DUO is revisiting the Caribbean area
In April the Education Executive Service [Dienst Uitvoering Onderwijs] (DUO) is going to visit Bonaire, St. Maarten, St. Eustatius and Saba to open temporary service centres on these islands in order to communicate with prospective and former students. DUO is also going to organise information meetings and offer tailor-made on-site support for anyone who is facing payment problems. The visit is a follow-up to the visit to Aruba and Curaçao in November last year. DUO is now organising a webinar for prospective students on these islands.
Information meetings
The information meetings are aimed at students who are going to study in the Netherlands and their parents. They are intended to inform them of everything they need to know about study financing and other things they have to arrange in the Netherlands. An information meeting for former students is also going to take place on St. Maarten in order to explain the options when it comes to applying for an earning capacity assessment and local repayments, and what action to take in the event of payment problems.
Temporary service centres
People can call in to the temporary service centres to get answers to any questions they might have about Dutch study financing and repaying their student debt. There is no need to make an appointment in advance. However, former students should bring an identity document with them and if they want to apply for a reduction to their monthly amount, they must also bring an income statement so that DUO can, if possible, provide immediate assistance to this target group.
Tailor-made support
DUO is keen to help prevent former students getting into financial difficulties. For that reason former students with payment arrears with DUO will be given a final opportunity to avoid a collection agency being called in. Some of them will receive an invitation from DUO to a discussion with a staff member in order to find a tailor-made solution.
Online information on Aruba and Curaçao
DUO is organising a webinar for prospective students on Aruba and Curaçao. This is a follow-up to the information meetings held in November. If they have any questions, (former) students from Aruba and Curaçao can contact DUO via the chat and videoconferencing.
More information
DUO is going to visit Bonaire from the 11th to the 21th of April, St. Maarten from the 11th to the 21st of April, St. Eustatius on the 25th and 26th of April and Saba on the 28th and 29th of April. More information about the locations and opening times of the temporary service centres and the times of the information meetings can be found at duo.nl/bezoekantillen.