Some Dutch universities put up fees for new Ukrainian students

Eight of the 13 Dutch universities are putting up the fees for new Ukrainian students in the coming academic year, broadcaster NOS said on Wednesday.

Last year universities and HBO colleges decided to slash tuition fees for students from Ukraine to €2,200 per year, the same as paid by Dutch and European students. The 540 students who began a Dutch degree course last year can continue under the same conditions.

But new students at the eight universities will be faced with the same fees as students from outside the EU and EER – which means from €8,000 to €15,000 a year for one year of a bachelor’s degree.

Universities had hoped that the cabinet would cover the cost of the reduced fees but education minister Robbert Dijkgraaf said at the beginning of June that the government would not be providing financial support.

Maastricht University is one of five which will not increase the fees, given the ongoing war. “We think that they [Ukrainian students] should be able to count on the same conditions as Ukrainian students who started last year,” a spokesman told the broadcaster.

NOS did not say which universities, apart from Tilburg and Erasmus in Rotterdam, will charge higher fees to new Ukrainian students.

Refugees are normally eligible for reduced fees once they have been given residency status.

Some of the 36 HBO colleges are keeping fees low but the majority have not yet decided, NOS said.