Caribbean students obtain a BSN when applying for student funding

The Hague – As of April 1, Caribbean students who will study in the Netherlands can obtain their own Citizen Service Number (BSN). This happens when they apply for student funding from the Education Executive Agency, DUO. This important change allows students from the islands to arrange essential matters before they leave for the Netherlands.

Until now, Caribbean students could only apply for a BSN after arriving in the Netherlands and registering with a municipality. This made it difficult to arrange things in advance. DUO, in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, the Ministry of Interior and Kingdom Relations, and the National Identity Data Service, has now simplified this process.

When applying for student funding, the student's details are immediately passed to the National Identity Data Service, which then issues a BSN and informs the student by letter. Due to the long mailing time to the Caribbean, DUO also offers the option of requesting a BSN by phone. After arriving in the Netherlands, students are still obligated to register in their municipality within five days.

With the BSN, students can, among other things, apply for a DigiD, which is necessary to access Dutch government services, such as My DUO. This allows them to manage student finance, report changes and receive personal messages. It is also possible to schedule an appointment to register with the municipality before the transfer process.

To inform students and their parents, DUO is organizing information meetings in all Caribbean islands from April 2 to 26. During these sessions, new regulations and other relevant information for arranging your studies in the Netherlands will be discussed in detail. In addition, DUO is opening temporary service offices on the islands for additional support and questions, including questions about student loan repayment.