And The Story Begins With…
Hello, my name is Eliana! I am from Galați, Romania, and right now, I’m pursuing my Bachelor’s in Communication and Media at Erasmus University Rotterdam, being a first-year student here.
Activities During High School
I volunteered a lot throughout high school. I was a coordinator for an NGO for two of their events. I also trained volunteers to enhance their critical thinking abilities when I was a coordinator for the Semi-Marathon, which was a local event. I continued my activity there for four years, but I also volunteered at the local library and at other festivals, such as “Neversea”.
I was Chief of Staff for GalMUN and also volunteered for Franc MUN.
I believe that volunteering played a major part in my CV, as I didn’t have an internship or a project besides it. I don’t think it really matters that much what you do during high school; [the admission officers] just want to see if you have any extracurriculars that showcase your ability to communicate, initiate, and collaborate with others.
My Decision to Study Abroad
I decided I wanted to study abroad before high school, during the 7th grade. Initially, I wanted to study in the UK, but after Brexit, that was no longer an option. Still, I wanted to find a suitable country for me, with compelling universities and people speaking English, and after some consideration, I chose the Netherlands—mostly because of its affordability. The tuition fee for Europeans is around €2,500/year, which, compared to other countries, is reasonable.
I wanted to work in this field since the 11th grade; therefore, when I was searching for my ideal Bachelor, I also took into consideration possible job opportunities. However, studying Communication and Media at Erasmus means that you cannot choose your courses at all, as they are all mandatory. This, however, only applies to the first year, as in the second one, you can choose from different focus areas.
In my first term, I didn’t enjoy all of my courses, but that’s okay. However, I discovered I like research too, so maybe I won’t work in the advertising field—maybe I’ll be a social science researcher. Now, being in my second term, I love every course. I’m also looking forward to the third and fourth terms this year, as well as the second-year courses, because they seem really interesting.
I studied Mathematics and Computer Science during high school, so the transition to Media and Communication was a bit challenging. In my first term, I had three courses, and one of them was Academic Skills, where we were taught to write an academic article. I wasn’t used to doing that due to my academic path before then, but now I’m better and actually enjoying it! Now, in my second term, I’m doing Statistics, so having studied Mathematics before definitely helped.
I chose Erasmus Rotterdam because, when I was checking the course overview for multiple universities, this one suited me best. I liked the courses, and I also liked the idea of studying in Rotterdam—a big city.
I found the studies a bit demanding, but not in a bad way. The challenges motivate me, so from time to time, one is good. It’s not hard to finish your work within a time limit, but if you tend to procrastinate, it can be tough.
In the first term, I had three courses: Introduction to Social Science Research, Academic Skills, and Introduction to Education. For Academic Skills, we wrote essays, learned how to write academic articles, and practised proper referencing. For Social Science Research, we studied different research methods. I also had to do a podcast and some presentations. Now, in my second term, I’m studying Statistics and Sociology, the latter involving writing essays and discussions, along with a written exam.
This course can get you a job after finishing your Bachelor, and it prepares you for multiple fields. For example, you can go into sociology-related jobs or social science research jobs, journalism and advertising too, so it definitely opens many doors.
Admission Process and the Motivation Letter
The application process wasn’t complicated—not necessarily because I already had friends studying there, but because, in the Netherlands, they don’t require so many documents as in other countries. The application portal for the Netherlands is StudieLink (https://www.studielink.nl/). You enroll in StudieLink, and they send an email to the university. You receive a student number and password for a portal called OSIRIS.
After taking my final exams, I sent my final transcript of records. I applied at the end of January and received my acceptance letter by mid-February. There were no interviews or additional exams.
I had to submit a motivation letter, where I answered five questions about the program and the courses I was planning to take after my 12th grade. I also had to submit my Cambridge diploma or its equivalent, a recommendation letter from one of my teachers, and my CV.
The aim of the motivation letter is to see if students have the right mindset for the program. I was asked what focus areas or courses appealed to me, my reasons for wanting to study Communication, especially at Erasmus, and about my international mindset—how I planned to integrate with students from other countries.
I had two favourite questions. One was about focus areas and courses because it required me to research them thoroughly. The other was about my international mindset, which made me reflect on how I could contribute to the program.
I believe the admission process starts earlier than the 12th grade. The time and effort to leave a lasting impact with your extracurriculars is something you cannot start so late—I started volunteering in 8th grade and continued until mid-12th grade.
Cost & Fees
For European students, the tuition fee is about €2,500/year. For non-EU students, it’s around €10,000/year.
I can’t apply for a scholarship because I’m from the EU, but what’s great about the Netherlands is that, if you’re a student and working, you can apply for DUO grants. There’s a basic grant, which is up to €400, and another grant based on your parents’ income. In order to receive both the basic and the one based on your parents’ income, you have to work 32 hours/week.
The cost of living in Rotterdam is higher because it’s a big city. My parents send me €1355/month, including rent. But overall, prices are comparable to Romania’s, except for rent, which is ridiculously high, which is why I pay for around €1,100/month.
Life as an International Student—Struggles and Wins
It was hard at first to live by myself, and sometimes it still is. The Netherlands is going through a housing crisis, as a small number of apartments are available for students, resulting in high rent prices. I began searching in April for an apartment and finally found one in June, which I’m sharing with three other girls.
The first month here was harder than expected. I moved out and started university in the same week, which was stressful because I had to get my BSN (social security number), healthcare insurance, and GP registration while attending classes.
However, most of my friends are international, and it’s easy to meet people here. The university organizes an introduction week, and we also have a second-year student from the same program who helps with our questions. I like that the program rotates tutorial groups every term, so you meet new people often, which is great!
Exploring the Dutch Teaching System
An advantage to studying here is that you don’t need to know Dutch at all. Erasmus, like most universities in the Netherlands, has many English-taught programs, so everyone speaks English really well, even children.
The learning system, on the other hand, is more practice-based and focuses on critical thinking. For example, we have written exams with multiple-choice questions and some open-ended questions. They assess your ability to apply concepts rather than just memorize them.
For instance, in high school, if you learned that a cat is an animal with four legs, the exam would ask, “What is a cat?” Here, they might ask, “Apply the concept of a cat to this picture.” You have to understand the concept, explain it, and apply it, which is more practical.
I’m looking forward to terms three and four because I saw some cool assignments there. Right now, I don’t have time for a personal project, but I’d love to work on one in the future. I believe a great asset is the teachers. They are amazing; I can email them with any questions, and they usually reply within an hour or a day. The combination of good teachers, activities, and assignments keeps me motivated and engaged in my studies!
It’s a mix of written exams and practical assignments, but there’s a strong focus on the second one. For example, we have podcasts, essays, presentations, and even fieldwork to complete. Written exams often combine multiple-choice questions with open-ended ones, where you need to explain and apply concepts. This approach really helps you develop critical thinking skills, which is great for my Bachelor.
Insights About Core Values
I think you need creativity and patience. Patience is essential for group work. You need to listen to everyone’s opinions and stay open-minded because different perspectives can be helpful. Even if someone has a different perspective, it might actually be good for the project. Creativity is also important because, in fields like advertising or media, you need to come up with original ideas, write well, and adapt easily.
The university provides great support through its programs and resources, and later through internships. For example, tutorial groups are rotated each term, so you get to meet new people and learn to work with different groups. The teachers are also very responsive and helpful, which makes the transition easier.
