Opening a Dutch bank account
Source: https://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/study/student-life/coming-netherlands-abroad/opening-dutch-bank-account Parent: https://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/
As an international student, you will need either a SEPA account in another European country or a Dutch bank account to facilitate money withdrawals, debit payments, the refund of a possible visa deposit and potentially other types of transactions.
What is SEPA?
Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) includes all countries within the EU, as well as Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Monaco and San Marino. If you do not have a SEPA account, we strongly recommend opening a Dutch bank account as soon as possible upon arrival.
If you are a first-year student with a visa/residence permit for study, you cannot pay the tuition fees in instalments or via digital authorisation. You therefore need to pay the tuition fees for the entire first year in one lump sum before the start of your studies.
Dutch banks
To open an account, Dutch banks generally require a BSN (social security number, issued upon registration with your local municipality). Each bank may have various additional requirements such as having a registered address or proof of enrolment at a university. Explore the different offers at each bank to find the best fit for you. The largest banks are:
Online banks
The municipal registration and issue of the BSN may take a while, depending on the time of the year and the city you live in. Between August and December, registration at the municipality may take from four to six weeks.
An alternative is an online bank, as they do not always require a BSN to open an account. You may want to check out:
Alternatives to traditional banks
Similar services to banks, such as international money transfers, are also offered by companies such as:
Under 18?
Please note that, if you are not yet 18 years of age, it can be difficult to open an account without a parent being present. Please consult the banks on their requirements in this situation.