1. Student travel product + bicycle
If you work more than 56 hours a month and are an EU citizen, you can apply for an OV student card through DUO and can travel for free on public transport or contribute to the cost of your travel. A personal OV-chipkaart costs €7.50 and is delivered within six working days. Please note that there is no post on Mondays. Check your eligibility via this link.
A bicycle is also important for daily transport. You can buy a second-hand bike from ASVA via this link or on Marktplaats.nl. Don’t forget to buy a good lock for the safety of your bike!
2. Can you get study funding from DUO?
As an EU citizen, you can apply for study funding from DUO, provided you work at least 56 hours a month alongside your studies and are enrolled at a recognised educational institution in the Netherlands. You must also meet DUO’s other conditions, such as attending a full-time course and making sufficient study progress (at least 50% of credits per year).
Students with a Type I residence permit may also be eligible for student finance, depending on their residence status.
Please note that there is an age limit for receiving student loans, this is that you have to be between 18 and 30 years old. You should also bear in mind that you have to meet all the requirements to get student loans.
For more information on this topic, please visit the following links: Study funding for EU citizens and Studying in the Netherlands – Netherlands Worldwide
3. Finding a job as an international
ALs a non-EU/EEA student, you may work alongside your studies under the following conditions:
– A maximum of 16 hours per week during the academic year, or
– Full-time in the months of June, July and August.
In both cases, a work permit is required, note that this is not easy to obtain if your country of origin does not have good relations with the Netherlands. Check whether you can get it well before coming to the Netherlands.
4. Volunteer
As a non-EU/EEA student, you do not need a work permit for volunteering. Instead, a Volunteer Declaration suffices. More information on the conditions and the application procedure can be found on the UWV * website.
5. Work permit application
Only your employer can apply for the work permit from UWV Werkbedrijf, and the procedure takes about 5 weeks. It is important to know that you can only start working once the work permit has been approved. If you start earlier, your employer risks a fine and may jeopardise your residence permit. The chances that your employer will do this are slim.
6. Vacancies and networking
Search for vacancies on platforms such as Indeed, LinkedIn, YoungCapital or the UvA Job Board. Networking is also important: visit student events and meet-ups in Amsterdam, such as SPUI25, to increase your chances. More information on work permits for self-employed professionals can be found on the government website.
