Student loan interest could hit 17-year high in 2027
A calculation puts it at 2.68 per cent, but DUO will not set the official rate until mid-October.
Interest on student finance could rise to around 2.68 per cent next year. That figure is still a calculation; DUO will announce the official rate for 2027 later in October.
Students and former students with study debt are therefore facing another increase in their financing costs. DUO is working with a rate of 2.33 per cent in 2026 for students in the so-called SF35 scheme. The smaller group covered by SF15 will pay 2.29 per cent.
The possible rate of 2.68 per cent was calculated by Hoger Onderwijs Persbureau and published by Fontys. The calculation uses the average interest rate on five-year government bonds over the prescribed period. DUO itself stresses that the new rate has not yet been officially set.
The interest rate is not adjusted in the same way for everyone. Students who are still studying receive a new rate each year. Former students who have already started repaying generally receive a new rate once every five years, and only if their current fixed-interest period ends at the end of 2026.
Interest is charged on the debt while someone is studying. DUO calculates that interest monthly on the total debt at that point. A debt of €10,000 would generate roughly €268 in interest per year at a rate of 2.68 per cent, before repayments and the precise calculation method are taken into account.
The higher rate follows years in which borrowing cost students almost nothing extra. According to the official DUO overviews, the rate for the SF35 scheme was still 2.57 per cent in 2025 and 2.33 per cent in 2026. The rate is linked to the Dutch state's financing costs and therefore moves with the capital market.
The increase will not affect all former students at the same time. Anyone who does not enter a new fixed-interest period will retain the existing rate for the time being. DUO says it will inform students and borrowers personally once the rate for 2027 has been officially set.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- The official interest rate for 2027 had not been set as at 3 October.
- The interest rate is linked to the rate on five-year government bonds.
- Students and some borrowers will face a new rate.
Left
Arguments Education should be accessible without young people bearing the consequences of market interest rates for years. A higher rate increases uncertainty for students who are already less inclined to borrow for fear of debt.
Values Equal opportunities, public access and protection for young households.
Consequences This approach would argue for an interest-rate cap, broader compensation or more direct government support.
Centre
Arguments The interest rate should reflect the costs incurred by the state itself, but students must be informed in good time and in an understandable way. Repayments must also remain affordable for people on low incomes.
Values Predictability, practicality and a balance between solidarity and affordability.
Consequences The system would remain largely intact, with attention to fixed-interest periods, ability to pay and transparent communication.
Right
Arguments A student loan is a contractual obligation and should not be made structurally cheaper than other forms of borrowing. Those who benefit from higher education also bear responsibility for financing it.
Values Personal responsibility, financial discipline and equal treatment of taxpayers.
Consequences This approach accepts a market-based interest rate, but could also call for stricter limits on borrowing and clearer warnings in advance.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
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The text distinguishes the official 2026 rates from the provisional calculation for 2027. The consequences are presented as a worked example, not as personal financial advice.
- confirmed DUO will announce the interest rate for 2027 in mid-October. — DUO states that the rate will be set and announced in October. source
- confirmed The rate for SF35 is 2.33 per cent in 2026 and 2.29 per cent for SF15. — This is stated in DUO's interest-rate overview. source
- confirmed A calculation puts the rate for 2027 at approximately 2.68 per cent. — Fontys/Hoger Onderwijs Persbureau publishes this as the probable outcome, not as a final rate. source
- confirmed Former students generally receive a new rate once every five years. — DUO describes the five-year fixed-interest period for borrowers. source
- confirmed Interest is calculated monthly on the total debt. — This is stated in DUO's explanation of interest for students. source
Editor's note
The percentages for 2026 and the system are officially confirmed. The rate of 2.68 per cent for 2027 is still a calculation, not an established government decision.Sources
- DUO start voorlichting over rente op studiefinanciering 2027 — Dienst Uitvoering Onderwijs
- Rente op studieschuld naar hoogste peil in 17 jaar — Fontys/Hoger Onderwijs Persbureau
- Rente voor studenten — Dienst Uitvoering Onderwijs
More on this in Dutch media
- NRC — „studieschuld studierente”
- NU.nl — „studieschuld studierente”
- De Telegraaf — „studieschuld studierente”