Students must apply at the very latest 15 days before the expiration of their current residency permit. So, for students whose residency permits expire on 31 October (which should include most), the absolute deadline would be on 16 October. A rule of thumb is the sooner the better! Don’t wait until the last minute to ensure that you aren’t missing any documents and you apply before the deadline.
All Search Year (zoekjaar) residence permit requests can be made at the local commune where the international student has registered his/her address.