Europe in the World - Journalism Course

The Netherlands is a fantastic country in which to experience adventure. Despite being relatively small, the Netherland has always been a hub of global activity. The country has a strong international reputation for, amongst others, its pioneering architecture and its expertise in land reclaim and water management. For centuries, the Netherlands has been geared towards international trade and the resulting open attitude towards people from other countries remains a trademark of Dutch culture.

The city of Utrecht lies in the centre of the Netherlands, just half-an-hour in the train from its capital Amsterdam. Other major European cities like Paris, London and Berlin can be reached within a few hours. It has a population of 288,535 and is the 4th largest city in the Netherlands. With a long and colorful history the town is situated in the heart of the Netherlands. Utrecht is one of the most important cities in the Netherlands; All rail, road and water transport systems come together in Utrecht.

Utrecht is the home of many highly educated people. Around 70,000 young people study at one of the city´s large universities and enjoy its rich cultural life. International students who take a stroll through Utrecht will immediately notice the many facilities for young people.

There are a vast range of cultural facilities I Utrecht; many museums, including the recently opened Miffy Museum, which attracts hordes of tourists. The modern art museum, the Centraal Museum, the railway museum and St Catherine’s Convent (for the history of Christianity in the Netherlands) and the museum of musical instruments are also very popular. There are plenty of cinemas and a ‘film house’ for the movie-goers as well as various theatres and clubs. Utrecht hosts a film festival in the summer, a festival of old music and a dance festival. There are loads of restaurants and bars, where you can enjoy a cup of coffee with apple cake (the most popular cake in the Netherlands), a light lunch, a drink or a dinner.

The fact that students make up a considerable part of Utrecht´s population has a very positive effect on the atmosphere in the city. You will feel welcomed and have no trouble making friends during youir stay. But there is also a slight backside to this equation, it also means that the demand for student housing usually exceeds the supply, and finding a place to stay in Utrecht can be difficult. No accommodation is owned by the university; however, Utrecht University of Applied Sciences will gladly assist international students as much as possible in finding suitable temporary accommodation. The number of reserved accommodation for international students is limited, and the sooner you apply, the better your chances of finding accommodation.

Utrecht University of Applied Sciences has reserved accommodation for the following groups of students:
•Exchange students (students who study in Utrecht as part of their degree programme at another university) can rent accommodation for a period of 5 or 10 months (when starting your studies in September)
•Master’s students (students who enroll in an international degree programme in Utrecht) can rent accommodation for a period of 5 months (when starting your studies in September)
•Degree students from non EER countries (students who need a visa for temporary residence to study in the Netherlands) can rent accommodation for a period of 12 months (when starting your studies in September) Degree students from EER countries will have to find a room by themselves. Find out what your posibilities are by contacting the university.

Student accommodation in Utrecht is usually found either at students’ houses or houses with a landlord and is located in Utrecht or in one of its suburbs. Most students in Utrecht live together with more students in a student’s house. Generally, you will have your own room with a bed, a desk and a cupboard at the least. Bathroom and kitchen is usually shared with other students. A limited number of independent accommodation is also available (with its own kitchen and bathroom facilities). Rental fees are between € 375 and € 655 per month and include utilities (water, heating, electricity). The accommodation brought to you by Utrecht University of Applied Sciences is fully furnished and supplied with cooking utensils and cleaning material. Bed linen can be purchased from the rental office upon arrival.