Study in the Netherlands from Nepal: MVV, Funds, Work 2026

To study in the Netherlands from Nepal, you need an admission from a Dutch university that is a recognised IND sponsor, and that university applies to the IND for your MVV entry visa and residence permit at the same time. You cannot apply yourself. In 2026 you must show €1,130.77 a month for living costs, the IND fee is €254, and once you are there you can work up to 16 hours a week only if your employer gets a work permit (TWV) for you.

Last checked: 20 October 2026. IND amounts change every 1 January.

The Netherlands is not one of the “big four” most Nepali students pick, but it has many English-taught bachelor’s and master’s programmes and a one-year job-search permit after graduation. The process is also different from the US, UK, Canada and Australia, because your university, not you, deals with the immigration service. This guide explains how it works, with every figure taken from the IND (Immigration and Naturalisation Service) and other official Dutch sources.

Study in the Netherlands from Nepal: key facts

How the MVV and residence permit work

The Dutch system has two parts. The MVV (machtiging tot voorlopig verblijf) is a visa sticker that lets you enter the Netherlands for a long stay. The residence permit (verblijfsvergunning) is the card that lets you live and study there. Nepali citizens need both. The IND brochure lists the nationalities that do not need an MVV (EU/EEA, Switzerland, Australia, Canada, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, Vatican City, the UK, the US and South Korea); Nepal is not on that list.

The key difference from other countries is the sponsor. The IND brochure says plainly: “You cannot apply for a residence permit yourself.” Your educational institution must be a recognised sponsor and signed up to the Code of Conduct for international students in higher education. The institution applies for the MVV and the residence permit in one go (the IND calls this the entry and residence, or TEV, procedure). The IND publishes the public register of recognised sponsors on its website, so check your university there before you pay anything.

Step-by-step: from offer letter to residence card

1. Get admitted to a programme at a recognised sponsor. The university checks that you are willing and able to take the course.
2. Send documents and money to the university. The university tells you exactly which documents it needs and how to prove your funds. You pay the IND fee of €254 to the university, which passes it to the IND. The IND says it will not process an application until fees are paid, and fees are not refunded if the application is refused.
3. The university submits the application to the IND. The IND usually decides within 2 weeks; the legal maximum is 90 days.
4. Collect your MVV. NetherlandsWorldwide says: “You cannot apply for an MVV visa sticker in Nepal.” In most cases you go to the Dutch embassy or consulate-general in India, and you can only use the office named in the IND approval letter. Collect it within 3 months of the IND decision.
5. Travel to the Netherlands within the MVV’s validity.
6. Collect your residence permit from the IND within 2 weeks of arriving.
7. Do the TB test at the Municipal Health Service (GGD) within 3 months of the permit being issued, unless your nationality is exempt. Check the IND’s exemption list for Nepal before you travel.
8. Arrange health insurance. The IND brochure says you must take out Dutch public health insurance if you work or do a paid internship (with some exceptions); otherwise you still need suitable cover.

How much money you need

The IND’s required amounts page says a self-financed student at a university (wo) or university of applied sciences (hbo) must have €1,130.77 per month, valid from 1 January 2026 to 31 December 2026. The brochure says you need enough for at least one year, so plan on about €13,569 for living costs alone (12 × €1,130.77). Tuition is on top of that.

Nuffic’s Study in NL site, run for the Dutch government, gives average non-EU tuition of €9,000 to €20,000 a year for bachelor’s programmes and €12,000 to €30,000 for master’s. Your exact fee is on your programme page. We have not converted euros to rupees here because our reference rates do not include the euro; use the Nepal Rastra Bank euro rate on the day you plan your transfer.

If a person in the Netherlands is financing you instead, the IND sets income thresholds for that person (for example €2,766.67 gross a month without holiday allowance for a single financier, from 1 July to 31 December 2026). Very few Nepali students use this route, but it exists. For how Nepali families prepare funds, see our guide on how much bank balance you need to study abroad.

Working while you study: 16 hours and the TWV

This is where many students get it wrong. A Dutch student residence permit does not by itself let you take any job. The IND’s page for employers says: “A foreign student is only allowed to work if you have a work permit.” The employer applies to UWV for that permit, called a TWV (tewerkstellingsvergunning). The same page says the student may work “maximally 16 hours per week, or fulltime in June, July and August”.

• Paid job: employer applies for a TWV; you work up to 16 hours a week in term time.
• Summer: full-time seasonal work in June, July and August is allowed. The IND brochure is not fully clear on whether you can combine this with term-time work, so ask your university’s international office.
• Internship: no TWV needed, but you need an internship agreement signed by you, the company and your institution.
• Self-employment: the IND brochure says this is allowed, subject to conditions.

Do not plan your budget around part-time income. Sixteen hours is a ceiling, not a promise, and an employer that refuses to apply for a TWV cannot legally hire you.

Keep your permit: the study progress rule

The IND brochure says you must earn at least half of the required credits in each academic year. Your institution checks this at the end of each study year. If your progress is not enough, the IND can withdraw your permit. If illness or personal problems slow you down, talk to your student adviser early; there are exceptions, but they need to be documented.

After graduation: the orientation year (zoekjaar)

The orientation year for highly educated persons lets you stay to look for work. The IND brochure says you can use it after a bachelor’s or master’s from a recognised Dutch institution. The IND application form (7523) says you qualify if, in the 3 years before you apply, you completed an accredited bachelor’s or master’s programme of at least one academic year (minimum 10 months) in the Netherlands, among other routes. The IND fee is €254.

The University of Twente’s official student services page explains that the permit lasts up to 12 months, cannot be extended, and gives you free access to the Dutch job market: “A work permit is not needed.” If you find a job as a highly skilled migrant, the salary threshold is lower for recent graduates, and your employer applies for that permit. Because you get only one orientation year and it cannot be extended, some graduates time it carefully, for example starting it when they are ready to job-hunt full time.

Nepal-specific checklist

• NOC: you still need a No Objection Letter from Nepal’s education ministry to send money for tuition. See our NOC guide.
• Passport: make sure it is valid well beyond your first year.
• MVV trip to India: budget time and travel cost for collecting the MVV at the office named in your IND letter. Book the appointment as soon as the IND approves.
• Attested documents: universities may ask for certified copies or translations of Nepali transcripts. See our attestation and translation guide.
• Agents: because the university files your permit, no agent can “process” your Dutch visa. Check any consultancy with our red flag test.

Common mistakes

• Choosing an institution that is not an IND recognised sponsor. Without a sponsor, there is no permit.
• Assuming you can work freely like in Australia or Canada. In the Netherlands your employer needs a TWV.
• Showing money for fewer than 12 months.
• Missing the 2-week window to collect your residence card after arrival.
• Falling below half the credits in a year and losing the permit.
• Using old amounts from a blog. IND figures change every January.

What to do next

Shortlist programmes, confirm each institution on the IND public register of recognised sponsors, and ask its international office for its exact document list and payment deadline. Then compare the Netherlands with the main destinations using our destination comparison and our bachelor’s vs master’s abroad guide.

Frequently asked questions

Can I apply for a Netherlands student visa myself from Nepal?
No. The IND says only the educational institution can apply. It must be a recognised sponsor, and it applies for the MVV and residence permit together.

How much bank balance is required for a Netherlands student visa in 2026?
The IND requires €1,130.77 per month for university and hbo students in 2026, for at least one year, which is about €13,569. Tuition is separate.

Where do Nepali students get the Dutch MVV sticker?
Not in Nepal. NetherlandsWorldwide says in most cases you apply at the Dutch embassy or consulate-general in India, and only at the office named in your IND letter.

How many hours can international students work in the Netherlands?
Up to 16 hours a week, or full time in June, July and August. The employer must get a TWV work permit from UWV first.

Can I stay in the Netherlands after my master’s?
Yes, through the orientation year. It lasts up to 12 months, you can work without a work permit during it, and the IND fee is €254. You must apply within 3 years of finishing your qualifying degree.

Related guides

• Study in Ireland from Nepal: €10,000 Funds, Stamp 2 and 1G
• Study in South Korea from Nepal: D-2, D-4 Visa and Work Rules
• Student Visa Checklist by Country: USA, Canada, UK, Australia
• Choose a Course and University Abroad: 15-Point Checklist

Sources

• IND brochure: Coming to study in the Netherlands
• IND: Required amounts and income requirements 2026
• IND: Fees and costs of an application
• IND: Employing a foreign national (student work rules)
• IND form 7523: Orientation year application
• NetherlandsWorldwide: Applying for an MVV in Nepal
• Study in NL (Nuffic): Tuition fees
• University of Twente: Search year (orientation year)

Last checked 20 October 2026. This is general information, not legal or financial advice. The IND and your university have the final word.