Two things get conflated here: nationality, which does not decide the question, and residence permit type, which can. The housing itself matters as well — a self-contained-accommodation requirement rules out many shared rooms — and 2026 turned the rent ceiling from a hard cutoff into a sliding calculation.
Nationality itself doesn't disqualify you from huurtoeslag (rent allowance), but your residence permit type can. EU, EEA, and Swiss citizens qualify automatically on the same terms as Dutch citizens; if everyone in the household holds a non-EU nationality, you need a residence permit that specifically grants access to toeslagen, which most work and family-based permits do, though a few restricted categories don't — worth checking your permit type against the Belastingdienst's rules if you're unsure rather than assuming. You also need "zelfstandige woonruimte" (self-contained housing) — your own front door, kitchen, toilet, and, since March 2024, your own shower — so a room in a shared house without private facilities generally doesn't qualify for the regular scheme. On rent: 2026 brought a real change here. Previously, rent above a fixed ceiling meant zero huurtoeslag no matter what; that hard cutoff is gone as of 2026. Now even if your rent is above the qualifying maximum of €932.93 a month (for tenants 21 and over), you can still get an allowance calculated on the portion up to that limit — you're not shut out entirely for renting somewhere slightly pricier.