My Exchange at The University of Amsterdam
I remember hearing about 360 International from a friend while we were discussing our plans for next year. I found the idea of studying abroad terrifying yet simultaneously exciting. Notably, I am someone who has not had the privilege of travelling a lot in my life, as evidenced by only visiting countries close to New Zealand. As I finished applying for 360 International, I was proud of this step I was taking in independence and taking myself out of my comfort zone.
Arriving in Amsterdam in August my first step outside was met with a sea of bikes. The busy crowds, hot weather, ringing bike bells, and the Dutch language proved I was no longer in Auckland. It took a while for me to adjust to this new environment, especially the bikes! Going into this exchange and selecting Amsterdam, I was aware that the Dutch way of life was very different from New Zealanders, yet I still managed to experience many culture shocks throughout my time here. For example, the Dutch truly are direct and NOT spontaneous with plans. These differences, while challenging at first, taught me resilience and adaptability. I’ve definitely come away from this exchange with thicker skin.
My first impressions of the University of Amsterdam were even better than my expectations. I loved my time at Roeterseiland campus, it had an open and inviting feeling and all students were extremely accommodating, especially since there is a large international cohort on campus. I highly recommend joining ESN, which is a student network for international students. Majority of my close friends I have made from my exchange have come from ESN events and parties. The ESN events and parties are also organised and well-thought out, providing the students with fun cheap activities. One example is the ESN sunset boat party. I am so grateful to say that these friends I have made I see myself having for a lifetime. We have travelled around Europe together, stayed at each others places, had dinners and drinks out together, and formed a connection I am so lucky to have.
Regarding the courses and teaching style at the University of Amsterdam, I found it to be quite similar to the University of Auckland. Since the Dutch are well known for their incredible English, it was easy to ask for guidance on assignments or help in general. My lecturers were all very knowledgeable and I was very glad with my course selections. I learnt content I would never have had the chance to have if I was in Auckland. For example, in one of my psychology courses we focused heavily on PTSD and the DSM-5 criteria for diagnosis – which I found greatly interesting. One difference between Amsterdam and Auckland university is the style of assessment. For Amsterdam, there is a greater emphasis on in-person closed book examinations (typically 2 exams worth 50% each per course) whereas Auckland tends to divide coursework with internal assignments and one final exam.
Financially speaking, Amsterdam is more expensive than Auckland. This is especially true for public transport. I found I was sometimes spending over $60 NZD a week on public transport. However, the luxury of living in Amsterdam is you are in close proximity to so many other amazing European countries, and can visit them for a cheap price. Back home, I never dreamed of being able to visit Paris 3 times, spontaneously book a flight to Rome, or casually take a Flixbus to Belgium for a day trip.
Strangely, my main challenges didn’t appear until December. Homesickness was a condition I had not yet experienced, I found I was too busy exploring my new exciting environment for the realisation of being far away from home to settle in. However, when December came around this realisation became more prominent. Going online I would see my friends and family enjoying the beautiful sunny weather, preparing for Christmas, and swimming in New Zealand’s beautiful beaches. Whereas I was stuck in cold weather, the sun being out for approximately 1-2 hours, and no beaches. Luckily, I had my international friends in a similar situation to me – so it did make the homesickness a little less painful.
Overall, for any student considering an exchange programme, I say to go for it – you will not regret it. I have grown so much as a person and I am so proud of all I have accomplished with my time in Amsterdam. Being on exchange has also made me have a newfound appreciation for my home country. It’s amazing how living overseas can give you a new perspective on life.
Q&A
What were some of the highlights of the academic experience at your host university?
One highlight of my academic experience at the University of Amsterdam (UvA) were the well-structured lectures and massive lecture halls. Another highlight was the ability to study at a university that is well acclaimed for psychology. It was such a privilege to learn from UvA lecturers and guest lecturers.
Would you recommend any particular activity/activities unique to your host country or university?
The main recommendation I have is joining ESN Amsterdam. ESN Amsterdam is a student network for international students and is specifically made to help you integrate into Amsterdam. They host many weekly events and parties – making it very easy to meet new people from all over the world.
What are your top 3 tips for future students attending your host university or going on exchange to your host country?
- Prepare to know how to ride a bike
- Join ESN Amsterdam for Orientation week
- Try and learn common Dutch words
How much did you budget for your exchange? Was this enough? Were there any lessons learned that would help future students budget for their own exchange?
I budgeted around $10,000 NZD. I found that this was enough if I was to just stay in Amsterdam for my entire exchange. However, I took trips to other countries which meant that I ended up needing to spend more. A useful lesson I have learnt is that main European cities are always expensive, so it is important to anticipate that food will never be cheap, transport will cost a bit, and booking hostels is always the best method to save money on accomodation.
What are your most significant takeaways from your experience abroad?
My most significant takeaways from my experience abroad are:
- I learnt how to be fully independent and reliant on myself
- Living abroad increases self growth
- I learnt that although our cultures are all so different it is very easy to connect and make friends with other international students
- I learnt that living in New Zealand is a privilege and it is a luxury to have beautiful beaches so close to me
Do you want to share anything about travels you did outside your host city/country?
One city I kept going back to was Paris. I loved everything about Paris that I ended up going there 3 separate times. Luckily, Amsterdam and Paris is just a 3 hour Eurostar train away from each other. I also made many French friends living in Paris, who were very kind to let me stay with them.
Is there any advice you could share about accommodation options at your host university and/or in the local area?
Housing is one of the main challenges when applying for an exchange in Amsterdam. This is because there is currently a housing crisis in Amsterdam.
For the University of Amsterdam, you first have to enter into a lottery system in which you have a chance to receive student housing. The housing process can all be found online at the University of Amsterdam’s website.
I was lucky enough to be offered off-campus housing in a residence area called Zuiderzeeweg. Zuiderzeeweg is around a 20 minutes tram ride to my university campus.
Do you have any advice on what mobile phone apps and/or phone plans that were useful in your host country?
- For understanding the public transport routes the best app to use is CityMapper. CityMapper works for most of Europe and UK, such as Amsterdam, Paris, Rome, London, Edinburgh.
- I also recommend the Eurostar app if you plan to travel outside of Amsterdam, as Centraal Station has many Eurostar trains departing from there.
- OVPay is the main app you need for public transport in Amsterdam.
I used Holafly eSIM for my entire time in Amsterdam. I found Holafly extremely useful as I purchased the Europe eSIM, meaning I could have unlimited data for anywhere I travelled within the European Region.