{"id":183495,"date":"2025-11-13T14:39:04","date_gmt":"2025-11-13T13:39:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=183495"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:27:58","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:27:58","slug":"studenten-zonder-gemeentelijke-registratie-ik-werk-zwart-in-een-restaurant-en-krijg-mijn-loon-contant","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2025\/11\/13\/studenten-zonder-gemeentelijke-registratie-ik-werk-zwart-in-een-restaurant-en-krijg-mijn-loon-contant\/","title":{"rendered":"Students without municipal registration. \u2018I work off the books in a restaurant\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

Some students are unable to register with the municipality because they have no official address in Rotterdam. For Dutch students, that often means they can\u2019t get the living-away-from-home grant. For international students, the consequences are even greater: they cannot take out health insurance or open a bank account, work legally or apply for student finance.<\/p>\n

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When Ralph couldn\u2019t find a room this summer, he was allowed to temporarily stay with friends of his parents in Delft. The French student slept in the couple\u2019s study and commuted to Rotterdam every day. When he asked if he could use their address to register with the municipality, they refused. \u201cBecause then they would\u2019ve had to pay more municipal taxes\u201d, Ralph explains.<\/p>\n

After six weeks, the first-year moved to a temporary room in Rotterdam. The actual tenant is abroad for seven months for work. Ralph can\u2019t register with the municipality at this studio either, because the tenant is still registered at that address. \u201cI don\u2019t even have a contract. Every month, I transfer the rent to the tenant\u2019s account.\u201d<\/p>\n

Known problem, unknown scale<\/h2>
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Ralph isn\u2019t the only student living at an address where municipal registration is not possible. EM spoke to six international students who are in or have been in the same situation. Institutions and student organisations are also aware of the issue.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have no other choice\u201d, says Emy, a German student. When she learns in April that she has been admitted to the Psychology programme, the first-year enthusiastically begins her search for a room. It soon turns out how difficult that is. She travels back and forth from Germany several times for viewings and introduction evenings, but without success. Eventually, she finds a room in Blijdorp from August: a sublet from another student who is on exchange until February, meaning she can\u2019t register with the municipality.<\/p>\n\n\t

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\n\t\t\u2018It\u2019s especially hard for international students, because they have no safety net here\u2019\n\t<\/blockquote>\n\n\t<\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n

EM\u2019s investigation shows that the problem is known to the university, the municipality and student organisations such as the National Student Union (LSVb) and the Dutch National Student Association (ISO). Yet no figures are available. \u201cWe have heard about the problem, but unfortunately we don\u2019t keep track of it\u201d, says ISO chair Sarah Evink. \u201cI feel really sorry for students who have to deal with this. It\u2019s especially hard for international students, because they have no safety net here. I can imagine that they can no longer fully enjoy their student life in the Netherlands.\u201d<\/p>\n

Legal advice bureau Rechtswinkel Rotterdam<\/em> also doesn\u2019t know how widespread the problem is. Staff members occasionally speak to students who find themselves in this situation, says legal adviser Nassim Ajdid. \u201cFor example, students who live in rooms that don\u2019t meet legal standards, or in houses where more people live than allowed.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Financial losses<\/h2>

Both Dutch and international students miss out on financial support because they can\u2019t register, says Ajdid. \u201cDutch students often remain registered at their parents\u2019 address and therefore cannot apply for the living-away-from-home grant.\u201d<\/p>\n

The basic grant is currently 125.99 euros per month, while the living-away-from-home grant is 314 euros. Students who cannot be registered as living away from home thus miss out on 188 euros per month. \u201cThat may not sound dramatic\u201d, says Ajdid, \u201cbut over three years of study that\u2019s almost 7,000 euros \u2013 a substantial amount.\u201d<\/p>\n

For international students, the consequences are often even more serious. Without registration, they cannot get a citizen service number (bsn). Without that number, they can\u2019t work, open a bank account or health insurance policy, or apply for allowances. \u201cIn short: without a bsn, you do not exist administratively in the Netherlands.\u201d<\/p>\n

No student finance<\/h2>

This is also the case for Ralph and Emy. They have no bsn, so as EU students they can\u2019t apply for student finance. \u201cThat\u2019s actually the biggest disappointment\u201d, says Ralph. \u201cMy parents still help a bit, but I can barely get by without student finance.\u201d<\/p>\n

That\u2019s why he took a job on the side. Off the books, because officially he\u2019s not allowed to work. Through acquaintances, he gets a weekend job as a dishwasher at a restaurant in the city centre. \u201cI get paid in cash at the end of my shift\u201d, says the student, who is enrolled in an international bachelor\u2019s programme at EUR. This is also why he doesn\u2019t want his surname or degree programme mentioned in the article. \u201cI\u2019m afraid that not only I could get into trouble, but also the restaurant where I work.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Katharina from Slovakia, who recently graduated, continued to receive student finance even though she also lived at an address where she couldn\u2019t register. \u201cIn my first year, I lived at Xior and could register with the municipality. When I went on exchange to Germany and gave up my room, I deliberately didn\u2019t deregister\u201d, she explains. When she returned, she rented a sublet room for a year without registration. \u201cThat was fine, because I had everything already arranged. My student finance was paid into my Dutch bank account, and I collected all my post from my old address.\u201d She now lives somewhere else. \u201cI\u2019ve updated my address with the municipality now.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\t

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\n\t\t\u2018Legally it is punishable, but in practice it is rarely enforced\u2019\n\t<\/blockquote>\n\n\t<\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n

Legally punishable<\/h2>

Emy finds her situation stressful, she says. Not only because she has to find new accommodation within two months, \u201cbut also because I\u2019m technically staying in Rotterdam illegally.\u201d That\u2019s why she also doesn\u2019t want her surname mentioned in the article.<\/p>\n

Her statement is correct, says a spokesperson of the municipality of Rotterdam. Every foreigner, including EU citizens, is required to register in the municipality\u2019s Personal Records Database if they stay in the Netherlands for more than four months. Not registering, or registering incorrectly, is legally an offence and can lead to a fine.<\/p>\n

\u201cLegally it is punishable, but in practice it is rarely enforced\u201d, says Ajdid from Rechtswinkel. \u201cIt\u2019s not a criminal offence, so it doesn\u2019t result in a criminal record.\u201d In practice, these situations are usually tolerated or remain invisible to the municipality unless a report is made. \u201cA student who goes to the municipality to register risks getting the main tenant into trouble and losing their room\u201d, Ajdid explains. \u201cThat\u2019s why many students choose not to register or report the situation, even though they know it\u2019s required.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Correspondence address as a temporary solution<\/h2>

The municipality spokesperson points to a temporary solution: the correspondence address (briefadres<\/em>). This is an official mailing address where you can receive government and tax correspondence. With a correspondence address, you can work, apply for student finance, take out health insurance and open a bank account. \u201cBut you can\u2019t apply for rent allowance, because it\u2019s not the home you actually live in\u201d, says the spokesperson.<\/p>\n

According to the university, the correspondence address helps to ease some of the problems, but doesn\u2019t solve them entirely. \u201cFor prospective international students, having accommodation is an important condition for coming to Rotterdam. We emphasise this early in their orientation process\u201d, says Karen de Man from the International Office. \u201cWe try to support students as best we can and guide them through the steps they can take to find accommodation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ralph hadn\u2019t heard about the correspondence address. \u201cThat\u2019s good news\u201d, he says. After a short pause, he sighs: \u201cBut I still have to keep looking for a room. Without a permanent place to live, I can\u2019t relax. You can\u2019t really settle when you\u2019re stressed about housing.\u201d<\/p>\n\t

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Where can i find information?<\/strong><\/p>\n

The municipality advises students to be well aware of their rights and responsibilities. At www.weetwatjehuurt.nl<\/a>, you can find information about rent prices, registration and agency fees. You can check whether your rent is too high using the rent price calculator<\/a>. The municipality also stresses the importance of reporting abuses directly via the Unwanted Rental Behaviour hotline<\/a>. You can also visit the information centre at Markerstraat 7.<\/p>\n

On the EUR website<\/a>, students can find tips on starting their housing search early, information about reserved rooms and advice on reliable platforms.<\/p>\n\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t

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