International students are being hard hit by loneliness and money problems and the government should do more to help, Dutch student bodies ISO and LSVB said on Monday.

In particular, the coronavirus measures and switch to online courses mean international students have found it hard to make friends. Some 70% have felt lonely and depressed during their time in the Netherlands, according to preliminary research by international education organisation Nuffic, the student organisations say.

Some 115,000 international students are currently attending a course at a Dutch university or hbo college.

‘International students bring knowledge, experience and culture to the Netherlands but they get a lot of loneliness, high pressure of work and a lack of help in return,’ said Lisanne de Roos, chairwoman of student group ISO.

MPs are due to discuss the internationalisation of the Dutch education system on Wednesday and the student groups say more needs to be done to help international students with mental health issues.

‘There needs to be structural research into the well-being, living situation and social integration of international students to find out more about their real situation,’ the ISO and LSVB say.

The student groups also want the government to relax the rules which say European students can only claim a free public transport card and borrow funding if they work more than 56 hours a month.

Walking money bags that nobody cares about

‘That is too much for many students on a full-time course,’ said LSVB chairwoman Ama Boahene. ‘They can’t borrow and they don’t earn enough to pay for necessities.’ The working hour requirement should be cut to 32 hours a month, the student groups say.

Are you an international student and would you like to share your experiences of studying here during the coronavirus pandemic. Please email editor@dutchnews.nl