Will I get that fine for 'slow' students?

Students are furious, and higher education institutions agree that the penalty is bad. But, for now, this doesn’t seem to bother coalition parties PVV, VVD, NSC and BBB. There is no bill yet, but its outlines can be inferred from the announced cutbacks and comments by the four coalition parties.

What is the fine about?
The Dutch government wants to add 3,000 euros to the tuition fees of students who take longer than one extra year to finish their degree. The regular tuition fee will be around 2,600 euros per year by then, so students taking longer to graduate would pay 5,600 euros.

What does "longer than one extra year" mean?
Third-year students in a one-year Master’s programme would have to pay the fine, for example. The same goes for fifth-year students in a three-year Bachelor's programme.

I’ve been studying for a few years already, so how was I supposed to see this coming? If I had, I might have worked less and borrowed more money.
The measure also applies to current students, even if they couldn't see it coming. The government’s austerity measure is scheduled to take effect in September 2026.

How many students will be penalised?
The government wants to save 285 million euros, which translates to 95,000 fines. Students pay tuition each month, so if thet graduate halfway through the year, they should pay half the fine.

I switched programmes twice, but I’m on schedule now. Will I still be fined?
Probably. A delay is a delay, even if it’s due to picking the wrong programme.

Are they making any exceptions?
There will certainly be exceptions, but students are advised not to count on anything. It’s not yet clear who will dodge this bullet and who will get to determine the exceptions. Last week, coalition party NSC said that certain personal circumstances or serving on a student committee for a year could be exceptions, but students who switch programmes would not be exempt from the fine.

I’m studying flexibly: I progress through the programme at my own pace and pay per credit. Will I now have to hurry all of a sudden?
This is a tricky question. Many parties would like to make higher education more flexible, allowing students to choose their own pace, but what would happen to those who make use of this option and take longer to finish their studies as a result? That remains to be seen. The same goes for part-time students.

Young people's mental health is already in pretty bad shape, isn't the fine going to make things worse?
NSC doesn’t see it like that. They consider the fine as a mere "incentive" not to take too long to complete a programme. VVD said something similar before the summer holidays, declaring that it is not a fine, but rather a higher personal contribution. The opposition begs to differ: they fear students will feel even more under pressure.

Will this plan make it through the Senate and House of Representatives without any problems?
That’s the million-dollar question. The coalition may have a majority in the House of Representatives, but not in the Senate. NSC doesn’t hold any seats there. BBB, VVD and PVV jointly occupy 29 out of 75 seats. This means the coalition needs another nine votes in the Senate.

Who will provide those votes?
50Plus and the regional political parties (OPNL) have one seat each. The government may be able to persuade them. JA21, SGP and Forum voor Democratie (FvD) have seven seats between them, which would bring the total to nine. But FvD seems to be opposed to the penalty, having supported a motion in the House of Representatives that calls it a "terrible idea".

Will students protest it?
The next protest has already been announced: Friday, October 18, at noon, in the park opposite Den Haag Central railway station.

Are there any young people among the constituents of the coalition parties?
Yes, and they’re not happy. Both the political youth branches of VVD and NSC are against the fine. BBB's youth branch didn’t say anything when the four parties concluded the outline agreement. PVV voters also included many young people, but they don’t have a specific club because PVV isn’t a membership-based party.