My Exchange at Utrecht University
Save, save, save. Going through a university-linked housing program was useful for finding close and cheaper housing, but even so I was one of the students who didn’t get lucky with the cheaper housing and ended up forking out twice as much as many others. On that same note however, it is useful to note that The Netherlands has a rent rebate which, once you are a resident, you can apply for to get some money back (e.g. I saved around 800 euro this way). The single person unit I lodged in was still noisy due to parties, but it suited me better than the shared units (I personally like my own space) while still providing enough activities that making friends was still easy.
Food is roughly comparable, if slightly cheaper, once you adjust for different currency rates. However, depending on where you shop there are a wide variety of healthy options, including a lot more vegan/vegetarian/kosher/halal meals than in New Zealand, which was nice.
Take part in the activities provided. Utrecht University has both the ESN group and the BuddyGoDutch group, both of which provide group activities and trips around both the Netherlands and Europe, such as a boat trip to Copenhagen. These are a cheap and fun way to explore the surrounding areas, and take a lot of the pressure of travel off your shoulders. Save money for these trips and apply for the groups. Clubs are also present, but I found those much harder to attend due to a lack of Dutch and timing issues.
It will be much harder to make friends with Dutch students, though not impossible. Most of the Dutch students you will come into contact with will be through the aformentioned groups, and those who are looking to do exchanges in future themselves. Depending on your courses, group projects might also be a big way you will talk to them. Kiwis are actually a bit of a curiosity at Utrecht, so they might ask a ton of questions about New Zealand – be prepared for that. The difficulty comes with how Dutch students often prefer to talk to those who have a decent grasp on the Dutch language, and so are less interested in monolingual students.
On that same note, learning Dutch is not necessary to travel here as maybe 90% of people speak English as a second/third language, but learning basic Dutch is good as both a courtesy and to make things like shopping/eating out easier. Chances are you’ll pick up some basic words throughout the journey, and the university itself provides some Dutch courses (though the are roughly 200 euro per person). Download google translate if you can, as it has a camera option which allows you to take photos of printed words, automatically translating them so you don’t have to transcribe so much.
Go out to the festive nights, provided you can handle your alcohol. They are a tremendous amount of fun, and there are plenty of clubs (e.g. EKKO) which provide a really nice atmosphere. Kingsday is a really fun event which technically starts the night before (adults get their party energy out then, as kingsday itself is about the kids), and you can choose which province you want to visit to see all the events with. Speaking of alcohol, I hope you like beer, as this is their favourite drink ever and will likely be what’s on offer if you don’t want to bring your own.
LEARN TO RIDE A BIKE. I cannot stress this one enough. Biking is a must, as while public transport is better than in New Zealand, it is so much easier, cheaper and reliable to bike to where you need to go. There are also no hills, so there is very little effort around biking. However, you need to know the road rules and learn to keep up with the other cyclists. They also do not wear helmets while biking; wearing one marks you as a tourist.
Either rent a bike through Swapfiets (I recommend the slightly more expensive bike as a short person, as this one is the only model they offer that shorter people can ride) or purchase your own. Renting is good as if your bike gets stolen, which is a high possibility if you buy rather than rent (rented bikes have identification which makes people steal them less), they will instantly provide you with a new one, though you will have to pay ~200 euro. Renting also means they provide free services if the bike needs repairs. Buying however means you can get money back at the end of the trip.
Depending on what accommodation you get, also pay attention to where key collection is. I made this mistake, and ended up having to walk an hour in heavy winter rain after getting no sleep on a plane ride to collect my keys from campus. Do not be like me.
Courses are both easier and harder in different ways. On the one hand, lectures are all around two hours long, as are tutorials, and there are a lot more readings depending on the courses you take. However, exams are usually reasonably easy if you have studied enough.
My main advice is; get all your forms in on time. Do not put that stress on yourself. Go to the municipality to register yourself right away and save yourself the anxiety of missing the student window (normal registration takes months to book). Get yourself a personalised OV-Chipkaart (saves money on buses/trains) or purchase a monthly plan for transport. At the end of the day, having all these things from the beginning is tough, but it’s well worth it.
Q&A
What were some of the highlights of the academic experience at your host university?
Utrecht University has a very good system of classes being two hours long each, which typically means you only need to go into the university once or twice a day for only a few hours. As an exchange student, this allows you more time to explore different areas of the city as well as leave Utrecht on certain days if you plan your timetable well enough.
I also enjoyed how the academics are based around projects more than exams – exams still played a semi-large role in assessments, but within the humanities and psychology there was a significant portion that was gotten through essay work.
They also have many support systems for their students, such as IT, health and safety, and educational.
Would you recommend any particular activity/activities unique to your host country or university?
The buddy-go-dutch program and ESN program are both excellent international/exchange student focused programs which connect you with other internationals as well as Dutch people who are looking to do an exchange one day. I participated in the Zwolle/Giethoorn daytrip where we spent the day exploring both cities on a tour. It’s a great experience for both getting out and about as well as meeting some other people.
Other tours via ESN are also greatly recommended as they change from year to year, as well as via semester.
I would HIGHLY recommend visiting Castle de Haar, a semi-local castle which was rebuilt in the 1800s. It’s around an hour via both public transport and bike, but well worth the trip. There is plenty of wildlife, history, and areas to explore – plus they have a deer park. You can also bring your friends for a picnic.
The Museumkaart will get you into the castle for free, as well as almost all museums in the Netherlands.
Also visit the Mondrian Museum in Amsersfoort, there are a thousand other museums you can peruse both before and after as well.
Delft has a gorgeous vintage cafe called Thuis where they sell amazing coffee and sandwiches, which are affordable and amazing on a day trip out.
What are your top 3 tips for future students attending your host university or going on exchange to your host country?
1. Research the best modes of transportation before you go. In the case of Utrecht and the Netherlands, definitely learn how to ride a bike if you don’t know how, since this is a major method of getting around and it is unlikely you will have access to a car.
2. Look for scholarships which will give you a cash boost before you go. Some of these scholarships only require an application, others require a good GPA, but shop around regardless.
3. RESEARCH CHEAP FLIGHTS. These are much more common in Europe and there are sometimes student discounts (e.g. through signing up to ESN). Choose courses if you can based on how much time you’ll have to get out, around and explore. Sometimes this isn’t changeable but still have a look.
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?
To go to Utrecht University you need proof that you have at least €11,700 (roughly 20,000 NZD) in your bank accounts that is not spent on tuition. I came in with roughly this amount, and lived in student housing that was roughly twice the cost of many of my friends (~€850 a month compared to ~€450). The amount I came in with was perfect for living and studying, with some travel involved. There are certainly deals and cheaper options that you can take advantage of to make the money go further if you want to travel outside the Netherlands, but I found this was a good amount for sticking within the country, barring a few weekends/week of travel.
The university offers advice during orientation evenings on cheap options for students to keep to their budgets, such as cheaper supermarkets. Getting a Museum Card (museumkaart) is a must if you want to see museums, as for 60 euro this covers not only individual trips but university based trips to museums. There is a website you can use which checks if the card is valid before you go to a museum too.
Jumbo is an excellent grocery shop for cheap but good produce. Avoid Albert Hein unless you can afford the higher prices. There are also grocers which only sell fruits and vegetables, which can be really nice for deals. Avoid shopping on campus grocery stores unless it can be helped.
Bol is a good online shop for cheap items – but pay on time.
Personalised bus cards save a lot of trouble, and you can get cheaper fares depending on the time of day you go. If it suits, there are travel options to pay for each month, which cover all train trips on weekends/weekdays.
The biggest lesson learnt is that you need to open a Dutch bank account, as many places do not accept Visa. ING was the easiest option by far for me, as ABN ARMO lost my bank card in the mail and I couldn’t get another.
What are your most significant takeaways from your experience abroad?
It definitely taught me a ton about what I can withstand as a person. I have grown in confidence tenfold as well as gained some very valuable life experience. I also learnt to party properly, in the Dutch way (i.e. drink lots, dance hard). Culturally, I got the chance to experience so much of art and history that you can’t do through a computer. I loved getting to just hop on a near random train and let it take me to different corners of the world. It definitely taught me a love for adventure, and to be happy travelling both by myself and with friends. On that, it taught me how easy it can be to make friends when in such a position, and that despite the fact that some will be fleeting, these relationships were a fantastic time.
Do you want to share anything about travels you did outside your host city/country?
I personally went to Belgium (Brussels and Antwerp) as well as Versailles in France. Both countries and areas are absolutely gorgeous, but I would advise caution in Belgium as a solo woman traveller as there are some large amounts of predatory men in both Brussels and Antwerp. These are gorgeous and culturally rich areas to explore though, with wonderful cathedrals and museums (I personally loved the music museum and chocolate museum).
Versailles is an area which I would heavily recommend, especially as when you are a resident of the Netherlands/Europe you get cheap entry into the palace and grounds. Do try to get in early though, as you definitely need all the hours you can get to properly appreciate the area, and to get food if you didn’t pack any. The gardens are utterly massive and take actual hours to thoroughly get through, let alone the palace which is also gigantic. Visit outside of holiday time if possible to avoid the crowds to get the best pictures.
Is there anything else you’d like to highlight?
Just have fun with it all, it’s a wild experience but an amazing one! There is also no one way to have your own exchange; different people will do different things, and each is enriching by themselves.
Tags: 2023, Arts/Humanities, Psychology, Report