FAQ

There is no charge for Career Jumpstart. Not for candidates and not for companies. And we work hard to keep it that way.

Career Jumpstart is there for students and graduates from all programs at Fontys and TU/e. Our support focuses on students and graduates who have extra support needs (think of: autism, ADHD, (failure) anxiety, high sensitivity, dyslexia, and physical and/or psychological complaints, etc.) and who find it difficult to find a suitable (graduation) internship or job. You do not need an official diagnosis for this.

You can only register via this website by clicking the ‘'Sign up' button.

This varies from candidate to candidate and depends on many factors (such as the labour market). We’ll discuss with you what you need, and we’ll only conclude the programme when you’re ready. If Career Jumpstart doesn’t work out, we’ll call on external partners.

Career Jumpstart is meant for students in the final phase of their study (AD, bachelor's and master's) or those who graduated less than a year ago. Student+ offers guidance during the study and belongs exclusively to the Fontys.

Even if you don’t need support, we understand that a bit of extra guidance can sometimes be helpful. Unfortunately, we are unable to offer this, but fortunately there are plenty of other options available to you. These include, for example, your local council. If you’re struggling to sort things out on your own, we’d be happy to help you find a solution. Please send us an email with your brief enquiry.

Studying with financial support
Have you (or have you previously) experienced a disability or other support need that affects your progress in your studies? If so, there are various schemes you can make use of, such as the individual study allowance from the local authority. You may also be eligible for a grant from DUO.

We explain this briefly below. For any specific questions about your personal financial situation, please visit fontyshelpt.nl or, for TU/e students, Student Counsellor

Local authority: individual study allowance
This is often the scheme that provides the greatest financial benefit. The main condition is a permanent medical restriction on working hours: due to your physical or mental health, you are permanently unable to work alongside a full-time course. Furthermore, you must be enrolled on a full-time course at senior secondary vocational education (MBO), higher professional education (HBO) or university level, receive student finance from DUO (or WTOS), and not be entitled to WAJONG.

• Amount: the Government sets national minimum monthly amounts, and a local authority may award a higher amount per age category. For example: in Eindhoven, the allowance will be €390.07 per month from 1 July 2026.
• No means test on parents: the local authority may not take the parents’ income or assets into account when assessing the application.
• Applications: to the local authority where the student is living at the time of application. Some local authorities also allow applications with retrospective effect.
• Please note: whether someone has a restriction on the number of hours they can work is assessed on medical grounds. The diagnosis alone is not sufficient. Suppose you are a student with autism; you must substantiate what autism specifically means for your capacity to work, for example, the recovery time required alongside your studies.

Two important points to note:

• Placement allowance: different rules apply during a work placement: an allowance for your placement of up to €234.05 per month is not taken into account. Any amount above that is deducted from the allowance.
• Retroactive effect: the government wishes to limit retroactive applications to the current academic year. This proposal is currently under consultation and is not yet in force. Nevertheless, it is advisable to apply for the allowance as soon as possible.

Extension of your merit-based grant or (partial) remission of your student debt
DUO schemes such as the extension of the merit-based grant or its conversion into a gift. These can only be applied for via the dean. If you have any financial questions or concerns, making an appointment with the dean at Fontys or TU/e is an important first step. Both TU/e and Fontys also have a Student Financial Aid Fund. If you are falling behind due to a chronic illness or disability, you must first apply for a DUO extension. If you are more than a year behind, compensation from the fund may follow. The meeting with the dean marks the start of the application period.

A former student with first-hand experience has written a book offering tips on the options for having your student debt written off. In Francien Regelink’s ‘DUO Chapter’, you’ll discover what options are available and how to submit an application. Francien shares her personal experience and explains, step by step, how she made use of a DUO scheme under which part of her student debt was written off. This does not mean that everyone will be successful, but with practical information on the application procedure and useful tips, you’ll save time and energy when starting your own application.

Would you like to find out first whether this scheme might apply to your situation? Then take a look at the frequently asked questions on the website.
Read more: DUO Chapter – How to get money back from DUO

Please note: the DUO Chapter is a paid product and costs €20.