health insurance subsidy (Zorgtoeslag)

If you’re doing a paid internship or have a part-time job in the Netherlands (and receive at least the Dutch minimum wage that applies to your age group), then you are legally obligated to take out Dutch public health insurance (basiszorgverzekering). This requirement exists regardless of your coverage elsewhere. Our health insurance section covers this topic in more depth, so make sure to check it out if you have questions! 

Fortunately, the Dutch government offers zorgtoeslag, a health insurance subsidy available to those who have a low income. If you’re a student holding down a job, you will most likely fall under this category. The Belastingdienst (Dutch Tax and Customs Administration) is in charge of receiving and assessing applications. The subsidy is paid by the government, and it’s not a loan, so you don’t have to pay it back!  

Please note that you can only apply for zorgtoeslag if you’re legally obliged to take out basisverzekering; you can’t simply opt for Dutch public health insurance in order to receive the subsidy. We’ll go over the conditions for eligibility and the application process below. 

Check your eligibility for zorgtoeslag here.  

How much money you could get 

The amount of zorgtoeslag you can receive depends on your situation; the Belastingdienst has a test calculation tool that you can use to (approximately) find out the amount. However, tread carefully: there is no guarantee that the final assessment by the Belastingdienst will give the same results as this tool, as you may have made a mistake when inputting your information, or something else may have gone wrong.  

How to apply for zorgtoeslag 

If you’ve checked that you fulfill all the eligibility conditions above, then you can apply for the subsidy! However, you still need to have a few things in order to be able to apply: 

• You’ll need a DigiD to submit your application 

• You’ll need to have information about your income ready (the Belastingdienst has a page with tips to help you calculate your income for the year correctly) 

• Recommendation: activate your Berichtenbox op MijnOverheid; this is an online ‘message box’ where the government can send you digital letters. It’s handy because you’ll receive news about your application a lot faster 

Got everything ready? Then log in to Mijn toeslagen (my allowances) with your DigiD. In the top left corner of Mijn toeslagen, you will see an overview of all allowances. 

1. Click on ‘Apply’ in the overview next to ‘zorgtoeslag‘
   Answer the questions. They’ll be in Dutch, but an online translator (e.g. DeepL) will do the job. Once you’re done with a page, click on ‘Akkoord‘ (‘Agree’), which can be found at the bottom right of every page. Your data will be saved and a new page will open. Even if you don’t have to enter anything on a page, you should still click on ‘Akkoord‘.
2. Have you fully completed your application?
   Then you’ll see ‘Akkoord en verzenden‘ (‘Agree and send’) at the bottom right. Clicking on it will submit your zorgtoeslag application. 
3. You should receive a letter in your Berichtenbox op MijnOverheid within 8 weeks of your application. 

Applying for zorgtoeslag when living abroad 

Students who work in the Netherlands but live abroad (for example commuting from Germany or Belgium), are also obliged to take out Dutch basic health insurance (basisverzekering). 

If this is your case, you may also be interested in applying for zorgtoeslag. However, because you live abroad, you have to follow different steps for the subsidy application in order to get the health insurance benefits. This is because you cannot get a DigiD account if you live abroad unless you are Dutch.  

How to apply

The following steps must be taken: 

• Call the Belastingdienst Tax Office: +31(0)555385385. They speak German, Dutch and English, so you can call them yourself. They will ask for your BSN number, birthdate and address to confirm your personal information. 

• In case your bank account is not known to them, you have to give them your bank account details: 

1. If it’s a Dutch bank account you can submit your information via phone. 
2. If it’s a German bank account you’ll need to send them a bank statement in the post. 

Note: both German and Dutch accounts are OK! 

Within 10 working days, the tax office will send the form for the subsidy application that you need to fill out and send back to them. Based on this information, the Belastingdienst decides whether you are eligible for the benefit or not. 

How to cancel your zorgtoeslag

When you leave Maastricht or stop working, it is important to cancel your healthcare subsidy. This can be done very easily and is definitely worth the small effort to avoid fines. Here is a step-by-step guide to cancelling your subsidy. 

1. Log onto Mijn toeslagen 
2. Select “Wijziging doorgeven” (Submit change) and then “Toeslag stoppen” (stop subsidy) 
3. Choose “Ik wil mijn toeslag stopzetten” (I want to end my subsidy) 
4. Fill in the date on when you want your subsidy to end 
5. Click on “Zorgtoeslag” to cancel your healthcare subsidy 
6. Answer the questions that follow. If you don’t understand them, you can use google translate for translations 
7. You will then not receive any healthcare subsidy after this date (from the following month onwards). In case you forget to cancel your subsidy, the subsidy agency will contact you by mail. Thus, if you are moving away from Maastricht or the Netherlands, it is essential that you de-register, otherwise this letter will not find you and might lead to bigger problems later on.