To make your life in the Netherlands simpler it is highly advised to open a bank account at a Dutch bank. The main three choices are either: ABN Amro, ING, and Rabobank. As an official international student, you should have no problem opening a bank account at either of these banks. Many universities have entered into agreements with a specific bank, which can make the process of opening an account even easier, but ultimately the choice of bank is yours alone.
Banks in the Netherlands are all too happy to charge you for specific services, so you may find that you have to pay a monthly fee to keep an account open, as well as pay fees for other banking services such as money transfers in the bank itself. Make sure to check and compare the services to see how much you will be charged.
One of the main important criteria for most international students is language. Annoyingly, while the Netherlands is highly proficient in English, they are much more reluctant to offer English options for many official bureaucratic and important institutions. This means that for now, it is only ABN Amro that offers an English version of their website.
You can find more specific information about each bank using the sub-categories on the left.
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