Payment free period
You can temporarily stop paying off your student loan. This is called a payment free period. The reason does not matter. You cannot use a payment free period for a lifelong learning credit.
Payment free period not always necessary
If you ask us to reduce your monthly instalments, we calculate how much you can repay based upon your income. This can mean that you pay a lot less each month, or even nothing at all. So a payment free period may not be necessary.
Differences between payment free period and reduced monthly instalments
| Reduced monthly instalments | Payment free period |
|---|---|
| The amount due each month is based upon your income. | Your repayments are suspended temporarily |
| This new amount could even be zero, if your income is low enough. | You do not have to pay anything during the payment free period, but you can make voluntary extra repayments. |
| You may need to provide supporting documents, such as proof of income. | Your request for a repayment holiday is granted automatically. You do not need to provide any supporting documents. |
| You can continue paying a reduced amount for the remainder of your loan period. Your application is extended automatically. | You can suspend your repayments for a total of 60 months (5 years). |
| Your remaining repayment period decreases. | Your remaining repayment period remains the same. |
Payment free period rules
- You can suspend your repayments for a total of 60 months. This can be all at once or spread over several periods. You can make voluntary extra repayments.
- Your debt continues to accrue interest.
- The repayment phase (15 or 35 years) is extended by the number of your payment free months you use.
- You cannot use a payment free period for a lifelong learning credit.
Apply in Mijn DUO
You can apply voor the payment free period for the first time two months before your mandatory repayment phase starts. You can request a payment free period in Mijn DUO. Do this no later than the 1st day of the month in which you want it to begin.
Applications from abroad or the Dutch Carribbean
Even outside the Netherlands and from the Dutch Caribbean, you can log in to Mijn DUO with your DigiD. If you are a Dutch citizen living in Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten of Bonaire, you can request a DigiD online Link opent externe pagina .
If you are unable to log in, please use a form Wijziging terugbetaling studieschuld.
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Changes loan repaymentpdf, 228kb