Depending on your circumstances, getting a PhD in the Netherlands could be a rewarding and even well-paid experience. It might also turn into a very costly ordeal. Finding a university in the Netherlands where you can pursue a doctorate is relatively easy. Finding a way to pay for it is another story, especially if you’re not Dutch. At first glance, the country might seem like an ideal place to get started on a PhD. A quick Google search will lead... More >

You’ve bought a home to live in, circumstances change and you decide to rent it out. But what do you need to think about in terms of tax? You might have bought a building that comes with a sitting tenant in one apartment. Perhaps you’re going on holiday and want to take advantage of the possibility for a holiday let. You might have a period abroad as part of your job. Maybe you’re moving house and thinking about keeping your... More >

Shivering under the snow, dozens of young house hunters demonstrated in The Hague on Friday for the right to have an affordable home. In the Lange Voorhout avenue, a stone’s throw from parliament, scores of young people set up tent for several hours, in appropriately unwelcoming weather: icy winds, hostile rain, and then a layer of snow. The protest, organised by home owners’ association Eigen Huis and festival Lowlands, was the culmination of a national campaign gathering testimony and more... More >

Americans living in the Netherlands are facing increasing restrictions on what they can and cannot do financially, for a variety of reasons. If you are affected, what are your options? Many US banks and investment brokers are refusing to accept US citizens as clients once they have left the country because of the increased compliance burdens they face. And that means more and more Americans abroad are finding their investment accounts back home either restricted from trading or are closed... More >

Rental contracts can be a minefield, especially if you are new to the Netherlands and not sure what you are getting into. GMW lawyer Marie-Christine Veltkamp-van Paassen looks at what can happen in practice, and how judges deal with three common scenarios. Tenancy agreements can be extremely complex and there are all sorts of pitfalls to watch out for. We looked at these in some detail in an earlier article. But what about the different types of lease? There are... More >

If you see your move to the Netherlands as temporary, at some point you will have to go ‘home’. But when is it time to turn back and what should you bear in mind? ‘It was an easier choice than we expected,’ says clinical researcher Rob Hummel (28), who repatriated to the USA (New York State) with wife Alise in February after she decided not to renew her contract at the University of Leiden. Whisperings Had the couple stayed, they... More >

The bulbs are sprouting, winter is lifting and spirits are brightening: so, yes, it’s almost time for the Dutch tax office to send a blue envelope asking for your tax return. Even if you don’t get a request from the Belastingdienst because you are an employee, it may be in your best interests to file a submission – and according to the experts, it is always a good idea to do this early. You might get a refund because you... More >

The big Vermeer blockbuster may be sold out, but there is plenty of other art and culture to take advantage of this March. Find your way to the Allard Pierson The Allard Pierson museum in Amsterdam and the Dutch Royal Geographical Society, which is celebrating its 150th birthday, have navigated their way across their collection of maps, ancient and modern resulting in Open Kaart – van atlas to streetmap (Mapped – from atlas to street map). It covers seven centuries... More >

A new exhibition at the Amsterdam Museum on the Amstel, guest curated by Amsterdam-based designers Karim Adduchi and Tess van Zalinge, enlivens the once-fusty subject of needlework and explores the power of embroidery to innovate, activate and heal. It is 2022 and in a depot in Amsterdam Noord, fashion designers Tess van Zalinge and Karim Adduchi are browsing the Amsterdam Museum’s collection of over 10,000 costumes and textiles. They are selecting artefacts for Continue This Thread, an exhibition they will... More >

While all the attention is on the new Johannes Vermeer exhibition in Amsterdam, the 17th-century painter’s hometown of Delft has an exhibition of its own, focusing on the life and background of one the world’s most famous artists.  ‘If you want to see Vermeer’s paintings, you must go to Amsterdam,’ says Janelle Moerman, director of the Prinsenhof Museum in Delft. The Rijksmuseum blockbuster exhibition has collected 28 of the master’s 35 known works under one roof, though one is disputed.... More >

When you think of the Netherlands, you’re more likely to imagine drinking dark, malty bock beers in a cosy brown café that quaffing wine – let alone Dutch wine. But in recent years, the wine scene in and around Amsterdam has come on in leaps and bounds. Our resident Amsterdam Foodie (who’s not known to turn down a tipple or two) brings you her round up of the best places to taste, tour and shop for wine in and around... More >

Unless you have been staying on Mars for the last couple of months it cannot have escaped your attention that the hottest ticket in town is the one for Vermeer at the Rijksmuseum. But despair not, those of you who did not manage to prebook, there are plenty of other gems on offer in February See some old masters that are not Vermeer The Hermitage is presenting 35 paintings from the Leiden Collection in New York. The private collection consists... More >

Getting a driving licence in the Netherlands is far from easy – and if you are not lucky enough to come from an EU country, you will have to pass the skills and the theory test, even if you have been driving for decades. Dutch News readers have been sharing their experiences with Brandon Hartley. You may have a driving licence from another country, but in the Netherlands, you will need a rijbewijs. Some, like EU nationals and people from... More >

If improving your Dutch or passing your integration exams are personal goals for 2023, self-study course Inburgering Online can help you get on track. Bart Nawijn, founder of Inburgering Online, a self-access course which prepares students for the Dutch integration exams, has just got back from his vacation in Mexico. ‘I have barely any Spanish and once again I experienced how exciting it is to learn a new language, getting to know the people and the culture better and becoming... More >

Dull lessons, unsympathetic native speakers… It’s easy to become disheartened with learning Dutch. But shaking up traditional language learning, Talencoach’s Dutch Brainwash course is getting great results. ‘It was probably the worst thing I could do,’ says Olga Maksymova (36), who moved from Ukraine to the Netherlands in 2010 to take up a job at an IT agency. ‘Work wanted me to speak Dutch, but no one was helping me, so I was using Google Translate.’ The conversations were stilted,... More >