For many international students in the Netherlands, the end of the academic year is a stressful time. Final grades are released, study progress is reviewed, and for some students, an unexpected problem arises: the school warns that it may withdraw its sponsorship.
If your school stops sponsoring you as an international student, your student residence permit may also be at risk. This can have serious consequences for your right to stay in the Netherlands.
The good news is that a student visa withdrawal does not always mean the end of your stay. In many cases, there are still legal and practical steps you can take. The most important thing is to act quickly and understand where the real decision is being made.
When can a student visa be withdrawn?
Most Dutch universities and higher education institutions follow the Code of Conduct for International Students in Dutch Higher Education (Dutch: Gedragscode Internationale Student in het Nederlands Hoger Onderwijs). This code sets out the rules for institutions that sponsor international students.
Under Chapter 6 of the Gedragscode, a school may withdraw its sponsorship if a student does not make sufficient academic progress.
In general, this means that a student must obtain at least 50% of the required study credits for that academic year. If the student does not meet that minimum, the school may notify the IND and end its sponsorship. Once that happens, the IND may withdraw the student's residence permit.
What does the 50% rule mean in practice?
Take the example of a student enrolled in a four-year bachelor's programme worth 240 ECTS credits in total. That usually means the student is expected to complete 60 credits per academic year.
To meet the minimum study progress requirement, the student must obtain at least 30 credits in that academic year. If fewer than 30 credits are obtained, the school may conclude that the student has not made enough progress and may decide to withdraw sponsorship.
Note: There is an important exception for students in preparatory or bridging programmes, such as a premaster. In those cases, the standard is usually stricter: the student is expected to complete all required credits on time.
Can you keep your residence permit despite insufficient credits?
Yes, in some cases.
Not every delay in study progress leads to the loss of student status. Dutch law and the Gedragscode recognize that students may experience exceptional personal circumstances that affect their academic performance.
Examples include:
- illness, including mental health issues;
- pregnancy;
- disability or chronic medical conditions;
- serious family circumstances;
- insufficient access to education or study facilities.
A well-known example was the COVID-19 period, when many students faced delays due to illness, family responsibilities, online teaching across time zones, and limited access to libraries or campus facilities. During that period, many institutions applied the study progress rules more flexibly.
Where valid exceptional circumstances exist, the school may decide not to report the student's underperformance to the IND.
What must the school do before withdrawing sponsorship?
Before a school can withdraw sponsorship, it should first follow the procedure laid down in the Gedragscode.
This generally means that the institution must appoint a study advisor to contact the student and discuss why the required credits were not obtained. The student must be given an opportunity to explain the circumstances and provide supporting information.
After that, the study advisor assesses the situation and decides whether the explanation is sufficient. In many cases, this decision is made within about one month.
This step is not a formality. It is an important procedural safeguard!
If the school skips this process and directly notifies the IND that sponsorship is being withdrawn, that may be contrary to the Gedragscode. In such a situation, the student should seek legal advice as soon as possible.
Another important point is that the exemption grounds under the Gedragscode can generally only be used once. For example, if a student already relied on serious family circumstances in a previous academic year, that same ground may not be accepted again later.
Why the real issue often lies with the school, not the IND
Many students assume that once the IND is involved, the matter should be argued mainly with the IND. In practice, that is often not the most effective approach.
Under Dutch law and existing case law, schools have a broad degree of autonomy when it comes to international students. This includes decisions about admission, enrolment, sponsorship, and withdrawal of sponsorship.
Once a school informs the IND that sponsorship has ended, the IND will usually follow that decision. The IND generally does not reassess whether the school was substantively right about the student's academic performance. In other words, the IND will usually not re-evaluate whether the student truly failed to obtain enough credits, or whether the school should have accepted the student's explanation.
The IND may only look at whether the school followed the proper procedure. For example, whether the school involved a study advisor and respected the procedural safeguards under the Gedragscode.
That is why the most important stage is often the communication with the school and the study advisor. If the school decides not to notify the IND after all, the immediate immigration problem may be avoided.
What should you discuss with your study advisor?
A discussion with the study advisor is usually about more than just missed credits.
The school may also want to know whether you have a realistic plan to continue your studies successfully. In practice, it can help to prepare:
- a clear explanation of what caused the delay;
- documents supporting illness, family problems, or other exceptional circumstances;
- a concrete study plan showing how you will catch up;
- proof of your motivation and commitment to complete the programme.
A well-prepared response can make a real difference, especially if the school is still deciding whether to report the matter to the IND.
What if the IND has already withdrawn your student residence permit?
If the school has notified the IND and the IND decides to revoke your residence permit, the IND will send you a formal decision, known as a beschikking.
From the date of that decision, you usually have four weeks to file an objection (bezwaar).
That deadline is strict. Missing it can seriously damage your legal position.
In many cases, once an objection is filed in time, you may remain in the Netherlands temporarily while the objection is being processed. This period can be very important. It may allow you to:
- continue discussions with your school;
- gather supporting documents;
- challenge procedural errors;
- or explore another residence option.
Depending on your situation, you may also be able to switch to another residence permit. For example, some students may qualify for a residence permit as a partner if they have a Dutch or EU partner, or a partner with lawful residence in the Netherlands.
Why speed matters
Cases like these often turn on deadlines.
Your school may give you only a short period to respond to a study progress warning. The IND will also impose strict deadlines once it issues a formal decision. Even a strong case can fail if action is taken too late.
For that reason, it is important not to wait until the residence permit has already been withdrawn. Legal advice is often most valuable at the school stage, before the IND makes its decision.
How Pathway Partners can help
At Pathway Partners, we assist international students in the Netherlands with problems relating to:
- insufficient study progress;
- sponsorship withdrawal by universities or colleges;
- student residence permit revocation;
- objections against IND decisions;
- and alternative residence options to avoid a residence gap.
We can help you communicate with your school, prepare your explanation and supporting documents, assess whether the correct procedure was followed, and take legal action where necessary.
Every case is different. In some situations, the key is persuading the school not to withdraw sponsorship. In others, the focus shifts to filing an objection against the IND decision or finding another lawful basis of stay in the Netherlands.
Contact Pathway Partners
If your school has contacted you about insufficient study progress, or if your student residence permit has already been withdrawn, it is important to seek advice quickly.
Pathway Partners provides tailored legal guidance to international students facing immigration problems in the Netherlands. We are experienced in Dutch immigration law and understand the urgency of student visa cases.
Contact Pathway Partners for a consultation to discuss your situation and the options available to protect your legal stay in the Netherlands.