Students who study longer than one year beyond the official course duration will have to pay a penalty. This measure will start in the academic year 2012-2013.
This measure applies to all students who pay the statutory tuition fee, so EU-EEA students. This measure does not apply to students who pay the institutional tuition fee.
To whom it applies
If you are enrolled from 01 September 1991 as a student (full-time, part-time or dual) of a government-funded degree programme (except fees of € 7,500 or higher) in higher education on 30 September 2012.
This regulation applies to all students registered on 30 September 2012, regardless of the duration of their study.
When do you have to pay this penalty?
Students will be allowed to study an extra year at the statutory rate after the regular course duration of their Bachelor's degree programme. The extra year applies to the separate degree programmes. So, 1 more year for a Bachelor's degree programme and 1 more year for a Master's degree programme. The extra year for a Bachelor's degree programme can not be transferred to the Master's degree programme, nor can it be accumulated in any other way. The rule applies to separate degree programmes with each their own extension period. The extension offers students the option to take extra courses, to enrol in a more difficult (Sciences) degree programme, or to take up a board position.
This means you have to pay the penalty in the following cases:
- Bachelor's degrees: from the 6th year of enrolment in a government-funded education (regardless of the university in the Netherlands).
- Master's degrees: the course duration of the Master's degree programme determines if the penalty applies. The years in which a student was registered in government-funded education as a student of a Master's or similar degree programme are added up.
- Architecture: starting from the 6th year of enrolment
- Physician Assistant: starting from the 5th year of enrolment
- Advanced Nursing Practice, MFA Interactive Media & Environments, MFA Painting and MFA Scenography: starting from the 4th year of enrolment
- Education in Arts: starting from the 3rd or higher year of enrolment
Exceptions
- Sectors Healthcare and Education
If you have obtained a Bachelor's or similar diploma, but not in one of the sectors healthcare or education and have subsequently started a Bachelor's degree programme in the sector healthcare or education the first degree programme does not count towards the number of study years used.
Have you obtained a Master's or similar diploma, but not in one of the sectors healthcare or education and have subsequently started a Master's degree programme in the sector healthcare or education, the first degree programme does not count towards the number of study years used.
- Disability or chronic illness
Students with a disability or chronic illness may be eligible for an extra study year..
Extra tuition fee loan (loan for students exceeding the specified course duration)
In order to support students exceeding the specified course duration who are no longer entitled to government student finance, the government has set up a transitional arrangement. If you fall within the scope of the 'measure for students exceeding the specified course duration' on or after 01 September 2012 and if you are no longer entitled to student finance, you can make use of the so-called loan for students exceeding the specified course duration until 01 September 2014. This is a monthly loan attuned to the amount of your tuition fee. You can apply for the loan at DUO.
Refund in the case of early deregistration
If you terminate your enrolment in the course of the academic year, you receive a refund for the basic tuition fee as well as for the additional fee in proportion to the number of months you have not used yet. You do not receive a refund when you deregister in the months of July and August.