Eligibility for Dutch student finance rarely turns on being international as such — it runs through EU freedom-of-movement rules, work thresholds and length of residence. Students who assume they are excluded sometimes qualify through a part-time job or through a parent's work here, and never think to check.
DUO funding for non-Dutch nationals almost always runs through EU freedom-of-movement rules rather than through being "international" as such. If you're an EU/EEA, Swiss or UK citizen and you also work in the Netherlands — DUO's practical benchmark is around 32 hours a month, or earning at least half the social-assistance norm (about €700.75/month in 2026) — you count as an EU migrant worker and get the same funding rights as a Dutch student: grant, supplementary grant if income-eligible, and a public transport pass. Work fewer hours and DUO looks at the whole picture rather than an automatic no, especially past six months in the job. The other route is five years of continuous legal residence in the Netherlands, which unlocks full eligibility regardless of work. Children of an EU migrant worker inherit that status too: if a parent meets the hours/income threshold, their child can generally get DUO funding on the same basis, even before hitting five years of residence themselves. Non-EU nationals are the hard case — funding is essentially closed off unless you hold one of a handful of specific Dutch residence permit types, which excludes most people on a study or regular work visa. If that's not you, a collegegeldkrediet (tuition loan) has much looser eligibility and is worth checking instead.