Rotterdam from Dila Naz
About accommodation, does the university have any dorms for students or do students have to find accommodation on their own? If the university has the accommodation opportunity for students, is it easy to get into the dorms? If the student has to find on his/her own, is there any easy way to search it such as site, application or anything else.
University sends an email about the housing options and they are also available on the exchange website. Other than that, there are some facebook groups but you should be careful about scams.I did my reservation through SSH which was one of the platforms suggested by the university. SSH is the only housing agency which provides on campus accommodation. You should follow the notifications because there is limited space and all rooms are booked in a short time. SSH might not be the cheapest option but it is the most convenient one, in my opinion.
After get off the plane, what is the easy and cheap way to get to the centre?
University offers free pick up service from Amsterdam Schipol but you should check the dates and buy your ticket accordingly. An email will be sent about the dates of the pick up service. If you have to come on your own, from the airport you can take the train to Rotterdam Centraal or to Rotterdam Blaak and then there is tram to the campus. You can use an app called 9292 to see all the public transport options in the Netherlands.
For students, in order to have no problem while they are going to university, which places would you recommend them to find room?
Kralingen is the closest and most popular student neighborhood. Also, Oostplein and Blaak are 15 min away from the campus.
As a student who live in the city that the university is located, how is the life around the city?
Rotterdam might not be as popular as Amsterdam but in terms of social life and activities, it offers many things to do. It is a diverse city with people from many nationalities and that’s why it feels very welcoming. With its central location, it is easy to travel to other cities and countries.
How much a student need for a month to live? (With accommodation or without)
On average 1000- 1200 euros should be enough for accommodation and living expenses.
How much the accommodation were when you were staying? Could you estimate a range that may vary depending on where you live in the city?
Depending on the neighborhood and qualiy, on average it is between 400-600 euros
Is there any bank automat in the campus? What does a student do if they wanna have bank account? Does it necessary? Do locals in the university area mostly use credit card or cash? Is it necessary to bring some cash with us?
You can easily open an account from Ing. There are some places which do not accept Visa or credit card, that’s why it is convenient to have a Dutch debit card.
During the Visa application, do you have any recommendations or something that is not easily found online that you may share with other students to help them out in this long process? Which parts do students need to focus on?
You need to send the requested documents to the university by email and then the university will submit your visa application. After you get your approval, all you need to do is to go to the consulate and get your passport sticker. In the application, university will ask you to show that you have sufficient financial funds for your living expenses, such as 800 euros per month. As a proof, they may ask you to send the total money to their account and tell you that they will transfer it to your future Dutch account. You can get the money back approximately in one week after you open your Dutch account.
