A Student’s Fight to Study in Amsterdam

I am Alex, and since arriving in Amsterdam in August to study, my dream has become an impossible struggle due to the unfair realities for Non-EU students. My annual tuition is a staggering €13,000, and unlike my EU peers who receive benefits like free travel, I get no support. The worst hurdle is work: my visa limits me to just 16 hours per week, but even that is unreachable because employers refuse to deal with the 6-week processing time required for my work permit. This limited income cannot cover the cost of living, especially with the brutal housing crisis forcing me to move five times in four months and pay unpredictable, exorbitant rents of up to €1500 for a single room. I am a hard-working, top-of-my-class student with professional skills, but I am falling into debt and cannot stay on my feet without immediate help to cover basic rent and food costs. I am asking for your support to help me bridge this gap, give me a chance to stabilize, and prevent me from having to abandon my education and dream because of these overwhelming, systemic challenges.