Slaagkans
The DUO loan: amounts, conditions and repayment
September 5, 2026 · 2 min
A DUO loan pays for your course at a school with a quality mark and your exam fees. Repayment starts six months after you finish integrating, and you get ten years. If you complete on time, part of the loan can be written off — you do not apply for that; DUO assesses it itself.
- What for
- course + exams
- Repayment starts
- 6 months after finishing
- Term
- 10 years
What you may spend it on
- A course at a school **with a quality mark** — a school without one cannot be paid from it.
- Exam fees for your integration exam or Staatsexamen NT2.
- The maximum is on DUO's page and changes; check there for the current amount.
Repaying
- 1
Six months' grace
Repayment only begins six months after your integration ends.
- 2
Ten years to pay
You pay a fixed amount monthly, collected automatically by DUO.
- 3
Or all at once
Ask via the contact form for a payment reference if you want to clear it in one go.
If it goes wrong
Miss your integration deadline and you must repay the loan. For asylum status holders this has been the subject of court rulings; if that could affect you, discuss it with your municipality and check DUO's page on remission.
What this means for you
- Never pay a school without a quality mark from your DUO loan — it is not allowed and you lose the money.
- Put your finish date in the calendar: collection starts six months later.
- Keep every invoice; for remission and for any dispute you must be able to show what you paid.
Frequently asked questions
Do I pay interest?
DUO charges interest on the loan and the rate changes. Check DUO's page for the current rate.
Can I borrow as a family migrant?
Family migrants pay for their own route and can use the DUO loan for it. Discuss the options with your municipality.
Practise as much as you like without risking extra exam fees.
See the pricesSources
- DUO — Lenen bij DUOofficial
- DUO — Hoeveel mag u lenen?official
- DUO — Lening terugbetalenofficial
- DUO — Kwijtschelding leningofficial
Last checked: August 5, 2026. Rules and amounts change — always check your own situation with DUO or the IND.
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