Debt assistance and relief

If you have a lot of debts, you can seek help from a debt counselling agency. DUO only works with agencies affiliated with the Dutch Association for Consumer Credit (NVVK) Link opent externe pagina .

Make sure your debt does not increase

Make sure that your debt with DUO does not increase any further. Apply immediately for a reduction in your monthly instalments. If that still does not ease the burden enough, you can request a payment free period. If you have received a fine from DUO for unauthorized use of your student travel product, cancel the product immediately.

Payments not automatically deferred

Seeking help from a debt counselling agency does not automatically mean that your payments to DUO will be deferred or suspended. Let your counsellor know that you have a debt with us. They usually then ask us for a statement of that debt. Only once we handle this request can we decide whether to grant you a deferral or suspension.

If are you in a statutory debt restructuring scheme (WSNP) or you have been declared bankrupt, inform your administrator or bankruptcy trustee that you have a debt with DUO. They will then contact us.

What debts can be restructured?

Not all debts with DUO can be restructured. You may be able to restructure following debts:

  • overdue loan or lifelong learning credit repayments
  • travel product fines
  • tuition fees

The following debts cannot be restructured.

  • overpayments of student finance or allowances. If you do not pay off these debts, they are converted automatically into a loan.
  • future instalments of your loan repayment. For these, you can request a reduction in the amount you pay each month.

If your debts are being legally restructured, DUO puts collection of your payments to us on hold during the process.