Netherlands to mandate internship pay for all students regardless of education level

All students in Dutch vocational (mbo), applied sciences (hbo), and university (wo) education will gain a legal right to internship compensation under new government plans. The measure does not set a minimum payment, according to a letter sent to the Tweede Kamer by Education Minister Rianne Letschert (D66). “There is now arbitrariness: one student receives compensation, another does not,” Letschert told NU.nl.

Under the proposal, sectors and individual internship providers will determine payment levels. It excludes short internships and those completed abroad. Letschert said the government may later impose a minimum amount if compensation levels remain very low.

The proposal follows a motion passed by the Tweede Kamer in October last year. It called on the government to outline legislation by summer 2026. The VVD, FVD, and JA21 opposed the motion.

The VVD argued that mandatory payments could reduce the number of available internships, especially for first-year students requiring substantial supervision.

A proposed internship fund for sectors with labor shortages, such as health care, was mentioned in the coalition agreement. Letschert did not address it in her letter.

The broader package also includes measures to improve internship quality, including stronger supervision requirements and a mandatory internship agreement in hbo and wo programs. Such agreements are already standard in mbo education.

The proposal drew mixed reactions from youth and student organizations.

CNV Jongeren welcomed the plan as a major step forward but warned that without a minimum rate, employers could resort to token payments.

“‘If the law only says that payment is required, we risk employers mass-producing a symbolic one-euro payment to comply with the rules. A requirement without teeth does not solve the financial need,’ CNV Jongeren chairman Casper Cornelisse told NU.nl.”

He added that the union will continue pushing for a “reasonable” minimum payment. Cornelisse argues that a legal obligation strengthens its position in collective bargaining discussions.

The Interstedelijk Studenten Overleg (ISO) also supported mandatory compensation but expressed disappointment that no minimum amount was set. The group warned that students’ financial security could remain uncertain without a baseline payment.

“‘Students deserve more than a pat on the back for all the work they do, and that starts with a reasonable minimum compensation," ISO said.

A fixed national amount was rejected because compensation varies widely across sectors. Officials also warned that higher mandatory payments could discourage employers from offering internship positions.