Deregister
The time has come: you can finally press that red button! To do this, log in to Studielink, find your course and click on ‘deregister’. Make sure you do this during the month in which you graduate. Your deregistration will then take effect on the first day of the following month. If you graduate outside the summer period (June, July or August), you’ll get a refund on part of your tuition fees!
Request your diploma
Don’t forget to request your diploma yourself via BOZ. The exact process can vary depending on your programme, so make sure you check the steps that apply to you. The way diplomas are awarded can also vary. Sometimes you receive your diploma at your thesis defence, sometimes there is a graduation ceremony, and sometimes you have to pick it up yourself. Pro tip: before you apply for your diploma, check that your name is registered correctly. To do this, check that your name is correct in Osiris Student. If it isn’t, make an appointment with the local municipality to have it corrected.
Transfer important files
After you’ve deregistered, you’ll still have access to your student account and email for another month before they’re deactivated. OK, you probably won’t miss ‘notes_lecture1.docx’, but it would be a real shame if you lost your thesis. So make sure you transfer any data you want to keep, such as photos and documents, to another account or an external hard drive in time.
Change your email address
During your studies, you’ve probably created several accounts using your student email address, such as Netflix, DUO or your bank. As this will soon be discontinued, it’s wise to transfer your accounts to your personal email in time, especially for important organisations.
Check your allowances
Starting a job after graduating? Don’t forget to report your new income via Mijn Toeslagen. This will prevent you from having to pay money back later. Depending on your income, it will be calculated whether you are still entitled to allowances. If your new income is too high, your healthcare or rental allowance payments will stop. You do not need to cancel them yourself.
Update your insurance and bank accounts
Do you have a student account or student insurance policy? Unfortunately, you will no longer be able to use these arrangements once you graduate. So make sure you switch to a standard account and policy in time.
Check your tenancy agreement
Also take a close look at what’s in your rental contract. Many students who live on campus have a campus contract. This means you must leave your accommodation within six months of graduating. Both housing associations and private landlords can use campus contracts. So be aware that you may soon receive a notice to vacate your student room within a certain period.
Check your residence permit and orientation year
If you are a student with a residence permit, there are a few crucial rules to keep in mind regarding your stay in the Netherlands. Once you have graduated and deregistered, your educational institution will report this to the IND (Immigration and Naturalisation Service). From that moment, your student residence permit will be cancelled. You are then allowed to remain in the Netherlands for a maximum of 90 days, unless your residence permit expires sooner - in which case, the expiry date on your card is leading.
Would you like to stay longer to launch your career? You can apply for an 'orientation year' (zoekjaar) permit via the IND website. This gives you one year to find a suitable job or start your own business in the Netherlands.
Make the most of student discounts (one last time)
Now that you’re a student for just a little while longer, you’d better make the most of it. Consider renewing subscriptions that offer student discounts, such as Spotify, Netflix or software licences. Need a new laptop? Then buy it through the UT Student Laptop Project while you still can. Or visit the Rijksmuseum Twenthe and De Museumfabriek for free one last time.
For students receiving Dutch student finance:
If you received Dutch student finance, there are a few extra things to arrange.
Cancel your student finance
Unfortunately, you will now really have to cancel your student finance via DUO. Make sure you do this no later than the first day of the month in which you are no longer entitled to it. Do you only use the student travel product? Then you must also cancel your student finance, as this travel product is part of your student finance.
Cancel your student travel product
After years of loyal service, it is now really time to say goodbye to your student travel product. As well as cancelling your student finance, you must also physically remove the student travel product from your OV-chipcard at a machine at the station. Do this by the 10th day of the first month in which you are no longer entitled to it. Be aware that you are not allowed to travel using it from the first day of that month; otherwise, you’ll face a high fine! After cancelling, be sure to check Mijn DUO to make sure the cancellation was successful.
The good news? After this, you’ll be able to use the NS Flex Dal Voordeel subscription for free for one year. That’ll save you money when you’re travelling to your first job.
Pay off your student debt
Once you’ve finished your studies, you’ll eventually have to face it: paying off your student debt. Don't worry, you won't need to repay everything immediately. During the first two years, known as the ‘grace period’, you don’t have to pay anything back. After that, the ‘repayment phase’ begins, during which you make monthly repayments based on your income. Check the DUO website for the exact details that apply to you.
Okay, graduating might mean saying goodbye to many student perks and working through a list of practical matters. But fortunately, most of it can be sorted out fairly quickly. And after that? It’s time to enjoy your well-deserved freedom and then start your next adventure.
