Are you under age 18 and do not have a residence permit as yet? Then you have a right to education in the Netherlands. You are also subject to compulsory education and the basic qualification requirement. That means you are obliged to attend school and obtain a basic qualification. A basic qualification is a diploma at least at HAVO, VWO or MBO 2 level. This means that you may enrol at a school or educational institute.

Did you start an MBO study programme before you turned age 18? Then you may finish your study programme. Even if you are still involved in the asylum procedure or have exhausted all legal remedies. The same does not automatically apply to HBO and WO / University study programmes.

It is important that you resided in the Netherlands legally when you enrolled at the school. This means that you had a residence permit at the time or that you have a W-document which proves that you are still involved in the asylum procedure.

Have you applied for asylum and is your procedure still ongoing? Are you age 18 or older and want to start an MBO study programme? Then you can register for an MBO study programme, as long as you can prove that you are residing in the Netherlands legally. You usually do this with your W-document.

Do you want to register for a study programme in higher education? This is possible, but if you are not yet an UAF client there is a good chance that you will have to pay institutional tuition fees (based on your nationality) instead of the statutory tuition fees. 

Until you turned age 18, your studies were probably paid for by NIDOS or COA. This usually changes after your 18th birthday.  

For MBO-BOL study programmes and full-time VAVO study programmes, it may be possible to request an exemption from payment of the tuition fees via DUO. Click here for more information. 

If you are taking an MBO level 3 or 4 study programme or a higher education study programme, UAF may be able to provide you with funding for your study materials and travel expenses. For more information and the conditions click here. 

If you have exhausted all legal remedies, studying is very complex. You can sometimes finish your education if you have exhausted all legal remedies, but you are not entitled to student grants. For MBO study programmes and full-time VAVO study programmes, it is possible in certain situations to apply for an exemption from payment of the tuition fees via DUO. You can no longer enrol in a new study programme. Keep this in mind when making your study choices.  

In principle, if you do not have a residence permit you are not allowed to accept an internship. You may only accept an internship if you started an MBO study programme (BOL) or a special study programme for students with disabilities before age 18. Students at college or university are not allowed to do this.  

Without a residence permit, you cannot get health insurance. If you are still in an asylum procedure or if you are still living in an Asylum Seekers’ Centre, you are insured via COA for medical expenses through a collective WA insurance.    

There are also a number of educational institutions that offer courses to asylum seekers and refugees free of charge. These courses are specifically intended for people who are waiting for a residence permit and therefore cannot attend mainstream education. 

• Incluusion (Utrecht University)
• IncLUsion (Leiden University)
• Radboud Welcomes Newcomers (Radboud University)
• TU/enable (Eindhoven University of Technology) 
• WURth-while (Wageningen University)

Please note: UAF cannot reimburse travel costs to these courses if you are not a UAF client as yet.