The typical food for the nerves for students in the Netherlands are Stroop wafers. The sweet baked goods should not be missing in any pantry and go well with delicious coffee on site. There are various ways of providing financial support so that such learning aids can end up in Dutch shopping trolleys without a guilty conscience despite the higher cost of living in the Netherlands, a country located in Europe according to itypeauto.
Scholarships or student loans help to cover the monthly costs for a semester abroad or study in the Benelux country. Above all, BAföG abroad offers a great financing option for studying abroad in the Netherlands. The state support of the Federal Training Assistance Act supports students both in the cost of living as well as the tuition fees at Dutch universities.
Things to know about BAföG abroad
With the help of BAföG, the German state supports training at various state educational institutions through financial subsidies. This means that schoolchildren, apprentices or students with little wealth have the same opportunities to prepare for the job market. As a rule, funding is only possible for the first apprenticeship.
The Auslands-BAföG is primarily aimed at students who are completing a semester abroad. However, if you are drawn to European countries such as the Netherlands, Spain or Ireland, you also have the option of funding for an entire course of study. Throughout the EU and for Switzerland, financial help through the Auslands-BAföG is possible up to the first graduation. However, a new application is necessary every year and the German state pays the tuition fees for the Dutch universities for a maximum of one year.
Half of the BAföG abroad for studying abroad in the Netherlands consists of an interest-free loan. The other half is paid back by students and begins five years after graduation at the latest. Within the EU, financial support is based on the BAföG rate, which also applies to studying in Germany. Therefore, the BAföG abroad does not include individual foreign grants for studying abroad in the Netherlands, as is the case for the USA or Australia.
If you are studying in the Netherlands and work at least 56 hours a month, you can usually apply for Dutch study funding. However, the BAföG office will offset this amount against the BAföG abroad for studying abroad in the Netherlands. It is therefore advisable to carefully weigh up which funding is worthwhile in the long term.
Scope of benefits from the Auslands-BAföG
The exact amount of BAföG for studies abroad in the Netherlands is individually different. The funding amount results from the difference in the applicant’s monthly income or assets with a fixed rate for the total monthly requirement in Germany. Depending on whether the parents are obliged to provide maintenance, their income is also relevant for the calculation.
The BAföG abroad currently includes the following services (as of August 1, 2019):
A basic requirement of up to a maximum of EUR 419
A flat-rate flat rate of up to EUR 325
Support for the costs of long-term care and health insurance of up to EUR 109
Covering the tuition fees of up to EUR 4,600 and for a maximum of one year
A one-time travel surcharge of EUR 500 for arrival and departure
A child care surcharge of EUR 150 for your own children under fourteen
The Auslands-BAföG for studying abroad in the Netherlands is paid monthly and at the earliest at the beginning of the semester or trimester.
Requirements for BAföG Abroad for studying abroad in the Netherlands
As part of the application for studying in the Netherlands rich students to apply for foreign BaföG one at the respective office in Cologne. It is advisable to apply for financial support as early as possible with all the necessary evidence. A realistic period for processing is six months before you start studying abroad in the Netherlands. Subsequent submission of documents significantly delays the processing time.
Personal requirements
Foreign BAföG for studying abroad in the Netherlands are granted to German citizens up to the age of 29 (Bachelor’s degree) or 35 (Master’s degree). To calculate the amount of funding, applicants state their income and assets for the period of approval. In addition, this personal information about parents, partners and children may be added.
To study in the Netherlands, students need valid health insurance. As a rule, statutory German health insurance is considered sufficient there. In order to cover these costs, the responsible BAföG office requires appropriate evidence for the application.
If you have already received a scholarship for studying abroad, this financial support will also be included. Applicants also need verifiable accommodation for studying in the Netherlands.
Technical and study-related requirements
If you apply for BAföG abroad to study abroad in the Netherlands, you need proof of full-time study there. For this purpose, applicants submit the Certificate of Enrollment from the Dutch university, which they receive after admission. In this context, they are also trying to get a waiver of tuition fees. In the lower section of the document you will find information on how to complete it.
For a semester abroad in the Netherlands, enrollment as a full-time student at a German university is a prerequisite for the Auslands-BAföG. The standard period of study must not yet have been exceeded and the stay at the Dutch university must last at least 13 weeks. A certificate of achievement is required for a stay abroad after the fourth semester.
Anyone who completes a full course of study in the Netherlands must prove their ties to Germany in order to receive funding, for example with a place of residence in Germany.
It should also be noted that the Dutch university must be comparable to a university or higher technical school in Germany.
