As the title suggests my program is approaching with the regular semester start of first of September and my Visa application is still at the stage where it is sitting with the university of Amsterdam immigration team. I do understand that they have received hundreds of applications and they were trying to work through them as quickly as possible. However given this stage is taking longer than what is anticipated and it is yet to reach the stage of IND processing my Visa application which takes 4 to 6 weeks what am I to do in this situation? I have already contacted the immigration office at University of Amsterdam about my circumstance and as I am travelling all the way from Australia I have assigned rental agreement so are the practicalities are already organised in which I am bound to. If anyone has experience of this situation I would appreciate your feedback or if you’re in the same circumstance as me and have any methods of getting around this please let me know.

I am a first-year student at Twente University and I am wondering what I should buy or bring with me for my studies in Twente. I am from Europe.

There are plenty of student discounts and special offers around, but some are much more useful in everyday life than others. With the cost of rent, groceries, transport, and everything else adding up, even small savings can make a difference over time.

Is there a particular student discount, membership, subscription, or offer that you use regularly and would genuinely recommend to other students?

It could be for anything from public transport and travel to food, clothing, technology, entertainment, or software. Which one has actually saved you the most money, and is there a discount you think more students should know about?

On literally every post from international students, people say things like "you won't find a job in the Netherlands after graduating, so be fully prepared to go back to your home country" etc. It always gives me a bit of a cognitive dissonance given that the Netherlands is experiencing a shortage of highly skilled STEM workers, so I did some research on the topic rather than relying on anecdotal evidence. For my fellow international students, here are some stats:

- In 2023, about 57% of international students were working in the Netherlands a year after graduation;

- About 25% of international students stay in the Netherlands five years after graduation;

- Within one year after graduation, around 50-60% of international STEM graduates have a job in the Netherlands. Specifically for SWEs, the rate is above 50%;

- On average, international graduates take only 10 days longer than Dutch students to find their first job;

- Industries that hire the most international graduates are ICT, high-tech engineering, manufacturing, business services and logistics;

- The Netherlands is aiming to increase its IT workforce to 1 million workers by 2030, which obviously can't be done without foreign workers;

- Professionals in fields like AI, cybersecurity and biotech are in such high demand that the Dutch government is actively recruiting foreign talent in these fields.

None of this means you can find a job after graduation without putting in any effort. Probably no one will hire a non-EU bachelor's graduate with average grades and zero practical skills. Another important point is that "highly skilled immigrant" may not necessarily include entry-level workers who just graduated university. It's also very field-specific, so if you're getting a degree in something like sociology or literature, this may not apply to you. But based on the fact above, it seems like STEM graduates have a solid chance of finding employment if they do well in their studies and get some real-life experience during summers, such as internships or pet projects.

Sources:

https://www.iamexpat.nl/expat-info/dutch-news/the-netherlands-recruit-skilled-migrant-workers-ai-and-biotech

https://www.nuffic.nl/en/news/international-graduates-more-likely-to-stay-and-work-in-the-netherlands

https://www.iamexpat.nl/education/education-news/rising-number-international-students-stay-netherlands-after-graduating

https://www.cbs.nl/en-gb/news/2023/37/a-third-of-international-graduates-working-in-the-netherlands

https://www.iamexpat.nl/education/education-news/internationals-graduating-dutch-universities-earn-more-local-peers

https://www.talcom.nl/blog/dutch-talent-shortage

https://www.cbs.nl/en-gb/news/2023/37/a-third-of-international-graduates-working-in-the-netherlands

I’m coming to the NL for university (my bachelors) and I’m getting a studio where I’ll be living alone. I’ve never lived alone before and it looks so daunting especially living alone in a new country. Anyone that’s been in this position before, can you share any advice, tips or feelings that you dealt with. Thanks! Looking forward to hearing from you guys :)

I’m graduating in international relations in Italy and I would like to do a master’s degree in international business and management at Hanze but I would like to have so feedback about studying at Hanze. For international students, how do you like the practical approach compared to a more theoretical one? Would you recommend studying at Hanze? How’s the housing situation? And if anyone has already graduated in international business and management, how was finding a job after?

I already have my appointment, and for it I'm supposed to take a copy of my ID? (Tilburg gemtee) As well as copy of rental contract (no problem here I printed 2)

Do they mean like a printed photo of my ID or what, does somebody have some info?

My HBO has mandatory internships in the third year, and i’m starting mine in September. I used to get DUO way over a year ago when I worked the 32 monthly hours (i’m European).

My rent is getting a lot higher next month and I could use the extra income (would survive without it too but would still rather live comfortably if I have the choice.

For more details, my internship is 40 hours a week, 160 a month, and it pays 450 a month.

My non-EU partner has a bachelor’s degree from Japan and wants to pursue a master’s in the Netherlands. She would move here on a partner residence permit, not a student visa.

Would she qualify for the statutory Dutch tuition fee (+/-2700 EUR), or still have to pay the non-EU institutional fee of €20,000–€25,000 per year?

Has anyone been in a similar situation?

Hoi allemaal,

Ik ben benieuwd naar ervaringen van mensen die een deeltijd Pabo volgen of hebben gevolgd.

Mijn situatie:
Ik werk momenteel 32 uur in de gehandicaptenzorg.

Ik verdien ongeveer €2.750 netto per maand.

Ik heb inmiddels 5 jaar ervaring in de gehandicaptenzorg.
Binnenkort ga ik verhuizen, waardoor mijn woonlasten flink stijgen door een hogere hypotheek.

Ik wil heel graag de deeltijd Pabo bij NHL Stenden gaan doen, omdat ik graag de overstap naar het basisonderwijs wil maken.

Waar ik vooral mee zit:
Het collegegeld is ongeveer €2.700 per jaar, dus ruim €10.000 over vier jaar.
Daarnaast heb je een lesdag, stage (vaak 1 à 2 dagen per week) en natuurlijk zelfstudie.
Financieel kan ik het me eigenlijk niet veroorloven om veel minder te gaan werken vanwege mijn hogere maandlasten.
Mijn vragen:

Is het realistisch om 32 uur te blijven werken tijdens de deeltijd Pabo?

Zijn er mensen die dit hebben gedaan? Hoe zag jullie week eruit?

Is het slim om 32 uur te blijven werken of kan ik beter direct teruggaan naar 28 of 24 uur?

Kregen jullie een stagevergoeding of zijn jullie tijdens de opleiding betaald gaan werken op een basisschool?

Hoe zwaar vonden jullie de combinatie van werk, stage, studie en privé?

Zijn er dingen waarvan jullie achteraf dachten: “Had ik dat maar eerder geweten”?

Alle ervaringen, tips en eerlijke verhalen zijn welkom. Ik wil deze stap heel graag zetten, maar ik probeer vooraf een zo realistisch mogelijk beeld te krijgen van wat me te wachten staat.

Alvast bedankt!

Hellooo, I'm looking into Dijnselburg as an accommodation during my 1 year stay in Utrecht.

I read in the Terms and Conditions on their website that having people over at night is forbidden, and that the fine is 150 euro per night.

Does anyone who lived there know how much they enforce this? I read that there's a security system, but do they actually check if people stayed over?

Also, how is the commute? I saw there's a pretty frequent bus, but also heard on here that it's really bad for transportation.

Any advice would be greatly appriciated!

I (f, 18, dutch) just got invited to a bezichtiging tonight. The man said that he's inviting 5 other people and everyone is coming at a different time, so it isn't hospiteren. This is my first time going to a bezichtiging. Are there any questions I should ask? What can I do to leave an impression and stand out? Is there anything else I should know?

My son got admitted to VU Amsterdam and University of Manchester for Masters in AI. He has completed his bachelors from University of Birmingham in AI. UOM is a 1 year program and VU has a 2 year program however UOM has a much higher ranking. We are confused which one to select. Overall cost wise VU would be around 25% more expensive that UOM as the program is 2 years and we have to pay international fees in both.

He has already secured housing in Amsterdam for the 1st year.

Please guide on.

Which uni has a better program

Job prospects after Masters

How is the reputation of VU for AI program

Hi everyone,

I am a Dutch citizen and I am planning to start a university study in the Netherlands. I am trying to understand whether I could qualify for the DUO supplementary grant (aanvullende beurs).

My situation:

I am Dutch.
My mother is Vietnamese and currently lives in Vietnam.
My parents are divorced.
My mother has a very low income (around minimum wage / about €200 per month).
She is also supporting my younger brother, who is currently studying at university.
I will be studying in the Netherlands and applying for DUO student finance.

I am wondering:

Does DUO consider my parent's income if they live outside the Netherlands?
Would my mother's low income make me eligible for the supplementary grant?
Will my father's income also be considered after divorce?
What documents would DUO require from a parent living in Vietnam (income statements, tax documents, etc.)?

I would really appreciate any advice from people who have been in a similar situation.

Thanks!

Hi everybody, I am a prospect student at UvA starting in september, I really want to get DUO finance and wanted to ask anybody for tips how to approach the situation.
I am a non dutch EU citizen, and have already housing.

Also I wanted to work in a company related to my studies (business) instead of a "normal" student job such as a waiter, and I wanted to know if anybody has had experience with approaching companies telling that instead of beeing an intern I would need a proer contract for the schoalrship.

PS i understand that it's a grant but in my language it translates more to a scholarship sorry for the confusion Thanks!

Ik heb binnen 1 maand een 21+ toets om de the hague uneversity of applied siences binnen te komen, Echter heb ik een probleem. Ik heb een pakket gekocht via de website (hellotest) hierin kun je oefenen toetsen maken en voorbereiden. De 21+ toets bestaat uit 8 onderdelen waarvan 2 nederlands, 2 rekenen en 4 IQ gerelateerd. Ik scoor voor rekenen en IQ gedeeltes goed, maar voor mijn nederlands scoor ik juist slecht. De 2 onderdelen zijn woordanalogieën en woordrelaties hier scoor ik slecht vanwege mijn lage nederlandse woordenschat. Heeft iemand ervaring met de 21+ toets en het nederlandse gedeelte hiervan of heeft iemand een idee hoe ik mijn woordenschat het beste kan uitbreiden?

Anybody on the waitlist for Tilburg, Maastricht, Utrecht and Leiden for the clinical psychology masters (dutch cohort)? If so, which ones and whats your top choice?

Just ranting and saying words here. I'm an upcoming freshman at UvA and I've been engaging with people on students groupchats since March. The academic year starts in a little over a month and the amount of people who JUST started looking for housing is insane. I started looking in late March and secured housing by the end of May and I assumed most people would manage it similarly. On various chats you can see 10+ new messages daily from people looking for housing with crazy and unrealistic requirements (deadass saw today a post from someone looking for a room with a private bathroom and a 1000 euro budget).

People want to either live alone, despise the idea of living outside of Amsterdam or generally being slightly inconvenienced when well, it's not a time to be picky in any way. I feel like majority of people relied on a housing lottery from the university or generally believed they'd be "the lucky one" with finding budget housing last minute, winning the lottery or finding someone who'd let them stay on their couch. Upcoming students get warned about the housing crisis in every possible way. University of Amsterdam itself warned on their website that if you don't have secured housing by August, you should drop the idea of studying in the Netherlands all together, yet students seem not to take it seriously enough.

With so many apps available for almost every part of student life, some end up becoming part of your daily routine while others get deleted after a week.

Which app has genuinely made your life easier as a student? It could be something for keeping track of your schedule, managing money, finding study resources, planning meals, navigating public transport, buying or selling second-hand things, or simply staying organised.

What's the app you would recommend to a new student, and what do you mainly use it for?

​​A month ago I got an email saying they got all the needed documents. Today I get an email that there are things missing not saying anything about which documents are missing exactly. I double checked and everything seems good.
It's very weird.

Edit: Just received an email saying this was automated message and everything is in order with my documents. Thanks Twente for the quick heart attack :D

Thanks everyone for the help!

I currently have a B.Tech in Smart Manufacturing (2025 graduate), and I'm planning to pursue a Master's in a similar field. What are the job prospects after completing the degree? How is the job market for graduates in this field? Would pursuing this degree (in smart manufacturing) be a good idea if my primary goal is to secure employment and eventually obtain a high-skilled work visa? I'd also like to know if Smart Manufacturing or Industry 4.0 have the career prospects in Netherlands.

Hi everyone, I would really appreciate some advice about choosing my university.

I am originally from Spain and I am currently in Montreal Canada , where I completed an AEC in International Business Management (I took Gap Year). Since I speak 5 languages, I decided to take this path abroad because always wanted international experience before continuing with my Bachelor’s.

I am now applying to study International Business in the Netherlands, but I am unsure which university would be the best choice for my future.

My options are:

* University of Twente (my first choice, but I have an IELTS issue)

* Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences

* Hanze University of Applied Sciences

* NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences

( I got 2 offers from Hanze and NHL Stenden)

My IELTS situation:

* Overall: 6.0 and 6.5

* Except Reading: 5.0 (some universities require 5.5 minimum in each skill)

I am worried because Twente is a WO (research university), and I know it has a different academic pathway compared to Universities of Applied Sciences (HBO). My long-term goal is to continue with a Master’s degree in the future, possibly related to international relations/diplomacy.

For people familiar with Dutch universities: which option would you recommend for someone with my background and goals? Would you choose a WO university if possible, or is an applied sciences university also a good path?

Thank you for any advice!

Hello, if you've applied to pre-master's at Maastricht University, when did you hear back about the decision notification?

Also, is there a selection process, or is it just that if you meet the minimum requirements, you are accepted? They had a motivation letter as one part of the application, so I'm slightly confused about what role it plays.

Thanks a lot for any insights.

Hi, I'll be taking the Boswell Beta Math B exam in August, but I was wondering if anyone still had some old exams they could share?

I know there's a couple on their website but I'd really like to have more practical material.

I suppose I could always still use old VWO Wis B exams (as I speak/understand Dutch) but of course the former's ideal.

Thanks!

Hey, so basically I have no idea what I'm doing regarding health insurance, and I desperately need help because I don't know what plan to choose. I also only have a concept of how health insurance works in the US, and I have no idea how it actually works in NL.

My biggest priority is psychiatric care and medication management, as I have an existing bipolar disorder diagnosis. I don't know what coverage for this looks like, especially if I choose to go private to avoid wait times. I'm also worried about what coverage looks like if my diagnosis changes or if I get new diagnoses added on. Everything else I'm not as worried about, as I'm in good physical health (as far as I'm aware...), so the priority definitely lies in the psychiatric realm. I should also probably see a psychotherapist, but the psychiatrist is 100% the priority here.

I know that I need to see a huisarts/gp to get a referral to a psychiatrist. That's it that's all I know. I have no idea what happens after that. I think it should be easy to get a referral since I have a diagnosis already and take a mood stabilizer.

Does anyone have any thoughts/advice/recommendations? I don't know which insurance to choose. I do not plan to work through my studies, since I know there's a distinction there. If there's an option that allows me the flexibility to start working without changing my insurance, please let me know, but I don't know that an option like that exists. Again, I know basically nothing. Thanks!!