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Checklist for international students

Upon arrival in Amsterdam

The following steps can be a useful checklist for when you arrive in the Netherlands. Please note that some of these steps are mandatory, but do not all have to be taken in the order op appearance in the list. Submitting your biometrics must always be done before collecting your residence permit card at the IND but registering with the municipality can be done before or after collecting your residence permit card, for example.
  • Step 1: Arrange your health insurance

    Dutch law requires all international students to have appropriate health insurance for their entire stay in the Netherlands. Allow enough time to do research on this topic, especially when you have pre-existing conditions.

    Before coming to the Netherlands

    • Check whether your current insurance will cover your total stay and what type of coverage it consists of.
    • Make sure you have health insurance coverage from the moment you arrive in the Netherlands.

    Note: The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) available for EU-students may not cover all you need.

    More information
    You'll find more information about EHIC and the pros and cons of different insurance options on the page about health insurance for international students.

    If you have questions about your health insurance and whether it offers enough coverage, check out these frequently asked questions from SKGZ, an organisation specialising in health insurance for international students.

    Webinar SKGZ

    To assist you with all possible health insurance related questions, SKGZ hosts a webinar for international students. This is a great start to tackling this important to-do on your checklist.

    Upcoming webinar:

    • Webinar SKGZ: Get to know all about health insurance in the Netherlands
      Summer 2026, date and time T.B.A.
      (Registration link will appear here early Summer 2026)

    Webinar Aon Student Insurance

    To provide more information about their Student Insurance in particular, Aon hosts webinars for both EEA students and non-EEA students.

    Upcoming webinars:

    • Webinar Aon Student Insurance for EEA students
      Tuesday, 9 December 2025, 11:00-12:00 CET.
      Register for this webinar
    • Webinar Aon Student Insurance for non-EEA students
      Tuesday, 9 December 2025, 14:00-15:00 CET (2-3pm, Dutch time).
      Register for this webinar

    Previous webinars:

  • Step 2: Transport when you arrive in Amsterdam

    Amsterdam has an extensive public transport system, including trams, busses, trains, metros and ferries. The GVB operates most public transport in Amsterdam, and the NS operates most of the trains in the Netherlands.

    OVpay
    As of 2023, the public transport companies of the Netherlands have introduced a new way for commuters to check in and out while travelling. You can now check in and check out of public transport the way you prefer with your contactless debit card, credit card or mobile phone (including Apple Pay or Google Wallet). You choose what suits you best. You can find out how this works on the OVpay website.

    OV chipcards
    The GVB in Amsterdam and the Dutch National Railways (NS) are not the same operators. If you do not wish to use the OVpay function, you can buy single tickets, but travelling using an OV chip card is easier. With this card you can travel by train, bus, tram and metro - one card covers all possibilities!

    An OV chip card is a smart card which you load with travel credit. You can buy one at the ticket office of major train stations or at the yellow ticket machines. These ticket machines accept payment by debit and credit cards (V-Pay, Maestro, Mastercard, Visa and American Express) using a PIN or contactless. The machines do not accept banknotes.

    To travel by train, your OV-chip card needs a minimum credit of €20. For other public transport, no minimum amount is required.

    Student mobility
    Student Mobility is an independent organisation (not related to the UvA) offering a customised public transport card (+ an ISIC Student-ID) with special discounts to international students! You can use this card for all forms of public transport in the Netherlands: train, tram, metro and bus. Furthermore, upon arrival in the Netherlands, Student Mobility offers you a train ticket at a reduced rate. And finally, they also have a programme to rent or buy a bike.

    Plan your route
    Need some help planning your route? Visit https://9292.nl/en to see what route is best! This website covers all modes of transport. The Google Maps and Apple Maps apps have also integrated Dutch public transport timetables if you wish to use those.

  • Step 3: Check in at UvA housing

    If you have arranged housing through the UvA, make sure to check the arrival procedure with your housing provider.

    All rental contracts of UvA housing will start in the first half of August 2025. You can move in from the start date of your contract onwards. The check-in will be directly at your new address or at the housing provider's office, depending on the location and type of keys: traditional keys or digital (keyless). Your housing provider will inform you about this towards the start of your lease.

    Traditional keys

    • You must collect your room key in person, either at your housing providers’ office or from a resident assistant. This cannot be done by someone else. Bring your passport and tenancy contract. 
    • Traditional key pick-up is only possible during specific hours. You might need to stay in a hostel or hotel at your own expenses if you arrive outside of these hours (e.g. at night or during the weekend).

    Digital keys

    • Most housing providers nowadays offer keyless/digital room access by an app on your mobile phone.
    • Check-in at a keyless room is usually possible from 15:00 CEST onwards on the start date of your rental contract.
    • Make sure to activate your digital key before your arrival: You will need your tenancy number and internet access to connect to the keyless app!
    • Never give your digital key code to other people!

    Your housing provider will inform you about the details in due time. You can also check the details here:

    Please note:

    • Announce your arrival date and time at your housing provider (find contact info via the links above).
    • Changed travel plans or delays? Inform your housing provider (find contact info via the links above).
    • Most buildings offer Resident Assistants or an active (online) community. Check with the housing provider for details.
    • Familiarise yourself with official rules for waste collection in the Netherlands. Check this waste guide made by students.

    No housing yet? Go to Housing - How and where to search for a room.

  • Step 4: Register with the municipality

    As an international student, it is mandatory to register as a resident in the town or city where you are going to live if you plan to stay in the Netherlands for longer than 4 months.

    Please note that even if you expect you will be residing in the Netherlands for less than 4 months, it will be the expiry date on your residence permit card that will be leading for the municipality and the IND. As this always is a period longer than 4 months, it will be mandatory for you to register.

    Important for Non-EU students in possession of a residence permit on the basis of study:
    Please note that if you fail to register at a Dutch municipality within 3 months of your arrival, you will run the risk of losing your residence permit.

    Citizen service number (BSN)
    Once you've registered, you'll be given a citizen service number (burgerservicenummer, BSN). A BSN is required for many things in the Netherlands, including opening a bank account, visiting a doctor or getting hospital treatment.

    Registration arriving students

    Municipality of Amsterdam

    To register, you must visit a City Office in person. An appointment is not necessary, unless you are in Weesp. Further details can be found on the municipality’s website.

    Municipality of Diemen

    If your future address is within the municipality of Diemen, a neighbouring town of Amsterdam, you will have to register there (and not in Amsterdam). In AUAS Housing this is the case at Rode Kruislaan (housing provider Lieven De Key) or at Dalsteindreef (housing provider OurCampus).

    You will have to make an appointment with the municipality of Diemen and visit them physically to register at this municipality. Please visit the Gemeente Diemen website for more information and schedule an appointment.

    Visiting address (only with confirmed appointment):
    D.J. Den Hartoglaan 1
    1111 ZB Diemen
    Check location in Google Maps

    Other municipalities

    If you are not going to live in Amsterdam or Diemen but at a different municipality or town, you cannot register in Amsterdam or Diemen! You must always register at the municipality you will be residing in. Examples of surrounding towns are Amstelveen, Duivendrecht, Haarlem, Haarlemmermeer, Zaandam, Purmerend, Almere.

    Please visit the website of your specific municipality to know how to register and what documents you will need to bring. You might be required to bring a birth certificate as well.

  • Step 5: Open a Dutch bank account

    Once in the Netherlands, it’s helpful to open a Dutch bank account. There are several reasons to do so:

    • International money transfers are usually costly and take several days to process.
    • Credit cards are not widely accepted. The debit card you receive when opening a Dutch bank account is easy and free of charge to pay at supermarkets, cafes, and restaurants.
    • A Dutch bank account offers the option to pay through the iDeal payment method, used in Dutch webshops and to pay energy bills, payment requests etc.

    Read more about which banks to choose from, and how to open an account

  • Step 6: Collect your student card

    How to apply for your student card
    First, upload a picture of your student card. When your student card is ready for pick-up, you will receive an email where to collect it. You need to bring valid proof of identity (ID card or passport) when collecting your card.

    Go to the Student ID card page for more information about your student card.

  • Step 7: Make an appointment to have your biometrics taken

    Instructions for first-year students or students returning after a gap/study break:
    The IND’s centralized residence permit collection days in August and September have now passed. If you are a first-year student or someone returning from a gap/study break this year and have missed the collection days, you will now have to follow the regular process to collect your new residence permit.

    The IND requires a passport photo, fingerprints, and a signature to produce your residence permit card. If you have submitted a VVR application and have not provided your biometrics yet or you have received a notification from the Immigration office that you need to provide them again, you can make an appointment on the IND’s website.

    Please note that when submitting your biometrics it is very important to submit an ID-photo that fulfills all the IND's strict requirements, which can be found here. Failing to do so will delay the process of collecting your permit as you will most likely need to submit your biometrics to the IND again. The IND has specifically asked us to remind students to submit a proper ID-photo as this is the most common cause of delays in the residence permit collection process.

    You can check if the IND still needs your biometrics to make your card by logging into your MyIND portal with your DigiD and checking the status of your permit there once the Immigration office has informed you that your application has been approved. You may provide your biometrics at any of the location in the Netherlands with a bookable timeslot, but you will only be able to collect your permit card at the IND office in Amsterdam.

    Instructions for students that submitted an extension application:
    Often, the IND can use the same biometrics which you provided to them the first time you applied for a permit. In some cases, however, the IND will require for you to provide your biometrics again for them to be able to produce your extended permit.

    You can check if the IND needs your biometrics again by logging into your MyIND portal with your DigiD and checking the status of your extended permit there once the Immigration office has informed you that your extension application has been approved. If needed, please make an appointment to provide your biometrics again. You may provide your biometrics at any of the IND locations in the Netherlands with a bookable timeslot, but you will only be able to collect your permit card at the IND office in Amsterdam.

  • Step 8: Collect your residence permit

    Instructions for all non-EU students that applied for a residence permit on the basis of study:
    The IND’s centralized residence permit collection days in August and September have now passed. If you are a first-year student or someone returning from a gap/study break this year and have missed the collection days, you will now have to follow the regular process explained below to collect your new residence permit. Students that have applied for an extension of their residence permit must always follow this regular process.

    The Immigration Office will not send you a separate notification to inform you when your residence permit is ready to be collected. As a general rule, your residence permit should be ready for collection about three weeks after submitting your biometrics to the IND. Therefore, you will have to make an appointment at the IND Office in Amsterdam to collect your permit three weeks after having provided your biometrics. Please make sure to be aware of your application status.

    Check the status of your residence permit card using the MyIND portal:
    If you are registered at the municipality and you have a BSN number, you can check the status of your residence permit yourself by checking your MyIND account:

    1. To access your MyIND, you need a DigiD account
    2. To obtain a DigiD account, you need your BSN number (which is your Dutch citizen service number; check Step 3 of this checklist for more information)
    3. Go to digid.nl/en to apply for your DigiD account with your BSN number
    4. Once your Digid account is activated, you can login to MyIND
    5. Check the status of your permit
    6. Either provide your biometrics (again) of required or make an appointment to collect your residence permit in Amsterdam

    Please note that you have legal residence in the Netherlands even if you have yet to collect your residence permit (and your MVV has expired).