Hi, my name is Jiline. I am from Germany and am currently a student at Maastricht University! I decided to study abroad because I wanted to challenge myself and see how I could grow outside of my comfort zone. I wanted to gain an international perspective, improve my English skills, and be in an environment that pushed me academically.

I was focused on finding a university abroad that would give me both a strong academic foundation and a chance to experience a new culture. I researched various universities and their programs, and Maastricht stood out to me because of its international environment and the unique way they structure their degrees.

My Application Process

Applying to Maastricht University was pretty straightforward. I didn’t have to go through any stressful entrance exams like in some other countries. Instead, I just had to submit my grades and a motivation letter. The process was quite manageable, and I didn’t have any issues during my application. It’s different from Germany, where the deadlines and selection criteria can vary a lot.

The Costs

Tuition for EU students is around €2,314 per year, which is relatively affordable compared to other international universities. Of course, there are additional costs, like rent, groceries, and university-related expenses.

Finding housing in Maastricht can be quite difficult to find, depending on the location. I found that renting a room was one of the bigger expenses, but it’s manageable if you plan ahead.

For a room in a student house, the rent is around €350 per month, and that includes basic expenses like heating and electricity. Of course, the cost can vary depending on the size of the room and its location. If I were to choose to live in an apartment or somewhere more central, the price would probably go up a bit. But overall, housing in Maastricht is pretty affordable. For sports and extracurricular activities, the university gym membership costs about €20 per month. If you want access to different sports clubs, you pay an additional €11 per month, which lets you participate in multiple sports. However, for some specialized sports like tennis, you might have to pay extra if you want proper training.

Life at Maastricht

Making friends

Orientation Week (INCOME Week)

One of the best parts of starting at Maastricht was INCOME Week, the university’s official orientation program. It takes place two weeks before classes start, and it’s a huge event where students from all faculties come together.

I arrived in Maastricht about two weeks before my studies began, and INCOME Week was already in full swing. It costs around €70, but it’s so worth it. There’s a full schedule every day, with parties, city tours, and different activities to get to know your new classmates. Each student is assigned a small group, with two older students acting as mentors. We did a scavenger hunt through the city, got an introduction to student life, and attended a big fair where all the university’s clubs and associations introduced themselves.

One of the best things about INCOME Week is that you meet people from different programs. Many of the friendships I formed during this week have lasted, and I still meet up with those friends. It was also during this week that I realized how much people rely on bicycles here. Maastricht is very bike-friendly, and everyone cycles everywhere. Within the first two days, I bought a second-hand bike on Marktplaats (the Dutch version of eBay), and I’ve been using it ever since. The university also offers rental bikes for students who don’t want to buy their own

While INCOME Week was great for meeting people, most of the people I met there weren’t actually in my program. The real bonding started when classes began.

In my first semester, I was assigned to a small group of 15 students. We had the same classes together, so we saw each other every day. That made it easy to connect with people.

However, it is not always like this. I remember walking into my first big lecture, and it was a massive hall. I didn’t know anyone yet, but I looked around, saw some people who seemed friendly, and just went up to them and asked if I could sit with them. They were super nice and funny enough, that they’re still my closest friends today.

Student Clubs and Extracurricular Activities

There’s always something happening at Maastricht, whether it’s sports, academic initiatives, or social events.

At first, I was interested in joining the rowing club. I even went to check it out, and they had lots of trial sessions. But I quickly realized that in the Netherlands, many of these sports clubs function more like student fraternities, and they’re very traditional. Most of the members are Dutch, and even though internationals are welcome, the main language spoken is Dutch. A lot of Dutch students join these clubs because their parents were members before them, so it’s very tradition-based. Since I wasn’t particularly interested in learning Dutch at that level, I decided not to continue with rowing.

Instead, I got involved in Scope, which is the official student association for the Business School. They organize a lot of cool events, like workshops, guest lectures, and even study trips to different countries where we visit universities and businesses. I help organize workshops, which has been interesting. There are also other academic associations focused on investment, consulting, and entrepreneurship, but those are more competitive to get into. I might try applying for those in future semesters.

Aside from academics, Maastricht has clubs for pretty much everything running, Padel, cultural groups, and even country-specific communities. For example, I know there’s an Italian student community that regularly organizes events. So if you want to get involved, there are plenty of opportunities.

My Degree Program and Academics

Course structure

One of the things I like about Maastricht University is how the academic year is structured. In Germany, students often study multiple subjects at the same time for a whole semester and then have a huge exam period at the end. But here, we have three Periods per semester.

The first two Periods last two months each, and during that time, we only take two courses. It’s very intense, but at the end of those two months, we take the final exam, finish the courses, and then move on to the next set of subjects.

Then there’s a Skills Period, which lasts about three weeks. During this time, instead of exams, we focus on practical assignments like writing essays. I just finished one of these Skills Periods, and I had to write a long research paper. It’s a nice change from constant exams.

This system makes studying much more manageable because you’re not juggling five or six courses at once for four months. Instead, you focus deeply on two subjects, complete them, and move on.

Exams and Retakes

If you fail an exam, you can take a Resit (a retake) a few months later. You don’t have to wait an entire year to try again, which is convenient. But the reset system here is different from Germany. In Germany, students sometimes get a third attempt, but in the Netherlands, you only have two chances. If you fail both times, you don’t pass the course. You’re also not allowed to fail two courses in one academic year. If that happens, you might have to leave the program.

Personally, I haven’t found the exams to be too difficult, and I think the system is fair. The fact that we only focus on two courses at a time makes studying less overwhelming.

My tips

I’ve realized that you just have to be open and talk to people because everyone is looking to make friends. Joining a student association like Scope also really helps. They have weekly meetups at bars, which are great for socializing. Working on a team has helped me meet a lot of people too.

There are so many ways to make connections, whether it’s through classes, student organizations, or just talking to people in the lecture hall. You just have to take the first step!