Are you a minimalist? No? Well, I bet you that’s sounding pretty good right about now. Depending on the extent of truth behind the “great organization skills” that you probably have advertised on your CV, you may or may not have already finished packing everything you own into two suitcases to bring with you to the Netherlands.
Either way, the departure date is drawing ever nearer and your brain may have already gone into overdrive mode, conjuring up horror-story scenarios of you falling on your first day of classes. Or walking into the wrong lecture room. Or not really understanding a thing that anyone says. Take a deep breath and stay calm, cool and collected, because I promise you, you’ll be fine. After all, you chose the Netherlands to study in for a reason.
We’ll walk you through everything you can expect to be doing within the first weeks of arriving. So put aside the nerves for a second and focus on the fun and exciting aspects of your new adventure!
What an exciting feeling: Touching down in or crossing the border into the Netherlands for the first time, knowing that in just a short while you’ll be arriving at your accommodation. Whether shared flat, studio or on-campus student housing, seeing your new home will definitely be a moment to remember. Especially if this is your first time living on your own. Chances are your first night will be a jumble of emotions, with you deciding what to unpack and where to put it, while realization kicks in that you’ve really dropped your old life to move to a new country. The best thing you can do is to order takeout, take it easy, bond with your new flatmates or student housing neighbors and save the stress for the following days.
Do you need help finding a student room? We've uploaded an in-depth guide here.
If you’ll be living in the Netherlands for longer than four months, registering at the town hall in the municipality you will be living in is a must. Once you do that, you’ll receive your so-called BSN, or citizen service number (‘Burgerservicenummer’), which you’ll find yourself needing in all kinds of situations, from getting health insurance and opening a bank account to receiving a salary. Make sure to bring the following documents with you to your visit:
You can register via the town hall website of the municipality you’ll be living in. Alternatively, many universities offer registration days, or one-stop-shops, where you can complete tasks like registering yourself and getting student insurance all in one day.
You may wonder why you should have to get a Dutch bank account, especially if you have a card from another EU country. Well, what many people don’t realize before coming to the Netherlands is that credit cards are rarely used anywhere. In fact, oftentimes paying with one isn’t even possible. Instead, everyone has a debit card (‘pinpas’), and online payments are usually completed using IDEAL, a direct online transfer payment system. Believe me, you’ll thank yourself for getting one. And the good thing is that most of the time the process isn’t even too tedious, as long as you select the right bank.
Personally, we feel that Revolut is the best bank for international students, due to its easy and free-of-charge registration process. For a more in-depth overview, check out our website for an overview of how to open a bank account.
Otherwise, as is the case with registering at the municipality, opening a bank account is often also possible at many universities' designated registration days or one-stop shops. This way, you can appoint one sole day for getting all the boring but necessary tasks out of the way.
This one’s a bit more fun! You’ve probably heard about the Netherlands’ bike culture on multiple occasions. And there’s really no way to live the true “Dutch experience” without cycling through wind and rain to make it to your 9 am lecture on time. So don’t bother waiting too long and get yourself a bike within your first week of arriving in the Netherlands, because it’ll definitely come in handy from the get-go.
Of course, buying a new bike is always an option, but you should be aware of its risk of being stolen. That’s why many students opt for second-hand or subscription bikes. Thanks to Student Mobility’s Mobility Package, you can either opt to buy a pre-owned, refurbished bike or lease one for a fixed monthly fee.
We've outlined some other options and tips in this blog post on getting a bike during your studies in the Netherlands.
Once you’ve successfully worked your way down the to-do list of practicalities, all that’ll be waiting for you is to officially kickstart your student life. The best way to do that is by signing up for your university’s introduction week. Not only will this help you make your first friends, but its activities will give you a feel for your new city and environment.
Every university’s intro week looks a little differently, but, in general, they all offer a program involving both fun parties and useful information on student life. Whether at a pub quiz or a silent disco, there is really no better way to get to know the people you’ll be studying with for the next few years. In case you’re looking to join any student or study associations, each introduction week hosts a fair where these groups can introduce themselves. The great thing is that there are many, so there’s bound to be something out there for you!
Check your university’s website for specific information on when and how your introduction week will be taking place.
