In November the Education Executive Agency [Dienst Uitvoering Onderwijs] (DUO) will once again be visiting Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao and Sint Maarten to open temporary service centers on these islands in order to communicate with prospective and former students. DUO is also going to organize information meetings and offer tailor-made on-site support for anyone who is facing payment problems. This is a follow-up to the successful visits by DUO to the Caribbean at the end of last year and during the spring of this year.

Online information on Saba and St. Eustatius

DUO is providing online information for people on Saba and St. Eustatius. A webinar is available for prospective students and another one for former students. If they have any questions, (former) students from these islands can contact DUO via the chat and a video call.

Information meetings

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

Temporary service center

People can call the temporary service centers to get answers to any questions they might have about Dutch study financing and repaying their student debt. The DUO staff can also help with filling in forms or provide support if someone can no longer access the Mijn DUO portal.

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 a statement of their income 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. That is why some former students with payment arrears will receive an invitation from DUO to a discussion with a staff member in order to find a tailor-made solution.

Further information

DUO is going to be on Sint Maarten from 31 October up to and including 4 November, on Aruba from 7 up to and including 18 November, on Bonaire from 14 up to and including 18 November and on Curaçao from 21 November up to and including 9 December. More information about the temporary service centers, the information meetings and the webinars can be found at duo.nl/bezoekantillen.

RCN