application and enrolment
- Fontys: Tuition and finance
- Inholland: Application and admission
- Study in NL: Tuition fees
Common questions
Which universities in the Netherlands have no application fee?
Wageningen University lists no application fee, the University of Twente charges none for master's programmes outside its BMS, EEMCS and ET faculties, and Maastricht University refunds its €100 fee once you start your studies there. Among universities of applied sciences, Saxion, Windesheim, Hanze, Avans, Fontys, Inholland and The Hague University of Applied Sciences list no application fee on their application or finance pages.
Does the University of Groningen waive the application fee?
Only in specific cases: refugees in the Netherlands, Erasmus Mundus applicants (the programme may still charge), some Double Degree applicants, and applicants with a Dutch secondary or bachelor's diploma or a VWO diploma from the Dutch Caribbean or Suriname. Everyone else pays €100 once per academic year, and it is not refunded.
Is the Dutch university application fee refundable?
Usually not. The €100 is kept if you are turned down or do not enrol. Maastricht University is the exception: it refunds the fee once you start your studies there.
Do I pay the application fee for every programme?
It depends on the university. Groningen, Tilburg and Radboud charge once per academic year, the University of Amsterdam once for all your master's applications that year, VU Amsterdam once for up to four programmes, and Utrecht once for three years. Erasmus School of Economics and TU Eindhoven charge for each application.