Adopted amendment: CEG after college/university for students with disabilities

On July 1, 2025, the House of Representatives approved an important amendment by Lisa Westerveld (GroenLinks-PvdA). The amendment ensures that students with a support need (functional disability or chronic illness) at colleges and universities will be able to receive assistance in transitioning to the labor market even after graduation. The amendment has been added to the bill: Law from School to Sustainable Work.

This extension of the law means that educational institutions will now be allowed to offer career guidance for up to one year after graduation. This is a crucial step for students who, despite their diploma, need extra support to find and keep sustainable employment. Institutions will have both the space and the legal basis to organize this properly.

A forgotten group finally gets recognition

Students with a disability in college/university education often find themselves on the sidelines of the labor market. They often fall outside the target group register and therefore do not qualify for existing regulations and facilities on the labor market. Especially these students experience obstacles in the transition from study to work, even though they have a lot of potential and qualifications. Without appropriate support, they drop out unnecessarily in the first phase of their careers, while their chances of long-term employment are high – provided the right guidance is available.

Inventory developments and activities

ECIO welcomes the attention to this issue and the direction it is taking. For many years we have been committed to providing an inclusive learning environment and a smooth, sustainable transition from education to employment for students with support needs. Practice shows that guidance in the graduation phase and in the period immediately after can play a crucial role. Initiatives such as Strong at Work show that this support leads to successful participation in the labor market. At the same time, we see that this amendment also raises questions around its implementation. Therefore, we are currently taking stock of current activities and developments within educational institutions.

Share your insight in 2 minutes – fill out the questionnaire!

To get a complete picture, we ask you to complete a short questionnaire (about 2 minutes). We ask you to do this also if the transition from education to labor market receives no or limited attention within your institution. All answers will contribute to an overview of successful examples, opportunities and challenges surrounding the transition from education to labor market.