Cancellation
In certain situations, it is possible to cancel (write off) your student debt. At the end of the repayment phase, this even happens automatically.
End of repayment phase
If you have made the required payments but still not cleared your loan in full at the end of the repayment phase, your remaining debt is written off. This is done automatically and you receive a notification to that effect. However, we do not waive any outstanding arrears.
Cancellation of supplementary grant
If you do not graduate successfully from your course within 10 years, you must repay your student finance (loans and grants) in full. Only your supplementary grant can sometimes be written off. We will send you a letter as soon as you can apply for the cancellation. You will receive this letter at the end of the 2nd year of the repayment phase.
If all or part of your supplementary grant is written off and you have already cleared your student loan in full, we refund the waived amount to your bank account.
Conditions for cancellation of supplementary grant
- You have been in receipt of a performance-related grant for MBO students for at least 12 months or a performance-related grant for university or HBO students for at least 5 months. And after that you were in receipt of a supplementary grant for at least 1 month.
- Your supplementary grant has not been converted into a gift.
- Your income does not exceed the threshold amount shown in the table below. We look at your income in the 3rd year after you last had student finance or a travel product. We call this the reference year. The higher your income, the lower the amount that is written off.
- If you had a partner in the reference year, we look at your joint income. Even if you have separated or lost contact since then. The higher your joint income, the lower the amount that is written off.
Maximum amount for full remission of additional grant
>| Final year of student finance or travel product | Reference year | Threshold amount without partner | Threshold amount with partner |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 2021 | € 32,752.52 | € 43,670.02 |
| 2019 | 2022 | € 33,534.00 | € 44,712.00 |
| 2020 | 2023 | € 37,604.73 | € 50,139.64 |
Maximum amount for partial remission of additional grant
| Final year of student finance or travel product | Reference year | Threshold amount without partner | Threshold amount with partner |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 2021 | € 43,670.02 | € 54,587.53 |
| 2019 | 2022 | € 44,712.00 | € 55,890.00 |
| 2020 | 2020 | € 50,139,64 | € 62,674,55 |
Application for cancellation of supplementary grant
When to apply
We will send you a letter as soon as you can apply for the cancellation. You will receive this letter at the end of the 2nd year of the repayment phase. The letter tells you until when you can apply. You can no longer apply for the cancellation after this .
Apply through Mijn DUO
You can apply for cancellation in Mijn DUO.
No access to Mijn DUO
No access to Mijn DUO? If your repayment phase began in 2023, use the form Aanvraag kwijtschelding aanvullende beurs 2024. If your repayment phase began in 2022, use the form Aanvraag kwijtschelding aanvullende beurs 2023.
Debt cancellation for parents affected by the ‘toeslagenaffaire’
Are you affected by the so-called ‘toeslagenaffaire’, concerning childcare benefits reclaimed between 2005 and 2019? The Tax and Customs Administration first determines who are the affected parents. After that, DUO will cancel any debts registered to these parents. And any debts registered to their benefit partners (the person, if any, you applied for allowances with).
Cancellation on medical grounds
Cancellation of a student debt on medical grounds is only possible in very exceptional situations. You are only eligible if you are currently in such a serious situation.
Have you suffered study delay in the past due to special circumstances? Go to ‘Performance grant provision’ to see what your options are.
Conditions for cancellation on medical grounds
- The former student has a severe intellectual disability. There is a statement showing that there is no prospect of discharge from the institution.
- The former student is a psychiatric patient whose situation is insoluble.
- The former student is suffering from a terminal illness and is expected to pass away within a year.
- The former student has been in a coma for a long time.
- The former student has a similar serious medical situation as above.
Cancellation will only take place after positive advice from the DUO medical advisor. To provide advice, the medical advisor requests information from your treating doctor or specialist. The medical advisor will ask for your written permission in advance.
Application for cancellations on medical grounds
Do you think you qualify based on the conditions? Please contact us . First arrange authorization if you are contacting us on behalf of someone else. One of our employees will discuss the options with you and tell you how to proceed.
Death
In the event of your death, your entire outstanding student debt is written off. We will not attempt to recover it from your partner, children or family.
Disease or handicap
Did you experience study delay as a result of a disease or handicap? Or were you even forced to quit your studies? In some cases, you can apply for an exception to the rules concerning the performance grant (link in Dutch).