r/StudyInTheNetherlands

What percentage of future students do you think sign up for it? Like, is it seen as something almost essential or more like something you'd sooner dismiss as spam and something you can't be bothered with when you get the invitation in your email?

I'm not good at this modern social media interaction stuff. At the same time, it's logical and that's what the app is for anyway, but it also feels a bit awkward, forced and unnatural to just start randomly adding people, like I'd be bothering them out of nowhere.

Anyway, what are your experiences with the whole thing? Did you actually end up meeting new friends for real, as in, you continued to hang out with them for good after university started? If so, how did you go about it? Or did it fail to really develop from chats that were kind of just out of formality?

Thanks.

Hi everyone,

I’m a non-eu 23M currently finishing my double major in Psychology and Business Administration (GPA: 3.51) .

I have a primary career goal: working as a Quantitative UX Researcher or Human Computer Interaction Specialist in the Big Tech industry (e.g., Google, Spotify, Meta) or high-tech applied research.

However, as someone deeply interested in the intersection of human cognition and technology, I am also very open to hearing any other career path suggestions that might fit my profile.

To give some background:

• I have a strong quantitative focus. My current graduation thesis investigates the "AI Trust Penalty" using fNIRS and PsychoPy.

• I recently completed a Research Internship at the University of Amsterdam (UvA) which resulted in co-authoring a Q1 paper.

• I’ve also been working as a Product Owner at a fintech company

• Fun fact / Side hustle: I am currently an established nationwide DJ and music producer in my home country (exp. apprx.10 years)

I recently received my admission results: I have been accepted to both Utrecht University and Radboud University. However, I was rejected by UvA over a weird bureaucratic technicality (currently appealing).

I have a few big questions about my next steps and would really appreciate your insights!

1. Utrecht vs. Radboud vs. UvA: Which program actually fits my goal?

• Utrecht (Accepted) - Applied Cognitive Psychology: Seems heavily geared towards Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and ergonomics. I heard they have thesis connections with NLR(which would also work for me)

• Radboud (Accepted) - Cognitive Neuroscience: Amazing labs, but maybe too clinical/academic for a purely tech-focused career?

• UvA (Appealing) - Brain and Cognition in Society: Very prestigious globally, and I already did my internship in their labs.

My main question here: Does UvA actually hold a significantly higher reputation in the Dutch tech industry compared to Utrecht for UXR/Human Factors roles? Or is Utrecht’s "applied" label more valuable for Big Tech companies?

2. Internships and Starting Salaries: What is the reality?

I want to step out of the traditional psychology route and move fully into tech. Given my background (fNIRS, behavioral data, Python/SPSS basics, PO experience):

• How feasible is it to land relevant internships, "working student" roles, or company-sponsored thesis projects during these Master's programs?

• What are the realistic starting salaries and career progressions for a junior Quantitative UX Researcher or other positons realted to mine in the Dutch tech market right now?

3. Student Life & The Music Scene (DJing side-hustle)

To be completely honest, I didn't get to fully experience a vibrant, stereotypical "university youth life" (except my djing career) during my undergrad back home.

Even though this Master's is only a one-year program, I really want to make up for that, socialize, and have a great time outside of studying. How is the international student life and social vibe in Utrecht vs. Nijmegen (Radboud) vs. Amsterdam?

Also, since the NL is the global capital of electronic music, I’d love to continue my DJing career as a side gig. How feasible is it for an international student to tap into the local music scene and get gigs while balancing a tech-focused Master's? Any networking tips?

4. Appealing a Rejection: Has anyone won against the Dutch EC algorithm?

Here is the frustrating part about UvA: They rejected me not because of my academic quality, but purely because their algorithm requires a single, monolithic "Bachelor’s Thesis" block of ≥9 EC.

My university breaks this workload down into modules. I submitted an appeal proving that my independent thesis (4 EC) + my active research internship at UvA (6 EC) + my research methods course (5 EC) forms a 15 EC empirical portfolio where I programmed experiments and wrote APA reports.

Does anyone have experience with the UvA appeal process? Are admission boards in NL flexible when you prove "workload equivalency," or are they rigidly stuck to course titles?

5. What would you do in my shoes?

Assuming the UvA appeal fails and I go with Utrecht (or Radboud), how would you strategize the next year to guarantee a solid entry into Big Tech? Any specific hard skills (like SQL/advanced Python) I should prioritize right now?

————

I know this is quite a long read, (since I’ve been struggling with the stress of these questions for a long time) so thank you so much in advance for your time and attention. I’d genuinely appreciate any brutal honesty, guidance, or career suggestions you can share!

Summary: Psychology/ Business Double-Major student with strong quantitative/neuro-tech background aiming for Big Tech UXR. Accepted to Utrecht (Applied) and Radboud (CNS), rejected by UvA due to a thesis credit technicality (appealing). Want to make up for a lack of undergrad student life and continue my DJ side-hustle. Seeking advice on UvA vs. Utrecht industry prestige, tech salaries, the social/music scene, and appeal chances in NL.

Hiya! I've just been accepted onto an Erasmus exchange programme and I'll be heading off in autumn 2026. Absolutely chuffed about it, though I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a bit nervous too. So I thought I'd reach out and see if anyone else is in the same situation!

Would be lovely to get a little group together before we all head off. Feel free to drop a comment or shoot me a dm. Looking forward to hearing from you!

Hi! I will be trying to book a room at Xior Rotterdam this May (as part of the reserved rooms at EUR). The only thing I want is to be in the outercircle to have light. I lived for 6 months in a place in the innercircle and I would love to have some sun now :)) it was not fun.

If anyone has ever reserved a room (for EUR students), could you let me know if it says in the title of the room if it's inner or outer? Because I know you can't really spend a lot of time analyzing the rooms if you want to catch one, so if it only says in the description after clicking on Info, I think I might lose the room. I am thinking that maybe I could filter from the beginning from most expensive? I have a feeling they might be the more expensive ones.

Thanks!

Hi everyone,

I’m a 33-year-old international media professional with about 10 years of experience in "boots on the ground" production (shooting, ideating, hands-on creative). I’m looking to move to the Netherlands in 2026 and want to use a Master's as a "bridge" to pivot into the Dutch media market.

I’m not looking for high-level management yet; I want a practical, project-based "re-skill" into Content Strategy or Media Innovation.

I've narrowed it down to two HBO (Applied Science) programs: BUas (Breda) – Master Media Innovation NHL Stenden (Leeuwarden) – Master in Content and Media Strategy

Questions for alumni or industry folks: Practicality: I’m avoiding theoretical Research Universities (like Erasmus). Which of these is more "hands-on" with real projects? Age Factor: I’ll be 34 during the course. Is the cohort mostly 22-year-olds, or are there other mid-career professionals? Jobs: How is the reputation of these schools for landing "Content Specialist" or "Media Strategist" roles in NL after graduating?

Thanks for any advice!

hey! i was just wondering what IB conditional offers people who got accepted into numerus fixus programs at leiden or erasmus received in past years?

I got into TUE Bsc in Data Science, but am kinda concerned about the BSA requirements, especially the math, lol. I had a couple of questions regarding it:

1. Is it only determined by exam scores? Or do group projects have any ects credits that can be earned as well?

2. To any current/past students: could you let me know which classes you felt were the hardest to keep up with in your first year?

3. Do you have any tips on how to cope and manage the workload?

If somebody could please answer these questions to the best of their ability, I would be so so grateful!!

I have my omptd in a few days to enter the econometrics programme in erasmus, I have to get a 75% only one attempt allowed. I got a 62% in my mock, I am scared of failing as my mom invested a lot of money on a tutor to help me and I basically lost 2 months of my life included the last week of highschool studying. But I feel I will fail and dissapoint everyone around me and be a failure.

Do you think global law degree from tilburg can get me a job in holland or in eu general? Do people consider tilburg as a good uni in netherlands?

Hey everyone,

I am confused between University of Twente (TU Twente) and Eindhoven University of Technology (TU Eindhoven) for an MS in Computer Science.

From what I’ve seen so far:

• TU Eindhoven seems to have a stronger reputation overall, especially for tech and industry connections
• TU Twente feels more campus-focused and maybe a bit more student-friendly?

My priorities are:

• Good job opportunities after graduation (preferably in NL or EU)
• Strong CS curriculum (AI / software / systems)
• Internship opportunities during the degree
• Overall student experience

I’m an international student, so things like city vibe, cost of living, and part-time work also matter.

If anyone has studied at either university (or knows someone who has), I’d really appreciate honest insights especially about:

• Job prospects after each
• Industry connections / internships
• Difficulty level / workload
• Social life and living experience

Would love to hear your thoughts!

Hey everyone,

I’ve received a few admits and I’m trying to decide based on the current job market (2026), especially as an international student.

My admits:

• USA: Arizona State University (ASU), University of Virginia (UVA)
• Ireland: Trinity College Dublin (TCD), University College Dublin (UCD), Dublin City University (DCU)
• Netherlands: University of Twente, waiting on Eindhoven University of Technology

My profile:

• GPA: 8.85/10 (tier 2 college, India)
• 3 published papers
• 1 industrial internship
• Graduated last year

I’m trying to evaluate these options from a complete perspective not just rankings, but what actually matters after going there.

Would really appreciate insights on:

1. Job market (2026 reality)

• How is the US job market right now for international MS CS grads (especially from ASU/UVA)?
• Between Ireland and Netherlands, which has a stronger market for software/AI roles currently?
• How realistic is it to get a job as a non-EU student in Ireland vs Netherlands?

2. Internships & exposure

• How easy is it to get internships during the degree in each country?
• Do universities like UVA/ASU vs TCD/UCD vs Twente/Eindhoven actually help with placements or is it mostly self-driven?

3. Cost & ROI

• Total cost (tuition + living) vs expected salary after graduation
• Is the US still worth the cost given visa uncertainty?
• Between Ireland and Netherlands, which gives better ROI in terms of salary vs expenses?

4. Study experience

• How intense/practical are these programs?
• Are they more research-focused vs industry-focused?
• Does Eindhoven really have a strong edge over Twente in terms of industry connection?

5. Long-term stay

• Which country currently offers a more realistic path to stay/work long term after graduation?

Overall, I’m trying to understand which option is the safest bet in 2026 in terms of actually landing a job and building a career.

Hi everyone!

I have a question about submitting IELTS scores during the application process in UvA.

My overall IELTS score meets the requirement, but one of my subscores is 0.5 below the minimum. I’m planning to retake the test soon if needed.

Would it be okay to submit my application now with the current IELTS results and then send an updated score later? Or could this potentially lead to disqualification from the admission process?

Thanks!

[ Removed by Reddit on account of violating the content policy. ]

Hi, I got an offer from UvA to study econometrics and an offer from UU to study EBE, which one is better to study to get into IB in Europe?

Are there better bachelors to study?

I’m Dutch btw.

Thanks

Hi, I got an offer from UvA to study econometrics and data science. I’m wondering what kind of math will I see if I decide to pursue this degree.

I have no problem with doing mathematics to achieve a certain result, but when it comes to proofs I tend to struggle.

I’m ready to do multiple integrals, lineal algebra, proofs by induction, statistics which I really like, proofs by contradiction, stochastic proceses which I really like.

I saw how to prove that an ols estimator is unbiased and some parts seemed doable and some hard. Maybe I could do it on my own if I was studying full time this degree.

But I would struggle if the level of mathematics is too abstract and too proof based, for example proving Bolzano-Weiestrass theorem or Cauchy integral formula.

Thanks

I worried about a scam.....

I am a US student planning to apply to US, UK, and possibly Dutch universities next year for undergrad.

How do Dutch universities overall compare to US and UK ones in terms of quality and how far the degree can get you? Specifically, if I hope to do a masters in econ at a US or UK university after my bachelors, would a Dutch bachelors degree be seen as lower?

I am currently looking at applying to Erasmus and Amsterdam University College (AUC). For context, I am looking for a program that has both a strong quantitative component but also a significant social science component, as I am interested in applications of econ to policy.

It seems like Erasmus is more reputable for econ and stronger quantitatively (specifically I am interested in the double bachelor in econ and econometrics), but I like AUC's style more since it is closer to the US system (you can take more interdisciplinary courses) and I would prefer a smaller university. Would a degree from AUC be significantly worse than Erasmus if I hope to then study for a masters?

Also, how hard is it to get into AUC? I have very strong grades and AP scores, but mediocre extracurriculars.

Thanks!