Rules and regulations
Two important laws governing Higher Education in The Netherlands are:
- The law on higher education and research (‘Wet op het hoger onderwijs’, WHW)
- The law on study grants and loans (‘Wet op de studiefinanciering’)
In these rather general laws some specific arrangements are made for students with disabilities. For example, a student with disabilities may require extra time to complete her/his studies. In such cases, the law dictates that an extra year (over the normal four years) of study financing is made available.
Furthermore, there are two specific laws that are relevant to students with a disability. These are:
- The law on equal treatment - handicap and chronic illness (‘Wet gelijke behandeling handicap en chronische ziekte’, WGBh/cz),
- The law on other funds for education, culture and research (‘Wet overige OCW-subsidies', WOOS),
- The law on incapacity to work for young people (‘Wet werk en arbeidsondersteuning jongehandicapten’, Wajong).
Discrimination of people with a handicap or a chronic illness in higher education is prohibited in The Netherlands. This is regulated in the Law on equal treatment – handicap and chronic illness (December 2003). Institutions of higher education are required to offer an education which is accessible to all students, including students with a handicap. If a student finds the arrangements made by the institution she/he is studying at lacking, she/he has the right to submit a complaint to the Commission for Equal Treatment, upon which the commission will pass a verdict. If a student remains unsatisfied, she/he can go to court.
The law on other funds for education, culture and research (WOOS) regulates the provisions a student may need in order to study (e.g. sign language interpreter, transport compensation). In some cases the Law on incapacity to work for young people can provide the student with financial support.
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