University of Groningen Living Costs for International Students

Introduction

University of Groningen living costs sit well below those of the big Randstad cities, even though the university ranks 87th in the world in the THE tables.^[1] QS places it at 147.^[2] This article covers what that ranking is worth, a line-by-line monthly budget, the costs the headline figures skip, who you will study alongside, how students earn extra money, and how money pressure affects wellbeing.

What the ranking gets you for the money

The two ranking figures do not conflict. QS and THE weigh different things, so one university can land 60 places apart on them. Both put Groningen comfortably among Europe’s strong research universities.

The value argument is about rent. Groningen rent runs about 40% below Amsterdam’s.^[3] The EU statutory tuition is the same everywhere in the country, at €2,694. A student who picks Groningen over Amsterdam can therefore save roughly €4,000 to €6,000 a year.^[4]

One advising desk describes a first-year who signed a lease in March for a €400 room in a shared house, ten minutes from her lecture hall. A classmate in Amsterdam would have been weeks into a hostel, because rooms near UvA start at €1,100 and viewings draw about forty applicants.^[4] For a closer look at that city, see our UvA living costs review.

The monthly budget, line by line

The university publishes costs on two different pages, one for full degree students and one for exchange students. The figures differ, so the table shows the low and high of each line.

The spread comes from three things: short exchange stays versus full degrees, furnished versus unfurnished rooms, and lifestyle. One student on r/studentsofgroningen reports spending €230 to €300 a month excluding rent. Cigarettes and social spending take a large share of that.

A mid-range month looks like this: €450 room, €250 food, €80 study materials, €50 transport, €26 phone, €110 insurance and €150 extras. That adds up to €1,116. It sits just under the IND norm of €1,130.77, so a lean budget still leaves non-EU students a small gap to cover on paper. Cities compare differently on the same lines, as our TU Delft review shows.

Hidden costs the headline figure skips

None of these appear in the monthly totals, and most land in your first week.

• Security deposit: about one month’s rent, so €350 to €650, paid upfront.^[6]
• Furnishing: a few hundred euros if your private rental comes unfurnished.
• Arrival: the one-way train from Schiphol costs about €25, and UG suggests a first-week cash buffer of about €500.^[6]
• Bike: €80 to €120, once.^[5]
• Language courses: €160 to €310 per course, optional but common.^[5]

UG’s FSE page also lists textbooks, excursions and fieldwork at €900 to €1,000 a year.^[5] That is the same cost as the €80 monthly line, so do not count it twice.

With a €450 deposit, a €100 bike, the €25 train and the €500 buffer, you need about €1,075 before furnishing and before the first month’s rent.

Who you will be studying with

At University College Groningen, the university’s liberal arts college, 53% of students are from the EU, 17% are non-EU and 30% are Dutch. The wider city counts more than 120 nationalities, and about a quarter of its 243,000 residents are students.^[9] Nationally, 131,004 international degree students enrolled at Dutch publicly funded institutions in 2024/25, or 27.2% of research university students.^[10] You will rarely be the only newcomer, and that makes finding housing, bikes and part-time work easier through word of mouth.

How students earn extra money in Groningen

Most students combine a few of these:

• Campus jobs: library, lab assistant or student ambassador roles.
• Hospitality and retail: English-friendly, and plentiful in a city with this many students.
• Tutoring: peer or private teaching in subjects you know.
• Freelance work: translation, design or coding. Self-employment rules differ for residence permit holders, so check them separately first.

The limits non-EU students hit

Non-EU students may work 16 hours a week all year, or full-time only in June, July and August.^[8] The less obvious barrier is that the employer, not the student, must obtain a TWV work permit from UWV before the first shift. Small employers often decline to file it.^[10] That is one reason Hanze University of Applied Sciences warns students not to count on substantial income.^[11] Treat any job as a top-up, not as a budget line.

One newer option: earning from a trip you are already taking

Some students fly home or travel between countries during semester breaks. Peer-to-peer courier platforms let them carry a small parcel in spare suitcase space. SendByPass is one such marketplace, and it states that a student earns about €50 per trip on average. Senders are identity-verified, payment sits in escrow, and the student is paid after verified delivery. The for-students page explains the process.

No employer is involved, so there is no TWV filing to chase. Students on a residence permit should still check how any income counts. This does not replace a part-time job. It offsets a flight you were taking anyway, and many students manage well without it.

Money pressure and wellbeing

According to AISS research, 59% of international students in the Netherlands report mental-health difficulties, and money worries are a documented stressor. Nuffic puts average student spending at €800 to €1,500 a month, which shows how differently students manage. Our national cost-of-living piece covers the wider picture.

No single side job makes a student happier. What helps most is stable housing from day one. Students who start searching four to six months before arrival almost always walk into a settled room rather than a hostel.^[4] Groningen helps structurally, since its rents start around €350 against €1,100 in Amsterdam.^[4] Start the search in spring for a September intake, and keep the €500 buffer in cash.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources

1. Times Higher Education, Best Universities in Europe, Groningen at 87 in the World University Rankings
2. universityrankings.ch, QS World University Rankings 2026, Groningen at 147
3. HousingAnywhere, Cost of Living in Groningen, rent comparison and student monthly figure
4. College Council, Cost of Living for Students in the Netherlands, savings vs Amsterdam, tuition, housing advice
5. University of Groningen, Affordable Living (FSE), cost breakdown for degree students
6. University of Groningen, Estimated Living Expenses, exchange student costs and arrival tips
7. University of Groningen, Financial Matters, study, travel and extras costs
8. Y-Axis, Study in Netherlands, work rules and IND funds norm
9. UCG Fact Sheet 2026/2027, student mix and city figures
10. UniPage, Universities in the Netherlands, national enrollment and TWV permit detail
11. Hanze University of Applied Sciences, Living Expenses, caution on student income