Student Jobs in the Netherlands
As a student in the Netherlands, the two main job types are Internships and Part-time jobs. Internships should not be confused with part-time jobs as they are two completely different things.
Internships come in the form of short internships which are a part of a mandatory course a requirement that is generally offered during a bachelor's or master's program. Students receive a tax-free stipend and do not need a work permit for an internship.
This salary varies between €500 to €800 per month depending on the type of work, the company, and other factors.
Similar to internships is something called an industrial thesis. Under this students receive a similar salary as with internships, but depending on the ECTS the industrial thesis generally has a longer duration.
Different programs and facuılties have different ECTS, and one ECTS on the average lasts for 9 months and above. The monthly salary under internships and industrial thesis are sufficient enough to cover a student’s living expenses.
In the Netherlands, students can work for a maximum of 16 hours per week at a part-time job. Technically students work for two hours a week alongside their studies. In the summer months of June, July, and August, students can work full time and earn a full-time payment. One important thing to note is that students can only work part-time during the semester or full time in the summer and not both.
Please note that students from European countries or from the EU, however, can work in the Netherlands without any restrictions.
Salaries for a part-time job vary between €11 to €14 per hour and the employer is responsible for applying for the work visa for the student employee. Although part-time jobs generally pay lesser, student employees are also obligated to pay taxes. It is also important to note that it is very illegal to work beyond the required working duration as a student.
Off-campus jobs in the Netherlands are mostly restaurant waiters, delivery jobs, servers, cooks, housekeeping, home tutoring, administrative clerks, substitute teaching, IT jobs at tech companies or startups, jobs in entertainment and recreation, and social media handling or influencing.
Students who gain employment in service jobs must have basic knowledge of the Dutch language for basic customer interactions. However, because a very large majority of Dutch people are also fluent English speakers, students can get away with little or no knowledge of Dutch.
On-campus jobs in the Netherlands include designing courses or web courses, teaching assistantships, research assistantships, student assistantships reserved for graduate students in their second year of study.
One useful Tip for gaining on-campus jobs is that students must remain proactive and continue asking from the department. Also, stay active on job platforms and keep your CV updated.
