Students obliged to take out Dutch basic health insurance, listen up! We know health insurance can be expensive, but there’s a silver lining: the Dutch government offers a health insurance subsidy that (partly) covers the costs of your Dutch basic insurance. This subsidy is called zorgtoeslag, and most students are eligible for it, so it is likely that you will be able to receive it. You can find out more and learn how to apply for zorgtoeslag on our dedicated page in the finance section.
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 can I 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:
- If it’s a Dutch bank account you can submit your information via phone.
- 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.
Ending your zorgtoeslag
When you stop working in the Netherlands or move to another country and no longer have a contract with a Dutch employer, you must remember to cancel your healthcare subsidy. This is very simple and can be done in a couple of minutes. Here are the step-by-step instructions to cancelling your subsidy.
- Log into your Belastingsdienst Mijn toeslagen account with DigiD.
- Click “Wijziging doorgeven” and then “Toeslag stoppen”.
- Then click “Ik wil mijn toeslag stopzetten”.
- Fill in the date from which you want the subsidy to end.
- Choose “Zorgtoeslag” to end the subsidy for the health insurance.
- Answer the questions regarding the cancellation of your subsidy.
The subsidy will usually end from the month when you fill in the form but sometimes if you fill the form in closer to the end of the month, it may take a while for the government to process the application. If you receive the subsidy after cancellation, the government will contact you to pay the excess subsidy back.
