Rules study financing European students stricter

It will become more difficult for foreign students to receive full study financing in the Netherlands. Secretary of State Zijlstra will raise the boundary from eight to 14 work hours per week.

Up until now, European students who work at least eight hours per week could apply for study financing, because they are regarded as full employees. This supple interpretation of the European legislation has caused a significant rise of expenses. In 2006, 6 million euro was paid to the European students. Last year, a sum of 26 million euro in study financing was paid to the European students.

“A European student who performs only eight hours of paid labor, doesn’t have to be given all the benefits of full employment. I don’t believe it is fair to spoil foreign students, when we demand sacrifices of the Dutch students,” says Zijlstra.

For this reason he has decided to raise the boundary from eight to 14 hours of worked labor. This new standard is within the limit of 40% of the usual full employment, which is also used in social security and the immigration policy.