Graduating doesn't have to mean starting the job search from zero. In the cases on the VOIDS website, at HotelPlanner the first working student grew into a permanent role, and at The Longevity Store one of the two Founder's Associates got a permanent offer within three months [1]. It doesn't happen on its own, but you can actively steer it.
Do working students automatically move into a permanent job?
No. But you do have a head start: a company that has worked with you for months or years knows how you work, what you can do and whether you fit the team. That's information an external process tries to find out in a couple of interviews. It doesn't make an offer a given, though.
When do you raise the conversation about a permanent role?
Earlier than you think, and not just in your last month of studying. Bring it up six to nine months before you graduate, so the company has time to plan budget and a role.
What can you do yourself to improve your odds?
- Actively ask for more responsibility the longer you're there, instead of waiting for it to be offered
- Make your contribution visible: keep track of what you took on and what it delivered
- Be clear about your own timeline, so the company isn't caught off guard by your graduation
- Ask directly about the process: has this company moved working students into permanent roles before, and what did that look like?
What if a company doesn't make a concrete offer?
Ask instead of waiting it out. Do you get a clear “no”, or does the answer stay vague? Then that's information: start looking elsewhere in good time.
Is staying at the same company always the best choice?
Not necessarily. Staying saves job-search time and uncertainty, but it's only a good choice if the role also grows in responsibility and pay. A “permanent contract” that's otherwise identical to your working-student role, just with more hours, isn't a promotion. It's the same job with a longer week.
What are your rights when your fixed-term contract ends?
A fixed-term contract ends on the end date. For a contract of six months or longer your employer must tell you in writing, at the latest one month in advance, whether it will be continued [2]. After more than three fixed-term contracts, or if those contracts together (gaps of at most six months included) cover more than 36 months, the last contract counts as permanent [3]. If your employer doesn't extend your contract, a transition payment may be due: one third of the monthly wage per year of service, unless you're under 18 and worked on average at most twelve hours a week [4]. If you yourself refuse an extension, you only have a right to payment in case of seriously culpable conduct by your employer [5].
Sources
- VOIDS: Voor bedrijven: werkstudenten, cases en werkwijze, accessed 11 October 2026.
- wetten.overheid.nl: Burgerlijk Wetboek Boek 7, artikel 668 (aanzegplicht), geldend per 1 juli 2026, accessed 11 October 2026.
- wetten.overheid.nl: Burgerlijk Wetboek Boek 7, artikel 668a (ketenregeling), geldend per 1 juli 2026, accessed 11 October 2026.
- wetten.overheid.nl: Burgerlijk Wetboek Boek 7, artikel 673 (transitievergoeding), geldend per 1 juli 2026, accessed 11 October 2026.
- Rijksoverheid: Heb ik recht op een transitievergoeding als ik word ontslagen?, accessed 11 October 2026.
Transparency: VOIDS connects working students with organisations and therefore has an interest in this topic. We back up facts with sources and connect research and trends to our own experience from practice.
