Netherlands guide · Money
How much it costs to study in the Netherlands from Nepal
Studying in the Netherlands from Nepal costs about Rs 38 lakh to Rs 62 lakh for the first year. Tuition is about €8,000 to €15,000 at universities of applied sciences and €12,000 to €22,000 at research universities. You must show €1,130.77 a month for living costs, about €13,569 for a year, and your university applies to the IND for your permit. Rent decides the rest: Amsterdam costs far more than Groningen.
Written byAnita Bista, Senior counsellorHandles Sweden, Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium and Cyprus files.
Checked byRabindra Joshi, Head of complianceChecks every money and visa page against the official source.
Published · 4 min read
The Netherlands cost at a glance
- Tuition
- €8,000 to €22,000 a year
- Funds for the permit
- €1,130.77 a month, about €13,569 a year
- IND fee
- €254, paid through the university
- Work in term
- 16 hours a week, with an employer's work permit
- First year
- About Rs 38 to 62 lakh
IND funds figure for 1 July to 31 December 2026. At Rs 171.38 per EUR (Nepal Rastra Bank, 18 October 2026).
First-year cost in two Dutch cities
| Item | Groningen (applied sciences) | Amsterdam (research university) |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | About €9,000 | About €17,000 |
| Living costs, 12 months | About €12,300 | About €18,000 |
| IND fee and application fee | About €354 | About €354 |
| Flight, one way | Rs 1 to 1.5 lakh | Rs 1 to 1.5 lakh |
| First-year total | About Rs 38 lakh | About Rs 62 lakh |
Year 2 costs a little less: no IND fee or flight. But the IND funds figure rises twice a year, every January and July.
Tuition fees in the Netherlands for Nepali students
- Universities of applied sciences (HBO): about €8,000 to €15,000 a year. Practical degrees, and a strong +2 with English is often enough for a bachelor's.
- Research universities: about €12,000 to €22,000 a year. They usually want more than a +2 for a bachelor's, such as a foundation year or a year of university in Nepal.
Aarav, one of our students in Eindhoven, was refused by a research university on his +2 and admitted to an applied sciences bachelor's in ICT. The Holland Scholarship takes €5,000 off the first year for a small number of non-EU students; Smriti, one of our students in Wageningen, won it on her second essay.
The money you must show for the IND
In the Netherlands your university applies to the IND for your residence permit and entry visa (MVV) for you. It asks you to prove €1,130.77 for each month, usually for 12 months, about €13,569 (figure for 1 July to 31 December 2026).
- Many universities ask you to pay the living funds to them; they pay it back to you monthly once you arrive
- Others accept the money in your own account, with a bank statement
- Tuition is paid separately, before the IND application
- The €254 IND fee is paid through the university
The money leaves Nepal after your NOC. Check the current amount on the IND's required amounts page, because it changes every January and July.
Cost of living in the Netherlands by city
| City | Rent (room) | Total a month | In rupees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amsterdam | €800 to 1,100 | €1,300 to 1,700 | Rs 2.23 to 2.91 lakh |
| Rotterdam and The Hague | €650 to 850 | €1,100 to 1,400 | Rs 1.89 to 2.4 lakh |
| Eindhoven and Utrecht | €600 to 800 | €1,000 to 1,300 | Rs 1.71 to 2.23 lakh |
| Groningen and Enschede | €480 to 650 | €900 to 1,150 | Rs 1.54 to 1.97 lakh |
Find housing before you fly. Every year some students start the semester in hostels. The same course in Groningen instead of Amsterdam saves about Rs 8 lakh to Rs 11 lakh a year in living costs.
What part-time work covers in the Netherlands
You can work 16 hours a week in term, or full-time in June, July and August, not both. Your employer must get a work permit (TWV) for you, which puts some employers off, and if you take a paid job you must take out Dutch basic health insurance.
Sixteen hours a week won't cover rent in a big Dutch city. Plan to live on your funds, not your wages.
The Netherlands against other countries
The Netherlands costs more than Germany, Finland or Belgium, with the widest choice of English-taught degrees in Europe and a 12-month orientation year after graduation to look for work. Belgium's Flemish universities teach many similar master's for about Rs 9 lakh less a year, as Reshma, one of our students in Antwerp, found.
Our cheapest countries guide compares all 10, and the Netherlands page has the full process and every fee.
