After you have arrived in the Netherlands
Registering at city hall
Within a few days of signing your rental contract, you must register as a new resident at the city hall in the town where you live.
After registration, you will receive your citizen service number (BSN). To arrange this, make an appointment via your municipality’s website. The site will also list which documents you need to bring.
In most cities, you must bring:
- a valid passport,
- your rental contract,
- your birth certificate (translated in English, German, French or Dutch), and
- your residence permit or the IND letter confirming that you are applying for one.
Further information
Dutch bank account
You must open a Dutch bank account. ArtEZ will transfer the remainder of your financial guarantee into this account. A Dutch bank account also makes it easier to pay for rent, food, transport, utilities and other costs.
To open a Dutch bank account, you need a BSN. If you don’t yet have one, you can still open an account with ABN AMRO. You must then provide your BSN within 120 days. See this factsheet for more information.
If you already have a bank account in a SEPA country (Single Euro Payments Area), you do not necessarily need to open a Dutch bank account. Check with your home bank to confirm. In most cases, banks will ask for:
- proof of enrolment at ArtEZ,
- proof of residence,
- your BSN.
Once you have a Dutch account, send Student Affairs a copy of your bank card (front and back).
Collecting your residence permit
Students with an entry visa
Students Affairs will let you know where and when to collect your residence permit.
Students without an entry visa
If you need a residence permit but no entry visa, you must go to an IND desk within two weeks of arrival to provide your biometric data (fingerprints, photo, signature).
You must make an appointment yourself on the IND website. A second appointment (usually about two weeks later) will be needed to collect your residence permit.
Don’t forget to bring:
- your passport,
- the IND letter from Student Affairs, and
- the confirmation letter with your appointment code.
Tuberculosis test (if applicable)
Some students need to take a tuberculosis (TB) test to obtain a residence permit. Students from certain countries are exempt – see the IND website for details.
If you do not complete the TB test within three months of arrival, your residence permit may be cancelled.
You can take the test at the GGD (Public Health Service) in your city. You will receive more information in the brochures sent after your admission to ArtEZ.
Working in the Netherlands
If you plan to work alongside your studies, you must be aware of the insurance rules.
- Working students are legally required to take out basic Dutch health insurance.
- Without it, you risk receiving a large fine.
- Dutch public health insurance can be more expensive than student insurance, so consider these before starting a job.
More information
- Insurance | Study in NL: general information about healthcare insurance.
- Working whilst studying: short film about combining part-time work with your studies.
- Volunteering whilst studying: short film about volunteering opportunities for students.
- Dutch Tax Administration website: information about the healthcare allowance (zorgtoeslag), which helps cover the cost of Dutch health insurance required for working students.
