Best Savings Accounts for International Students in the Netherlands
Best Savings Accounts for International Students in the Netherlands
Opening one of the best savings accounts for international students in the Netherlands can help students earn interest on emergency funds, scholarship payments and money reserved for tuition or rent.
Dutch banks rarely offer savings accounts exclusively for international students. Instead, students usually open a regular savings account linked to their Dutch current account.
Interest rates vary significantly between traditional banks and digital providers. Students should also check whether the highest advertised rate requires a paid banking plan, a minimum deposit or leaving the money untouched.
Best Savings Accounts for International Students
The leading options for 2026 include:
- bunq Savings Account: Best overall interest rate
- Revolut Instant Access Savings: Best for daily interest
- Rabobank Rabo Savings Account: Best traditional flexible account
- ABN AMRO Direct Savings: Best for ABN AMRO students
- ING Oranje Savings Account: Best for existing ING customers
The rates mentioned below were available around July 30, 2026. Savings rates are variable and can change at any time.
1. bunq Savings Account – Best Overall
The bunq Savings Account offers one of the most competitive euro savings rates available to eligible students in the Netherlands.
Under bunq’s MassInterest system, new savers currently receive:
- 3.01% variable annual interest on new savings
- 1.51% base interest after the savings threshold is calculated
- Weekly interest payments
- Flexible access to funds
- Account management through the bunq app
- No fixed savings period
bunq calculates a customer’s savings threshold twice per year. After the threshold is established, the base rate applies to money up to that amount, while the higher bonus rate applies to savings added above it. New savers initially receive the bonus rate until their first threshold calculation.
Eligible university students aged 25 or younger can currently receive bunq Pro without a monthly subscription fee after providing valid proof of enrolment. Students can also begin without a Dutch tax identification number and provide it within 90 days.
Best for: Eligible students who want a competitive rate, weekly interest and fully digital banking.
2. Revolut Instant Access Savings – Best for Daily Interest
Revolut Instant Access Savings allows eligible Netherlands-based customers to earn interest without locking away their money.
Its principal features include:
- Up to 2.5% variable annual interest, depending on the plan
- Interest calculated and paid daily
- No minimum deposit
- No withdrawal fee
- Immediate access to savings
- Maximum eligible savings balance of €100,000
- Account management through the Revolut app
Revolut is also offering a temporary boosted rate of 3.10% to eligible new customers who open the savings account during the promotional period. The boosted rate is scheduled to apply until October 9, 2026, after which the ordinary plan-dependent rate applies.
To qualify for the Netherlands savings account, the student must live in the Netherlands, be a Dutch tax resident and hold an account with Revolut Bank UAB’s Netherlands branch.
Best for: Dutch tax-resident students who want daily interest and immediate withdrawals.
3. Rabobank Rabo Savings Account – Best Traditional Flexible Account
The Rabo Savings Account is a straightforward option for students who already use Rabobank for everyday banking.
Current variable rates include:
- 1.40% on balances up to €20,000
- 1.30% on the portion from €20,000 to €100,000
- 1.20% on the portion above €100,000 and up to €5 million
Interest rates are applied in balance brackets and can change. The first rate is the most relevant for students with smaller emergency or tuition savings.
The account also provides:
- No additional account-management fee for customers with a Rabobank payment package
- Withdrawals whenever needed
- Free digital deposits and transfers
- Automatic savings transfers
- Digital savings “piggy banks”
- Access through the Rabo App and online banking
A student who is not already a Rabobank customer must first open a payment account. Customers aged 18 to 27 may qualify for the free Rabo Free payment package.
Best for: Students who want flexible savings with a major Dutch branch-based bank.
4. ABN AMRO Direct Savings – Best for ABN AMRO Students
ABN AMRO Direct Savings is easy to add when the student already has an ABN AMRO Student Package or another qualifying current account.
Its current rates are:
- 1.25% for balances up to €500,000
- 1.45% for the portion between €500,000 and €1 million
Interest is credited quarterly. Students can withdraw money whenever they want without a withdrawal charge and can open up to ten separate Direct Savings accounts for different financial goals.
The ABN AMRO Student Package includes a free savings account for eligible students aged 18 to 24. This makes Direct Savings convenient even though its standard interest rate is lower than the current bunq or Revolut offers.
Best for: International students already using the free ABN AMRO Student Package.
5. ING Oranje Savings Account – Best for Existing ING Customers
The ING Oranje Savings Account is a flexible account linked to ING’s payment-account system.
Its features include:
- No fixed savings term
- Withdrawals when needed
- Interest on the savings balance
- Mobile and online account management
- Automatic savings transfers
- No need to open a separate account with another bank
ING’s published interest structure currently starts at approximately 1.25% for the first €10,000. Customers using certain paid ING packages can qualify for additional interest, potentially increasing the rate on eligible balances.
Students should calculate whether paying for a higher ING package is worthwhile. A higher rate may not compensate for the package fee when the savings balance is small.
Best for: Students who already use ING and prefer to keep spending and savings in one app.
Can International Students Open a Dutch Savings Account?
Yes. International students can generally open a savings account after passing the bank’s identity, residence and tax-verification procedures.
Common requirements include:
- Valid passport or European identity card
- Dutch residential address
- BSN or an agreement to provide it later
- Dutch residence permit for non-EU students
- University enrolment confirmation
- Dutch or European mobile number
- Foreign tax identification number
- Information about all countries of tax residence
Traditional banks such as ABN AMRO and Rabobank normally require a linked current account. Digital banks may allow students to open and manage both products through the same application.
A Dutch credit history is not normally required because a savings account does not provide borrowed money.
Flexible Savings or Fixed Deposit?
A flexible savings account is usually better for:
- Emergency funds
- Upcoming tuition payments
- Rent reserves
- Unexpected travel
- Students with irregular income
A fixed-term deposit can provide a higher guaranteed rate, but the student may be unable to withdraw the money before maturity.
For example, ABN AMRO advertises fixed deposits with rates of up to 2.70%, depending on the selected term, with a minimum deposit of €500. bunq also offers term deposits with rates that depend on the selected duration.
Students should never lock away money they may need for rent, immigration expenses or tuition.
Are Savings Protected?
Eligible current accounts, savings accounts and fixed deposits at Dutch-licensed banks are generally protected up to €100,000 per account holder, per bank under the Dutch Deposit Guarantee Scheme.
Accounts held with banks licensed in another EU country may instead be protected by that country’s deposit-guarantee system. Revolut savings, for example, are covered through the Lithuanian deposit-insurance scheme rather than the Dutch scheme.
Foreign-currency products can also involve exchange-rate risk, even when the account pays a higher interest rate.
Which Savings Account Is Best?
bunq currently offers the strongest overall combination of competitive euro interest, weekly payments and a free plan for eligible university students.
Revolut is attractive for Dutch tax-resident students who want daily interest. Rabobank provides a strong traditional flexible option, while ABN AMRO Direct Savings is convenient for students already using its Student Package.
ING is suitable for existing customers, but students should avoid paying for a premium package solely to obtain a slightly higher savings rate unless their balance is large enough to justify the additional cost.
