SUPPORT FOR YOUR INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
The NAF offers interest-free study loans to Dutch and American students and professionals pursuing advanced study or research at an accredited university. These loans support Dutch students studying in the U.S. and American students studying in the Netherlands.
Applications are open each year from January through April. Applications must be submitted in English and late submissions are not considered. The NAF Education Committee reviews applications in May, and applicants are notified shortly afterward. U.S. applicants are subject to a credit check.
LOAN OPTIONS AND AMOUNTS
The NAF offers several loan opportunities, depending on your background and achievements. You will not apply to a specific fund, but rather, your potential loan will be assigned to a fund if your application is accepted. This is assigned based on your stated financial need, alignment with the fund’s description, and availability of loans within the fund.
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Maarten van Hengel Study Loan – up to $20,000 for students with strong academic performance
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Mark Pigott Education Fund Loan – up to $15,000 for Dutch and American Fulbright recipients
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Samuel Freeman Charitable Trust Loan – up to $10,000 for students with strong academic performance and leadership experience
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NAF Study Loan – up to $20,000
All loans are interest-free for four years after graduation.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED TO APPLY
The application includes:
- Proof of identity and residency
- CV or resume
- Academic transcript
- Proof of admission to a university in the U.S. or the Netherlands
- Two professional references
- Estimated study budget
- Statement of purpose (max. 2 pages)
- Guarantor information (one guarantor for loans up to $10,000, two for loans up to $20,000)
Applications are open each year from January through April.
ELIGIBILITY AND REPAYMENT
NAF study loans are available to Dutch citizens studying in the U.S. and U.S. citizens studying in the Netherlands. Loans are intended for graduate-level study and are not available for undergraduate programs, summer research, or language courses.
Repayment begins after graduation and is made through monthly installments. Loans remain interest-free for four years after graduation; after that, a 7% annual interest rate applies to any remaining balance.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Do you have a geographical focus?
Only US citizens may apply for a NAF study loan to study in the Netherlands, and only Dutch citizens may apply for study in the United States. The study must be in the country of exchange, not a satellite campus that is located in neither the Netherlands nor the US.
Does the NAF’s loan program support undergraduate study?
The NAF does not award loans for individual undergraduate study.
What loan amounts are available?
The maximum loan amount is $20,000.
Are the loans really interest-free?
All NAF loans are interest-free for 4 years after the loan recipient’s graduation. After that period expires, and if the loan is not paid back in full, a 7% annual interest rate is charged to the remaining loan balance.
What is expected in terms of repaying the loan?
Repayments must be made on a monthly basis to the NAF once due, which depends on your graduation date. This ensures the financial health of the loan program so the NAF can continue to distribute loans each year to students pursuing an advanced degree in the US or the Netherlands.
What is the difference between an educational loan and a grant?
Grants are gifts and do not need to be repaid, while loans must be paid back to the NAF.
Is there a timeframe for using the assistance?
If you are approved for a loan, it must be applied to the intended studies fully during the academic year requested.
Do you provide education funding for summer pre-doctoral research or language programs?
These programs are not supported at this time.
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