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Orientation year after studies in the Netherlands

The orientation year is a temporary Dutch residence permit for graduates of Dutch and foreign universities, participants in the Erasmus Mundus programme and researchers who are looking for work after their studies, the defence of a thesis or completed research. During this time you may freely take paid employment, do an internship or work as a self-employed person without a separate work permit.

Source: IND — Immigration and Naturalisation Service of the Netherlands

Who can obtain the orientation year

The studies, doctorate or research must have been completed no more than 3 years before the application. The orientation year is granted only once for the same programme or the same research.

Graduates of Dutch universities
  • An accredited bachelor’s or master’s programme at a Dutch university
  • A post-master programme in the Netherlands lasting at least 10 months
  • A programme under the Cultural Policy or Dutch development cooperation schemes
Researchers
  • Scientific research in the Netherlands under EU Directive 2016/801
  • Or work as a highly skilled migrant in a position with a UFO job title whose code begins with 01
Graduates of foreign universities
  • The university is in the top 200 of the general ranking or the subject ranking of at least 2 of the 3 agencies — Times Higher Education, QS, ShanghaiRanking — on the date of graduation or thesis defence
  • A master’s, doctoral or post-master diploma
  • The diploma requires a Nuffic assessment, except for accredited Flemish Belgian programmes
  • English at IELTS 6.0 or above, or a diploma in English or Dutch, or a recognised civic integration certificate
Erasmus Mundus graduates
  • A master’s degree obtained under an Erasmus Mundus Joint Master programme

What it costs

Fee for the orientation year residence permit application254 EUR

Documents to gather

The application form requires:

  • A valid passport
  • A passport-format photograph
  • A completed application form
  • The diploma or certificate of completion — the original or a certified copy
  • A Nuffic assessment of the foreign diploma, if the diploma was obtained abroad
  • Documents about the research — for applicants who are researchers
  • Foreign official documents — legalised and translated into Dutch, English, French or German

How the process runs

How the process works:

  1. 1

    Checking that you meet the conditions

    The studies, doctorate or research must have been completed no more than 3 years before the application. The orientation year is not granted a second time for the same programme or the same research.

  2. 2

    Collecting the documents

    You need a valid passport, a photograph and the diploma or certificate of completion; for a foreign diploma — a Nuffic assessment. Foreign documents are legalised and translated into Dutch, English, French or German.

  3. 3

    Filing the application

    Applicants who are already in the Netherlands with a valid residence permit, a BRP registration and a BSN file online through DigiD. Those abroad make an appointment at the Dutch embassy or consulate in their country of residence.

  4. 4

    Paying the fee

    The fee is paid on filing; iDEAL and Wero are available for online applications.

  5. 5

    Assessment and obtaining the status

    90 days

    The IND must take a decision within 90 days. When the residence permit is ready, you receive a letter inviting you to make an appointment to collect it. If the application stated that you would take a TB test, you must attend the GGD examination within 3 months of receiving the residence permit.

Timelines and rights

Work

Free access to the labour market: paid employment, an internship, self-employment and freelancing. The employer does not need a work permit (TWV) — the document states “Work freely permitted, TWV not required”.

Renewal and the grace period

The orientation year residence permit cannot be extended — the IND states this expressly on the official page of the programme. Once the year is over, if you have a job offer or a business ready, you can move to a highly skilled migrant permit, the start-up visa or the self-employed person’s permit. A second orientation year is granted only after new, different research or a different study or doctoral programme.

Frequently asked questions about Orientation year after studies

Who can obtain the orientation year in the Netherlands?
Graduates of accredited Dutch bachelor’s, master’s or post-master programmes, graduates of the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master programme, researchers who carried out scientific research in the Netherlands under EU Directive 2016/801 or worked as a highly skilled migrant in a UFO position with a code starting with 01, and graduates of foreign universities in the top 200 of the world rankings. The studies or research must have been completed no more than 3 years before the application.
How much does the orientation year cost and how long does the IND decision take?
The application fee is EUR 254. The IND must take a decision within 90 days.
Can I work during the orientation year?
Yes. Any work is allowed without a work permit (TWV) — paid employment, an internship, self-employment and freelancing.
Can the orientation year be extended?
No. The IND states expressly that this residence permit cannot be extended. Once the year is over, if you have a job offer you must move to another status — for example, a highly skilled migrant permit, the start-up visa or the self-employed person’s permit.
Can the orientation year be obtained a second time?
Yes, but only after new research or a different study or doctoral programme — the orientation year is not granted again for the same field of study or the same research.
What does a graduate of a foreign university need in order to obtain the orientation year?
The university must be in the top 200 of the general ranking or the subject ranking of at least two of the three agencies — Times Higher Education, QS and ShanghaiRanking Consultancy — on the date of graduation or thesis defence. A foreign diploma, except for accredited Flemish Belgian programmes, must be assessed through Nuffic.

Other ways to move to Netherlands

Every route in one list — migration programmes: Netherlands.

The terms and the amounts are checked against official sources — the link sits under each section.Last checked on: 7 August 2026.