Bart de Pau - Language Courses

How to apply for STAP at UWV’s website? (with your pre-registration)

For live updates on 3 July check the green area on the bottom of this page!

Before you start the application process:

Make sure you‘re ready right before 10 o’clock, 3 July (Monday)

The total budget is limited. First come, first served.

It’s expected that within 2 hours the total budget has been consumed.

You have a good chance to get the budget if are ready right before 10 o’clock in the morning on 3 July and if you are determined to reach the end of the waiting line (as instructed below).

TIP 1: We recommend to open UWV’s screen 15-30 minutes before 10 o’clock.
TIP 2: Check your e-mail the day before: we will send a last-minute tip per email.

Check everything!

To apply at UWV’s website you need:
– your STAP-aanmeldingsbewijs – we send this pdf document by e-mail (mistakes can be reported until 2 July 22:00 o’clock to study@bartdepau.com -> please be specific what should be corrected!)
– your bsn number and your digiD
– a stable internet connection
– please note: UWV’s website is in Dutch, it would be helpful to have a Dutch person near you. I have translated the entire process for you (see below), as I made print screens (but I do not exclude that they make changes)

What to expect? Be prepared!

It’s not a 5-minute deal!

If you’re not prepared, it might be a frustrating and time consuming process. See this as a chance! Most people who apply for STAP don’t know what to expect and they leave the waiting line without applying. This will actually increase your chances as the total budget is limited! The is a good chance that you will grab your budget if you’re ready at (before) 10 o’clock and determined to be in the waiting line until it’s your turn.

Take into account that it may take 2-3 hours before it’s your turn. Don’t worry, you don’t need to sit there and wait: just open a separate tab in the browser for the STAP-UWV application; and do something else in the mean time.

Good to know: you won’t lose your spot in the waiting line if you leave the website by mistake. I had the impression that the waiting line is IP or computer based (I was able to open a different browser and continue with the same waiting time, I didn’t need to start the waiting line all over again).

If you have an appointment at the dentist at 11 o’clock. My advise if you don’t want to reschedule the dentist: start the process at UWV’s website, leave your computer on (disable automatic stand-by), go to the dentist, come back and try to complete the application.

I will be stand-by 3 July: e-mail and on this page

I (Bart) will be stand-by for your questions during the process. I will be updating this page continuously with updates and answers to questions.

From 9:45 to 12:30 o’clock on 3 July, you can reach me:
– by e-mail on study@bartdepau.com -> write short questions, and if you have a problem somewhere in the process send me a printscreen, i will try to answer immediately

Our phone will be switched off during this time in order to be able to quickly answer all questions by mail.

TIP (more devices = more chance)

Each device gets a random spot in the waiting line assigned at 10:00 o’clock.

You can join the waiting line with more devices, and then use the device that reaches the end of the waiting line first.

Once the waiting line starts you will see a ‘man walking’. If you’ve been assigned a good spot in the waiting line, the man will walk faster. If you’ve been assigned a bad spot in the waiting line, the man will walk slow. If you join the waiting line with more devices, you will see that one man will walk faster than the other one.

How to apply?

UWV’s website is in Dutch. Please, find below my instructions how to go through the process. I translated the most important things into English, and I added some remarks. This is based on the interface in May. It may happen that UWV changed a few things. I will be standby on 1 July and update the instructions if there are changes.

Screen 1A: Go to UWV’s STAP website

Go to www.stapuwv.nl and click ‘aanvragen STAP-budget‘

Or click directly this link to go to the waiting line: https://uwvnederland.queue-it.net/?c=uwvnederland&e=stapprod7&ver=v3-javascript-3.7.10&cver=undefined&man=&t=https%3A%2F%2Faanvraag.stapuwv.nl%2Flogin&kupver=cloudflare-1.2.3

Screen 1B: prove that your not a bot (sometimes)

You might have a screen to prove you’re not a bot. Not necessarily.

complete the code in the white square
hit the blue ‘ik ben geen bot’ button, and you’ll join the waiting line

Screen 2: The waiting line

Screen 3: Login with DigiD

Screen 4: Disclaimer

The last round there was this screen. It’s not so important what you complete. But for most people who learn Dutch, the first option is the best one to choose.

Disclaimer (if it shows)

If you get this disclaimer, don’t be discouraged:

PREVIOUS ROUNDS:

In the last application round, there was not question why you are learning Dutch. If this question shows up again, it’s important that you write that it is to improve your position at the labour market (and certainly not inburgering, to integrate better or something like that, because that’s not what the STAP-budget is meant for).

You can copy paste this:
Door Nederlands te leren wil ik mijn kansen op de arbeidsmarkt verbeteren. Ik ambieer werk waarbij ik in het Nederlands moet kunnen communiceren.

Screen 5: Your details

Screen 6: Upload your STAP-aanmeldingsbewijs

Screen 7 (optional): Choose your course

Screen 8: Check the course details

Screen 9: Your situation

Update 10:16: there seems a bug in UWV’s form if you anser ‘nee’ to the question ‘is de gekozen opleiding meerjarig’, it still asks which year and how many years in total: my advice answer both questions with 1

Screen 10: Your application summary

Sreen 11: Submit your application

Screen 12: Gefeliciteerd! Well done! You submitted your application

LET US KNOW: complete the ‘update link’ in the last e-mail that we sent!

Let us know! Click the ‘update’ link.

LET US KNOW: complete the ‘update link’ in the last e-mail that we sent!

LIVE BLOG 3 July

11:50 The total budget is empty. To those who didn’t manage to apply successfully: unfortunately the STAP-budget will not continue. Part of why it didn’t work was the ‘lottery’ system, you have now experienced this. Nevertheless a lot of people were successful applying for the budget and I hope you’re looking forward to your course!

11:15 My estimate is that the total budget will be gone by approximately 12:00 – 12:15.

10:55 Quite some students have already reported that they managed to submit their application successfully. Please use the link in the e-mail that we sent you after you manage to submit your application.

10:30 Frequently asked question, what to complete here – just type ‘Ik voldoe aan de voorwaarden en wil mijn positie op de arbeidsmarkt verbeteren’ and then click ‘DOORGAAN’

10:01 Dear students, if you have the screen below, that is normal… just wait!

10:00 De wachtrij is gestart. Iedereen veel succes!

8:30 I hope you are ready for it. Make sure you join the waiting line before 10 o’clock at the STAP-uwv website. Please note: my phone will be switched off, but you can reach me on study@bartdepau.com if you have questions during the process, I try to answer them as fast as possible. I can help you best if you send a printscreen.

Liveblog 1 May

LIVE BLOG 1 MAY

13:00 No more STAP-budget. If you were successful: gefeliciteerd. If not, don’t worry, there is a next round 3 July and we’ve opened the registration already: https://bartdepau.com/b-stap-1/

14:40 Almost no budget left, message ‘Het STAP-budget is bijna vergeven’. To all people who have less than 30 minutes left, I recommend to finish the waiting line and submit the application (regardless what message you get).

12:15 At this moment 20% of the total budget is left, most likely till 13:00 o’clock.

11:20 Not too much to report. At this moment 50% of the budget is still left, so I assume the total budget will be empty between 12:30 and 13:00

10:30 It appears step 4 ‘disclaimer’ is different this time:

10:10 First student reported to have applied successfully. Gefeliciteerd!

10:00 We started! Veel succes allemaal! And please, don’t forget to update your status (link in the e-mail) as soon as you submitted your application successfully.

Liveblog 17 March

LIVE BLOG 17 MARCH

12:40 I will end the blog now. As said: if you manage to submit before 13:00 there is still a good chance. Have a nice day! And if you were not lucky this time, next round is 1 May – we’ll open the registration for that round at the end of March.

12:30 The total budget is gone. If you have less than 30 minutes of waiting line: try to submit your application anyway!

12:05 There is now a message that there is almost no budget left. Stay in the line! Most people leave the line now, but that is your chance! As mentioned below: a lot of people get approvals even if they submitted the application when there was no budget left!

11:40 Updated estimate: I guess there is budget left till 12:20. Important: in previous round, many people had their STAP-budget approved AFTER there was no budget left. Reason: UWV will reject a lot of studies that are not related to the labour market (like bitcoin courses etc) and therefore more budget comes available after these rejections. So the advice: submit your application anyway!

10:50 My estimate is that the total budget will be gone by 13:00. So there still is time. Please remember: the longer it takes, the more people will quit the waiting line; and that will increase your chance. So no need to worry yet if you have ‘meer dan een uur’ on your screen.

10:35 I’m a bit silent on this live blog as so far there seem no technical issues.

10:11 Gefeliciteerd! The first student reported to have managed to complete the registration at UWV! Do not forget to use the ‘update status’ link in the mails that we sent, after you manage to submit your application successfully.

10:00 We started. Luckily no technical issues (yet) at UWV’s website! You should have a walking man on your screen right now.

9:10 Our system sent an e-mail with the title ‘let us know how it went, update your application status’ a bit too early. It was originally planned to be sent today’s afternoon, but due to a technical error it was sent too early.

9:05 Ben je er klaar voor? Are you ready for it? 10:00 o’clock the registration will open. Please make sure you hit the “aanvragen STAP-budget” button on https://www.stapuwv.nl/p/voorportaal before 10 o’clock.

Liveblog 28 February

LIVE BLOG 28 FEBRUARY

04 March: new application date announced: 17 March, 10 o’clock

11:59 It’s official now. UWV has postponed the application to a different date (so far unknown). You can leave the waiting line. As soon as we know more, we will inform you through the e-mail. This is very unfortunate. I had hoped that the ministry had taken appropriate measures to prevent this. After the 2 January application was cancelled, it was logical to expect that this application period would attract more people.

11:50 Some people report that they got a message that the application will be postponed to a different date. No official notice yet.

11:35 To the people who already managed to get to the waiting line. Even though the line is paused, strong recommendation: just wait. Once the technical issues are solved the waiting line will be resumed. And then also other people will be able to join the waiting line. My estimate: the website is overloaded at the moment, once enough people are demotivated and leave, the website will run smoothly again. It’s quite normal in a STAP-procedure that it can take several hours before you manage to apply.

11:10 Official notice from UWV: De technische storing bij het STAP-loket is helaas nog steeds niet opgelost. We werken hard om te kijken hoe die verholpen kan worden. De mensen die in de wachtrij staan raden we aan te blijven wachten. Wederom excuses voor het ongemak. In other words: they are trying to solve the technical issues; strongly recommended to keep waiting in the waiting.

11:00 No official notice yet. Some people who managed to get to the waiting line, had just noticed a 1 hour increase. It looks like UWV hasn’t solved their technical difficulties yet. Getting a STAP budget always requires a lot of patience (even when everything works). I hope you have something nice to do in the mean time (perhaps learn some vocabulary).

10:00 Opening waiting line postponed to 11:00. Official notice from UWV.
(-> if you managed to get to the waiting line: don’t leave it!)

10:00 Website still down for most people. Few people report to have entered the waiting line. Be patient, as I said: many people will leave the site demotivated.

9:40 Site still seems not to be working properly. Just a little patience. Probably 100.000 people try to accesss the site. See it from the bright side: the earlier they get demotivated, the earlier the site will start working again.

9:30 I hope you are ready to do the application. At this moment I cannot access the stapuwv website.

Liveblog 1 November

LIVE BLOG 1 NOVEMBER

14:35 There is a message now that there is no budget left. If your waiting line is less than 30 minutes, I recommend to submit it anyway.

13:55 Waiting line paused again.

13:35 Message that the remaining budget is almost gone. Once more a reminder: many people in the previous round submitted their application after the budget was empty and got their budget approved (due to the fact that UWV rejected many applications for courses that didn’t meet the requirements). My recommendation: within 20-30 minutes after the budget is empty it makes sense to submit your application.

13:25 The guy is walking again.

13:15 Waiting line is paused.

13:05 Some people report ‘site cannot be reached’ or get an error with DigiD. Don’t worry, you don’t lose your spot in the waiting line. Keep trying (reload) until it comes back.

13:00 More and more people report that they’re able to complete the application. It seems like the process is speeding up, or people are more determined than other people in the waiting line.

12:45 At this moment 25% of the budget left

12:10 We received a new tip: let the man walk downhill, he will walk faster:

12:00 Still 50% of the total budget left.

11:40 The man is walking again.

11:27 Waiting line is paused again. Don’t worry. As said, see it from the positive side: this is when many people before you leave the waiting line.

11:20 At this moment 1/3 of the total budget is used. So my guess is that it will take approximately to 13:30-14:00 before the entire budget is empty. Please note: many people leave the waiting line when it takes too long, so the speed of the walking man might start to increase.

10:50 IMPORTANT: Strong advice: make a few printscreens at the end of your application! Some people get an error at the end after submitting. In the past, the printscreens helped in disputes with UWV and people were awarded the budget.

10:40 The man starts walking again. There is still 85% of the budget left.

10:30 Waiting line = paused. This is normal. After some time the man starts walking again.

10:20 The first students reported to have finished their application! Gefeliciteerd!

10:00 We started! If you manage to apply, don’t forget to report it to us using the ‘update’ link in the e-mail. Let’s see who’s first!

9:30: Question: should you refresh the page after the countdown? No, just let the countdown go to zero and your waiting line will begin

8:50: Last chance: did you do the level test? Are you sure about your level? Do the level test here. Until 10:00 o’clock, it’s possible to submit a new application!

8:50: Good morning! Goedemorgen! Let’s go for it!

31 October 17:40: GREAT NEWS! The government has last-minute decided to add 50% to the budget for this round. So this increases your chances!

Liveblog 1 September

LIVE BLOG 1 SEPTEMBER

12:20 I will end the updates now; ‘gefeliciteerd’ to all who managed; unfortunately a significant part of the students didn’t manage to get to the end of the waiting line. Maybe more luck next time (1 November – we’ll open registration on our website 20 September) and if you can’t wait, you can always decide to sign up for our courses and pay yourself. Unfortunately, with the growing attention of the programme, it will become more and more a lottery.

12:15 it looks like the STAP-budget for this round is almost empty; if you’re almost there or in the process i recommend to submit anyway

12:05 the last 10 minutes a lot of people report the error at the end of the application “De huidige aanvraag is al een keer verstuurd”: i recommend to make a printscreen and contact UWV!

11:58 there is 17% left; probably by 12:20 the budget will be empty; I still recommend to submit the application if you get the chance until 12:30 (even though it will tell you that there is no budget left). A certain part of the applications will be rejected so that means that the people who just seemed to have missed the budget, might still get it.

11:30 the servers are working faster again, now 44% is left; with the current speed probably around 12:30 the total budget will be empty

11:00 it seems the process is slower than last round; 71% budget left after 1 hour, so I guess there will be enough budget until 13:00. Important: many people are discouraged by the long waiting line and leave the waiting line. This is your chance if you’re persistent! Because the waiting line often starts to move faster after some time!

10:58: the guy is walking again in the waiting line

10:46: in the first 46 minutes 26 percent of the budget is used, so still enough available!

10:45: please people, no panic there are a lot of errors, bad gateways and difficulties to reach the site: you keep your place in the waiting line; don’t let the errors discourage you, you won’t need to start all over again!

10:37: message ‘wachtrij wordt gepauzeerd’: this is normal and happens always a few times during the process, no reason to panic! If you get the message ‘bad gateway’: don’t worry -> you will keep your spot in the waiting line!

10:29: so far 20 students have managed to complete the application

10:19 prognose: I guess that by 12:00-12:15 the total budget will be gone; if your waiting line is already indicating ‘minutes’ you’re lucky… most people have ‘meer dan een uur’…

10:05 gefeliciteerd, first student reported to have completed the application!

10:00 yes, we’ve started! who will be the first one to complete the application? If you manage to complete the form, please click the ‘update’ link in my last e-mail

9:52 after you visit www.stapuwv.nl -> click ‘Aanvragen STAP-budget’ – don’t wait till after 10 o’clock!

9:36 kind request: if you notice that a certain screen is different than in my instructions, please send me a printscreen to study@bartdepau.com and give the subject of the e-mail the name ‘printscreen’.

9:27 goedemorgen allemaal! good morning! veel succes met de aanvraag!

Liveblog 1 July

OLD BLOG 1 JULY

UPDATE LOG 1 JULY

If there are during the process changes / updates on 1 July, I will inform you in this orange section.

IMPORTANT UPDATE: 1 step in the application is different than I instructed please read the update

Update: the waiting line has started! Please read my advice above; it may take some time, leave your computer window open in a separate tab of your browser and do something else in the meantime!

Please be informed that if you accidentally close your browser/computer, you don’t lose your spot in the waiting line. Just re-visit the page!

Update 10:30: Great news, 20 students already managed to reach the end of the waiting line and completed their applications. The majority still will need to wait a little longer!

Update 10:37: Some students report ‘server time out’ or ‘bad gateway’ error messages. Don’t worry, this happened before. You will keep your spot in the waiting line and if you already were in the process of applying you will manage to continue where you were once the error is solved. Update 10:55: students report that they were able to regain there application after a while!

Update 10:46: A lot of questions in the e-mail about the disclaimer ‘mogelijk komt u niet in aanmerking’. Everybody gets this message! Please follow my printscreen instructions. It’s all listed there!

Update 10:51: I got this printscreen from a student (it is an auto-translation from Chrome). If you get this, my advise: write a short sentence why learning Dutch might help your (future) career in the Netherlands! This is what the STAP-budget is meant for. Do not write other reasons to learn Dutch (like a partner, or to integrate or whatever), it should have to do something with your (future) job!

Update 10:57: At this moment 15% of our total applications reported that they finished the application. So most people are still in the waiting line!

Update 11:42: Waiting line paused. Don’t worry, this happens more. The guy will start walking again! Update 12:02: Indeed, the guy is walking again!

Update 12:05: There might appear a message in the waiting line. It looks like the total budget is almost empty. I strongly recommend to continue your application!!! A lot of people leave the waiting line when they get this message, but even if the total budget is empty today, there still will be approved new applications (after a part of the applications is rejected)

Update 12:27: It looks like the total budget is really empty now, no more possibility to apply. As far as I can see 70% of the students who applied, managed to reach the end of the waiting line and apply for the budget.