What do you recall when you hear of the Netherlands? The land of tulips and canals provides unique educational opportunities as well. It has made a name for its liberal sense of ethos. The foreign students experience a flexible and diverse study atmosphere. If you are considering the Netherlands to continue your education, you might need a Netherlands Student Visa. In this blog, we will explain if you need a Netherlands Student Visa or not, the requirements, application, fees, validity, FAQs, etc.
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ToggleEligibility for Netherlands Student Visa
You can only apply for a Netherlands Student Visa when you have been accepted to one of the Dutch universities or educational institutions.
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Netherlands Student visa
Who Needs and Does not Need Netherlands Student Visa
A. EU citizens
If you need a Netherlands student visa or not depends on your nationality. The European Union or EEA nationals don’t need a Netherlands student visa. But they have to register with the local government or council. When you, as an EU citizen, register with them, they give you a BSN or public service number. To do so, you should attend in person and take:
- Passport
- Proof of accommodation
- A copy of the birth certificate that contains your name
Once you decide to leave, you should unregister it.
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B. Non-EU citizens
If you are a non-EU citizen and your country needs a Netherlands short-stay visa for up to 90 days, you need a Netherlands student visa. Some nationalities are free of Schengen short-stay visas. They can study in the Netherlands for up to 90 days. If you need a Schengen short-stay visa, then you have to apply for a student visa. The length of stay does not matter.
Netherlands study permits
The non-EU citizens that want to study in the Netherlands have to apply for either a Residence permit (VVR), and Provisional Residence permit, or Entry visa (MMV)
A. Provisional Residence permit (MMV)
It also gets called a Dutch entry visa. You have to apply for it from your home country. Some universities help you in your application process for a Dutch entry visa. It serves as an ID card on your passport, and you can stay in the Netherlands for longer than 90 days. Please note that with an MMV, you can stay for up to six months. Then you should have got a VVr or residence permit.
B. Residence permit (VVR)
With a Dutch Residence permit, you can stay in the Netherlands for the duration of your studies. You can also stay for one year and three months to take care of anything you need. With a Dutch VVR, you can visit any Schengen country for 90 days in a six months period. The VVR serves as Dutch citizenship for you. The Residence permit also gets called Netherlands long-stay student visa.
Requirements for Netherlands Student Visa
The requirements for a Netherlands student visa are as follows:
- The general requirements for a Netherlands visa.
- An acceptance letter from the university or educational institute you will be studying.
- Your study plans. You should state how your course in the Netherlands is related to your previous studies.
- Health insurance for the time of your stay in the Netherlands.
- Registration documents from the university you will be studying at.
- Proof to have enough funds. You need to have enough money to cover your expenses in the Netherlands. At least you need 870 ( 993 dollars) EUR for every month of your stay in the Netherlands. You could prove that through bank statements or scholarship letters.
- A valid passport and copies of previous visas if you have had any.
- Agree to take a TB test in the first three months of arriving in the Netherlands.
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- Academic certificates.
- Biometric information
Please note that a certified translator should translate your documents into either:
- Dutch
- English
- French
- German
Netherlands Student Visa Application Process
The application process for a Netherlands student visa is a little different from other Netherlands visas. You should know that you can not apply for this visa on your own. The university or institution that has accepted you will start the application on your behalf.
- First, a Dutch university should accept you. You should prepare the required documents and send them to the university.
- The Dutch university will tell you the procedures to follow.
- If you need health insurance, purchase one. It must be valid in the Netherlands and all Schengen states.
- You will receive confirmation from the nearest Dutch embassy or consulate. You should make an appointment with them.
- Then, you attend the appointment in person and deliver the requirements and your passport.
- You have to pay the fees for the processing of your application. Then you should go through an interview. The visa officer will ask you a few questions. Please note to be honest, friendly, and strong. This interview will decide the future of your visa application.
- In the end, you should wait. If your application gets approved, the embassy will send you the visa stick on your passport. If rejected, they will send you a letter explaining the reason.
Processing Time for Netherlands Student Visa
The processing time for a Netherlands student visa depends on:
- The type of visa or duration of your stay
- Your particular case
- The Dutch embassy’s workload
- The political circumstances
The processing time is different for a Netherlands short-stay visa than for a long-stay visa. But the processing time ranges from 15 days to 90 days. It would be best to apply three months before the date your course begins in the Netherlands.
How Long Is the Netherlands Student Visa Valid For?
The validity of the Netherlands student visa depends on the type of visa. The Dutch authorities will grant the duration to complete your course. The validity can range from 90 days to five years. You should focus on applying for the appropriate type of visa. Please note that you have to keep at least %50 progress in your studies to continue your studies. If you don’t make progress, your course could get taken from you.
Can you work with a Netherlands student visa?
YES. You can work in the Netherlands with a student visa. But working must not interfere with your studies. You can work in the Netherlands for 16 hours per week.
Do You Have to Buy Health Insurance for a Netherlands Student Visa?
YES. You have to buy health insurance valid in the Netherlands and all Schengen states. It must cover all your medical expenses to the required amount by the Dutch university.
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Netherlands Student Visa Interview Questions
The interview questions for a Netherlands student visa might be different. But a few samples are as follows:
- Family
- Background
- Work experience
- What is your reason for studying at this university?
- Why this degree?
- Have you applied to any university before? Which ones?
- Where do you complete your last studies?
- Give information about the university you are going to attend.
- Whom did you contact at the university?
- How long will you stay in the Netherlands?
- How do you know about this university?
- What are you going to specialize in?
- How many admissions did you get?
- Your academic background?
- Do you want to study Ph.D. after MS?
- Why not another university in the Netherlands?
- The courses you will take in your first semester.
- Why not study in your country
- Your plans after your course got finished.
- Will you leave the Netherlands after your course has finished?
- How will you cover your expenses?
Etc.
Netherlands Student visa costs
As there are different types of Netherlands student visas and the Dutch university applies on your behalf, the cost or fee is different.
Let’s sum up…
In this blog, we explained all you need to know about the Netherlands student visa.
We covered if you need a student visa to the Netherlands or not, requirements, application, fees, validity, interview question, FAQs, etc.
You can find all the Netherlands visa information in the world here. To find out more about the visa that suits you, go through the menu of the site. You can find all types of Netherlands visas in the left sidebar.
You can check the Visa Library to find more information about other countries’ visas.
In case you have some experience, please write it down in the comment section. Your comments let the readers choose better and avoid mistakes. Conveying your experiences as comments is a great help for applicants.
- Published by
- Max-B.
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