r/StudyInTheNetherlands • u/SwainTheMain • Jan 20 '23
Finding housing as an international student can be a challenging task, but it's important to not give up. Keep in mind that the housing market can be competitive, and it may take some time to find the perfect place for you. Currently there is a bit of a housing crisis in the Netherlands, especially in the bigger cities. This means that it WILL be hard to find the right accomodation. This ofcourse varies between cities and universities, and how much budget you have available. Sometimes the process can feel quite harsh and ruthless. Please don't feel discouraged by all of this, as with the right mindset and approach also you can find the right place to stay. Please make sure to read our Checklist for international students coming to the Netherlands for other tips and tricks!
Links in this post are sponsored, marked with an *.
The most important thing about housing, and I cannot stress this enough, is that you can register yourself at the adres with the municipality. There are two main reasons for this.
Don't fall for it.
Kamernet* is the biggest platform for students who are looking for a place to stay in almost all big cities in the Netherlands. This is what most people recommend when asked where to search for a room. Most people who sign up here are able to find accomodation, but it requires some time and persistence. You pay a fixed fee per month which allows you to respond to the available listings.
Huurwoningen* is the recommended platform for usage by international students. Where Kamernet is oftentimes more focussed on dutch speaking students, Huurwoningen* is more focused on the private market for which most landlords don't care if you're speaking dutch or english. It also has the benefit of trying out the platform completely free for 14 days.
Just using these platforms typically isn't enough to get you housing quickly. The thing is, that each place gets hundreds of requests within one hour after it being it online. They usually only pick the first few who applied for a viewing. Additionally, cheaper places have much more people applying to it because it is within the budget of most of the people really. As students, it is a lot more difficult, which is unfortunate. Also, as there is so much demand, they can just pick the candidate that fits their requirements perfectly.
I would suggest to subscribe to services that send you a notification as soon as a new place is published (i.e. Stekkies*). I got like 10 viewings in the span of two weeks and found my place in the third week. I think the reason that I got invited for so many viewings is because I sent my application within 1-2 minutes of the post being online. This approach is more suitable for someone who is currently in the Netherlands, as the listings shown by Stekkies* are mostly from agencies, and they don’t even reply to someone who requests an online viewing.
try to create a group of 2-3 people. That way, you guys can apply to places that are higher up in price category, which naturally will have less competition. Please try to find people who have about the same financial situation as you.
have a text ready that you can copy and paste for each application. It should contain all necessary information about you. Please don’t just write stuff like: “I’m a none smoker, I’m clean, and I’m a good cooker”. Every single post on Facebook I see people only saying these kind of stuff when introducing themselves. Try to include descriptions of your financial situation, that you can provide parental guarantees, etc.
There are a few options outlined below:
Here is how it all works.
Renting through a rental agency is usually the most difficult and not many people recommend it, but might be worth considering. These rentals you will most often find on non-student focussed websites. The process is fairly straightforward: you write a message expressing interest in a room and ask for a viewing. If the agency is even willing to consider an English-speaking tenant, they will message you back inviting you to a viewing. After you attend the viewing (usually one-on-one with a rental agent, but not always) you will receive an e-mail thanking you for your interest and asking you to send some documents if you wish to apply for that room.
The process after that might feel a bit ruthless. Typically, these agencies invite around 10 to 20 people to view a room and then letting the landlord choose which one they want as a tenant. For the landlord, this choice is usually based upon one thing: the potential tenant’s financial stability. Landlords want tenants that will always pay their rent on time. The bigger your assets, the more likely you are to be deemed as safe. Also, landlords like people who stay in their accomodation for longer periods, so people who are more likely to stay for longer periods are more likely to get the accomodation.
So, once you attend a viewing, if you still wish to apply for that room, you will need to send those documents so that the landlord can look at them and decide if you meet their criteria. And what documents? Well. Usually it’s a copy of your identity card, proof of enrollment in a study programme, proof of receiving study financing (if you do), proof of your employment and income plus last three payslips (if you work) and proof of having a guarantor (guarantor explained at the bottom of this post) if you do not have enough income or savings . Sometimes even more documents. Usually, the more papers you have the better. If you have a savings account, show proof of that. If your parents earn enough and want to be a guarantor, show proof of that. It’s a competition. Whoever can offer the most financial stability wins.
So, if you plan to try and rent through an agency, I cannot stress this enough: GET THOSE DOCUMENTS READY AHEAD OF TIME. After you attend your first viewing and get the list of documents, prepare them and have them ready for every subsequent viewing. It will save you a lot of stress. Different agencies might request different documents but most of it will be the same stuff every time. Be prepared.
Many listings can be found on:
Landlord who opt not to use an agency and instead search for tenants themselves will most often use kamernet or sometimes facebook. The process here is somewhat similar to renting through an agency but with significantly less hoops to jump through, because you will get to actually meet the landlord face-to-face. This has several advantages.
While renting through an agency, the landlord does not get to meet you, usually. They will choose a tenant based on the documents they receive and that means they usually only look at where you come from and how much money you have.
When you meet directly with a landlord, a lot of other factors come into play. Financial stability is always important for a landlord but how trustworthy you seem will play a part.
In general, when dealing with landlords here are the things I believe can improve your chances:
In general, think about it from the landlord’s perspective. If you had a room to rent out and 10 potential tenants, how would you choose? Landlords are looking for someone who will always pay rent on time, seems clean and quiet, and usually, someone who will stay long-term (at least a year).
When it comes to messaging landlords, keep it short and informative. They probably don’t care about your hobbies. They want to know:
Lastly, don’t be discouraged by assuming all dutch landlords will only want dutch tenants. This is often not the case. Many landlords that already have international tenants in their house will be looking for more international tenants because they believe internationals bond better among themselves, and thus, will have less conflict. A good rule of thumb is that if an offer is written in English the landlord is likely looking for an international tenant.
Now, if you think both of the above options won’t work for you, fret not. There is still the third, and arguably most popular option - being chosen as a new tenant by the people already residing in the house.
You're going to find these types of housing on kamernet* as well as on Facebook groups. This way is significantly different from the other two. Instead of your income what matters is you as a person.
This is sort of like a dating app. You will browse through the different offers, get to read a lot about the tenants currently in the house and what kind of person they are looking for. And trust me, this stuff gets very specific.
Be prepared to read about spirituality, meditating together, movie nights, drinking, going to festivals and being obligated to pretend like you’re interested in all of it even if you’d really rather be left alone most of the time. There are some houses that are more relaxed but a lot of them are looking for friends as much as they are looking for housemates.
A lot of offers you will have to ignore from the get-go due to the requirements. For example, a lot of people are looking for someone who is “further along in their studies or working”. This means no first year bachelor students. Others will have age requirements (most commonly 21+) or gender requirements, or even nationality requirements (the famous ‘no internationals!’).
In my opinion it’s hardly worth it to apply to a room if you don’t meet a hard requirement like that. These posts all receive a lot of responses so if you’re not what they’re looking for, your message will just be ignored. However, every now and then there will be international houses looking for a new roommate, stay on the lookout.
Prepare a generic e-mail/message talking about yourself ahead of time and tweak it slightly with every offer. Know that you will likely have to send hundreds of messages. The post will often talk about what they want to know about you, so make sure to include all of that every time. They will also usually ask for a picture - yes, this is normal. Don’t think too hard about it, it’s not worth it. Just choose a good picture. Dating app rules apply.
Do keep in mind that for these types of rooms, you will usually be invited to a viewing not with an individual time slot, but at the same time as everyone else who applied for the room. This is commonly known as a 'hospiteren' or ‘kijkavond’ and is very normal. It is sort of like a battle royale, typically with a few rounds during the evening where less people are left every time. So you will be crammed in the house with around 10 people, trying to make a good impression on the hosts. Be prepared for it and let out all your anxiety ahead of time. It’s not worth stressing over because you will most likely eventually have to do it again. And again.
This method, while daunting, has advantages. You don’t have to prove your nonexistent income to agencies and landlords. And if you want to make friends with your roommates, eat dinner together, attend festivals and all that jazz - this is where it’s at for you.
If you want to learn more about hospiteren, you can look online for other people recounting their experiences. And don’t be discouraged easily. It’s a numbers game and you just have to keep trying.
A guarantor is someone, usually your parent or close relative, who signs a rental contract alongside you to ensure that if you are unable to pay your rent for whatever reason, they will pay it for you instead. A guarantor is nearly always requested when you try to rent as a student, because students are considered financially instable.
The agencies and landlords will demand proof of your guarantor’s identity (scan of ID card or passport) as well as proof of their income. That means work contracts, payslips and bank statements. Decide who will be your guarantor and get those documents ready (and translated if necessary) ahead of time.
So, the process of renting through an agency involves a lot of effort and is only really an option if either you or your family members earn good money. You may still try if that’s not the case - it’s always worth trying. At the very least, you will attend some viewings and get to see what the process is like.
Remember that finding housing can be a difficult process, but it's not impossible. Keep an open mind and don't give up, you will find a place to call home soon enough.
If you see incorrect information, missing information, or broken links, let me know in the comments or through a dm.
r/StudyInTheNetherlands • u/SwainTheMain • Jan 18 '23
Hi international Students,
This post serves as a living document containing useful tips regarding studying in the Netherlands. It aims to be a checklist for all (new) international students planning to come to the Netherlands for studying.
This post is inspired by a post by u/technotrex. If there is something missing, incorrect information, or a broken link, let me know through the comments or a PM.
Links in this post are sponsored, marked with an *.
The difference between a Research University Universiteit/WO) and a University of Applied Science is quite big. It may sound harsh, but a University of Applied Sciences is not considered a university in the Netherlands. As the names imply, the first is focussed on research and the latter focuses on applying the research. The research universities Bachelor's programs are considered harder, more theoretical, and have higher entry requirements. Research universities Bachelor's programs grant the student direct access to a Master's program, while the University of Applied Sciences programs typically don't (there are exceptions). If you want to do a Master's degree after a Bachelor from a University of Applied Sciences you most likely will have to follow a pre-master program of 6-12 months.
A more thorough explanation here
When applying to a program you typically need these documents:
The most important thing about housing, and I cannot stress this enough, is that you can register yourself at the adres with the municipality. There are two main reasons for this.
The recommended sources are:
You can greatly increase your chances by using a service like Stekkies* which sends new housing listsings directly to your WhatsApp as soon as they are posted online. Each place gets hundreds of requests within one hour after it being it online. They usually only pick the first few who applied for a viewing. You can try it out for free for 14 days.
I have put together a bot on the Discord server which tracks any new listings on Huurwoningen* and Kamernet* and and posts them there.
Additionally, you can read The ultimate guide for finding student housing in the Netherlands
Huurtoeslag or rent benefits is a subsidy that might cover a great part of your rent if is not too expensive (there are some other requirements such as income) . Mostly makes sense if you're older than 23 as then maximum rent can be higher (~750 eur).
Government ID is acquired through the municipality in which you will be living. This will give you access to a Social Security Number (BSN). This will then in turn give you access to your DigiD, your online identity. You cannot apply for this until you're moving. Make getting your Government ID your top priority when arriving in the Netherlands, as this will also open the doors to jobs, healthcare benefits, rent benefits, etc.
If you are in the Netherlands for study only you are legally not allowed to take out Dutch health insurance. Make sure you have a health insurance from your home country. You sometimes do need additional coverage when coming to the Netherlands.
If you are from the EU/EEA you may be eligible to receive a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) which covers your necessary medical costs during your stay. Please make sure you check this with your health insurer in your home country as this might differ per EU-member state. See the website of the European Commission for further information on EHIC.
If you have a (part-time) job that pays at least minimum wage, Dutch health insurance is mandatory. An internship that pays less than minimum wage does not count, if you are doubt check out the svb.
Zorgtoeslag or healthcare benefits, is assistance from the Dutch government for your health insurance. You are eligible for it if you're not earning more than ~30.000 Euro/year*, and have a Dutch healthcare insurance. You can apply for it after you get your DigiD, and works retroactively, so don't worry if you can't sign up immediately. The most important step is the date you register for your municipality. Make this your top priority.
* Note that your income decides if you are eligible for zorgtoeslag. If your income changes throughout the year, it could be that the amount of zorgtoeslag you are eligible for lowers. This does not happen automatically. You are responsible for adjusting your zorgtoeslag. If you do not supply the information correctly it can be the case that you receive too much zorgtoeslag and you will have to pay it back at a later date when they periodically check the numbers.
Getting a Dutch bank account is not necessary in all cases, but can be a cheaper option in the long run. Mastercard and Visa cards are not accepted at 90% of Dutch institutes. It is also often a requirement when getting a job in the Netherlands, and getting studiefinanciering. Lastly, it is a lot easier to send a receive money from friends/others locally. ABN AMRO* is a well known bank within the Netherlands.
There are some scholarschips available for international students. Details are outlined here.
Mostly for EU/UK/Swiss students. You can see if you're eligible and apply to this through DUO (Cannot apply until moving). It is a low interest loan from the Dutch government. Studiefinanciering loan part requires you to work 56h per month. It is common for DUO to request 3 payslips before they consider you eligible. It is also common for them to take a couple of months to process your admission (for all financing stuff, especially the one that involves parents' income). Keep that in mind as, that you won't see any extra cash for several months after landing here.
According to this article if you work less than 56 hours you can still receive Studiefinanciering. This is confirmed by u/No-Mango5939:
I can confirm DUO doesn’t necessarily require 56h/month. As an EU citizen, you are entitled to equality if you work any hours in a EU country, making the hour limit meaningless. I would also add that a visit to the DUO office moves mountains, and they are lovely people who will fix your problems and answer all of your questions.
To make effective use of public transport in the Netherlands you should get an OV chipcard as it is usually cheaper than buying individual tickets. If you are eligible for Studiefinanciering, you are also eligible for Studenten OV. Students in the Netherlands are eligible for free travel bij public transport. The student travel product is a loan which will turn into a gift when you graduate within 10 years of starting your studies. You can choose to either travel free during the week, or during the weekends. You get a discount during the other period.
You might consider getting a Dutch phone plan. This might be a cheaper alternative to extending your home country phone plan. If you're from the EU check with your current provider how long you can stay in another country on your phone plan without extra charge. Setting up a Dutch phone plan is not hard.
This displays the average cost of living in Amsterdam. You can change the city to your desire.
Join our official Discord channel with sepperate channels for each program / university. We also have a room finder bot which posts when new housing becomes available per city!
The Dutch are known for traveling a lot by bicycle. It is also the cheapest option to get around in the cities. Don't buy a new one, you can buy one for cheap second-hand. Many possible options locally, or most commonly used is Marktplaats. You can also decide to rent one with Swapfiets.
If you see any incorrect information, would like to see something added, or encounter a broken link, please let me know through the comments or a PM! Links in this post are affiliate links.
r/StudyInTheNetherlands • u/Renoual • 2m ago
Hi everyone!
Quick question regarding admission requirements for the Media and Culture program at the University of Amsterdam: The minimum required score for PTE is 65. If one of my sub-scores is 64, do they strictly enforce the cut-off, or is there any flexibility? Would appreciate hearing from anyone with similar experience!
r/StudyInTheNetherlands • u/SoggyRespect8989 • 12h ago
So I’ve been in the Netherlands for about a month now and my study has officially started last week and I’m having a good time as an International student who was scared of moving to a new country new culture in the opposite side of the world. I’m very introverted and I was a bit scared that my social life will be doomed as I read Dutch people tend to stay in their close group of circle. But I was pleasantly surprised, there were so many people Dutch/international who would come up and chat. The orientation week was a big help tbh. We were a bunch of internationals and dutch people. the first day was a bit awkward but next day onwards the ice started melting and at the end of the orientation week I got pretty sad that I’m not gonna spend my entire day with these people anymore haha.
I’m not very good at biking but strangers on road would very kindly tell me with a smile if im making a mistake. I randomly said Hello to an old lady when I made eye-contact with her and we proceeded to talk for like 10 mins over what I’m studying what she used to study, even about her husband!
I’ve still not made a solid friendship but these little instances have made my day a lot brighter and I look forward to getting up from my bed and going out to explore the city everyday.
r/StudyInTheNetherlands • u/Cute_Positive_5400 • 14h ago
Moet ik nu al stoppen met Data Science of gewoon doorzetten?
Hoi iedereen,
Ik zit een beetje te twijfelen over mijn studie. Ik ben altijd best ambitieus en een harde werker geweest en heb na HAVO nog VWO gedaan omdat ik mezelf wilde bewijzen dat ik meer kon. Achteraf denk ik dat ik vaker dingen moeilijk maak voor mezelf puur om te bewijzen dat ik het kan.
Ik heb jarenlang gezegd dat ik Computer Science wilde doen. Ergens wist ik ook wel dat ik het waarschijnlijk niet echt leuk zou vinden, maar ik wilde iets technisch doen omdat het me een soort gevoel gaf van: kijk mij, ik doe iets moeilijks en ik ben slim.
Na een best heftig jaar en een soort identiteitscrisis heb ik uiteindelijk Data Science gekozen. Nu is het letterlijk de eerste week en ik denk eigenlijk: ik vind dit helemaal niet leuk.
Niet alleen de stof, maar ook de sfeer, de campus en de manier waarop de opleiding is ingericht. Ik had juist voor Data Science gekozen omdat het een joint degree met Tilburg is en ik dacht dat er meer ruimte zou zijn voor dingen als sociology, law en ethics. Nu blijkt dat je maar een klein deel zelf kunt kiezen en het grootste gedeelte behoorlijk technisch/CS-achtig is.
En dat is gewoon niet echt wat ik wil.
Als iemand mij nu vraagt wat ik later wil doen, zou ik waarschijnlijk eerder sociology, law, humanities, politics of iets met arts zeggen. Dan vraag ik me dus af: waarom zou ik wachten tot een master om iets te doen wat ik nu al interessant vind?
Tegelijkertijd is het pas week één
Ik heb vandaag mijn eerste calculus toets gehad en heb op een gegeven moment gewoon gegokt. Ik denk eerlijk gezegd wel dat ik de studie zou kunnen halen als ik er 100% voor ga. Ik ben namelijk echt een harde werker. Het probleem is alleen dat ik mezelf afvraag: waarom wil ik dit eigenlijk halen?
Ik ben nu bijna 12 uur per dag met school bezig, kom laat thuis, moet vroeg opstaan en slaap soms te weinig. En ondertussen vind ik het niet eens leuk. Ik wil niet drie jaar lang tegen mezelf zeggen: “ja maar later wordt het leuk.”
Ik denk ook dat een groot deel van mijn motivatie om dit te doen komt vanuit het willen bewijzen dat ik slim genoeg ben. Vooral als Black girl heb ik soms heel sterk dat gevoel van: ik wil laten zien dat ik mezelf tot iets moeilijks kan zetten.
Maar stel dat ik drie jaar Data Science doe. Dan heb ik bewezen dat ik het kan. Aan wie? En dan?
Ik heb inmiddels ook al een paar mensen leren kennen, dus het is niet alsof ik compleet alleen ben. Maar ik heb niet het gevoel dat ik hier echt op mijn plek ben.
Het moeilijke is vooral wanneer ik zou moeten stoppen. Als ik nu stop, voelt het alsof ik opgeef. Als ik een heel jaar doorga en daarna stop, heb ik tenminste “doorgezet”. Maar dan heb ik misschien een jaar besteed aan iets waarvan ik nu al weet dat ik het waarschijnlijk niet wil.
Daarnaast hebben mijn ouders het collegegeld al betaald en heb ik een TU/e-laptop van ongeveer €2500 gekocht. Alles is dus al geregeld, waardoor stoppen voelt als geld weggooien. Maar blijven puur omdat er al geld in zit, betekent natuurlijk dat ik mogelijk nog meer tijd en geld besteed aan iets wat ik niet wil.
Ik heb trouwens vóór mijn keuze al meerdere gesprekken gehad met docenten, studieadviseurs, studenten en een study choice check gedaan. Dus ik ben hier niet helemaal blind ingestapt. Achteraf waren er eigenlijk al signalen dat de opleiding misschien niet bij me paste, zoals dat ik de campus en sfeer toen al niet echt leuk vond.
Maar again: het is week één. Misschien ben ik gewoon overwhelmed en wordt het beter. Misschien moet ik een paar maanden wachten en kijken hoe ik me voel.
Aan de andere kant merk ik dat ik ergens diep vanbinnen bijna hoop dat ik mijn BSA niet haal, zodat de universiteit de beslissing voor mij maakt. Terwijl ik waarschijnlijk best in staat ben om het wel te halen als ik alles geef.
Dus wat zouden jullie doen?
Nu al serieus andere opleidingen bekijken en eventueel stoppen, of minimaal een paar maanden doorzetten en kijken of mijn gevoel verandert?
En als ik uiteindelijk stop: kan je je in principe gewoon uitschrijven en stoppen met komen, of moet je eerst allerlei gesprekken/trajecten doorlopen?
Ik ben vooral benieuwd naar mensen die zelf ooit in zo’n situatie hebben gezeten.
Misschien hoef ik niet te bewijzen dat ik dit kan. Misschien moet ik gewoon uitzoeken wat ik daadwerkelijk wil.
r/StudyInTheNetherlands • u/Xegen_x • 13h ago
Hi everyone,
I’m an international high-school student planning to apply to a university in the Netherlands. I may need to fulfil deficiencies in Mathematics, Chemistry and Physics, and the university allows exams such as OMPT-D, CCVX and Boswell-Bèta to fulfil these requirements.
I’m trying to figure out which exams would be the most realistic option for me, especially because I’m planning to self-study rather than take a preparation course.
For anyone who has taken one or more of these exams, I would really appreciate your experience.
Mathematics
For Mathematics, I understand that I may have the option of:
OMPT-D
CCVX Mathematics B
Boswell-Bèta Mathematics B
Which one did you find the easiest to pass?
How would you compare the difficulty and question style of these three? Is OMPT-D actually easier than CCVX/Boswell, or is it just more convenient because it is online?
If you have taken both CCVX and Boswell-Bèta Mathematics B, which one did you find easier and why?
Chemistry
For Chemistry, I believe my options are:
CCVX Chemistry
Boswell-Bèta Chemistry
Which one would you recommend for someone who is self-studying?
Is one noticeably easier than the other? Is the syllabus significantly different?
Physics
For Physics:
CCVX Physics
Boswell-Bèta Physics
Which one is easier in your experience?
I’ve seen people say that Boswell-Bèta Physics can be quite difficult, while others say that CCVX is harder. I’d really like to hear from people who have actually taken both.
Preparation
For all of these exams:
How many weeks/months did you study?
Approximately how many hours per day/week?
What was your mathematics/physics/chemistry background before starting?
Did you self-study or take a course?
Is taking the official preparation course actually necessary, or can you realistically prepare using books, YouTube and past papers?
How difficult are the actual exams compared with the official mock exams/practice questions?
Where can I find free past papers, sample questions or mock exams?
Are there any specific books, websites, YouTube channels or other resources you strongly recommend?
Passing score
My university requires approximately 55% for OMPT-D (or the equivalent passing grade for the other exams). I’m not aiming for a very high score — I just need to reliably reach the required passing level.
For someone with an average/good high-school background but who hasn’t specifically studied the Dutch VWO curriculum, is 55–60% realistically achievable with a few months of focused self-study?
And if you’ve taken these exams, how much preparation would you personally recommend to have a comfortable chance of passing rather than just barely passing?
I’d especially appreciate answers from people who have taken more than one of these exams, since I’m trying to decide which exam board to choose.
r/StudyInTheNetherlands • u/Ok-Active1632 • 18h ago
Hi guys, i just start master in SCM from VU and i live in Rotterdam. I would like to find a friend to study and discuss together about the subject at school. For me i already live here around 5 years so if you need any advice to survive in NL i can share with you besides study.
r/StudyInTheNetherlands • u/Next_Cricket3 • 1d ago
Hallo allemaal,
Ik ben 19 jaar en zit in het tweede jaar van mijn HBO-opleiding Finance & Control. Mijn propedeuse heb ik in het eerste jaar gehaald en inhoudelijk gaat de stof me goed af, maar ik voel me totaal niet op mijn plek in deze studie en zie mezelf later totaal niet een financiele functie vervullen.
Al van jongs af aan heb ik de ambitie om piloot te worden. Ik heb mezelf voorgenomen om eerst een diploma te halen voordat ik aan een selectietraject begin, zodat ik in ieder geval een back-up heb in het geval dat ik de selectie niet haal, of later medisch afgekeurd word. Het probleem is dat ik geen idee heb hoe ik de resterende (bijna) drie jaar van deze opleiding vol zal houden als ik er nu al met zoveel tegenzin heen ga.
Afgelopen winter ben ik naar een open dag geweest van de opleiding Aviation aan de Hogeschool van Amsterdam. De opleiding sprak me enorm aan op basis van wat ik die dag heb meegekregen, precies vanwege mijn interesse in de luchtvaart.
Nu twijfel ik tussen twee opties:
Optie 2 voelt op dit moment als een slechte keuze, omdat ik dan een volledig jaar aan tijd, collegegeld en DUO-lening kwijt ben, en ik dit komende jaar bovendien een tussenjaar zou hebben. Ik bekostig mijn studie overigens volledig zelf, door er relatief veel naast te werken, dus die investering weegt extra zwaar.
Ik vind dit een lastige beslissing en zou graag wat perspectieven en meningen van jullie horen hoe zouden jullie hierover nadenken? Alvast bedankt!
r/StudyInTheNetherlands • u/Loose-Swimming6724 • 19h ago
Im planning to apply for Product Design (bachlors) there, I would like to know about how is the teaching in the uni, is it good or bad?, is it a good uni for a non - eu citizen and many more questions.. please dm me or text in the comment box, I would approach you privately..
r/StudyInTheNetherlands • u/Brilliant_Band_9530 • 20h ago
Hi everyone, I’m planning to apply for the Hotel Management program at NHL Stenden.
I have an IELTS score of 6.5 and a high school GPA of 8.2/10. From what I’ve researched, besides academic requirements like IELTS and high school grades, the application also requires a CV, a motivation letter, and 2 interviews.
Is getting accepted particularly difficult? I'm honestly quite stressed about the interview and the whole screening process. Even though I’ve looked thoroughly into the curriculum and the school, I’m still worried about the possibility of getting rejected.
Any insights or interview tips would be greatly appreciated!
r/StudyInTheNetherlands • u/Stock_Song8239 • 1d ago
Hi! I’m studying at Fontys and have a question about preferred names.
I’d like to use a different name and she/her pronouns at school, but I can’t legally change my name/gender at the moment.
For anyone studying in the Netherlands: does your university/hogeschool let you register a preferred/chosen name and pronouns separately from your legal information?
If so, how does it work in practice? Are things like Canvas, email addresses, class lists and student cards able to use your preferred name?
I’d especially appreciate answers from people who have gone through the process themselves. Thanks!
r/StudyInTheNetherlands • u/Fantastic-Award-8263 • 20h ago
I'm really disappointed with the UvA AI Master's so far. The head of the programme said that they accepted only around 20% of applicants, however, it seems that quite a few of my classmates lack some fairly basic maths skills.
As a result, lectures and seminars can become frustratingly slow because a lot of time is spent on questions like "What does unbiased estimator mean?" or "Why is (x+y)^\top = x^\top + y^\top?" These seem like concepts you would expect students entering a selective AI Master's programme to already be comfortable with.
The workload also seems surprisingly light. If you graduated from at least somewhat rigorous Bachelor's programme and already have a decent ML background, it feels like you could do nothing during the first semester and simply brush up on the material for a few hours before each exam.
Overall, I'm quite disappointed with what I thought was one of the stronger AI programmes in Europe. It also makes me wonder where the strongest European students actually end up. Surely they can't all be at ETH Zurich, and going to the UK is quite expensive.
For those who have attended selective or supposedly "elite" Master's programmes in Europe: what has your experience been like? Did the academic level and the strength of the cohort match your expectations?
edit: would be very interested to hear from people from ETH, EPFL, TUM, and top UK unis
r/StudyInTheNetherlands • u/henqirbp • 1d ago
I’m a Dutch 4th year Commercial Economics student studying at HvA and for October I’m looking for a graduation internship.
The HvA graduation process has changed quite a bit, we work now in so called “study-hubs” in which you will specialize in a certain topic. I chose sustainable marketing.
The new way of graduating isn’t by writing a thesis anymore, now you work project based for the whole year divided in two big projects, each focused on something else. Together with my partner, we will work two days at the company’s office, and two days we will be on campus to learn and implement the information right away in the company’s casus.
My interests lay in consumer psychology and the use of new innovative tools (AI) to do research on how company X could influence/stimulate consumers to make the sustainable decisions. I mainly want to focus on the marketing/commercial aspects. We would love to follow the internship in Amsterdam but if there’s no other options then Utrecht is a possibility as well.
I have mailed many companies, sent many in-mails via LinkedIn, made multiple posts on LinkedIn, sent private messages to talent acquisition managers on LinkedIn, but nothing. I need to find a company before October and now I’m a bit lost.
What have past alumni done? And are there any tips/tricks y’all can give me on how to find a company (the right company)?
r/StudyInTheNetherlands • u/perkyguts2 • 1d ago
Good evening everyone, I am writing this in regards to my current situation of my final stages of my conditional requirements at Radboud University for bachelor in Economics and Business Economics. So, I have a background in the international Baccalaureate in which I did math ai which is the main focus of this discussion. I applied to the university and they informed me I had a math deficiency so I had to take a math course/exam to fufil it. And on the website one of the options was the OMPT-A which on the website stated i needed a 55% and up and so I chose that. I began studying for it and took like a week and took my first exam which I had a low score of 30% and then a 2nd attempt a week later with a score of 38%, and then I took my 3rd attempt a week ago and got 57% which was the required score. Now I send my certificate in today and expecting to finally be fully enrolled, I get an email stating that only 2 attempts was allowed so my attempt does not count and I should cancel my enrollment on studielink by next week. And for more information I have fulfilled every other requirement, and this week I already got temporary access to my radboud email and other things. Now my question is what should I do, and also I'm just upset because nowhere through communication with the university was I informed that there were only 2 attempts. I am confused and don't know what to do, I have lectures and workgroup I am already in, but now this... Anyone been in such a situation and what process should I go through to fix this or what even are my options. Thank you for reading.
Update: I got the exception of the 3rd attempt
r/StudyInTheNetherlands • u/Legal_Tale_8593 • 1d ago
Me and my two roommates stayed in a very overpriced apartment in the hague for less then a year.
We tried to get reduction for the rent through Huurteam but at the end failed as we were signed with “short rental contract” which did not protect is with any tenant laws…
We moved out a month ago as our contract ended, and in total we originally payed the deposit of 3000€ all together.
I believe we kept the apartment in a very-good condition and cleaned it before moving out. (They even charged us for cleaning fees every month and some people came to clean once a month and they did a very bad job… i feel like they just chatted with one another and left).
Anywho, we got an email back today saying that they are going to take 1200€ of the deposit for the following reasons (see attached photo below).
No futher explanations or photos… i have sent them an email asking for explanations but is this normal…? What can we do about it.
r/StudyInTheNetherlands • u/neishL • 1d ago
Hi! In one of my classes, I have been assigned a mandatory textbook, but it costs almost 100 euros to purchase online. Ideally, I don't want to buy the book because my course is only 7 weeks. I was wondering if there are any other places or recommendations to look for my textbook. I'm not too sure what the system is here and I recently just started studying here.
Thanks!
r/StudyInTheNetherlands • u/These-Response7716 • 1d ago
Hoi allemaal! Ik ben van plan om Geneeskunde (GNK) aan de UvA te gaan studeren, maar ik maak me eerlijk gezegd een beetje zorgen over de wachttijd tussen de bachelor en de master.
Ik lees dat er momenteel een behoorlijke wachttijd is vanwege het beperkte aantal klinische stageplaatsen. Zijn hier GNK-studenten aan de UvA die hun bachelor recent hebben afgerond of binnenkort afronden?
Hoe lang moesten jullie uiteindelijk wachten voordat jullie aan de master/klinische fase konden beginnen? En hoe lang was de wachttijd voor jullie vanaf het behalen van de bachelor?
Ik ben vooral benieuwd naar recente ervaringen (2025/2026), omdat ik verhalen hoor over wachttijden die mogelijk richting 2028/2029 gaan. Klopt dat een beetje, of valt het in de praktijk mee?
Alvast heel erg bedankt!
r/StudyInTheNetherlands • u/Unknown_06020 • 2d ago
Hi everyone,
I’m currently 20 years old (I’ll turn 21 in February) and I’m at a crossroads in my life. I’d like to know whether the idea I have is realistic and achievable, or whether I’m overlooking certain things.
I didn’t finish secondary school. I started at HAVO/VWO level, but due to circumstances and mental health issues, I gradually dropped down to VMBO-T. I repeated a year once and eventually stopped school altogether without obtaining a diploma. It wasn’t simply a matter of not wanting to go to school.
Now I want to get my life back on track and seriously build a future for myself.
Ever since I was little, I’ve dreamed of studying Medicine and eventually becoming a doctor. At the same time, I know that I’m currently quite far behind and will probably need to rebuild a lot of my knowledge.
So my main question is:
At my age, and given my current situation, is it still realistic to eventually complete VWO and then enter a university Medicine program?
By “realistic,” I don’t mean that I’m looking for some magical shortcut. I don’t need an easy route with no effort involved. I’m willing to put in serious time and effort. I just want to know whether there is a normal, achievable route without having to literally work through all six years of secondary-school material completely on my own first.
One route I was thinking about, for example, is:
first, completing HAVO through VAVO (possibly HAVO years 4 and 5 in one year, if that’s even possible);
after that, completing VWO through VAVO in a similar way;
eventually trying to get admitted to Medicine.
I just don’t know whether this kind of path is actually possible, how long it would realistically take, or whether there are better alternatives.
I also have a sort of “safe” alternative route in mind: getting into an HBO Nursing program through the entrance exam and then potentially progressing to a Physician Assistant master’s program. However, my real preference would be Medicine, if that is still achievable.
So I’m mainly interested in hearing from people who know about this or who have taken an unconventional educational route themselves.
I understand that this might sound like an overly ambitious plan, but I’m mainly trying to figure out whether it is genuinely achievable. If it turns out that it isn’t possible or realistic, then I also have a Plan B.
Thanks in advance!
r/StudyInTheNetherlands • u/Icy_Egg_7019 • 1d ago
Hi! I’m starting my first year of International and European Law at the University of Groningen. Does anyone have digital/used copies of the required textbooks, or know where I can access them legally for free or at a student-friendly price?
r/StudyInTheNetherlands • u/blueface1010 • 1d ago
Hi everyone,
I’m an international student and I’ve been in the Netherlands for about 2 weeks. I currently have an EHIC but no Dutch health insurance yet. I do plan on getting a part-time job, at which point I understand I’ll need Dutch insurance.
I’ve had recurring tonsillitis/tonsil problems for quite a while, and they’ve recently flared up since I arrived in the Netherlands. I now seriously want to get my tonsils removed.
What would be the best course of action in my situation?
- Can I go to a huisarts and get referred to an ENT using my EHIC?
- Would the surgery be covered, and if not, roughly how much would it cost?
- Could I get the surgery as soon as I got health insurance?
Also, what kind of timeline should I expect from seeing the huisarts to actually getting the surgery?
Any advice from people who have dealt with something similar would be really appreciated!
r/StudyInTheNetherlands • u/Then-Peanut-8182 • 1d ago
I sent a request to open an account at ING Bank app in the Netherlands as an international student. Although about eight business days have passed, there is still no progress in the app. The result says "process may take some days", but I'm still waiting. There is no email, no nothing. It's getting very frustrating now.
Should I send an account opening request to another bank? I can't reach customer service in any way. I found an email, and sent an email to it, but there was no response. If the customer service and bank account opening process take this long, I don't want to do business with this bank anyway. What are your suggestions?
r/StudyInTheNetherlands • u/Motor_Lawfulness4322 • 1d ago
I'm a non-Dutch EU student looking at Dutch unis for September 2027, looking to study Chem/ChemE. I plan to get my masters and go into forensics, though I'm still exploring other paths in chem. I know education in NL is quite standardized across universities, though I know Eindhoven and Twente are technical unis so they might cater more to this subject. I mainly have questions about the city, social life, resources, etc. I currently do IB and I have all the qualifying subjects to get into all of them.
Utwente is probably the one I'm leaning towards the most rn. I kinda like the concept of an all-contained campus and the huuuuuge variety of student associations they have. That's something I really like about US unis and I like how UTwente tries to replicate that. I think the more contained campus makes it easier to make friends as well. They also seem to have a much better study abroad program with more options than the other two, which is definitely something I wanna try. The main issue is how "far" it is from the rest of NL, and I just heard about how lame Enschede is. For current students, what is it actually like? Like I mentioned before, I'm interested to getting a masters, potentially phD, abroad, so building relationships with professors and gaining research experience is important for me. I was wondering how current students have found their professors and research opportunities. Help for internships as well. I've gone to intl american schools my whole life so I know doing internships during your studies is quite common there, but not so much here (I think they integrate it into the curriculum) but IDK if it's still common for students to pursue internships during their studies/during the summer. Does UTwente provide support for this? Is it easy to get internships in/near Enschede?
Groningen is incredible too. The location is obviously incredible since it's a student city. The university also seems to provide a lot of support for internships/CV review. I'm guessing it's not super hard to find internships either. Tons of student associations as well. Not as compact as a campus, but with the student city vibe, I don't mind. Negatives are that it's also "far" from the rest of the Netherlands, the winters seem quite brutal, and their study abroad program isn't as great as Utwente. It's also not a technical uni, so it leans more into the social sciences.
TU Eindhoven is technical as well, and the area seems to be the best to get experience and it's also more integrated into the rest of the Netherlands. The area seems good for a student as well, but it definitely gives more city vibes. Research opportunities seem strong as well. The study abroad program seems better than Groningen but not quite as good as Twente. I couldn't find a website that states the paartner unis so if anyone could link it I'll be very grateful!!!
Any current students can give more input on the university, city, campus, internships and research opportunities, student associations, social life, etc for each of the unis? Also how international are each of them for students/staff? I think Twente and Eindhoven are roughly equal and Groningen is a bit less diverse, but I'll be great to get input from current students. I grew up in an intl environment, so I think it'll be great to have that in college. TYIA for all the advice! It's still quite early in the process so I'm not considering housing availability yet but I def will soon, mostly looking for advice for the other factors I mentioned.
r/StudyInTheNetherlands • u/New-Presence-4030 • 1d ago
**not a housing offer** Hi guys :)
Are there any girls who wanna look for housing together? I'm an international student from Canada and im going into my masters at Leiden (Den Haag) starting in Feb. I know theres a huge housing crisis so a good time to start looking would be asap! :') Dm me if interested!!
r/StudyInTheNetherlands • u/Low_Illustrator8658 • 2d ago
I really need to find pdf files of these books for my studies, I would really appreciate it if anyone has or knows where I can find them 🙏
(Also does open text book exam allow pdf version?)
r/StudyInTheNetherlands • u/Fantastic_Result_818 • 2d ago
Hi guys,
I am already based in The Netherlands since a few years ago and next February I’ll be starting a premasters of finance at VU, after I Completed my bachelors in business management. After my premasters I would like to continue and complete a masters in finance, hence I wanted to get peoples opinions on premasters overall and intense or challenging can they be.
Any insights on studying finance in VU or The Netherlands would also be appreciated as I did my bachelors in the UK, which was quite easy.
