Tuition fees
Our MA tuition fee is € 19,950* (for PhD fees, please go to our PhD Finance and Funding page)
*The fees for visa and health insurance are not included in the tuition fee for the MA programme (see the Financial Overview below).
Why are the tuition fees same for EU and non-EU students?
In the Netherlands, regular Bachelor's and Master's programmes receive financial support from the Dutch government per registered student each year. As a result, Dutch students and students from the European Union pay lower tuition fees in these programmes.
However, due to historical reasons, the ISS MA in Development Studies is a so called ‘post-initial’ Master programme. It holds a distinct status and does not benefit from this governmental financial support. Consequently, the programme must cover its costs through tuition fees. Therefore, irrespective of nationality or background, all students are subject to the same tuition fee.
Please note that the MA in Development Studies is accredited by the NVAO and is registered in the Dutch national education registration system.
Interested in taking an MA course as non-ISS student?
To enroll in an MA course as a non-ISS student, the cost is €250 per ECTS credit. For a detailed overview of additional fees and expenses, please refer to the table provided below:
Financial Overview: MA in Development Studies 2025-2026
| What for | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition fee (in total) | € 19,950 |
| Immigration fees* | € 243 |
| Health insurance premium incl. administration costs** | € 910 |
| Living expenses for the duration of the programme, in accordance with the basic standard of living in the Netherlands, as required by the Dutch law: € 1,115 per person per month for a period of 16 months | € 17,840 |
| Total costs | € 38,943 |
* Not for EU residents.
**Please note that health insurance is obligatory under Dutch law. ISS arranges insurance with the AON insurance company for all its students, unless you can prove that you have your own insurance with world coverage.
Estimated Costs of Living
Due to inflation, the costs of living have risen to approximately € 1,115/month, based on a moderate standard of living for students in the Netherlands.
The biggest expenses are the accommodation costs which are approximately €700 -800/month. More information is available on the accommodation page.
Other costs include visa costs, immigration fees and any additional funds spent on the MA programme.
Students can download a detailed financial statement when they are notified of their acceptance at ISS. All fees must be paid before the start of the programme.
NB: The amounts indicated here are for information purposes only and are subject to change; they are not intended to be binding on ISS in any way and ISS reserves the right to change any fees or other costs without notice.
Need a print out of this overview? Download the document below.