In the Netherlands, the main funding route IS the job: BBL apprentices earn a real salary from day one. Here is the full money picture.
Work 4 days at a recognised leerbedrijf with a real employment contract and wage; school 1 day a week. The standard adult route into the trades.
Find a leerbedrijf →DUO’s lifelong-learning credit: borrow your tuition fees for MBO, HBO, or university study at low interest — designed for adults up to 55.
Check DUO →The SLIM subsidy helps SMEs fund employee training — many employers also draw on sector O&O training funds. Ask before you pay anything yourself.
See SLIM →Job seekers on benefits can access training budgets and guidance through UWV — start at werk.nl and ask about scholing.
Visit werk.nl →The Netherlands doesn’t do American-style trade scholarships — the money flows through the employer, which works in your favour. Under the Subsidieregeling praktijkleren, an employer receives up to €2,700 per BBL apprentice per school year from the government (RVO), running through the 2027/28 school year. Train in a climate- or energy-transition trade — heat pumps, electrical, insulation — and there’s an extra top-up of up to €500 per full placement. Translation: hiring you as a BBL apprentice literally pays. Say it in your applications.
Up to €2,700/year to your employer for your BBL placement — official RVO page with conditions and the application window (2 June – 17 September).
See the scheme →The installation sector’s own training fund — development budgets and courses for people working in techniek.
Check eligibility →Note: the STAP budget was discontinued in 2024 — beware of outdated guides still promoting it. The routes above are current.