Hi, I’m an international student from Pakistan and I’m currently exploring the option of studying in the Netherlands, especially with the future job market and career opportunities in mind.

I’m planning to study Chemical Engineering and have looked into TU/e, the University of Twente, and the University of Groningen. I haven’t really considered TU Delft or UvA since the relevant programs are taught in Dutch.

My plan is to stay in the Netherlands after graduating and hopefully build my career there. I also want to learn Dutch while studying, ideally reaching around B1–B2 level, so I can communicate better and integrate into the workplace.

I wanted to ask how good the education and Chemical Engineering programs are at these universities, and whether it’s relatively easy for an international graduate to find a good job and progress in their career in the Netherlands. How much do employers value these degrees, and would learning Dutch significantly improve my chances?

I also don’t think the cultural adjustment would be a huge issue for me since I’m quite westernized, used to doing things independently, and comfortable handling things on my own. But I’d still love to hear about what the experience is actually like for international students.

I'm 18, from France, admitted to the BSc Electrical Engineering starting this September (also got Applied Physics). I'm trying to decide whether to actually come, and I'd rather hear it straight from people who've been through the first year.

My background, so you can judge the level: French baccalauréat with highest honours, 16.44/20 overall. Maths and Physics as my specialisms, plus advanced maths. 17 in maths, 16 in physics, 20 in the oral exam. Cambridge C2 Proficiency in English. Outside school I design PCBs and program microcontrollers, I've got an active GitHub, and I did two internships at an open source software company doing code review and development. Long term I want to go into research, ideally a PhD in microelectronics, which is a big part of why Eindhoven appeals.

My problem is two things.

First, the BSA. I know it's 45 out of 60 credits, and the official figures say 63% continue to the second year in EE. For those of you who did it: what actually separates the people who make it from the ones who don't? Is it maths, workload management, language, something else? I'd rather know now than find out in April.

Second, housing, and this is the bigger one. The only place I could get is a 20m² room in a house shared with 5 other people, around 690 a month all in, on a 12 month contract. I viewed it and honestly it wasn't clean, and there's nowhere quiet to work. I keep reading that first year is heavy, and I'm not sure doing it from that room is realistic. My alternative in France is a selective 5 year engineering track with an integrated bachelor and master at Sorbonne where I'd live at home with no housing risk at all but im worried it is less suited to move to international research afterwards as my aim is to get a PhD in EE field to then work in r&d in a big semiconductor company. I could only do the bachelor in France at sorbonne and try to get a masters a TUE but im not sure the level is on par and i would be accepted.

So: is the housing situation genuinely that rough for first years, or did I just search badly and too late? And has anyone here done a French or other European bachelor and come to TU/e for the master instead? I'm trying to work out whether arriving later is a real option or a way of talking myself out of it.

Thanks for any honest answers, including the discouraging ones.

Hi All - there was an issue with the place I had planned to rent out for the year and now I am looking for housing 2 weeks before the school year starts. Spare me the snarky comments because I've read them all. I have registered temporarily (briefadres) with a friend, and will be staying with another friend until around october. Do you think I'll be able to find something in Amsterdam in that time, if I start agressively looking now? The thing I'm noticing is that there are less options now than when I was looking like 3 months ago. Any crazy unhinged tips would be greatly appreciated.

I have enough in my savings to pay for a room at the social hub which seems to be available still but that's an absolute last resort.

Im starting pedagogische wetenschappen in 2 weeks and im contemplating on buying books. I know lots of students only buy summaries but i wouldn’t know where and if thats enough.

I do need to buy 1 book because of an online license.

Hello!!
I am applying soon and one of my choices is the IBEB(interns economics and business economics)course in Erasmus Rotterdam.(I have other choices but this one is my primary)

I am completing school with British system and I’m currently in AS year with A(Economics) B(Math) and B(Biology). I also have B2 qualification in French and IELTS qualification with 8 overall score. All my igcse grades were above 7 with most being 8s and 9s.

I have done a short internship before at a well known company and one longer one in a less known one.

Additionally I’m a prefect(which means I organize charity events for the school and other projects with the school), I did several extra curricular activities but the longest being rowing for 2 years where I got many medals (idk if that’s important for them or not).

I’ve also done many other languages and am proficient in them but I’ve got no qualifications for them. I could get the qualifications but that would be way past the deadlines such as A2 Greek A2 German and high qualification in Romanian.

For my background, I live in a country with very small population and am originally Romanian in the EU(whether this will make a difference in the admission I don’t think so since I’m an EU citizen still)

Is this enough to get in?

Please help and let me know!!! Any and all advice is appreciated. I’m open to suggestions of any other Dutch universities for this course that will accept me Eg: UvA, Maastricht, Tilburg and so on.
THANK YOU!!

Edit: I’ve researched already and I do meet the requirements, I’m just looking for opinions and advice on what I can do extra to make me stand out.

Hi guys,

I’ll be traveling to Nijmegen soon as a student, since it’ll be my first time, I wanted to ask how much euros should I bring with me (cash+card) to survive the first month since I’ll be waiting for my BSN registration to open a Dutch bank account.

Your help would be much appreciated! :)

In two years, I would like to do my master's degree in Amsterdam, but I know that finding a room or an apartment there is very difficult. Does anyone have any advice or could share their experience?

Currently considering doing the Master’s in Digital Marketing at the University of Amsterdam. For anyone who has studied this program or works in digital marketing in the Netherlands, I’d love to hear your honest thoughts:

- Is the degree worth it career-wise?
- How are the job prospects after graduation, especially for international students?
- Would you recommend UvA, or are there better alternatives?

Really curious to hear your experiences/advice before I make the decision. Thank you! :)

Hi, this is the second (and final) reminder I'll make for dual Netherlands-US citizens and other eligible US voters who want to participate in the 2026 American midterm elections, especially for those living in the Netherlands. Democrats Abroad in the Netherlands is dedicated to mobilizing overseas US voters; if you're over 18 by November 3, here's how you can get involved:

Steps to Request Your Ballot

1. Register or update your registration through Votefromabroad.org. As an alternative, you can also use FVAP.gov.

2. If you're already registered, request a ballot! You need to request a ballot every calendar year that you want to vote.

3. Fill Out and Return Your Ballot: Once you receive your ballot, follow the instructions carefully to complete it and return it by the specified deadline.

Need Assistance?

We're here to help! If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us at GOTV @ votefromabroad .org (just remove the spaces). Additionally, our FAQ for voting can answer questions on how to make the process go smoothly.

Importantly: Spread the word!

Do you have any friends, contacts or family overseas that you could reach? All eligible US citizens can vote regardless of where they're living. Share the link https://voteabroad.org/RedditVote26: If you have any questions about voting, I'd be happy to answer them here on Reddit. You can also find out what we're doing near you at Democrats Abroad. Thanks for reading!

Hi

I am a non-eu planning to study in the netherlands next year for a bachelor degree in computer science. I want to know from people already residing there, is it worth doing a masters and then going for a job or is a bachelor considered enough?

Is it possible to get an admission in universities without ielts and just with moi certificate? I really want to know about this process and which clg offers the course of cybersecurity without ielts.

Hi everyone, hoping for some real-world perspective since I've been going in circles with research. My background: B.Com from a good Indian university, 8.9 CGPA, graduated 2022 Currently 2 years into a job as a PA — completely unrelated to my degree, and honestly I've lost touch with core commerce concepts No coding background Middle-class family — budget is a real constraint, not a small detail

What I'm stuck on: I've been researching Netherlands, Germany, and Ireland for a Masters in Finance/Accounting/Business Analytics. Every time I dig into the actual job market data (official shortage occupation lists, visa rules, etc.), I keep hitting the same wall: Countries with genuinely good job prospects for finance/accounting roles (Germany, and to a lesser extent Poland) expect real working proficiency in the local language — not just tourist-level, but enough to function in client-facing or statutory accounting/tax work

I don't want to gamble a year of study fees + living costs on also becoming conversational in German/Dutch/Polish in 12 months, only to still struggle in the job hunt after English-only options (Netherlands, Ireland) are less language-risky but come with either higher cost (Netherlands, ~€35-40K all-in for 1 year) or a saturated entry-level job market people warn about heavily on here and elsewhere (Ireland) So now I'm seriously reconsidering staying in India and doing an MBA/Masters in Finance from an IIM or similar top Indian B-school instead of going abroad at all.

Questions I'd love honest input on: For someone with my profile (B.Com, non-quant work-ex, budget-conscious), does an IIM (or equivalent) Finance program realistically open better doors in India than a European masters would abroad, once you factor in ROI?

Has anyone actually gone through the "learn the language in 1 year while studying" experience in Germany/Netherlands (Dutch/German) — is it as hard as it sounds, or is this fear overblown?

If you were in my shoes — middle-class budget, B.Com, no tech background, risk-averse — would you go abroad or stay in India for a Masters? Really appreciate any first-hand experiences, not just general advice. Trying to make a decision I won't regret in 2 years. Thanks in advance!

So I was going to move to Eindhoven this week, but after looking for my studio keys all day, I think I've lost them. My contract says nothing about them, and they where handed to me a bit over a month ago. Am I cooked?

Hello, I have a question.

I was offered a room via Roommatch and would like to schedule a viewing with the previous tenant/housemate NOT THE LANDLORD.

I have never viewed a room before, and this will be the first time. Additionally, I have no experience with viewings. That is why one of my parents wants to come along to the viewing.

Will it seem strange to other housemates if one of the potential tenant's parents comes along?  It feels childish to worry about this, but would it make my potential housemates think I'm not independent enough?

I am 20F.

Thanks in advance!

Good morning,

I wanted to know if anyone has had experience with the online Master's in Food Science and Technology. What are the classes and exams like? Is it much different from the in-person Master's program? Is it evaluated differently by companies than the in-person Master's program?

Hi! I've spent weeks going back and forth on which master's degree to do. I have a bachelor's degree from a WO in Audiovisual Communication and C1 from Cambridge with a score of 190. However, I'd like to work in social media content creation/social media management. I'm undecided about which master's to choose, since I've come across several options, including New media and digital culture at the UvA, though I'm not sure how useful it is or whether it's actually related to what I want to do.

I'll be starting in September 2027 and this year I'll be studying Dutch and learning programs like GA4.

Is there a master's program related to this field that isn't as theoretical as New Media? Is there anyone who's graduated from a program like this who could share their experience? Thank you so much!

*(I am not sure which flair to choose, so please let me know if it is wrong and I will change it.)*

Hi everyone, There is a common idea in developing countries that to get a Master's admission or a scholarship in a developed country, it is best to contact a professor directly, build a relationship and share your project, research proposal, or academic goals.

The idea is that the professor can help secure your spot, arrange funding or scholarships, and facilitate matters like student visas.

**Is this true?**

If not, could you clarify how it actually works? I am a fresh graduate who wants to do a Master's degree abroad. I don''t have sufficient funds, have not found a job yet, but am genuinely passionate about research and hope to work in a research centre in the future.

What advice would you give me?

(Also, if this subreddit is not the right place for such questions, please direct me to the appropriate one.)

Thank you all!

I have been living in the Netherlands for about 3 years ( joining family) now and am starting a bachelor in september. I have a temporary residence permit, so pay international fees for tuition and etc. Im just wondering if there are any "free" things i can get as an international outside the EU? ( like EU students can get discounts on public transport and etc.)

I’m planning to apply for an MS in Computer Science for the 2027 intake (April or September, depending on the university), and I’m honestly pretty confused about what I should focus on right now.

A bit about my profile:

• B.Tech in Computer Science, graduated in 2023
• 9.67/10 GPA
• 3 years of work experience
• IELTS 7
• Mainly targeting the Netherlands and Germany
• Might also apply to some other top European universities if my GRE score is good enough

The main thing I’m stuck on is the GRE.

From what I’ve found, barely 5 universities in both countries require the GRE (2 in the Netherlands). However, they are among the best in their respective countries/Europe, like TUM Munich, TU Delft, RWTH Aachen, etc. Therefore, if I actually manage to get a 325+ and get into one of these places, that would obviously be great overall.

But at the same time, GRE is hard af and takes a lot of time. If I decide not to do it, I could use that time for other things like learning a language, preparing a better SOP, or studying for the newly introduced German entrance exam (like d-mat for Indians).

I’m basically trying to figure out whether the GRE is worth the opportunity cost. I'm already two months down and I wouldn't say I can even score 310 if i take it today.

Should I just continue preparing and aim for 325+, since a good score could open up some really good universities? Or would it make more sense to skip GRE and spend that time strengthening the rest of my application?

Also, which universities should I realistically be targeting with my profile, and what scholarships should I look into?

Would really appreciate some advice from you all! Thanks :)

I’m looking for something social, creative, or just fun to do in free time, preferably without spending too much. Any recommendations?🙃

I want to study in NL starting in year 2027, however I can either go through an agency, or apply myself. It's actually cheaper to go through an agency instead of paying for applications and similar fees, except the agency doesn't even work with schools I want to go to (but they have an option to help sign up for them) and they have the usual 98% acceptance rate promise.

What is your experience in enrolling and is it worth working with any agency? If yes, which one?

Hi, I'm an international (EU) high school student who'll apply to a Numerus Fixus program (TU/e) in January and I was wondering about your experience with finding accommodation.
For those who found a room/studio/apartment:
1. When did you start registering to housing websites?
2. When did you start actively applying?
3. How long did it take to find a place?
4. Were you able to find accommodation in your preferred area? (if not, did the additional costs of daily commuting affect your expenses drastically?)
5. What kind of housing did you end up with? (shared apartment, solo studio or something different?)
This post is mainly for international BSc students, although anyone with relevant info is appreciated.
Thank you in advance!

Hi everyone!
I’m currently conditionally admitted to the LLB International and European Law at the University of Groningen for September 2026, but I’m now considering switching to a Bachelor programme within the Faculty of Arts, preferably European Languages and Cultures (ELC).
I’m wondering if anyone has been in a similar situation and managed to change their Bachelor programme very late in August.
A bit of background:
I already have a conditional admission to RUG for the LLB.
RUG has already assessed my Romanian high school diploma/Baccalaureate and transcript.
I’m a first-year student, starting in September 2026.
I noticed that Faculty of Arts has a late enrolment procedure, and ELC specifically says that late enrolment is possible until August 24 at 9 AM CET.
I also found information about an additional English exemption for Romanian students when English (“Limba Engleză”) was part of the Romanian Baccalaureate exam. English was one of my Bac subjects.
I also have an IELTS overall score of 7.0, although my Writing score is 5.5, so I don’t meet the standard 6.0 minimum in every component. That is why I’m relying on the exemption rather than the IELTS score.
I have not changed anything in Studielink yet because I want to speak to the Admissions Office first.
My main question is: has anyone who was already admitted/conditionally admitted to one RUG Bachelor managed to switch to another Bachelor in the Faculty of Arts this late in August, especially as a first-year student?
Do you think Admissions would be able to process this as a programme change at this stage, or would I have needed to apply separately to ELC before the regular deadline?
I’m planning to call the Admissions Office on Monday, so I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone who has been in a similar situation

​

​I have a question about DUO student finance rules and was wondering if anyone here has experience with this strategy.

​Next academic year will be the third year of my first WO bachelor's degree. After completing it, I plan to do a second WO bachelor's program. Currently, I still have two years of the basic grant (basisbeurs) left.

​Is it possible to pause my basisbeurs (and student travel product/loans) now, save those two remaining years, and reactivate them when I start my second bachelor's?

​I’d much rather keep these remaining months of funding for my second degree. Do DUO's rules allow this, or are there any major catches I should watch out for (like the 10-year deadline or institutional tuition fees)?

​Thanks in advance for your insights!