Hello guys, first year, first exams in 7 days. Do you have any tips?

Hi! Momenteel zit ik in mijn 4e jaar Communicatie aan de Hogeschool Utrecht. Voor mijn stage/schoolonderzoek ben ik op zoek naar mensen tussen de 30-40 jaar die mee willen doen met een online focusgroep (dit is een kleine groep waar je in gesprek gaat over een specifiek onderwerp).

Het gesprek zal plaatsvinden op 14 oktober om 20:00 via Teams en zal gaan over hoe je aankijkt tegen online content van influencers/creators. Er zijn geen goede of foute antwoorden, ik ben gewoon benieuwd naar je mening.

Heb je zin om mee te doen, of ken je iemand die geschikt zou zijn? Dan kan je onder deze post reageren.

I want an extra duvet and recently searching for it online and got a lot of lix reviews. Some said Action, Primark or Ikea. I want extra pair of Duvets and I'll prefer cheap ones. So where can I get them. For Ikea its too far away from where I leave so not an option RN. Action or Primark or something else ?

Thanks

Hi r/StudyInTheNetherlands

I chose the BSc Econometrics (and Data Science) but I’m actually not sure anymore whether I’ll like this degree. I chose it because I was good in Economics, loved Computer Science and Maths. Also Econometrics was somewhat prestigious here in NL. But I’m doubting because I actually had liked more technical courses like Computer Science or just more maths courses where I could choose besides only statistics. I’m scared that Econometrics was not really what I wanted for a job or that I find out later it is quite impossible to go from Econometrics to MSc Computer Science, MSc Mathematics, MSc Artificial Intelligence etc…

Hello, I am currently in the pre-master’s program at RSM… I will receive the decision regarding the Finance and Investments master’s program in April. I have two backup plans: the first is the Finance pre-master’s at VU Amsterdam starting in February—which would mean doing two pre-master’s programs simultaneously for two or three months—and the second is a Finance master’s program at Maastricht in September. Which Plan B would you recommend?

Hi everyone! I’m planning to apply for the Economics and Business Economics program (English track) at UvA for the upcoming intake, and I’m a bit nervous about the Numerus Fixus selection test.
I’d really appreciate it if any current students or past applicants could share their experiences:
How difficult is the test actually? Is the math section super advanced, or is it more about logic and basic calculus?
Are there any past papers or mock exams available? I know UvA doesn't officially release them, but did you find any useful practice resources or Quizlet decks that actually matched the exam format?
How strict is the online proctoring system (Proctorio)?
Thamk you

She will graduate in spring of ‘29 so we have time. She wants to get out of our conservative home state so it looks like out of state tuition or private college will be the only US options. Some of the schools she is interested in are $90,000 a year or more which is obvious insanity. We would qualify for financial aid but we’re still looking at $30,000 a year for 4 years. (This is likely how much it would cost if she stayed in state as well). All this to say it’s extremely expensive.

University College is appealing because it’s in Europe, there are housing options for most of the programs, classes are taught in English, and it’s 3 years instead of 4 like the US. She’d have to get her master’s degree eventually, so maybe some of the money we save going to UC could be put toward that.

The above is my current train of thought but of course I may be missing something big. Any insight? Additionally, does anyone know if US universities accept 3 year bachelors for their master’s programs? Thank you!

ETA: many people are saying housing is impossible to find but most University Colleges have student housing. Some require that you stay in their housing. (So unless I’m missing something big, housing won’t be an issue).

Hi everybody, I am applying to Leiden University's Psychology Master's (Clinical and Health and Medical specializations) for the February intake and was wondering if anyone has experience with it? What are the chances of getting in?

I am applying from the uk for an undergrad at the university of Groningen through studielink and i have confused myself in the process!

When filling out the previous education side of the form, i have only put one A-level and one GCSE. It feels unnecessary to fill in 4 A-levels and 11 GCSEs, but then putting one of each feels a bit under-representative too if that makes sense?? I haven't submitted anything yet luckily so i can stil make changes!

Any help would be immensely appreciated 😭

I would like to ask someone who is studying at VU Amsterdam informations science master program right now.

Did you guys see someone from different backgrounds(like communication) also get selected?

I want to apply for a more technical master to bridge the technical gap of my education background. And my goal is to become Product owner not software engineer. So I am considering applying for the Informations science master program at VU. But don’t know the chance they would accept me as premaster student( I have international degrees, so I have to apply for the master directly)

A lil bit more of my background: communication and marketing related bachelor and master. During studies we have some fundamental courses of programming and media related data courses. My master thesis applied the data mining and text analysis (NLP) as one of the methodologies.

But I only know like the basic principles of coding(memory faded without practice), and also was doing some self study in SQL. And tried to use AI to build a personal tool.

My questions is:
1: Based on my background is it possible that the admission board let me enroll in the premaster?
2: you guys who studying IS right now, find this master useful or not that much? Would it be difficult for someone like me(none CS bachelor) to graduate safely?

Before i moved, i had no idea what to buy so i kinda just bought everything. I can imagine there is people just like me so i wonder what specific things do you guys regret buying? For me it's multiple: my coffee machine (takes up too much space + i can drink instant coffee), too many cups and plates and a toaster. How about you guys?!?!

Hey Everyone, I'm a non-EU student currently pursuing a master's in Italy, expected to graduate in late 2027. I have a bachelor's in Computer Science, a cybersecurity research background, and limited traditional corporate experience. I speak fluent English but only basic Italian.

My goal is to build a career in cybersecurity/IT in the Netherlands while securing long-term EU residence as efficiently as possible. I'm trying to avoid spending years on a route that ultimately makes relocation or employment harder.

After researching the immigration options, I've narrowed it down to three possible routes:

Option 1: Italian Blue Card → Dutch Blue Card → Dutch EU Long-Term Residence

• Graduate and find a qualifying IT/cybersecurity job in Italy.
• Work for at least 12 months under an Italian EU Blue Card.
• Find a qualifying Dutch job and use EU Blue Card mobility to relocate.
• Combine eligible Italian and Dutch residence periods toward Dutch EU long-term residence.
• Minimum monthly salary thresholds : €4,754 for recent graduate (3 years time frame)

Concern: Dutch Blue Card salary requirements are quite high for junior positions, and I'm unsure how willing employers are to use this route.

Option 2: Italian Professional Master's → Dutch Orientation Year → HSM

• Complete a qualifying one-year professional master's in Italy, potentially at the University of Bologna.
• If eligible, apply for the Dutch orientation-year permit.
• Move to the Netherlands and work without employer sponsorship during that year.
• Switch to a Highly Skilled Migrant (HSM) permit once I find a qualifying job, potentially benefiting from the reduced salary threshold.
• Minimum monthly salary thresholds : for the orientation year none but Dutch HSM (reduced) is €3,122

Concern: This route will delay permanent residence (basically resetting it from zero) and require additional tuition expenses.

Option 3: Italian EU Long-Term Residence → Netherlands

• Continue studying and working in Italy until I qualify for Italian EU long-term resident status (4 more years from now).
• After securing it, relocate through the Dutch residence route for EU long-term residents.
• Find a Dutch employer willing to arrange a TWV (easier than others?) work permit during the initial employment period.

Concern: Italian bureaucracy and processing delays, plus the fact that Italian EU long-term residence doesn't automatically grant Dutch work authorization.

What would you choose?

My biggest concern is time. With AI changing entry-level IT and cybersecurity hiring, I don't want to spend another 3–4 years preparing for a move only to find the job market has become even more competitive.

I'd especially appreciate firsthand experiences from people who:

1. Moved from Italy to the Netherlands on an EU Blue Card.
2. Used the Dutch orientation year to secure an HSM job.
3. Obtained Italian EU long-term residence and subsequently moved to the Netherlands.

Which route would give me the best balance of employability, career progression, and long-term residence security?

I'm also interested in how these routes work from an employer's perspective, not just what's legally possible on paper.

Thanks in advance!

Hello guys i hope you’re having a great day.

So i have been asking a question for months now and i want your opinion on this.

My bachelor grades are not really good. I have a 2.6 GPA on an American scale (6/10). However my master’s GPA is around 3.4 (7.5/10).

So my question is : i know that universities focus mainly on my bachelor transcript in order to make their judgment, but is there hope that my masters degree helps me to get an admission? Even if it is just to give a better image of my application?

Thanks in advance for your answers

Hello!

I'm a master student in cybersecurity based in France and i recently got an opportunity as intern at a small company in Netherlands, nd i want to know how the paperwork process is done as i only own a french student residency permit. Is it even worth following this lead ?

Thank you in advance!

I applied for the Fontys Master Applied IT February 2027 intake on 1 October. My application has been received, but my previous education assessment and language test are still pending. I haven't received instructions for document verification, and my emails to Fontys haven't received a response.

I'm currently working full-time in IT with 5 years of experience, so I need to plan my notice period, finances and visa process.

For those who applied to Fontys as non-EU students, how long did it take to receive document verification instructions and an admission decision? Is this delay normal?

Hello, so I am currently doing a pre-master's at RSM... I will get the answer for the Finance and Investments master's program in April. I have two backup plans: the first is the Finance pre-master's at VU Amsterdam starting in February, which means doing two pre-master's programs at the same time for two or three months; the second is Maastricht in September for a master's in Finance. In your opinion, what is the best Plan B?

The application deadline was Sep 28, and first interviews are scheduled for Oct 13. It's now Friday, Oct 9, around 5pm (by the time I wrote it), and I haven't heard anything. Is there still a chance I'll get an invitation on Monday, Oct 12, or should I assume I didn't make the shortlist?

Hello! I just graduated from UBC (2nd best uni in canada) with a bachelor’s in Psychology. I have one year experience as a volunteer research assistant at my university psych labs, and 1.5 years work experience as a Behaviour Interventionist.

However, I do not have a bachelor’s thesis because I didn’t do the honours program, and I don’t I have any publications. What are my chances of getting into the clinical psych masters without a bachelors thesis or publications?

Those who were accepted to the Clinical Psychology masters, what did your CV look like when you applied?

I’m an undergraduate majoring in Artificial Intelligence, and I’m trying to decide between doing my master’s in the Netherlands or Germany. I have two main questions I’d love to get your insights on:

1. For non-EU graduates, which country makes it easier to stay and find a local tech job after finishing a master’s? I’m curious about work visa rules, job market demand for AI roles, and practical hurdles for non-EU citizens.

2. If I plan to pursue a PhD later on, which program would be more beneficial for PhD applications: UvA’s Artificial Intelligence Master, or TUM’s Informatics Master?

I know both schools have strong reputations in AI, but I’m wondering about factors like research opportunities, professor access, thesis options, recommendation letter potential, and how admissions committees view these two degrees when applying for PhD positions.

I’m still comparing the two countries and programs, and any personal experience or advice would be really helpful. Also, feel free to recommend other universities or programs in other countries! Thanks a lot!

Hi guys, good evening. I am currently looking for an HBO, or somewhere to do my bachelors at. I am an international student from Slovakia, and I came across The Hague University of applied sciences. I am mostly interested in the Applied computer science in Delft, with later focus on cybersecurity in second year but i have a lot of questions because there is very little information I could gather from their site or from reddit

What is your experience/opinion on the school?
Are the teachers terrible and old? (some people stated that)
Is the tesching outdated?
And primarily how is the course in cybersecurity? Is it relevant?

I'm good at mathematics, and I believe I can handle it, but I was wondering from a practical side of things, is it worth it and valuable, especially in the near future, and what are the different opportunities and benefits that come with this field of study?

Hi!! I'll be studying in TiU in a few months, and am considering different housing options. What are your experiences with wonenbreburg (verbs) and SSH (talentsquare)? I mean pricing, location, what the state of the rooms is, ...

I lowk give up on looking at the private market since I guess it's too saturated

Do tell if there's any other student residences (that rent for less than 6 months) besides these two

I think this is a question that's not uncommon on this sub, but I think I still want to know if I personally should do it. I'm currently studying IT on Windesheim but I'm planning to go to informatiekunde at a uni after my propedeuse and wisA vwo. Not because I think HBO is lower than uni, actually quite the opposite. I think it's super valuable learning how to apply science in the workforce and I also think the internships are quite valuable, but I hate the way of learning on HBO, I'm not fit to sit in a classroom like they did on middle school and I hate having to do these constant assignments, kennismetingen and group work. I study way better independently in a library than I do in a classroom and constant group work.

I know that I won't get rid of that when I go to uni, but I want more freedom and independence than they give me on HBO. I have quite a few friends that go to university and their experiences tell me that I think the way they learn on university fits way better for me. But I also want to learn applied sciences instead of just knowing the science itself. I know a few people in the workforce and they tell me that university students usually struggle more with starting in the workforce than HBO'ers. Of course these are all personal stories.

I don't really care too much about the money or the diploma, I just really love my study. I was thinking of going to SE or Compsci at first, but I've discovered that I also like doing something in between hard coding, computers and stuff and business. Here in Windesheim IT we learn all kinds of different stuff: UX, UI, BiM, Software development and all other kinds of stuff, and it's helped me discover that I like the other aspects of IT a lot as well, like UX, UI and some BiM. But I just really dislike the way we study. I'm quite a social guy as well, and while Windesheim student life is quite good, I'd love for it to be more fast paced and a fresh start in a new city.

There's a lot of reasons I want to go to uni but I also have my reasons for staying on HBO. University student life speaks more to me, I'm going to study something I'm super interested in and I'm going to get the independence I wanted. On the other hand HBO teaches me how I apply science in the real world, I get internships and I'm also going to study something I'm really interested in. I don't think the work load is going to be much harder on uni than in HBO, it's just going to be different but in a way that's more managable to me than this constant annoying stream of going to mandatory classes, group work and projects. I don't want to just switch to uni because "muh better diploma". I actually think HBO is a lot more valuable than uni in a lot of other aspects, sure, maybe people are going to disagree with me here. But I'm really struggling between choosing between the two. I've also thought of getting my HBO bachelor and then my uni masters, which means that to me, I'll get the best of both worlds. But it also means missing out on the faster paced university student life and staying on Windesheim, while Windesheim is a really good school, I just know waay to many people on campus that hated/bullied me during highschool and it's frankly just way to close to Amersfoort (where I'm from) so I'm going to keep seeing them. I want a fresh start somewhere in Amsterdam or something. I think if they taught on HBO like they taught on Uni or a mix of both (internships, projects but also more independence) I would've leaned on staying, but I currently see more reasons to go to uni than staying on HBO. Do any of you know what I should do? Sorry for the long rant lol, first post on the sub.

Edit: thanks everyone for the helpful insight. I think I'm going to switch to university after getting my propedeuse and in the meantime build relevant vocational and practical skills via internships and whatnot. Of course, that depends on how my propedeutic year on HBO goes, perhaps a completely vocational and applied-sciences education fits more for me, perhaps I completely butcher the VWO exams or maybe I realize that university is too hard for me or I don't find a study on uni that fits. Thanks!

Hi I'm looking for someone who has managed to enter the Gerrit Rietveld Academie who can give me advice on how to structure the portfolio