Mobility specification

Country:Netherlands

Institution:Utrecht University

City:Utrecht

Program:Erasmus+ for study

Activity type:Study

Academic year:2025/2026

MU faculty/department:Faculty of Social Studies / Department of Psychology

Study level abroad:Bachelor

🎓Hit the books! How do you rate the university experience?

Can you enroll in a course where you can learn the local language?no

Does the university offer enough courses in English?it's alright

Are your credits converted?no

Was there anything in the teaching methods that surprised you?Definitely yes, there is a big difference between Czech and Dutch education. Each has something different. But I've grown to like the Dutch one. Compared to the Czech system, one semester takes almost 6 months. Between blocks and semesters the student has about a week off. The semester itself is divided into two blocks, and in each block the student takes two courses. Although the difficulty of the courses is much greater here, I felt less overwhelmed by the curriculum and this system definitely offers a deeper immersion in the material. I had two long lectures each week, but also up to three-hour practical seminars where we covered different applications of the material to real-life situations. Personally, I really enjoyed it. Another thing that surprised me was the exams themselves. Students don't choose the dates - there is one that everyone shows up for, and without giving a valid reason, you're out of luck. You then have one more chance to turn up in a month's time. Also, time is not a big issue with exams, I had two hours or more to fill in almost every exam.
What I was not pleasantly surprised by was the actual cooperation with Dutch students, whose work ethic is very different from ours (or at least mine). Maybe I just wasn't lucky with the seminar groups, but the truth is that there is a rule among the students here that 6 points is enough (5.5 is needed to pass the course, 10 is the maximum).

Does the university offer international students' programs and activities outside of lectures and seminars to help them integrate more quickly?Yes, before the start of the semester (already on 27 August) the so-called "Welcome Week" starts, during which we get to know the other international students, but also Utrecht and the university. We got a lot of great advice and tips and got to know the people we spent the rest of the semester with. I would therefore recommend attending Welcome Week.
There was also a "Mental" Health Week during the semester, which I unfortunately found out about late, but the activities it offered were great. For example, lectures on how to mentally cope with living in another country, or a meditation disco and many more.

The ESC is also very active in Utrecht, although I didn't end up participating in any of their activities.

I participated a lot in the activities of the "Olympos Buddies" which is a group within the local sports centre in the Science Park, where we took part in sports workshops such as salsa lessons or ice skating. Within Olympos it is also possible to join different sports associations or sign up for sports courses. I find it a great way to get to know other active students.

Finally, there is a great functioning Czech community in Utrecht, where we used to meet and organise various events, such as baking Christmas cookies, velvet beer, or screening Peliski around Christmas. For me personally, although it is important to socialise with people from abroad, this group gave me a sense of home and eased my homesickness.

In which areas does the university offer support for students with special needs and strive to be inclusive?Psychological counseling
Special examination conditions (e.g., extended time, quiet rooms)
Other

Special needs - Other:For example, consultation in case we are being harassed everywhere, both at school and at the sports centre.

💸Did you have to rob the bank?

Try to take a guess at what your monthly expenditures were:30000 CZK/month

Did you stay in dorms?no

Do you have any tips on how to find private accommodation?This is important in the case of Utrecht. There is a major housing crisis in Utrecht and in the Netherlands as a whole. The university does not have traditional halls of residence, but it does offer 'short stay' accommodation, where students stay at relatively affordable prices. However, only the lucky ones manage to get this, and unfortunately I was not one of them.
Under the "Short stay" students stay for approximately 650-850 euros. I had been looking for accommodation for over three months and it was not at all certain that I would be able to find something. At the beginning of the semester, the situation is sometimes so bad that tented housing is set up for students at the local train station.
I say this not to discourage you, but to make you familiar with the reality. Getting accommodation is not unrealistic, but it needs to be addressed well in advance. I know plenty of people who have managed to get a short stay, but I also know plenty of people who had to go home at the beginning of the semester because they couldn't find accommodation.
I would recommend trying Plaza, where I stayed. The Plaza, The Fizz and Canvas are all student hostels where you can get accommodation by simply 'clicking'. Whoever's fastest gets it. Prices are around 1000 euros per month and these hostels offer studios, i.e. living without sharing with other people.
I don't recommend Facebook groups because along with a bad situation comes a lot of scams. I don't know anyone who has managed to find accommodation through Facebook. If the offers are genuine, they are usually only for Dutch people, not for international students. In addition, you often need to be physically present in the city and go on personal tours.
If you don't know what to do anymore, I recommend coming and connecting with other people who are also looking for accommodation, or looking at real estate agents' offers. It's always better when you look in person.
Another option is to live outside Utrecht in smaller towns such as Zeist, De Bilt, Hilversum, Amersfoort and others. Prices are a bit more affordable here and it is also easier to find a place to live. The downside, however, is transport.
It is important to be aware of this situation, but studying here is well worth it. I wouldn't take anything back myself.

What about unexpected expenses? Did anything surprise you?I would say that transport is more expensive here, I used to go everywhere by bike, which can be rented for about 20 euros per month or bought for about 250 euros. What surprised me are the prices of cheese, which sometimes range between 8-10 euro. And overall food is definitely more expensive than here, but you know that. But on the other hand, one can get various allowances from the state if one wants to work here through "DUO finance" for example. One can also get an accommodation allowance in very specific conditions.

Do you have any tips on how to save money?Yes, you can definitely save money. There are cheaper shops, including Dirk, Aldi and Lidl. Albert Heijn is great, but expensive. But you can find good deals there too if you have a membership card.
You can save money on transport within NS if you get an "OV chipcard", during non-busy hours you can get up to 40% off trains which are otherwise horrendously expensive. And then there's the aforementioned government grants, but these are quite hard to get, so it's more for students who want to stay longer than half a year.

🗺 Learn the ropes in a new city

How well did you manage to communicate in English?almost without problems

How does public transport work in the city?mostly fine

And what about transport outside the city?mostly fine

Where to find connections? How to buy a ticket?I search for connections on the NS platform, where you can also buy a ticket and then there is a great app "9292 reis planner" for finding connections.

Did you deal with any health issues during your stay?no

🤠Help create the perfect bucket list

What is a must-see in the city?Definitely the Dom Tower and then the local canals. Also the nature here is beautiful.

What are the must-visit trip destinations?I haven't travelled that much, but I have been to Eindhoven, The Hague and quite often Amsterdam. People recommend Delphi, The Hague, Rotterdam and Groningen.

Share your best experience:I would say that the best experiences overall were the bike rides both in Utrecht and in the countryside around. We also went to The Hague to vote and it was great. But the best experiences were still here in Utrecht with my friends.

💅A nugget of wisdom to make the life easier

Did you need to handle a visa?no

How did you get to the place?Bus

Is there anything to watch out for before the trip?I wouldn't say so. Flights are cheapest to Eindhoven from Vienna, otherwise I travelled with Regiojet to Amsterdam and then by train to Utrecht. There's also a direct Flixbus from Prague.

Can you pay by card?everywhere

What not to forget when packing?A raincoat, an umbrella, anything rainproof. And because of the weather, vitamin D, C and pretty much anything else you can think of. I got really sick when I arrived.

🥳Summary

Whew, what a ride! 😮‍💨 Thanks so much for taking the time to complete our survey and for sharing your unique experience. Just one last thing. 🙏 How would you summarize your trip in one or two sentences?It was an incredible experience on both an academic and personal level. I highly recommend Utrecht.