Are you coming from a non-EU country and don't know what to expect for your studies in Maastricht? Afraid you'll freeze to death in the cold or get lost in the Dutch language? Or maybe finding affordable accommodation is proving especially challenging? Don't worry, because I'm going to give you the most important tips for not just surviving but thriving in the beautiful city of Maastricht.
I first moved to the Netherlands three years ago, with nothing but one suitcase and an insane mix of nerves and excitement. I took a bus from Schiphol Airport down to Maastricht, watching the flat fields and skinny trees roll by, as I marvelled at the euphoric realization that I was actually here – I was actually in the Netherlands.
Since then, I’ve had the most incredible years completing my Bachelor in Arts and Culture at Maastricht University, and the city has become my second home. With its beautiful architecture, rich culture, diverse demographics, ideal travel location and many cafés to explore, Maastricht is the perfect place for anyone who is looking for that cute student-town vibe with an international twist.
But coming from abroad wasn’t easy, and there were a lot of things I had to learn the hard way. So, if you’re moving to Maastricht, or anywhere in the Netherlands, especially if you’re coming from outside of Europe, here are my top tips for starting your student life in Maastricht:
Weather: The Dragon I Slayed
OK, so seriously, this was my biggest fear when I was moving here: would I survive the weather? Coming from a tropical climate in the city of Durban, wearing a sweater and a pair of jeans was about as cold as it got. In Maastricht, however, temperatures can go down to 0˚C and it rains 126 days of the year on average. The idea of living in a cold country was daunting to me. But it didn’t take long to adapt, and what I realized was that with the right gear and mindset, you will never be (too) cold. If you too are coming from a hot country, here are some important points to help you with the adjustment:
Waterproof shoes! Having wet feet is about the worst thing you can put yourself through, so buy yourself some leather boots (I got a pair of Dr Martens which still look new) or waterproof trainers/sneakers.
Socialize, socialize, socialize. Seasonal depression is REAL people. During my first semester, the moment the sun went down (which in winter can be around 4pm), or the temperature dropped below 16˚C, I simply did not want to leave my house. Events were going on, but I’d lie in bed with a blanket, feeling homesick and crying to my parents on the phone. At some point I realized my life would be miserable if I didn’t push myself to embrace the Dutch weather – or at least motivate myself to cycle through it to a friend’s house. Once I made the conscious effort to socialize regardless of the weather, I was able to be happy and enjoy my life here. Meeting people and making friends, for those of you who will be studying far from family, is vital for those winter months. *side-note: make use of INKOM week to meet people before the weather turns sour!
Buy a good coat. Don’t do what I did, that is, to buy a cheap thing from HnM in the effort to save money. No. Just no. Your warmth comes first, or honestly, you will be miserable. But if you buy the right coat (get some Europeans to help you), the weather will instantly feel less threatening. Keep in mind you’ll need a heavier coat for winter, and a lighter rain-coat for the rest of the year.
Skip the thermal underwear. Maastricht is cold, but it's not Canada. I bought thermals in anticipation of extreme cold, and I have literally worn them once in Maastricht. Same goes for thermal shirts etc. What you need here are multiple layers you can easily peel off as you move in and out of variously heated environments. Unless you plan on hiking in snowy mountains (somewhere else in Europe), thermal layers will only make you sweat as you cycle and sweat as you sit in your heated classroom.
Embrace the new fashion opportunities that multiple seasons, scarves, hats, jackets and boots can bring you!
Demographics and Language
If you’re worried about learning the throaty G’s and strange grammar that the Dutch language is known for – don’t worry. You can get away with pretty much zero Dutch in Maastricht, as most of the locals speak English, and of course the university teaches in English. But if you’re keen to learn a new language, the university offers free beginner Dutch courses for students, and the Limburg accent is, in my experience, much easier to understand than the northern ones.
Of course, with the language of instruction being English, the university is host to a wide plethora of nationalities and backgrounds. This is one of my favourite things about both the university and the city in general – the surprisingly large international community. The majority of international students come from within the EU, so French, German, Italian and Spanish can be heard just as much as Dutch in the university cafeteria’s and hallways. There are also many students from Africa, Latin America, and Asia. Some of my closest friends are from Brazil, El Salvador, Singapore, Rwanda, Cameroon, Zimbabwe, Peru, Mexico…I could go on.
I will say though that the diversity between the faculties tends to be a bit imbalanced for some reason. The School of Business and Economics (SBE), for example, has a reputation for being very German, as is the Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience (FPN). The Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASOS) and University College Maastricht (UCM) tend to be more of a lucky draw when it comes to nationalities. However, these are obviously generalizations, and people from all parts of the world can be found in any of the faculties.
Outside of the university, I found a multi-cultural church called Damascus Road International Church, where the leadership team is from the US, Ghana, Indonesia and the Netherlands. The church community has too many nationalities for me to list.
So, if you love meeting people from completely different backgrounds and enjoy international environments, Maastricht will not disappoint you. My advice: don’t stick to your comfort zones. Embrace the opportunity to become friends with people you would have never met otherwise.
Maastricht Culture: Carnival is Coming
An experience which I was not prepared for at all, and which is unique to the Limburg region of the Netherlands, is the explosion of colour and music that is Carnival. Every year, around February or March, the city unanimously decides to lose their minds together in what seems to be the biggest festival of the year. Parades of glitter, paint, wigs and wagons flood the streets, and for miles around the air is saturated with traditional Carnival music. Carnival originated as a Christian feast before the fasting period of Lent, although its religious connections have mostly faded away. But the spirit of Carnival remains – let loose and have fun.
The festival lasts a full week, during which the university shuts down and the city spaces are transformed to host bands and performances. Students and locals alike dress up as whatever they desire, and every night is drinking night. It’s basically a week-long party. Personally, I prefer to use this week to travel elsewhere in Europe, but if you’re sticking around, take full advantage of the new experience.
Another major celebration to be aware of, which I was oblivious to before coming and was subsequently horrified by, is the Sinterklaas and Zwarte Piet tradition. I remember during my first December in Maastricht, I came out into the street one morning to find black dolls hanging from the lampposts. As I cycled towards the centre, I saw locals dressed in large baggy costumes, their faces smeared in brown or black paint, their lips overdrawn with red paint, large hoops in their ears and frizzy afro wigs. I could not believe my eyes. It offended and hurt me to the core. Coming from South Africa, I grew up learning about the Dutch colonisation of Africa, their involvement in the slave trade, and everything in between which eventually led to the Apartheid government. The Zwarte Piet tradition made me so angry. It’s a very controversial topic in the Netherlands, and you can read my full feelings on it in my poem Faces. But for now, I’ll just say, if you’re coming from abroad – brace yourself for it.
Housing: The Growing Problem
As with many cities in Europe, there is a serious shortage of affordable housing in Maastricht that continues to worsen as the years roll by. I created a YouTube video to spread awareness to arriving students back in 2018, which you can watch to learn more about the crisis. Since then, the university has been developing more student accommodation, but unfortunately the general problem has only worsened.
Finding a room from outside of the EU is particularly difficult, as landlords prefer to meet potential renters in person. Many of the cheaper places prefer Dutch students, and some places will only take girls. Regardless of your situation, here are some suggestions that might help you:
Start looking early. May, June, and July are when a lot of rooms for September are taken. This is a must for anyone coming to Maastricht.
Join all of the housing Facebook pages, as this is where I was able to find accommodation twice without paying any extra fees. If you find a room that you like, send a private message to the person and try to arrange a Skype viewing.
If you’re a Masters student, a first year or an exchange student, the university Guest House has contracts that can be quite affordable. The down-side is that contracts here are a minimum of 11 months (except for exchange students), so if you're looking for something more private or homey, committing to 11 months at the Guest House might not be for you.
If no one is willing to sign a rental contract with you from abroad, sub-rent a room for your first semester and find a long-term place to rent once you are physically in the city (this is what I did).
If that doesn’t work, you might have to arrive early and stay in a hotel until you can secure a rental contract. But a friend of mine did this, and it took her two months to secure a room, so only do this as a last resort.
If you’re an EU student, 20 minutes away, just over the Belgian border, rooms are much cheaper and less competitive.
I hope that you'll find these tips useful and that your student years in Maastricht turn out to be as valuable and fun as mine were. Another great resource for information on student life in Maastricht is My Maastricht - they cover a lot of logistics. The Student Service Centre can also help you with setting up health insurance, applying for government grants (non-EU students too!), visa requirements and more.
But perhaps there's something you'd still like to know from an international student's perspective? Do you have questions that weren't answered in this blog post? Shoot me your questions in the comments below and I'll do my best to answer them.