‘Bruins seeks alternative to slow-progress penalty’

The slow-progress penalty may be scrapped and replaced by a different budget-saving measure. According to RTL Nieuws, Minister Eppo Bruins is holding discussions with his cabinet colleagues on this matter.

The new cabinet aims, as outlined in its coalition agreement, to introduce a slow-progress penalty of 3,000 euros per year for students who fall more than a year behind in their studies. The main goal: to save 282 million euros annually.

However, Bruins reportedly wants to revise this plan. The slow-progress penalty is unpopular and implementing it as scheduled for the 2026/2027 academic year would be unlikely, as the necessary legislative changes would not be completed in time.

'Worrying accounts'

Bruins himself appears not to be in favour of the penalty. He mentioned hearing ‘truly worrying accounts’ from, for instance, carers and students from low-income families, who are more likely than others to face delays in their studies. There are other groups of students facing similar challenges.

The minister wishes to avoid the measure having a ‘disproportionate and harsh’ effect, he recently told the House of Representatives. However, he also noted that he must still meet his budget-saving targets.

According to RTL, one serious alternative being considered is increasing tuition fees (currently 2,530 euros) for all students. Bruins is said to be discussing this option with his fellow ministers. Another possibility could be raising tuition fees specifically for international students.

Last year, higher education institutions counted over 800,000 students: 340,000 at universities and 461,000 at universities of applied sciences. A quick calculation shows that Bruins could achieve his savings target if each student paid an additional 350 euros.

Raising tuition fees only for international students is not straightforward due to European regulations. EU students generally pay the same fees as domestic students in other member states. It could be done indirectly through tuition for English-taught programmes, but this would also affect Dutch students enrolled in those programmes.

No confirmation

The minister’s spokesperson could not confirm the news. The current stance remains that the minister is working on the development of the long-term study measure.

Student organisations have been protesting against the cabinet’s plans for months. The Interstedelijk Studenten Overleg (ISO) calls the long-term study fine ‘an unjust and unworkable measure’ and believes that the minister is effectively acknowledging this by seeking an alternative to the 282 million euro annual saving. ISO would prefer that the cabinet drop the cost-cutting measure altogether.

Universities of applied sciences support the protests against the long-term study fine and have organised a ‘reading marathon’. Across the country, politicians, lecturers, administrators, and students are reading out objections submitted by more than 25,000 students to the Association of Universities of Applied Sciences.