According to the Executive Board, the inflation correction is necessary because the rates have been 'indexed to a limited extent' in recent years, while the costs for education have continued to rise. For the same reason, the institutional fee for master's students was already increased by 11 percent last year. From 2026 onwards, bachelor's students will also have to deal with a similar situation.
The increase in institutional tuition fees has an impact on Bachelor's students from outside the European Economic Area. Other students – from the Netherlands and elsewhere in Europe – will in principle pay the statutory tuition fees (2694 euros from September 2026). The institutional tuition fee rate was already roughly five times as high.
One-off additional increase
On top of that 11 percent increase, there will be a one-off additional increase of 15 percent, 'intended to cover increased costs for which no correction was made in previous years before 2022'. That 15 percent applies to both bachelor's and master's students.
Bachelor's students from outside the European Economic Area will therefore face a 26 percent increase in 2026. This will skyrocket their annual tuition fees by at least 2500 euros.
This is a proposed decision by the Executive Board. The University Council will still be presented with the proposal for advice.
Transitional arrangements
To limit the impact on current students, the Executive Board wants to make a transitional arrangement for students who started before the 2026/2027 academic year. It is not yet clear what that arrangement should look like.
From 2026, the UT wants to index the institutional fees annually, based on the increases in statutory tuition fees. Once every three years, an 'extensive evaluation' must take place to test the institutional fees on the basis of financial developments and strategic choices.
