Study visas and permits

Visas and permits for studying in Holland

The University you have chosen will apply for your visa for you. This process starts once you confirm your place at Holland International Study Centre and usually takes about four to six weeks. Below is a guide to the student visa application process.

Do I need a visa?

Most students who live outside the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland need a visa to study in Holland. Your chosen university will start the application process for you when you enrol on a programme with the International Study Centre. 

Student visa application process

  1. Confirm your place at Holland International Study Centre.
  2. Read guide from the Admissions department about next steps to apply for your study visa.
  3. When you have a conditional offer for a degree at your chosen Dutch university, the University will start the visa application process for you.
  4. They will let you know the documents you need to send to the University as part of your visa application
  5. When the University has received all documents and processed your application, the application will be sent to the Dutch Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND).
  6. The university will keep you updated during the application process.

Visas for all International Foundation Year students will be applied for in the summer.

Post study work visa

If you would like to stay in Holland after you finish university, you can apply for a post-study visa, allowing you to spend a year looking for work in Holland.

To enter Holland, you need an MVV (Provisional Residence Permit) visa, which is a sticker in your passport.

When your visa application is approved by the IND, you can make an appointment at the Dutch Embassy or Consulate General in order to collect your MVV. 

You need to collect your MVV from an Embassy within three months of your application being approved.

Your MVV it is valid for three months only. It is not possible to extend the validity of your MVV.

Anyone planning to stay in Holland for more than three months needs to have a residence permit. When you go to the embassy to collect your MVV visa, your fingerprints and photo will be taken and sent to the IND for the production of your residence permit card.

You can collect your residence permit card at an IND (Immigration and Naturalisation service) office shortly after you arrive in Holland. Holland International Study Centre will provide more information on this when you arrive.

Your card will be valid for your International Foundation Year and the full duration of your degree programme.

The residence permit card will be valid for the total duration of your degree or exchange programme plus three more months. This means it is valid from the start of the International Foundation Year, plus your chosen studies after. It is not necessary to return to your home country in between or extend the visa manually.

If you fall behind in your studies but you pass enough classes to continue your programme, your residence permit card will probably expire before you finish your programme. In that case you have to contact the international office at your university in order to apply for an extension of your residence permit card.

Find out more about starting your studies or check the latest COVID-19 information.