Orientation Year Health Insurance in NL for €72/month

Not automatically. During your Zoekjaar (orientation year), you’re not eligible for Dutch public health insurance unless you start working or have a paid internship.

Until then, you’ll need private health insurance to stay covered and meet visa requirements. It’s designed for this exact phase, so you’re insured while you look for a job or figure out your next move in the Netherlands.

You don’t always need Dutch health insurance during your orientation year — unless you start working or have a paid internship. But if you stay uninsured, you’ll need to cover all medical costs yourself. And in the Netherlands, that can add up fast.

If the CAK (Central Administration Office) decides you should be insured but aren’t, they’ll send a warning and give you three months to take out a policy.

Miss that deadline, and you could get a fine of about €500 — or even be automatically signed up with a Dutch insurer, with the premium taken straight from your income.

So even if it’s not required, having private health insurance can give you peace of mind. It keeps you covered if something unexpected happens and helps you avoid big bills while you’re still finding your feet.

If your orientation year ends and you haven’t found a job, you’ll need to either apply for a new residence permit for another study, a start-up visa, or employment, or leave the Netherlands and cancel your insurance once you deregister from your municipality.

There is a monthly cancellation policy. Once you cancel, you will not be billed at your next billing cycle, and there are no fees for canceling.