Esther Ouwehand went to secondary school in Katwijk, where she finished her vwo (Dutch pre-university education).

She studied "Policy, communication and organisation" (Dutch: beleid, communicatie en organisatie) at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, which she did not finish.

She has additional functions as a committee member for youth centre "De Schuit" and the foundation "Factor Welzijn" in Katwijk.

Ouwehand temporarily resigned from the House on 17 November 2015 for health reasons and was replaced by Frank Wassenberg.

[11] On 11 October 2022, she temporarily resigned her duties as MP and group chairman due to overwork,[12] returning to the House of Representatives on 2 February 2023.