nuOct 7, 2026, 08:46

Student loan interest rates to rise for a quarter million former students next year

Around 250,000 former students will face higher interest rates on their loans next year as their five-year fixed-rate periods end. Those under the pre-2015 system will see rates rise to 3.28 percent, while those who borrowed after 2015 will face 2.7 percent.

Approximately 250,000 former students in the Netherlands will see their student loan interest rates rise next year as their five-year fixed-rate periods expire. Those who borrowed under the pre-2015 system, which requires repayment within fifteen years, face a new interest rate of 3.28 percent. For individuals who started their loans after 2015 under the 35-year repayment plan, the rate will increase to 2.7 percent. This adjustment is part of a recurring five-year cycle where rates are recalculated based on government bond yields. Since 2023, rates have steadily climbed from 0.46 percent to current levels. This trend has caused significant concern among the so-called unlucky generation, students who began their education between 2015 and 2023 without access to a basic scholarship. Many of these individuals relied on government loans expecting low interest rates, only to see their total debt burden grow as economic conditions shifted the repayment terms significantly higher than initially anticipated during their studies.

Economy Business Netherlands

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Based on reporting by nu. Translated and condensed by LocalHeadlines.

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