Survival Toolkit

Here you can find a collection of resources that we hope will be useful for you during your time at the KABK. If you have any suggestions for additional resources, please let us know!

Getting around

• Free student transport (conditions apply, through DUO)
• Marktplaats (buying a bike)
• Swapfiets (renting a bike, with maintenance included)

Housing

• Duwo (Student housing rooms. Some assigned housing to KABK students, long waiting list)
• Housing Facebook Group (Beware of scams, mostly sublets but occasionally very helpful)
• Woonnet Haaglanden (Long waiting list 3-10 years, but worth enrolling, cheaper rent and directly from housing corporations)
• Housing Anywhere (Insanely expensive, but should you have a literal bag of gold it is easy and accessible)
• Huurwoningen (Mostly apartments for rent, the occasional room, pricing is rather high end, but not insane)
• Pararius (Housing platform, mostly apartments, the occasional student room will appear here as well, pricing is reasonable here, competition fierce)
• Vanderhuize Realtor (Realtor sometimes offers student rooms or apartments)
• Student Housing The Hague (Temporary housing with registration)
• Funda" (Similar to pararius, slightly more expensive)
• Staedion (Offers student rooms at reasonable prices, waiting list around 3 years)
• Hospi Housing" (Some affordable options and some cool opportunities, no idea about competitiveness)
• Ad Hoc (Anti-kraak, meaning temporary housing to prevent squatting in empty buildings, good price, invite only so you have to find someone who’s already in their system)
• Kamernet" (Membership fee, reliable way of getting a room, quite expensive)

Avoiding Scams

Tips and tricks on avoiding housing scams:
https://dutchreview.com/expat/rental-housing-scams-netherlands/

Health Insurance

You are (only) required to have Dutch public health insurance if you have a (part-time) job. You have to have a registered address to get health insurance. You need health insurance to be able to get a GP.

Find a list of health insurance suppliers here:

• ONVZ
• Aon student insurance
• CZdirect(20% off SportCity membership)
• defriesland
• ZieZo
• InsureToStudy

Note: avoid a.s.r since they are known for investing heavily in weapon manufacture.

• Top tip: Toeslagen - Dutch benefits pays you back for your health insurance if you earn under 3K a month. You have to be registered to get it. (more information)

Finding a GP:

- You need to register with a specific GP

- Most are filled up, it's not easy to find. But keep calling around, eventually you will find it. Once you are inside the system it works well.

- Student GP usually always have space. More information about dutch health care system (dutch-healthcare)

Legal Support

• Taxes - (https://studenthelpr.com/taxes-in-the-netherlands)
• Student rights - eu: (https://esu-online.org/policies/student-rights-charter/)
• Student helpline - (https://dutchstudentunion.nl/diensten/student-helpline/)
• Energy assistance for students:
  (https://dutchstudentunion.nl/diensten/energy-assistance-payment-this-is-what-you-can-do-as-a-student/ )
• Free legal advice - (|https://www.juridischloket.nl/contact/den-haag/)
• Renter rights - (https://www.huurcommissie.nl/)
• Housing anti-discrimination:
  (https://www.mensenrechten.nl/actueel/toegelicht/toegelicht/2022/is-it-lawful-to-say-no-international-students-when-letting-out-rooms-in-the-netherlands )
• Renters Rules - (https://www.government.nl/topics/housing/rented-housing/step-by-step-plan-for-tenants)
• Registering as a small business - https://www.kvk.nl/ (also through KABK?)

Financial Support

• Allowances (Toeslagen)
  • - Rent allowance
  • - Care allowance

Resources

• Mental health
  • - Mutual aid events held by union
  • - Therapists Resources:
    
    *Gp’s (huisarts) are able to refer you to a therapist as well. (With student discount or even free) https://www.therapywithmadeleinelefeuvre.com/" https://www.beyondqueertherapy.com/ " (reduced amount for students, online still quite expensive but they are very supportive and offer sliding scale payment)


• Queer, trans support
  
  
  • - The hangout (Queer /trans community space)
    https://www.instagram.com/thehangout070/"
  
  
  • - Octagon (dyke collective in Kabk)
    https://www.instagram.com/octogone.collective/"
    
  
  
  • - Le Refuge
    https://www.instagram.com/le_refuge_dh/"
    (they provide free dinners and workshops)


• Anarchist bookstore / community
  https://www.instagram.com/opstand.denhaag/


• Community diners at De Helena (every wednesday)
  https://www.volkskeuken.org/


• Harassement Issues
  
  
  • - Reporting discrimination: https://discriminatie.nl/denhaag/
    
    
  • - Please reach out to the Student Union if you are facing discrimination either inside or outside the academy.


• Messaging Groups
  
  
  • - Second Hand KABK Market Group Chat (ask union to be added)
  • - Movement Collective Group Chat (ask union to be added)
  • - Sunday Football Group Chats (ask union to be added)
  • - Beach Volleyball Group Chat (ask union to be added)

Things I wish I had known

Some of our students share their best hacks for KABK

• Canteen gives away some food if you come right before it closes (some albert heijn’s also do discounts just before closing)
• Free stuff in the streets!
• Recycling Center in KABK often has great materials.
• You can get Erasmus funding whilst living here?