Dutch official forms, money, taxes and other practical things
For foreigners as well as for Dutch residents, the Dutch forms for the e.g. tax report probably are a small nightmare. Here is some information to help you to get started with this, and other things. Good luck!
Some basic rules:
Forms are there to be filled in. So always fill them in and hand them in unless you know for sure that you do not have to.
Be on time! Often there is a deadline and if you pass it, you can get into serious trouble. If you are not on time, call the office to explain your situation and send it anyway.
Do not be afraid to ask anybody to help you. Most Dutch people speak English well enough to communicate with you. It is normal to ask for help.
Make a copy of every official or important form you hand in. Do not throw away anything, but keep your documents at a place where you can find them back easily.
In case something is wrong, contact the office that has sent you the form. Generally there is a phone number or address provided on the form or the letter, which came with the form.
Getting Information
The International Service Desk (ISD) is part of the International Relations Office and is situated at the same location. The ISD is responsible for all visa applications and, in some cases, work permit applications for PhD students and staff. The ISD informs all prospective and registered international students and staff about general matters relating to studying at the University of Groningen or living in the Netherlands, and refers questions to experts from within or outside the university for more specific information. Subjects vary from visa procedures, registration, medical care, housing, university facilities and travel information to matters concerning everyday life.
Information from RuG for prospective international students, with lots of practical information: Click here.
Residence permit (Verblijfsvergunning)
This will be part of the procedure for coming to the Netherlands, so you’ll have seen it already. The office arranging matters is the Immigratie- en naturalisatiedienst (IND). Don’t forget that you have to renew your residence permit a number of times during your stay. The IND will send you automatically the application form for the prolongation of your residence permit.
Sofinummer
Also important is your sofinumber, at least if you are an employee. See www.belastingdienst.nl The name of the sofi-number changed in 2006 into ‘burgerservicenummer’, but further nothing (including the number itself) will change. If you want e.g. you partner to come to the Netherlands, you will need amongst others a form from UWV as proof of your earning status. For that you can call UWV at 045- 5791810.
Taxes
See the taxation section in the menu: Information for bursary PhD's.
Subsidies
Child Benefit (Kinderbijslag) If you have children under 18 years and they live in the Netherlands, you can apply for child benefit. Click here.
Childcare (Kinderopvangtoeslag) In case you are an employee PhD, the Belastingdienst can sometimes give money to support in the costs for childcare (daycare etc). Be sure to ask your employer. You’ll have to ask for money yourself, it won’t come automatically. The payment is monthly. www.toeslagen.nl (unfortunately not (yet) in English). For bursary PhD's, this is arranged by the University, click here .
Rent (Huurtoeslag) Rent subsidy. Again the Belastingdienst. If your income isn’t too high (also dependent on whether you are married or not), you can get money to support your rent (which also should fall under a certain limit). You have to ask for it yourself. The payment is monthly. www.toeslagen.nl
Health insurance (Zorgtoeslag) A subsidy for those is again issued by the Belastingdienst. There is an income limit and the money is paid monthly. www.toeslagen.nl
Insurances:
Everybody in the Netherlands needs a health insurance (Dutch: zorgverzekering). There are many companies offering one and there are a large number of types you can choose between, depending on your preferences. For bursaries: When you are under the age of 30, you are not obliged to take out a basic insurance. You can take out a private insurance of AON . You are not entitled to receive a health bonus (= zorgtoeslag). When you are 30 years or older, you are obliged to take out a basic insurance. For the basic insurance you need a residence permit (when you are not from Europe) and a sofi number. ISD advises you to take out a private insurance of AON, temporarily. When you have arranged a residence permit and a sofi number, you can switch from the private insurance to the basic insurance. You are entitled to receive a health bonus (= zorgtoeslag) when you take out a basic insurance.
A legal liability insurance (Dutch: Aansprakelijkheidsverzekering voor particulieren) is a wise thing to take. So if you unintendedly damage someone else or his/her property and this person wants a refund, the insurance pays.
If you are attached to your material things, take also an insurance for the things in your house (Dutch: Inboedelverzekering), which covers things like burglary from your home and fire. The latter two insurances can be arranged at a bank or an ‘Assurantiebedrijf’.
For more information on insurances in the Netherlands contact ISD.
Moving family to the Netherlands
When you are from Europe you do not need a residence permit. However, ISD advises bursaries to check in with the Immigration and Naturalization Agency (IND) in Zwolle. At the start of your PhD-period, a residence permit for you and your family members can be applied for simultaneously by the university. The costs are 250 euro per adult and 188 euro per child. During your PhD-period (you have already a residence permit), a residence permit can be applied for, but it will take 6 to 9 months to complete the application and receive the residence permit. This application has to be done by the bursary him/herself. Additionally, the residence permit is more expensive. The costs are 830 euro per adult and 188 per child. In the nearby future the status of bursaries will change in PhD student (= promotiestudent). This may change the application process for residence permits.
The Netherlands Migration Institute
The NMI gives information, advice and, if necessary, counseling to people who are interested in remigration. Subsidies are granted by the SVB (Sociale Verzekeringsbank). In case you need to have more information you can always contact us
Gemeente Groningen You should register where you live, to be done at the Kreupelstraat 1 or on the website.
IBG (Dutch scholarship organisation, mainly for Dutch people) Only applicable if you ever received ‘studiefinanciering’ in the Netherlands and it’s payback time. IBG gets its information from the municipality office. Information for international visitors then ‘international visitors’.
Regulations for the Conferral of a Doctorate (Promotiereglement) Everything you need to know about your thesis defence, including what to say to which person, when to bow, how many copies to hand in where etcetera. You can get some refund for the printing costs of your thesis, ask you local personnel department.
Nursery. When you need nursery you can contact ISD. ISD is examining the possibilities for nursery at the moment.
Learning Dutch. You can learn Dutch at the Language Centre (= talencentrum) of the University of Groningen.
Driving license. At the municipality, you can convert your driving license into a Dutch driving license. Maybe you need to do a driving test. Information about the driving license can be obtained at the municipality.
Social activities. WINGS-ESN is a student foundation that organizes al kinds of social and cultural activities for international students staying at the University of Groningen. They arrange international dinners, excursions and weekly drinks.
Extending your stay
This should be no problem when you are from Europe. When you are from outside Europe you need to extend your residence permit. You have got your residence permit on the basis of your scholarship. When your PhD period ends the residence permit expires, because you no longer receive finances. When you need to extend your stay to finish your research you can try to get an extension of your scholarship. When you need to extend your stay, because you still have to defend your thesis you have a few possibilities:
You can go back home and come back to the Netherlands with a tourist visa.
When you know in advance that this problem will occur you can lower your monthly scholarship in such a way that you are able to extend your stay for a few months. Actually, you spread out your scholarship in time. You should confer this action with you faculty, because it is not a right to extend your scholarship in this way. The faculty can refuse your request.
Foreign Guest Club
Fed up with the Dutch? The Foreign Guest Club organises social gatherings and activities for all foreigners working at the RuG (also for NWO and FOM).
A list like this can never be complete. Be sure to keep your ears and eyes open and don’t forget that also Dutch people have to learn it the hard way (but at least they understand the language, a bit).
This text was made in September 2006 by Alma de Groot, corrected by Hilde van der Meer (KVI) and some additions were made by Annemarie Kerkhof and Ingrid Luijkx (Grasp!). This list is not complete and it is possible that things change with time, if you have any updates or suggestions, please contact Grasp! at
Info for foreign PhDs 
