Mobility specification

Country:Netherlands

Institution:Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences

City:Amsterdam

Program:Erasmus+ for study

Activity type:Study

Academic year:2024/2025

MU faculty/department:Faculty of Education / Department of Social Education

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?they have tons

Are your credits converted?yes

Can you give an example?In the Netherlands, for example, we had one course for 15 credits but the content corresponded to three different courses here in the Czech Republic (they were for 5, 3, 2 credits), even though all three courses were recognised, I lost 5 credits.

Was there anything in the teaching methods that surprised you?Teaching in the Netherlands is much more focused on practice than theory. So we didn't encounter many theoretical lectures in class, instead we tried out the phenomena on ourselves or talked about real life examples. Frontal teaching is also rather marginal, with a preference for group/circle work.

Does the university offer international students' programs and activities outside of lectures and seminars to help them integrate more quickly?Not the university itself, but it will refer you to the ESN introduction day and other events before you leave. On site, the university sponsors several sports clubs.

In which areas does the university offer support for students with special needs and strive to be inclusive?Psychological counseling
Barrier-free access to classrooms and dormitories
Interpretation services
Special aids and technologies (e.g., text-to-speech software, hearing aids)
Special examination conditions (e.g., extended time, quiet rooms)
Crisis intervention
Support for LGBTQ+ students (e.g., safe spaces, counseling services)

💸Did you have to rob the bank?

Try to take a guess at what your monthly expenditures were:20000 CZK/month

Did you stay in dorms?yes

What about unexpected expenses? Did anything surprise you?When I got back, I started getting letters telling me to pay my garbage tax. I'm still dealing with it, as they want me to pay for the months I've been back in the Czech Republic.

Do you have any tips on how to save money?The cheapest in the Netherlands is definitely Lidl, you can also shop at the markets - if you look for vegetables, fruit and cheese, it's even cheaper there. It's also worth converting all supermarket apps to Dutch settings so you can redeem their discount coupons. There's also a TOO GOOD TO GO app in the country, the international equivalent of Not Eaten, so that's worthwhile too.

🗺 Learn the ropes in a new city

How well did you manage to communicate in English?perfectly

How does public transport work in the city?mostly fine

And what about transport outside the city?runs like clockwork

Where to find connections? How to buy a ticket?Honestly, I could count the use of public transport on one hand, in Amsterdam it's best to rent a bike for a long time and fit in with the locals:D In nice weather, in the rain - ride a bike all the time - it's something to do really!! As for trains, there are plenty of them running all the time, they're just quite expensive. But there's also a Flixbus that runs between cities in the country, which is often five times cheaper.

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?I'll skip all the basic touristic places and mention the parks, every park in Amsterdam is beautiful, the one I recommend the most is Bloesempark, which is huge, you'll find a sustainable goat farm, a natural swimming pool, a summer cinema and there's an airport a short walk from the park, so it's great for watching planes too.

What are the must-visit trip destinations?Zaandvort - small town by the sea, beautiful bathing beaches
Utrecht - small student and historical town
Texel - an island in the north of the Netherlands, overgrown dunes, WWII bunkers, great beaches, you can watch seals from there
Zaanse Schans - mega tourist spot but worth it

Share your best experience:There are so many, I don't know which one to choose. But I guess sailing and night "wilderness" with the local scouts wins it.

💅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

Can you pay by card?everywhere

What not to forget when packing?Definitely medication and maybe even antibiotics, in the Netherlands you won't be prescribed medication, even angina is treated with paracetamol.

🥳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?I made a second home.