End of October 1986
Ninteen-year-old economics student Desiree de Roo has to admit, it’s a nice bonus. She has just received the first instalment for her basic grant, 293 guilders (about 130 euros in today’s money), thanks to the new law on student loans which was rolled out earlier this month. It means that students who live on their own as well as students still living at home will receive a fixed amount, something that will come in very handy for this student. “I have just paid my tuition fees (1604 guilders, about 710 euros), and every little that comes in now helps.”
She is not the only who thinks that, although some people did protest heavily against the new measures. “They say it’s not fair that people with rich parents get the same amount as those from families who are not as well off.” A few of De Roo’s fellow students demonstrated at the Binnenhof in the nude, as a way of saying they felt Minister Deetman of Education was robbing the shirts off their backs. Unflattering rhyming slogans accusing Deetman of not having a clue can frequently be heard around the university.
De Roo prefers to concentrate on her degree, which she want to finish in four years, so as to avoid any penalties. “The new law says that any student who takes longer than six years to complete their degree has to pay higher tuition fees. It’s an increase of 40 percent, which I’d rather avoid.”
She’s careful with her money. Among other things, she has to bear in mind an annual cost of about 800 guilders (356 euros) for books and school supplies. “Thankfully, my parents have offered to pay for my health insurance this year. That’s 450 guilders (about 200 euros), so it’s a huge relief that I don’t have to worry about that.”
Another bonus is that De Roo can still live at home for the time being. She would have liked to move into student housing, but despite the extensive search and multiple evenings spent applying to join accommodation, she has yet to find a suitable living space. That does mean that she has to cycle to university from her hometown every day. “Half an hour each way. It’s doable, especially when you consider it doesn’t cost me anything.”
The same doesn’t apply to De Roo’s friend. As a student living on her own, she receives a higher grant (626 guilders, about 278 euros), half of which – about 330 guilders (147 euros) – is spent on renting a small room in the city centre. “She has to share the kitchen and the bathroom with two others. In that case, I’d rather have my room in the attic.”
When she’s not at university, or at home, De Roo works in the local café, where she tries to work as many extra hours as possible. That nets her an average of 160 guilders (71 euros) extra a month. “And don’t forget the tips,” she adds. “They are always welcome.”
Summer 2003
Pieter de Wit managed to find accommodation in the nick of time. “It was a hellish search, but I managed to move in two days before the start of the academic year,” says the 21-year-old, second-year cultural studies student. “My little brother was unlucky, so he’s still living at home and gets a lower grant.” De Wit receives a basic grant of 220 euros a month, his brother has to make do with about 70 euros.
“I also have a student loan and a supplementary grant, as my parents don’t earn much, so all in all, I get about 700 euros a month. And I need it, too,” says De Wit. He’s not the only one: figures released by Informatie Beheer Groep, the body responsible for distributing student grants, show that last year, in 2002, loans totalled 478 million euros. That is significantly more than five years ago, when students racked up loans worth 249 million euros.
A few months ago, De Wit was one of some eight thousand students on the Malieveld demonstrating against doubling the tuition fees and lowering students grants. “It was all very civilised, a protest march past the Binnenhof and the cuts were off the table,” says De Wit, beaming.
De Wit uses his income to pay his tuition fees (1445 euros), buy books and other school supplies, and pay his rent. He lives just outside the centre of Maastricht and pays 360 euros a month for 21 square metres. That is higher than the average rent per square metre in the city, 15.70 euros, but still lower than average rents in Amsterdam, where rents are nearly 27 euro per square metre.
He works at Makro – a large wholesaler’s – every Saturday and two evenings a week, which earns him another 330 euros. “I might be able to earn more elsewhere, but that’s often paid under the table and irregular hours. It is hard work, but my parents taught me to write down exactly what’s coming in and going out.”
That list also includes his gym membership and his health insurance, for example, which cost him about 50 euros per month. And the shopping? “I do that twice a week, I buy normal stuff, like bread, some toppings, fruit, milk, soft drinks. I’m careful, but I do still buy beer.”
De Wit reckons his trips to the supermarket cost him about 30 euros each. Whatever is left is spent on his mobile phone contract, going out in the evenings, and the occasional new outfit or pair of shoes. “I’m less likely to splash out on a hundred-euro pair of trousers.”
September 2024
“Summer has flown by,” sighs 20-year-old law student Marieke Witmaker. She’s getting ready for her third year, with a student grant, which was reintroduced a year ago. “I am still eligible for the basic and supplementary grants for another two years, the rest of my degree, which is nice,” says the student, who also applied for the tuition fee loan and a loan with DUO this year. “When I started my degree, they were all still loans, so I’m used to borrowing money,” she laughs. “But it’s not great.”
All in all, Witmaker has calculated that she receives 1264.49 euros a month. She lives in student housing and gets an initial 302.39 euros. On top of that, she has a supplementary grant for 457.60 euros, because her parents are unable to contribute much. “And then there are the loans, one of which I use to cover my tuition fees worth 2530 euros. I also have to pay my rent, I live on the outskirts of Maastricht and pay 515 euros.” That still leaves the third year below the national average. Her boyfriend, who ended up in Amsterdam, pays 900 euros a month for what Witmaker can only describe as a “broom cupboard”. “There’s no other word for it, he hardly has any room.”
Aside from those two main ones, there’s a whole range of other expenses. “I saw one of those calculations recently, it was pretty accurate.” Witmaker is referring to the household budget produced by the National Institute for Budgeting, the Nibud. It’s an overview of all the different expenses, such as shopping (244 euros a month), books and supplies (41 euros), telephone, television and internet contracts (71 euros), and insurances, such as health and liability insurance. “Basic health insurance now costs 134 euros, with an additional 24 euros for the supplementary policy. I’ve applied for healthcare allowance, which thankfully means the costs is ultimately lower.”
In order to have money to spend on the occasional treat, Witmaker works at the local supermarket. She works 16 hours a week on the tills, earning 10.94 euros an hour. “I really wouldn’t mind working more, but I’d rather graduate sooner, before I’m faced with a penalty for taking too long.”
She’s trying to get ahead of the plans of the government: in 2026, students who have built up a delay of more than a year will be expected to pay an extra 3000 euros in tuition fees. Witmaker would prefer to avoid that; she has more than enough financial ‘challenges’, having already racked up a student loan debt. And she’s not alone. Recent figures from the Central Bureau of Statistics reveal that the average student loan debt for current and former students is now 18 thousand euros, with some outliers owing as much as 50 thousand or even over 100 thousand euros.
“I prefer not to think about it,” says Witmaker. “I might go out to a movie tonight just to take my mind off it.” She does have room in her budget for that, she adds. “I set aside a little each month to cover things like the gym, relaxation, and going out. And I will continue to.”