Netherlands student visa guide

For non-EU students admitted to a full-time programme at a Dutch university or university of applied sciences that the IND recognises as a sponsor. Your institution applies for the entry visa (MVV) and the residence permit (VVR) together, and you cannot apply yourself. After approval you collect the MVV at the Dutch embassy, travel, then collect your residence card in the Netherlands.

Use the guide below as a planning reference, then check the official source before you pay anything or submit an application.

Tips from experience

• Start legalising and translating your birth certificate months before your deadline, since this is a common cause of delay.
• Check your institution's Studielink and internal deadlines early, as they are often earlier for non-EU applicants.
• Student housing is scarce in most Dutch cities, so ask your institution about housing early and never pay a deposit to a landlord you have not verified.
• Keep your funds evidence in a clear, traceable account, and keep copies of every document you submit.
• Track your credits from the first year, because the IND checks study progress when you renew or keep your permit.

Documents most applicants need are marked required. Others depend on your case or on what the office asks for. Build a printable checklist.

• Valid passport Required

  Check validity with your institution; it must cover your planned stay as far as possible.

• Admission letter and proof of full-time enrolment Required

  Your institution holds this and uses it in the application.

• Proof of sufficient funds Required

  Must meet the IND monthly standard amount for the year, excluding tuition.

• Birth certificate, legalised or apostilled and translated Required

  Needed for municipal registration. Ask your institution whether apostille or full legalisation applies and which translator is accepted.

• Signed declaration and forms from your institution Required

  These include confirmations about criminal record and your studies.

• Academic certificates and transcripts Required

  Used for admission. Translations may be needed if not in English, Dutch, French or German.

• English language test result Required

  Required by the institution, not by the IND. Accepted tests and scores differ by programme.

• Biometrics (fingerprints and photo) Required

  Taken at the Dutch embassy for the MVV and again in the Netherlands for the residence card.

• Dutch health insurance Required

  Arrange cover that applies from arrival. Ask your institution which students insurance it recommends.

• TB test result Required

  Done in the Netherlands after arrival for Nigerian passport holders. Confirm on the IND exemption list.

• Recent passport photos If asked

  Some steps need them; follow your institution's instructions.

• Proof of accommodation If asked

  Not a core IND requirement, but you need an address to register with the municipality.

Indicative government fees only. School fees, translations, tests, courier and service charges are extra.

Living funds

€1,131 a month for 12 months (€13,569)

Basis

The IND sets a standard monthly amount for students each year and expects you to show you can cover it for the year, on top of tuition.

Tuition included

No, add your first year tuition

The 2026 monthly figure is indicative: it is the amount Dutch institutions currently quote from the IND. The IND updates it every 1 January, so confirm the current figure on the IND required amounts page or with your institution before you transfer any money.

Typical decision time

The legal decision period for the IND is up to 90 days, and complete applications are often decided sooner. Summer is the busiest period, so allow extra time. After approval you collect the MVV at the Dutch embassy, then your residence card within about two weeks of arriving.

How early you can apply

Your institution can apply once you are admitted, have accepted your place and have paid any deposit and the IND fee. Start legalising and translating documents several months earlier.

Latest sensible time to apply

Ask your institution for its internal deadline, which is usually earlier than the IND needs. Aim to have a complete application with the IND at least 2 to 3 months before your start date.

1. 1

   Choose a recognised institution

   Pick a programme at an institution that the IND recognises as a sponsor, and check that the course is full time. Your institution can tell you if it is on the IND sponsor list.

2. 2

   Apply and accept your offer

   Apply through the institution (most use Studielink) and meet its deadline, which is often earlier for non-EU students. Accept your offer and pay any deposit the institution requests.

3. 3

   Prepare your documents early

   Gather your passport, funds evidence and a birth certificate that has been legalised or apostilled as required and translated by a certified translator. Legalisation can take months, so start straight away.

4. 4

   Show your funds

   Provide proof that you can cover the IND monthly amount for the year on top of tuition, using your own account, a sponsor or a scholarship. Follow your institution's instructions on the accepted format.

5. 5

   Let the institution submit and pay the fee

   The institution files the combined MVV and residence permit application with the IND. You usually pay the IND fee to the institution, and the IND will not process the application until it is paid.

6. 6

   Collect your MVV

   When the IND approves, your institution tells you. Collect the MVV at the Dutch embassy or consulate named in the decision, where your fingerprints and photo may be taken, and travel within the validity shown.

7. 7

   Collect your residence card and register

   After you arrive, collect your residence card at the IND desk your institution names. Register your address with your municipality and arrange Dutch health insurance.

8. 8

   Take the TB test if required

   Nigerian passport holders are not on the IND exemption list at the time of writing, so a TB test at the municipal health service is required within three months of the permit being issued. Confirm your nationality on the IND exemption list.

Work and post study rules change often. Confirm them on the official source before you plan around them.

• The funds shown do not meet the IND monthly standard amount for the year, or the source of the money is not clear.
• Documents are incomplete, not legalised or apostilled where required, or not translated by an accepted translator.
• The institution is not a recognised IND sponsor, or the course is not a full-time daytime programme.
• The IND fee is not paid, so the application is not processed.
• A criminal record or public order concern is found.
• A permit extension fails because you did not obtain at least half of the credits of the academic year.

Refused before? Read what to do after a visa refusal.