Handbook for non-EU students

Hello, here are the resources and tips compiled for non-EU students, since the different rules and regulations apply. Please feel free to revise, contribute and use the Discussion tab of this page.

_________ Search Year

Within 3 years after your graduation, you are entitled to apply for a Search Year [aka Orientation Year / Zoekjaar] visa, which means you can stay and work in the Netherlands for a year without TWV [work permit]

- - - - - - - Residence Gap

In case you are planning to apply for a Permanent Residence permit [you can do this after living 5 years in the Netherlands], it's more convenient to apply for a Search Year permit before you are officially deregistered from your study course [September 1st]. Otherwise, you get a 'residence gap', meaning, your previous residence period is disregarded and a 5-year count starts from 0.

_________ Work

_________ Staying outside NL

You can stay in any other Schengen member country for 90 days in every 180 days

› Short-stay Visa Calculator

Here is broader information on having the Netherlands as a main residence while traveling/staying abroad.

_________ Funding

_________ src

_ Looking for a job after study, promotion or research

_ Work permit [TWV]

_ Permanent residence

_ Work and internship

_ Staying abroad with a residence permit

_ Short-stay Visa Calculator