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NL

Student Residence Permit for University or Higher Professional Education

Active Post-study work

Netherlands · Machtiging tot Voorlopig Verblijf + Verblijfsvergunning Regulier · apply online · processing 14-60 days

Official page Compare
Tuition $10k–34k per year
Work during study 16 hrs/week vacations: Unlimited
Post-study work 12 months
Proof of funds $15,700 per year

Path to staying

  1. Post-study workup to 12 months
  2. Permanent residencyafter 5 years
  3. Citizenshipafter 5 years

Overview

Country
Netherlands
Visa name
Student Residence Permit for University or Higher Professional Education
Local name
Machtiging tot Voorlopig Verblijf + Verblijfsvergunning Regulier
Status
Active
Max duration
60 months
Renewable
Yes

Non-EU/EEA students who need residence authorization for university or higher professional education use the student residence permit. The educational institution must be an IND-recognised sponsor and submits the permit application. An MVV is part of the TEV procedure for nationalities that require an entry visa; it is not needed by every applicant.

Tuition and costs

Tuition policy
Mixed
Free condition
Statutory fee eligibility requires an eligible nationality or residence status, a government-funded programme, and no equivalent government-funded degree at the same level, subject to exceptions.
Tuition range
$10,168 – $33,894/year
Proof of funds
$15,700/year
Funds type
Bank statement
Scholarships
Available

Eligible students in government-funded higher education pay statutory tuition of EUR 2,694 for 2026-2027; eligibility depends on nationality/residence status and prior government-funded degree. Other students pay institutional tuition set by the institution. Study in NL gives typical non-EU/EEA ranges of EUR 9,000-20,000 per year for bachelor's programmes and EUR 12,000-30,000 for master's programmes. The USD range is an approximation of EUR 9,000-30,000 using the ECB reference rate of EUR 1 = USD 1.1298 on 2026-10-01.

Work rights during study

Work allowed
Yes
Term hours
16 hrs/week
Vacation hours
Unlimited
Permission
Separate permit
Freelance
Allowed

For paid employment, the student chooses either a maximum of 16 hours per week or full-time work in June, July and August. The employer must obtain a TWV. Self-employment is allowed without a TWV, with no hours limit, while the student continues to meet the permit requirements. A traineeship that is part of the study programme does not require a TWV.

Post-study work options

Post-study work options
Program Type Duration Min degree Work PR path
Zoekjaar (Orientation Year for Graduates) Job seeker 12 mo Bachelors Unrestricted No

Fees and costs

Fees
Fee Type Amount Frequency
MVV + Residence Permit Application Fee Application $294 One time

Dependents and family

Dependents
Allowed
Restriction
Spouse/partner and children. Must meet income requirements for family.
Spouse work
Not allowed
Conditions
A family member of a student is not allowed to work in the Netherlands.

Long-term pathway

Post-study visa
Available
Work permit
Possible
Permanent residency
After 5 years
Citizenship
After 5 years
Study time counts
50% credit

How to apply

Method
Online
Via
University (recognized sponsor)
Processing
14-60 days
Interview
Not required
Official site
ind.nl
Health insurance
Required (buy separately)

Notes and caveats

The permit is valid for the duration of the study plus three months, up to five years, while the student continues to meet study requirements. Recognised sponsors normally receive a two-week target for a complete application; the legal decision period is 60 days and can be extended. English-test requirements are set by each institution and programme, not by a single national student-visa score. Student residence is a temporary purpose for naturalisation; study years count at 50% toward the long-term EU residence five-year period. An orientation-year permit is itself temporary, so the applicant must later hold an eligible non-temporary residence purpose to naturalise.

Also in Netherlands

Last verified Oct 9, 2026 Last changed Oct 9, 2026 Source

Change history

    • Name MVV + Residence Permit (VVR) for Study Student Residence Permit for University or Higher Professional Education
    • Official page https://ind.nl/en/study https://ind.nl/en/residence-permits/study/student-residence-permit-for-university-or-highe…
    • Post study options updated

    corrected permit validity, processing period, work and family rules, tuition figures/eligibility, language treatment, and the long-term EU/naturalisation explanation after checking current IND, DUO and Study in NL sources Source

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