The Netherlands is well known for its affordable college tuition — with lower fees than most EU countries, it’s an attractive option for international students. But we’ve got some bad news, not only will the cost of living go up, so will the cost of Dutch university!
University fees are set to increase by €105 in the next academic year, raising the previous cost of €2,209 per year to €2,314, Het Parool reports.
This increase in pricing will affect students all over the country. With the price of renting on the constant rise, alongside the cost of living, students will find themselves struggling to keep up with the monetary demands of university.
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The grants just won’t cover it
Though a grant is given to students to help with the costs of university: €109.90 a year for students residing at home, and €273.90 for students living outside of the home, this funding is surely not enough to even chip at the cost of university.
In fact, the grant for students living at home barely even covers the extra €105 they will be expected to pay!
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With the cost of living increasing (what feels like almost daily!), students will also be expected to cover the building costs of rent. In certain parts of the Netherlands, rent can push their budgets to nearly an extra €1,000 per month, not including any other necessities!
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Students in Amsterdam face another hurdle
Students in Amsterdam especially will struggle, as the Dutch city is the most expensive in the country. On average, landlords in Amsterdam charge students a whopping €307 (!) more than what is recommended by the government.
Amsterdam students who rely on public transport can expect to pay between €4-8 per trip, depending on the transport they choose: bus, tram, or train.
If students plan on visiting cities outside of the Amsterdam area, they might choose to invest in a monthly pass, the likes of which could add an extra €362.40 per month for free access to all public transport types in the Netherlands.
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Time to cut back — but it’s not all bad
So, from the looks of things, students will likely have to skip out on the nights out and shopping trips. An unfortunate thing, as university is intended not only to be a learning experience, but also a time of fun and impulsivity.
The good news for students who plan on working while they study is that the minimum wage is set to increase by 10% next year. Yet, even with this increase we may see a lot of students cutting back to keep up with increasing rent, bills and electricity costs.
Your bi-weekly meet-up at the local bar may well become a bi-monthly thing, so prepare to strap up your wallets and try to find an extra €105 (on top of everything else!) to fork out to university.
What are your thoughts on the increase? Tell us in the comments below!