Guide
Internet for international students: cheap, flexible, in English
A student budget doesn’t leave room for a €60 internet bundle you don’t need. The good news: Dutch internet can be genuinely cheap if you pick the right speed, skip the TV package, and know the shared-housing tricks. Here’s how.
First: check what your housing already includes
Many student rooms, especially in buildings run by student housing corporations, include internet in the monthly service costs. Check your rental contract before ordering anything. If internet is included but slow, it’s still usually cheaper to complain to the building manager than to run your own line.
Sharing a house? One contract, split the bill
In a shared house (and most student houses are), one housemate becomes the contract holder and everyone splits the cost. A €30 subscription across four people is €7.50 each, cheaper than any mobile data plan. Two things to arrange up front:
- Who is liable: the contract holder pays the provider and carries the risk if housemates don’t pay their share. A simple written agreement helps.
- What happens at move-out: contracts can usually be transferred to another resident, so plan this before the contract holder graduates or leaves.
Realistic speeds: students overpay the most
Streaming lectures, Netflix, gaming and video calls all run fine on far less bandwidth than providers suggest. One or two people rarely need more than 50 Mbps; a full student house of heavy users is comfortable at 100-200 Mbps. The gigabit packages providers advertise are built for families with 4K TVs in every room, not for a student flat. Calculate your real need before you choose.
Short stay? Consider monthly cancellable
Staying one semester? Some providers offer monthly-cancellable subscriptions from day one: a few euros extra per month, but no 12-month commitment. Staying a full academic year or longer? Take the 12-month deal with the welcome discount; after the first year it becomes monthly cancellable by law anyway.
Find the cheapest option at your address
Enter your postal code, answer a few questions about how your household uses the internet, and see the cheapest fitting subscriptions right away. Free, in English, no account.
Frequently asked questions
Are there monthly-cancellable internet contracts in the Netherlands?
Yes. Several providers offer subscriptions that are cancellable per month from day one, usually a few euros more expensive than a 12-month deal. And under Dutch law, every contract becomes monthly cancellable after its initial term anyway, which helps if your study programme runs longer than a year.
How much internet speed do I need as a student?
Less than you think. Online lectures, streaming and social media run comfortably on 50 Mbps for one or two people. Even a shared house of four streaming simultaneously rarely needs more than 200 Mbps. Paying for 1 Gbps in a student room is almost always wasted money.
My student room already has internet. Do I need my own contract?
Often not. Many student buildings (especially those run by housing corporations like DUWO or SSH) include internet in the service costs. Check your rental contract first. Only arrange your own subscription if nothing is included or the shared connection is unusably slow.
How do we split internet costs in a shared house?
One person (the contract holder) signs up and pays the provider; housemates transfer their share. Important: the contract holder is liable for payments and needs to arrange transfer or cancellation when they move out. Put the agreement in writing with your housemates, and reassess when the contract holder graduates.
What does internet cost per month for a student in the Netherlands?
Internet-only subscriptions start around €25-€35 per month depending on your address and speed. Split between housemates, that's often under €10 per person. Skip the TV bundle; as a student you almost certainly stream everything anyway.
Also read: internet for expats and the step-by-step guide to setting up internet in the Netherlands.