My Exchange at The University of Amsterdam
Q&A
What were some of the highlights of the academic experience at your host university?
Experiencing new fields of law. I studied European Law which I would not have had the opportunity to study to the same extent in New Zealand. I also thoroughly enjoyed the more detailed and comprehensive international law programmes UvA had to offer. The courses were different yet shared surprising similarities with law courses at UoA.
Would you recommend any particular activity/activities unique to your host country or university?
Biking! Being in the Netherlands, you should absolutely get on the biking phenomenon. Makes travel so much easier and is lots of fun!
Although I didn’t do it, I would also recommend doing a Dutch course. The Dutch speak fantastic English so it is not necessary however, I found myself wishing I knew more Dutch to better immerse myself in the exchange experience as a whole.
What are your top 3 tips for future students attending your host university or going on exchange to your host country?
1. Try to stay in student accommodation! Do not try flat… the Netherlands, in particular Amsterdam has a massive housing crisis and it is near impossible to find accommodation yourself.
2. Get involved in as many ESN activities as you can. ESN is a great Netherlands (and Europe-wide) study association that put on amazing activities for students. It’s an easy and fun way to meet people and see the city you live in.
3. Rent a bike through Swapfiets. Very easy and not too expensive.
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 enough to cover my rent and weekly necessities (food, washing, toiletries etc) then an additional $11,000 NZD for travel/socialising outside.
The $11,000 was not enough for me (I had to pick up some work), however, this is very dependent on how much travel you do, how often you eat out, go out at night etc.
But rule of thumb – overestimate your budget! You are almost bound to spend more than you anticipate.
What are your most significant takeaways from your experience abroad?
When you are thrown into a new experience with new people also on similar journeys, you make friends that much quicker. Being in an unfamiliar enviroment surrounded by other exchange students meant I created friendships much faster than I would at home and became close with people from completely different walks of life whom I would unlikely have encountered at University in Auckland.
Also – do as much as you can! You wont regret spending the extra $20-30 on an activity unique to the exchange, but you will regret not doing something which is niche to the host country you are in/places you travel.
Do you want to share anything about travels you did outside your host city/country?
If you are in Europe and you go over winter and you are a skier/snowboarder, try get to the alps if your budget allows it!
Also, check Trainline and flixbus/blablabla bus for cheap tickets to places nearby. Training and bussing around Europe is super easy and if you book far ahead in advance you often can grab some super cheap deals.