Residence permit for orientation year Checklist

Use a qualifying IND branch: accredited Dutch bachelor/master; Dutch post-master of at least 10 months; Erasmus Mundus Joint Master; or the specified Dutch research, cultural or development-cooperation programme. The foreign-institution branch covers master, doctorate or post-master, not a foreign bachelor alone. At graduation, the institution must be top 200 in at least 2 of THE/QS/ShanghaiRanking; subject rankings must match the study/research. Foreign diplomas require Nuffic evaluation, except the specified registered Flanders qualifications.

Requirements / qualifying study-research branches; Designated foreign educational institution; Evaluation of foreign diplomas

Only the designated foreign-institution branch has this additional language condition. Alternatives: IELTS at least 6.0 (Academic or General Training), an accepted equivalent test, the specified Dutch integration diploma/certificate, or a qualifying master/doctorate/post-master taught in English or Dutch. Do not require IELTS from every orientation-year applicant.

Only the designated foreign-institution branch has this additional language condition. Alternatives: IELTS at least 6.0 (Academic or General Training), an accepted equivalent test, the specified Dutch integration diploma/certificate, or a qualifying master/doctorate/post-master taught in English or Dutch. Do not require IELTS from every orientation-year applicant.

Requirements / additional language alternatives for designated foreign educational institution

TB testing after arrival applies only when no IND exemption applies. Check the nationality exemption list, existing Dutch permit change, birth and continuous Dutch residence, age 11 or younger, Dutch test within 6 months, and the specified long-term EU resident/family branch.

TB testing after arrival applies only when no IND exemption applies. Check the nationality exemption list, existing Dutch permit change, birth and continuous Dutch residence, age 11 or younger, Dutch test within 6 months, and the specified long-term EU resident/family branch.

Tuberculosis (TB) test / Exemption from TB test

Check your actual Wlz insurance position with SVB or your insurer. Dutch basic health insurance is required only when you are insured under Wlz; if the position is unclear, request an SVB assessment. Do not assume that every orientation-year applicant must use private insurance until employed.

Check your actual Wlz insurance position with SVB or your insurer. Dutch basic health insurance is required only when you are insured under Wlz; if the position is unclear, request an SVB assessment. Do not assume that every orientation-year applicant must use private insurance until employed.

SVB Wlz assessment / insurance position; companion insurer-letter page / only Wlz-insured may take Dutch basic insurance

Do not pose a danger to public order or national security. Applicants over age 12 must complete and attach the IND Antecedents Certificate. This is not a universal requirement for a foreign police certificate.

No danger to public order or national security

Provide a valid passport/travel document and the evidence required for your actual study or research branch. Use the IND application form's document list; foreign official documents must follow applicable legalisation and translation rules. A translation is needed when the document is not in Dutch, English, French or German. Do not treat one diploma as evidence for every branch.

Process and costs / Collect documents; actual branch-specific application form

Complete a qualifying study/research branch within the 3 years before applying. A second orientation year cannot reuse the same study, doctorate or research. A new eligible study/doctorate or qualifying research must take place after the previous orientation year; check the IND repeat-application branch and research-permit conditions.

Requirements / three years and same study-research exclusion; Second or following orientation year