Students upset by coalition plans to fine them for taking too long to graduate

Students were left shocked that the new coalition agreement states that students who take too long to graduate will be fined 3,000 euros a year starting in 2026, said Elisa Weehuizen, chair of national student union LSVb. The fine will be issued to students who are more than a year late finishing their bachelor's or master's degree. The student union wants to take action.

"The fine is a baffling measure which makes it impossible to make mistakes," Weehuizen added. The LSVb said that students' mental well-being has been under pressure for years.

The union claims that high student fees, high rent prices, a shortage of student housing, and student debt have had a negative influence on students. This fine for taking too long to graduate adds to that. "This causes enormous pressure."

The student union added that financial considerations should never be a factor when choosing to study. "A fine for studying for too long is a big financial hit at a young age that many young people and their parents cannot afford. This measure will hit the Dutch people that the Cabinet is claiming they will protect."

It is unknown when and how the student union will take action. "Young people have been shocked and are prepared to resist this policy, which affects a whole generation."

The LSVb statement on Friday came a day after over 35 youth organizations united in the Dutch National Youth Council said they were disappointed that the coalition parties, PVV, NSC, BBB, and VVD, did not listen to calls requesting that they be allowed to speak with the parties during the negotiations to form a new Cabinet.

"With, among other things, the abolition of social service hours, one billion euros in cuts to social organizations, and a lack of coherent youth policy, the future Cabinet showed that it is not listening to young people," the Council said.

The youth organizations, which include the youth departments of political parties, unions, and societal organizations, think that the outline agreements make many decisions that will influence the future of the Netherlands. They added that members of the organization would have liked to discuss these decisions with the coalition parties.

They requested this in a letter sent to the informant. In the letter, they asked that the formation parties work on improving young people's mental health and also work hard to reach the climate goals set for them.

Dutch National Youth Council chair Kimberley Snijders said that not listening to young people's problems does not mean they are not there. The council sees hardly any of the issues raised in the letter to the informant in the outline agreements.