Did you know that many companies in the Netherlands offer a personal development or training budget—and that this can often be used for language learning?
If you’re learning Dutch through Dutch Language Café, there’s a good chance your employer will be happy to cover the cost of your membership. We’ve already had several members successfully claim their DLC membership as part of their training budget!
Unfortunately, lots of people either don’t know this is possible or aren’t sure how to go about it. So, here’s a simple step-by-step guide to help you out. There are two options, just choose what works for you!
Option A: Pay yourself, claim back the costs.
Important: Check first if this is ok with your company!
1. Choose a Yearly Membership
Most companies prefer reimbursing one-off costs rather than monthly subscriptions. If you’re already paying monthly, you may need to cancel that first. Just let us know if you need help switching—we’re happy to assist.
2. Register & pay yourself
Sign up easily via our website!
3. Download your Invoice (Factuur)
Once you’ve signed up for the yearly membership, you can download an official invoice. This includes the total cost and a description of the services:
“Dutch language training through immersive community-based events and activities in Dutch.”
This kind of description makes it clear the membership is focused on language development.
Get this invoice by going to your profile > Memberships > Payments and download the latest invoice as a PDF.
4. Send the Invoice to Your Employer
Forward the invoice to your HR or finance department and request reimbursement from your personal development or training budget. Most employers are familiar with this process and are happy to support language learning—especially if you work in a Dutch-speaking environment, but also because learning the language helps international employees feel more integrated and likely to stay longer.
5. Receive the Reimbursement
Once approved, your company will pay you back for the full amount!
Option B: Your company pays in advance by invoice
1. Ask Us for an Invoice (Factuur)
E-mail us what you want (course or membership, and which type) and the invoice details for the company:
- membership/course
- name of company
- name of contact person
- company address
- KVK number
- VAT ID
- invoice e-mail address
- (optionally) order reference
We will provide an official invoice to your company. This includes the total cost and a description of the services:
“Dutch language training through immersive community-based events and activities in Dutch.”
2. We send the Invoice to Your Employer
We will send the invoice to your employer and they will pay the invoice directly to us.
3. Your Employer pays the invoice
Your employer will pay the cost of your course or membership to us directly. Once it is confirmed, we will let you know.
4. Activate your membership
We send you a special code that you can use to sign up for your membership for free!
Not Sure What to Say?
Here’s a simple email template you can use to ask your employer:
Subject: Request to Use Training Budget for Dutch Language Course
Hi [Manager/HR],
I would like to use part of my training budget to improve my Dutch language skills. I’ve found a great community-based programme called Dutch Language Café, which offers a year of Dutch learning through events and immersion.
The cost for one year is [€…]. Would it be possible to reimburse this through my personal development budget?
Thanks in advance,
[Your Name]
This also applies to courses at Dutch Language Café – just follow the same steps! And remember, 2 months membership is included with your course.
If you have any questions about how this works or need help getting your invoice, just get in touch! We’re always happy to support your Dutch learning journey—especially if your company can help make it happen. 💪🇳🇱