In April the Education Executive Service [Dienst Uitvoering Onderwijs] (DUO) is going to visit Bonaire, St. Maarten, St. Eustatius and Saba to open temporary service centres on these islands in order to communicate with prospective and former students. DUO is also going to organise information meetings and offer tailor-made on-site support for anyone who is facing payment problems. The visit is a follow-up to the visit to Aruba and Curaçao in November last year. DUO is now organising a webinar for prospective students on these islands.

Information meetings

The information meetings are aimed at students who are going to study in the Netherlands and their parents. They are intended to inform them of everything they need to know about study financing and other things they have to arrange in the Netherlands. An information meeting for former students is also going to take place on St. Maarten in order to explain the options when it comes to applying for an earning capacity assessment and local repayments, and what action to take in the event of payment problems.

Temporary service centres

People can call into the temporary service centres to get answers to any questions they might have about Dutch study financing and repaying their student debt. There is no need to make an appointment in advance. However, former students should bring an identity document with them and if they want to apply for a reduction to their monthly amount, they must also bring an income statement so that DUO can, if possible, provide immediate assistance to this target group.

Tailor-made support

DUO is keen to help prevent former students from getting into financial difficulties. For that reason, former students with payment arrears with DUO will be given a final opportunity to avoid a collection agency being called in. Some of them will receive an invitation from DUO to a discussion with a staff member in order to find a tailor-made solution.

More information

DUO is going to visit Saba on the 28th and 29th of April.

RCN-koffice
Matthew Levenstone Street #5
The Bottom

25 april	08.30-16.30 uur
26 april	08.30-16.00 uur

Information about the locations and opening times of the temporary service centres and the times of the information meetings can be found at duo.nl/bezoekantillen

RCN