So in love with Amsterdam! Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The academic system in the Netherlands is different from what most are accustomed to in the U.S.. While it may not seem like a lot of work over the course of the semester, there were large papers at the end of the semester (longer than any I'd had to write even at my highly-respected and very rigorous college at home!) That would depend on the classes you end up with, however. As long as you budget your time well it's quite manageable. With the exception of one class, I found it decently rigorous, but there were plenty of resources, and professors were happy to help as well.

On-site administration of your program

Loved the staff--so kind and helpful! The only thing that was not great were the activities and meetings we were forced to attend, which were often filled with silly, cliché activities that I did not feel I gained anything from. Those only happened a few times over the semester though, so not a big deal at all.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The apartments were really spacious and nice, compared to dorms at my school! The neighborhood is lovely and close to the city center--great location. The roof terrace is especially beautiful. Some people were upset that we were housed in a neighborhood with families and a building with masters students where we were not allowed to make much noise or host big parties, but honestly I thought that was stupid and ungrateful of them. There are plenty of places to party around the city, and to live in this great location, it was definitely worth it!

N/A: you cook your own food or go out to eat. Most people on the program didn't like that but personally I loved it

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

It's very difficult to be fully integrated with Dutch culture if you don't speak the language, but just about everyone speaks English so it's easy to get around. It's hard to make friends with Dutch students because most of them already have friends and aren't so interested in befriending someone who is only there for a brief time, but if you're determined you can. It also depends what classes you are in--all my classes were with exchange students rather than Dutch locals. Definitely rent a bike--that will help a lot to make you feel like a local ;)

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I didn't have direct contact with healthcare. Others in the program did and definitely got the care they needed. We were also introduced to a therapist during orientation who we could meet if we had any troubles during the semester. Didn't need any vaccines, and no prevalent health issues in the Netherlands.

Very safe! I felt quite comfortable walking or biking around Amsterdam by myself, even at night as a woman. Just be on guard as you would anywhere. Pick-pocketing and bike theft are the biggest sources of crime.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

Amsterdam is kind of an expensive place, but groceries (my biggest expense) are actually quite cheap, so that was great! I was able to do some traveling, eat out occasionally, go out for coffee, and buy gifts and souvenirs. If you plan to ride public transport, drink a lot or go out often, that adds up really quickly. I didn't do those things much, so it was very manageable for me, but most people in the program returned very broke

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

The class was optional, and everyone there speaks English so you don't really have to use it ever.

Select all that apply

• Apartment

Select all that apply

• Local Students
• Americans
• International Students

Select all that apply

• Local Students
• Americans
• International Students

• The city of Amsterdam--it is so adorable and being there made me happy every single day.
• The biking culture! Easy access to affordable rental bikes allowed me to take full advantage of it.
• The free time I had (because I was not working and was in class less than I would have been at home). LOVED the cafés and the culture of leisure. I usually spent a few hours a day in a café sipping coffee, writing letters, doing some work. It was perfect.

• Some of the orientation and activities we had to do in mandatory meetings over the semester felt silly and cliché

The Nearly Native or Trail Blazer