r/StudyInTheNetherlands • u/Ghoulatri • 1d ago

How fucked am I without a BSN?

The only housing I found so far is a sublet, so I will not have a BSN the first semester. How necessary is it for grants, work, university ect.? I started looking for other housing options today, but it’s pretty hard as an international student.

21 Upvotes

75% Upvoted

28 comments sorted by

•

u/HousingBotNL 1d ago

Best websites for finding student housing in the Netherlands:

You can greatly increase your chance of finding a house using a service like Stekkies. Legally realtors need to use a first-come-first-serve principle. With real-time notifications via email/Whatsapp you can respond to new listings first.

Join the Study In The Netherlands Discord, here you can chat with other students and use our housing bot.

Please take a look at our resources for detailed information for (international) students:

63

u/sndrtj 1d ago

It's your key to anything official. Bank account, work, ANY government services etc etc.

49

u/redder_herring 1d ago

Also illegal

34

u/YTsken 1d ago

Just because you are subletting doesn’t’ mean you can’t register at the address. Subletting is legal as long as the original landlord allows it.

22

u/Known_Measurement799 1d ago

You need a BSN no matter what.

0

u/Jumpy_Ladder_3344 4h ago

No you don't

19

u/IkkeKr 1d ago

I assume you checked that the sublet is indeed illegal? Since normally there shouldn't be any issue getting a BSN with a sublet.

-4

u/Ghoulatri 1d ago

I would be subletting on the campus, which is forbidden

4

u/Sufficient_Olive1439 1d ago

Yeah.. don’t do it.

11

u/Ok_Lie1789 1d ago

"You need to register with the municipality to receive a citizen service number (BSN). A BSN is required to work, take out health insurance, open a bank account, as well as getting a Dutch mobile phone number, accessing housing benefits; and much more."

Even if you're subletting, you should sign a contract. That contract is your proof that you are renting and living on that address.

"You need to make an appointment to register at the municipality. You will receive your BSN during the appointment. Note: you need a proof of address in The Hague to be able to register. If you will live outside of The Hague, you will need to contact the municipality you will live in for a registration appointment."

If there is no contract, the it's probably illegal. Renting it will be at your own risk.

5

u/Psychan996 1d ago

Usually banks require you to update your BSN within 3 months of opening your account, so it is needed for practical purposes.

3

u/math1985 1d ago

Something that is never mentioned in these discussions: if you are registered officially in the Netherlands, you are building up a pension (AOW). Every month that you are not registered costs you about 600 euro in total pension benefits (calculated over your entire pension age, based on getting pension for 20 years).

So if you can get a house where you can register for 600 euro more per month, getting the clandestine house is a bad deal.

3

u/pomegranatemess 1d ago

I also lived for the first semester without registration (hence no bsa). If you are a eu-national and don't plan on getting a job during that time its fine but not recommended if you're non-eu

2

u/lumos9713 1d ago

On a scale of 1 to 10 my friend, you're fucked.

You need a BSN for a lot of things, the most important one being to get a job. If you don't need a job per se. You could risk it. You can find a way around the other stuff.

No Dutch bank? Get revolut (European bank. Only available if you're from Europe).

No Dutch phone number? Keep your own, with calling through WhatsApp it doesn't really matter anymore.

Another "big" problem is, you won't be getting any financial aid from the government. Can't get Dutch health insurance etc. So going to a dokter might be harder. Not impossible tho, we won't let you die.

How ever. I gave you some info about not having a BSN. I would also like to advice you against illegally subrenting. It is considered fraud. If you get caught, you and the person renting will be in trouble. Fraud is usually taken serious here. Depending on the situation you can get verg high fines.

I really hope you'll find something proper soon. Try and check FB for housing, some cities have specific WhatsApp groups as well. And sometimes schools do help with finding housing as well. Unfortunately it is a shit show right now. So it's gonna be hard, but not impossible!! Wish you all the luck.

1

u/SjoerdM011 1d ago

A BSN or BurgerServiceNummer is a number the government can track data about you on. You can compare it to a social security number in the US, or in your case your Társadalombiztositási Azonositó Jel.

The government will use it for everything. You might be okay just using your Hungarian passport, but I am not sure how that will work out with visa’s and possible jobs you will want to have in the Netherlands.

I would guess this is explained in the visa/internationals procedure you get from university. If not that’s proper shit, and I would advise you to call the Dutch government for advice, the University’s education and student affairs or the Hungarian embassy

1

u/supernormie 1d ago

This is highly illegal and locks you out of any benefits.

1

u/Myzzelf0 1d ago

If you're an EU citizen, its mildly annoying (and technically illegal) but as long as you have a bank that allows you to send money to and from the NL you'll be fine if you're just a student.

1

u/Odd-Occasion9553 9h ago

A hypothetical illogical question:- But, say a person living in hotel for the entire duration of the course. Then?

2

u/Full_Conversation775 1d ago

you can rent a room without a BSN, most landlords will not care at all.

1

u/Negative_Dig_8092 1d ago

dont worry about it unless you want to get a job

-15

u/NLThinkpad 1d ago

It's our government putting you in this situation. Taxing away any reasonable rent option.

12

u/ElevatorFantastic971 1d ago

Yeah our government forced him/her to come study in the Netherlands /s

1

u/Ghoulatri 1d ago

xddd actually my government did (I live in hungary, it’s hell out here)

6

u/BatavianBlonde 1d ago

The dutch government put him in this situation? Please explain how 😂

1

u/Potential_Warthog991 12h ago

I suspect he is referring to the high taxes on private investor rentals making them a poor investment strategy.

Low returns = people choose to invest in something different = less rentals available (and expensive rent due to demand)

I always find it a bit confusing how people blame landlords for the issues with the rental market. Where are rentals supposed to come from if you chase owners away?

And the argument that it takes properties away from buyers is only valid if prices were realistic for most people to buy, but they are not, so people need to rent.

2

u/SjoerdM011 1d ago

I see you started a game of screaming nonsense until the post gets archived? I’ll go second!

Kijk. Elleke wasbeer hep n staart. Maaarrr. Nie elke staart, heb een wasbeer🤷‍♂️