Dutch bank account

If you’re planning to study in The Hague for a couple of months or longer, it is wise to open a bank account here.

You can use your Dutch account to make tuition and rental payments. At a number of colleges and universities you can only pay for the cafeteria by using the chip included on your Dutch bank card, called the ChipKnip.

Opening a bank account

Until 2006 you could only open a Dutch bank account if you had a Dutch Social Security Number (Burgerservicenummer, BSN). In 2006 this regulation changed and now it’s no longer a requirement to have a BSN in order to open a Dutch bank account. Unfortunately, not all bank employees are aware of this.

In order to avoid any problems when opening a new bank account, foreign students can download two letters written in Dutch from the website of Nuffic:

• one from 2006 which states that foreign students are allowed to open an account without a BSN
• one from 2009 that reaffirms the 2006 measure.

Print out both the letters and take them with you to the bank when you plan to open an account. This way you can make sure that the lack of a BSN will not be an issue.

What to take to the bank?

To open a Dutch bank acccount foreign students need to take along a valid ID and a statement of registration from their college or university.