Gift or loan
What becomes a gift and what remains a loan once you obtained a diploma? This depends on your study programme.
MBO level 1 and 2
Your basic grant, supplementary grant, and travel product are always a gift. You won’t need to pay them back.
MBO level 3 and 4
If you graduate within 10 years, your basic grant, supplementary grant, and travel product become a gift, interest included. Together, these are called the performance-based grant. How many years become a gift, depends on the official duration of the study programme for which you obtained your diploma. The study programme must also be recognised by the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. You need to obtain a diploma for one of the following programmes:
- vocational training (level 3)
- management training (level 4)
- approved study programmes abroad (level 3 or 4)
- specialist training (level 4)
- work-based pathway (BBL, level 3 or 4)
- higher professional education (HBO) (also Associate degree)
- university
HBO or university
If you graduate within 10 years, your basic grant, supplementary grant, and travel product become a gift, interest included. Together, these are called the performance-based grant. How many years become a gift, depends on the official duration of the study programme for which you obtained your diploma. The study programme must also be recognised by the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. This also applies to a part-time programme or the Open Universiteit.
| Type of degree | Number of years of gift |
|---|---|
| Associate degree | 2 years grant + student travel product in full |
| HBO Bachelor's degree | 4 years grant + student travel product in full |
| Bachelor's degree + 1-year HBO Master's degree | 5 years grant + student travel product in full |
| Bachelor's degree + 1.5-year HBO Master's degree* | 5 years and 6 months grant + student travel product in full |
| Bachelor's degree + 2-year HBO Master's degree* | 6 years grant + student travel product in full |
| Bachelor's degree + 2.5-year HBO Master's degree* | 6 years and 6 months grant + student travel product in full |
| Bachelor's degree + 3-year HBO Master's degree* | 7 years grant + student travel product in full |
| Bachelor's degree + 4-year HBO Master's degree* | 8 years grant + student travel product in full |
* This applies only if you obtained an HBO Master’s degree on or after 1 September 2021. If you obtained an HBO Master’s degree before 1 September 2021, we convert 5 years grant + all of the student travel product into a gift.
| Type of degree | Number of years of gift |
|---|---|
| University Bachelor's degree | 3 years grant + student travel product in full |
| Bachelor's degree + 1-year university Master's degree | 4 years grant + student travel product in full |
| Bachelor's degree + 1.5-year university Master's degree | 4 years and 6 months grant + student travel product in full |
| Bachelor's degree + 2-year university Master's degree | 5 years grant + student travel product in full |
| Bachelor's degree + 3-year university Master's degree | 6 years grant + student travel product in full |
| Bachelor's degree + 4-year university Master's degree | 7 years grant + student travel product in full |
MBO debt
Do you also have a debt from an MBO programme? Then your basic grant, supplementary grant and travel product from MBO become a gift, as well. However, you need to obtain your diploma within 10 years from first receiving student finance for MBO.
Obtained a university Bachelor
If you obtained a Bachelor at university, the first 36 months of your student finance become a gift. If your supplementary grant started later, this means that fewer than 36 months of supplementary grant become gift. The rest of your supplementary grant becomes a gift once you obtain a Master.
Obtained an Associate degree
If you obtained an Associate degree (Ad), the first 2 years of your performance-based grant become a gift, interest included. Only the first 2 years of performance-based grant you received for higher education are converted into gift.
Obtained a foreign diploma
If you obtained a foreign diploma, we can’t tell you right away how many years become a gift. We need to assess this first. We do so by looking at the value of a comparable Dutch diploma.
When a gift?
We convert your performane-based grant into a gift in January following your graduation. We notify you about this in January. If you obtained a university Bachelor, converting your performance-based grant into a gift may take longer.
Conversion in case of a university Bachelor
If you obtained a university Bachelor, we will wait until you finished your Master. Only then will we convert your performance-based grant into a gift, interest included.
If you are not taking a Master, this conversion takes place the year before you are due to start repayments.
I am already required to pay back
Are you already required to repay your student debt? As soon as your diploma is registered with DUO, your performance-based grant becomes a gift, interest included. We will reduce your debt and reimburse any overpaid amounts.
I need to start repayments next year
Did you received a notice that you are due to repay your debt from next year? Before you start repayments, your performance-based grant will become a gift, interest included. We will reduce your debt and send you a new notice.