Junior education minister Halbe Zijlstra is failing to keep students up-to-date about major changes in funding which are coming into effect next academic year, the three big student unions say in Thursday’s Volkskrant.

To compensate, the student groups have begun an information campaign to update their members on the new rules.
From next year, students who take more than a year longer than the recommended period to finish their masters or bachelors degree will have to pay nearly €5,000 in fees, including a €3,000 fine. Second degrees are also becoming much more expensive and student travel card entitlement is being cut for masters students.
The student funding body DUO and the ministry told the paper they had not started an information campaign because it is still unclear exactly what changes will come into effect next year. Some of the measures still have to be passed by parliament.