Visa and bureaucracy
There are three main factors that determine how to get a visa in the Netherlands:
- your country of origin
- the duration of your stay (less or more than 90 days)
- reasons of your stay
Remember that the Netherlands is part of the EU, so if you are from an EU member State, you will not need any visa to study or work in the Netherlands.
In any other case, a visa might be needed before arriving in the Netherlands. Normally, if you come from a country outside the EU and you are admitted to a university course or a Dutch research centre, that institution will contact you to start the procedure in order to get a visa.
If you are a student or a researcher and you want to learn something more about visa policies in the Netherlands, you can visit this website: https://www.studyinholland.nl/plan-your-stay/get-prepared.
If you come from a non-EU state, your visa will cost you up to 400€ depending on your working status and your country of origin. If you want to know the visa costs for your stay in the Netherlands, check the Immigration Dpt. webpage: https://ind.nl/en/Pages/Costs.aspx#Study.
Healthcare system
One of the advantages of moving to the Netherlands is the excellent standard of Dutch healthcare, which is rated among the best in Europe. Their healthcare system is a hybrid between public and private, managed by the government and supplemented by private insurance companies, to which residents subscribe through individual or family medical insurance plans.
Costs differ depending on your status or the level of coverage you want. There are many agencies affiliated with the Dutch public health system that provide medical insurance. You can find a list here: https://www.zorgverzekeringslijn.nl/hulpverleners/handige-tools/zorgverzekeraars/overzicht-contactgegevens/.
Subscription to a health insurance (through annual payments) grants you medical services and treatments without any additional costs, unless you choose a private hospital not affiliated with the insurance system. Your general practitioner (huisarts) will be the first point of contact in the healthcare system, and will provide you with prescriptions and referrals if you need a visit with a specialist. Public health insurance does not cover some treatment, like for example dental treatment and physiotherapy.
If you wish to access health benefits in the Dutch system without incurring high fees, as resident you will be required to get health insurance and register with a local general practitioner. The type of insurance can vary depending on different factors, like the reasons for your stay in the Netherlands or whether you receive a salary.
International students in the Netherlands must arrange their own health insurance.
To register for the healthcare system in the Netherlands, you first need to obtain your Citizen Service Number (burgerservicenummer or BSN). You can apply for this at your local municipal office.
Once you have done this, you can register for health insurance and choose which insurance company you want to provide you with coverage. To do this, you must provide:
- your passport or ID;
- proof of address, such as a recent Dutch utility bill;
- your BSN (Dutch national identification number);
- letter from your employer confirming employment, if you are working in the Netherlands
Once you have signed up for health insurance, you can then register with a Dutch doctor. You should receive a health insurance chip card, which you will need to present when you use any of the healthcare services in the Netherlands.
(source: Expatica.com)
If your country of origin is an EU member/EAA/Switzerland, your insurance is linked to your possession of a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). For further information on how to use the EHIC in the Netherlands, visit the website: https://www.zorgwijzer.nl/faq/european-health-insurance-card .
Regarding the current Covid-19 emergency, on the Dutch government website you will find all the useful and updated information: https://www.rivm.nl/en/novel-coronavirus-covid-19/current-information .
Costs of living
As a student, the monthly cost for living in the Netherlands -including rent, food, transports, books, clothes and some extras- is between 800€ and 1200€. This is not true in the capital, Amsterdam, where living costs can increase up to 1500€ and are rarely under 1000€.
Obviously, different cities involve different costs. Here are some examples, from the cheapest option to the most expensive:
- Enschede: 650-920€/per month
- Delft and Leiden: 780-1200€/per month
- Rotterdam: 760-1250€/per month
- Eindhoven: 850-1350€/per month
- Amsterdam: 1000-2000€/per month
With regards to rent, you have to take into account that the average cost (per month) for a room is between 300€ and 600€. Student residences could potentially be a cheaper solution, with many universities offering the possibility to live on campus.
Depending on the area, renting a studio apartment will cost you between 500 and 1,000€/per month while sharing a flat is considerably cheaper, with the prices varying between 400 and 700€/per month.
In addition to rent, you have to take into account gas, electricity, water and internet bills which are around 100€ and 250€ per month (to be split between flatmates).
Students who live independently usually spend around 160€ each month for groceries. Lidl, Aldi, Jumbo and Albert Heijn are some of the less expensive grocery chains. Living in big cities such as Amsterdam or Rotterdam also affects grocery costs, which are lower in smaller cities like Nijmegen, Eindhoven or Groningen.
Going out for dinner is more expensive than in other countries, like Italy or Spain: the minimum you would pay for a meal in a cheap place is never below 15€ per person.
As to public transports, the average cost for a monthly ticket is about 35 to 70€ for students. However, the most practical, popular and cheap way to move around in the Netherlands is by bike. Thanks to the numerous cycle paths and the absence of slopes and steep roads, bikes are an absolute must have in the Netherlands!