The number of Dutch students who are loaning money increased significantly in 2015, as shown by figures released by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science on Wednesday.
Some 96,000 university students borrowed money from DUO in 2015, up from 82,000 in the previous year. The increase was not caused by an increase in the number of students. In 2014, 32.2 percent of Dutch university students had a loan, versus 37 percent in 2015. The number of higher professional education students borrowing money also significantly rose in 2015, from 112,000 (25.1 percent) in 2014 to 130,000 (29.4 percent) in 2015.
The increase in the number of students with student loans is not considered a surprise. As of the start of the current academic year, students embarking on a bachelor or master programme no longer receive a government grant.
