Financing your stay
28 Oct 2009
When preparing for your stay it is important to know what kind of expenses you should expect when coming to Holland. Information about daily expenses, housing, course or tuition fees and much more can be very helpful when planning your personal budget.
Daily expenses
Your daily expenses include food, public transport, books, clothes, and cinema tickets. But you also need to take into account the costs for housing and insurance. Experience has shown that students living and studying in Holland for one year spend between €700 and €1,000 a month.
Housing
If you have an average student income – from a scholarship for example – you will find that one-third of it will go towards housing. An average room in Holland costs somewhere between €250 to €600 a month.
The costs depend on the city where you study, what is included in the rent and the arrangements made by the institution. Housing in Amsterdam for example is more expensive than in smaller towns. It is advisable to check what bills are included in the rent, as this may have a large impact on your budget. Some accommodations include gas, electricity, TV and internet in the rent, for others you are expected to pay them separately.
You can find more information about accommodation in our section Housing.
Food
Food is estimated to take another third of your income. Fortunately, most higher education institutions offer hot meals at reasonable prices. Many cities have pubs (eetcafés) where you can eat cheaply and well. But the cheapest way to eat is to do your own cooking.
Some average prices: a cup of coffee/tea in a café: €2.00, a cheese sandwich: €3.00, dinner in a typical student restaurant: €10.00. Most supermarkets offer a variety of brands. It is worth comparing the prices to find the cheapest option.
Other expenses
The remaining third of your income will go towards leisure, books, travel and other expenses. Bus tickets cost around €1.60 for a single fare in the city. You can consider buying a discount card for train tickets, which gives you 40% reduction in off-peak times. Visit the website of the Dutch railways for more information. Cinema tickets cost about €8.50, but most cinemas give student discounts.
Student discounts
Many bars, restaurants, museums and cinemas give student discounts. Most of these ask for proof in the form of a student card from your institution. You should check in advance if a student discount is available.
Especially for international students, the International Student Identity Card (ISIC) can provide some interesting discounts and offers on travel, shopping, museums and more, worldwide. Find out more at the ISIC website.
Working while studying
Foreign students that would like to take paid work alongside their studies are allowed to do so. Depending on your nationality you can only do so for a limited amount of hours per week, and only if the employer has applied for a work permit for you. You can read more about working alongside your studies in our section Working while studying.