Undergrad in Belgium or Netherlands?

[HerderofDragons]

Does anyone have a DC who is currently studying their undergraduate degree in either Belgium or the Netherlands? DS is keen to study in mainland Europe and as it would need to be in English these two countries are looking like the best options.

It would just be great to hear any first hand stuff about the application and selection process and about how it is working out for your DC.

Any info at all appreciated. We are based in the UK but have EU citizenship.

I've been out with dd to buy a bike today (2nd hand one) as cycling around is definitely de rigeur in Leuven. Her student accommodation has a MASSIVE bike storage room. She tells me no-one wears helmets or locks their bikes 🤔(something i always insisted on in Brussels). She says she has found some English speaking PT jobs to apply for. English is definitely more popular than French in Flanders. She's joined some FB and WhatsApp groups with a lot of English speakers. She studied Dutch at school but is rusty after 3 years. She said the Dutch speakers in her corridor spoke English and will organise some nights out. "Freshers" week next week, and term starts on 22nd. I will let you know OP how she finds it. She's a Master's student but still new to the Uni.

Accommodation obviously not a huge problem there as I am still being spammed with Kot adverts (need to shut that down) though the nicest / cheapest ones are generally booked up by April. She found a lovely one still in June down to a cancellation, with en suite shower room and shared kitchen, bike store, laundry room and party room. It's probably at the higher end of the price range, but compared to the other favoured option - Edinburgh - I felt mostly relieved :)

Thanks for the updates @MissAmbrosia! Wishing your DD well as she embarks on her masters!

The concept of student halls in NL like in the uk never existed in my time, and as I understand still doesn't .
In the Flemish uni I was familiar with there was, but just for boys.

My DD's in a student block of 800 studios in Amsterdam. Not catered, but it is just for students, so kind of like a hall of residence and costs about 800 euros a month. It is very similar to this one: https://youtube.com/shorts/eVbXYH3H2pU?si=FT6KWEjmniZOtPxx

Oh 800 euros a month, that's quite cheap. What's the catch 😁, as I pay/paid a lot more for my three in the UK.
Are they just in Amsterdam, I guess not. Interesting as I asked my friends and they denied the possibility of staying in student flats, and their kids study in Tilburg, Rotterdam,, Nijmegen and Utrecht.

Any way, I have thought a bit more about whether I would have suggested my three to study in Belgium or NL.
I think for my confident outgoings ones NL, for the more quiet one Belgium. Just gut feeling. Like one of mine loves London and the other one would have hated it.

Leuven is massively international and an excellent university. It’s also a lovely place to live. I mentored a Romanian woman who went there for her Master’s and she said that a lot of the Belgians went home at weekends, but there were so many international students that it didn’t matter. Other friends’ kids have also done their undergraduate degrees at Maastricht - again good, but accommodation was a nightmare.

If your son has an Irish passport why doesn’t he consider an Irish university?

I am reading this thread out of pure interest as I know nothing about BE and NL universities, but know and love both countries.

Irish universities have a serious accommodation issue too, and all of DDs friends and my neighbours kids are all commuting which makes for a different experience. University supplied accommodation is lottery win territory here too and private run owns are also hard to get.

Mine rarely came back at the weekend when she was at UCLouvain. She used to catch up with her boyfriend, go to the nearly empty library and found it much easier to pick shifts for PT jobs as fewer students around to work the weekend. She could have stayed at home and commuted technically - it's about 40 mins on the bus, same with Leuven, but I think it's important to "leave home" if possible. Luckily we could afford it as no student loans in Belgium.

Louvain La Neuve is a concrete monstrosity mind. I am quite jealous of her now living in Leuven. I have friends who live there and there are some lovely shops and restaurants. And all the beautiful buildings of course. I know the Uni is ranked in the world top 50. More reason to go more often now :)

Been reading this thread as I have a DC interesting in study in the Netherlands in the near future and the issue re accommodation is a potential deal breaker for us as parents. Is it realistic to consider somewhere like Leiden or Amsterdam for a mature 18 yr old with no Dutch language but a very international outlook? Realistically would they need to find private accommodation i.e. looking for a room with others who may or may not be students? Or are there any "halls" i.e. more communal accommodation options available? They're a confident individual looking for an international experience (and willing to learn some Dutch on top of their other languages) however it would be the first time living away from 'home' and they do want a 'normal' student experience with other people their own age.

I have a son in his 3rd year in Netherlands and daughter in first year in Belgium (we live in Belgium). IMO do not consider Belgium and choose Netherlands. Education is very old fashioned here - there are no entry requirements- unless medicine, engineering- in Belgium and therefore first year is super tough and constant exams, pressure. Netherlands is a way more relaxed experienced (and more like UK system). Accommodation is potentially an issue but just be super organised and you will find something!

Oh and my son is in Maastricht if that helps (if you need info). It’s a great city. I found his accommodation (relatively easily as he was away travelling). Highly recommend.

I don't know about Leiden, but for University of Amsterdam 50% of international students get first year accommodation through the university. This is allocated by lottery in the June before study starts in August.

My DD didn't get picked, but found a room in a student block privately, using advice from the university. It was stressful though! The government now gives 18+ EU students about 250 Euros a month towards rent if you have a studio, so the price is quite reasonable.

DD is having a great time and has learnt some Dutch. She's bilingual in German so that helped and she has made Dutch friends through surviving the initiation for a competitive sport club and international friends on her course too. She hasn't really made an effort to make friends in her student block though.