How much do you need to pay for your master's? Find out about the tuition fees and other expenses as a student.
Before you start with your master's, it is important to properly map out and arrange your financial situation. There are various forms of financial assistance such as student grants and allowances available.
Tuition fees for master's programmes
The tuition fee you will need to pay depends on two factors: your nationality and the type of programme you have chosen to follow.
Tuition fees for EU/EEA students
If you are a national of an EU/EEA country, you will most likely pay the statutory tuition fee. This fee is set and subsidised by the Dutch government and may change each academic year. The statutory tuition fee applies to most, but not all, students from EU/EEA countries. If you do not meet the conditions for the statutory tuition fee, you will be required to pay the institutional tuition fee.
Also, note that you might have to pay an application fee.
Tuition fees when starting your programme in September
| 2025-2026 (Sep-Aug) | 2026-2027 (Sep-Aug) |
All master's (full-time) | € 2,601 | € 2,694 |
All master's (part-time) | € 1,903 | € 1,971 |
For detailed payment conditions, visit the website of Student Services.
Tuition fees when starting your programme in February
If you start in February, your first academic year will run from February to August. You will therefore pay tuition fees only for the period from 1 February to 31 August, covering 7 months in total. The tuition fee for the February intake is therefore 7/12 of the annual tuition fee.
From September onwards, you will pay the full annual tuition fee at the rate applicable for that academic year.
1 February - 31 August | 2025-2026 | 2026-2027 |
Fulltime | € 1,517.25 | € 1,571.50 |
Parttime | € 1,110.08 | € 1,149.75 |
Also, note that you might have to pay an application fee.
Tuition fees for non-EU/EEA students
If you are a national of a non-EU/EEA country, you will pay the institutional tuition fee. This fee is higher than the statutory tuition fee, as Dutch universities do not receive government funding for non-EU/EEA students.
The institutional tuition fee you pay depends on the programme you choose. Check below to find out whether your programme is subject to the lower or higher tuition fee rate.
Overview higher and lower tuition fee programmes
Lower rate programmes
- Business Administration
- Communication Science
- Environmental & Energy Management
- Educational Science & Technology
- European Studies
- Philosophy of Science, Technology & Society
- Psychology
- Public Administration
Higher rate programmes
- Applied Mathematics
- Applied Physics
- Biomedical Engineering
- Business Information Technology
- Chemical Science & Engineering
- Civil Engineering & Management
- Computer Science
- Construction Management & Engineering
- Electrical Engineering
- Embedded Systems
- Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation
- Health Sciences
- Humanitarian Engineering
- Industrial Design Engineering
- Industrial Engineering & Management
- Interaction Technology
- Mechanical Engineering
- Nanotechnology
- Robotics
- Science Education
- Spatial Systems & Society
- Sustainable Energy Technology
- Systems and Control
- Technical Medicine
- Water Technology
Also note that you might have to to pay an application fee.
Tuition fees when Starting your programme in September
| 2025-2026 (Sep-Aug) | 2026-2027 (Sep-Aug) |
Fulltime lower rate master's | € 15,800 per year | € 18,200 per year |
Fulltime higher rate master's | € 18,900 per year | € 21,700 per year |
Tuition fees when Starting your programme in February
If you start in February, your first academic year will run from February to August. You will therefore only pay tuition fees for the period from 1 February to 31 August, covering 7 months in total. The tuition fee for the February intake is 7/12 of the annual tuition fee.
From September onwards, the full annual tuition fee applies.
Also note that you might have to to pay an application fee.
Overview of institutional tuition fees for master's, February intake |
| 1 February - 31 August | 1 February 2026 |
Fulltime lower rate master's | € 9,216.67 | € 10,616.67 |
Fulltime higher rate master's | € 11,025.00 | € 12,658.33 |
For detailed payment conditions, visit the website of Student Services.
Tuition fees for pre-master's students
There is no fixed tuition fee for a pre-master's programme at UT, since the length and study load of a pre-master's may vary per student. Programmes can vary from 15 to 60 EC. To follow a pre-master's you have to pay an amount per EC. The total amount is based on the number of ECs from your pre-master's.
- The amount per EC is € 43.35 for the academic year 2025-2026.
- The amount per EC is € 44.90 for the academic year 2026-2027.
Conditions
This regulation applies to all students who only have a pre-master’s enrolment, regardless of nationality. You pay a single, upfront fee for your entire pre-master’s programme. You can choose between two payment methods:
- A bank transfer
- A one-time direct debit authorisation
No right to a refund for pre-master’s programmes
The pre-master’s fee is based on the number of ECTS credits (hereinafter referred to as EC) that your programme comprises, not on the number of months you need to complete your pre-master’s programme. As a result, refunds differ from those for regular programmes. You are not entitled to a refund of the pre-master’s fee if you drop out, unless:
- you submitted a request for de-enrolment via Studielink within the first three months of your pre-master’s programme. In that case, you pay 5 EC per month, up to a maximum of the number of ECs in your programme. Two examples:
- You start a 30 EC pre-master’s programme on 1 September and submit a request for de-enrolment via Studielink on 31 October. You have been working on your pre-master’s for two months. You will have to pay 10 EC (2 months at 5 EC) and will be refunded the fee you paid for the remaining 20 EC.
- You start a 13 EC pre-master’s programme on 1 September and submit a request for de-enrolment on 30 November. You have been working on your pre-master’s programme for three months. In principle, you would have to pay for 15 EC, but your programme was less than 15 EC. You will not receive a refund.
- You have to stop due to personal circumstances. In that case, part of the fee may be refunded. Please, contact your student counsellor and submit a request for deregistration via Studielink.
Two examples (2026-2027)
Your pre-master's is 30 EC: you will pay € 44.90 x 30 EC = € 1.347
Your pre-master's is 45 EC: you will pay € 44.90 x 45 EC = € 2.020,50
European Credit Transfer System
Student workload at Dutch universities is expressed in EC, also named ECTS (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System), which is widely used throughout the European Union. In the Netherlands, each credit represents 28 hours of work.
Pre-master's as a transfer minor
In some cases, you can choose to follow (part of) the pre-master's during your current bachelor's, as a transfer minor. In that case, you can avoid (part of the) extra costs; you already pay tuition fees for your current bachelor's. Find out more about this option for Dutch HBO- and WO-students.
Financial aid and scholarships for students
There are different types of financial aid available.
How do you apply for a scholarship?
Applying for a scholarship is separate from applying for admission to a programme and is entirely your own responsibility. The University of Twente is not involved in the scholarship application process and cannot secure funding on your behalf.
For most University of Twente affiliated scholarships, you need to have fully completed the UT application procedures before applying for the scholarship! Because of strict deadlines, you are required to apply for admission to the master’s at least two months before the scholarship deadline. External scholarships have their own rules - so check them carefully.
Where to look for funding
- Your home country: Start with your country's Ministry of Education or equivalent government body for study-abroad grants.
- Dutch organisations: Explore funding via Nuffic (the Dutch organisation for internationalisation in education) and the Study in NL website.
Keep in mind that tuition fees increase
If you apply for a scholarship for a two- or three-year programme, bear in mind that the institutional tuition fees for the following year are not the same. The fees for the subsequent years increase yearly and are therefore higher than the first year. Take this into account when applying for a scholarship. This can prevent you from having to co-finance the difference in tuition fees for the following years.
Monthly living costs
According to Nibud, the Dutch National Institute for Family Finance Information (nibud.nl), studying and living in the Netherlands will cost you, on average, about 1,300 euros a month, excluding tuition fees. Here is the calculation behind that estimate:
Rent | € 561 |
Food | € 244 |
Textbooks | € 41 |
Transport (excluding a railcard) | € 67 |
Recreation, going out, sports | € 239 |
Shoes and clothing | € 60 |
Health insurance | € 60 |
Supplementary insurance | € 23 |
Telephone | € 16 |
Total average per month | € 1,311 |
Keep in mind that this is just an estimate. Luckily, housing in Enschede is generally cheaper than in other Dutch student cities. Furthermore, your rent depends on the type of accommodation you choose.
One-time costs
- Laptop, for example, to be purchased through the UT's Laptop Project.
- Any deposit costs for the accommodation you move into, usually comparable to one month's rent.
- Furnishings and furniture for your student home/room: approx. € 750.
Costs are subject to change: typographical errors may occur.
