PRE-ARRIVAL

WELCOME
2023 Edition

STARTER KIT
Prepared by students, for students
CONTENTS

1 Introduction
Why choose the Netherlands

2 How to apply
The Dutch educational system, Scholarships and Mythbusters

3 Living costs
Tips to staying budget-friendly, Finding Housing

4 What to pack
Your most comprehensive packing checklist

5 Your first month in the

Netherlands
Need-to-do’s, How to make the most of your time here!
1 Introduction
What is your first impression of the Netherlands?
Lands on the canals, windmills, or tulips that are
seen on TV or in travel brochures? The
Netherlands is actually much more than that -
aside from being a beautiful country which
encourages independence and open-mindedness, it
is also:

A cultural hub

The Netherlands is a relatively small and dense country,

but its inhabitants come from a diverse background! Cities
like Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and Den Haag are much like
most metropolitan cities in continental Europe, acting as a
melting pot of cultures. You’ll find people from all across
the world, who bring their traditions, cultures, and food
with them.

Rich history

The Netherlands is a country which has a long history, and

its own story is intertwined with the stories and lives of
many people. The Dutch authorities have tried their best to
preserve this history - so don’t be surprised if you end up
stepping foot in a building from the 1600s, or by the fact
that you could be living in the same building as some
famous historical figure did.

1
1 Introduction
Outdoor oriented

The outdoor spaces in the Netherlands are well utilised

and preserved, and you will easily find parks in every major
city you are in! These are great, free places to go and
explore, or for you to spend time in when you are free and
the weather is pleasant. Make sure not to overlook the
national parks either, as these are great places for you to
fully enjoy the Dutch experience.

2
2 How to Apply
Applying

If you are starting to look for what study programmes are available in the
Netherlands, you can search via here.

Registering and applying for your

programme takes place via Studielink.
Upon registration, universities will
normally send an email with a link to
their application portal.

Entry requirements to programmes tend to be lower than for universities in

US/UK/Australia, but they vary across each institution and should be verified
on their respective websites.

Many programmes are taught in English, whereas others are in Dutch. In

some cases, you might also find programmes and courses that are taught
using both languages in segments! More information will be available on the
respective institution’s webpages!

Difference between programmes

The Dutch education system is similar to the German one, in that children are
sorted into different educational tracks from secondary school onwards. This
has some impacts on which higher educational institutions are accessible to
one, but the higher educational system itself is split into a few tracks:

3
2 How to Apply
● HBO (Higher Professional Education) - Universities and degrees that
offer an education that is more vocationally focused. The Bachelor’s
programmes last four years. These frequently contain a mandatory
requirement to complete 1-2 internships (in 3rd and 4th year) before
graduation.

● WO (Research University) - The degree programmes under this

category are more similar to the ones one would find in Malaysia. The
Bachelor’s programmes are often three years long and Master's
programmes are either one or two years. A WO degree also allows
access to Research Master programmes - typically two years long.

○ TU (Technical University) - Universities that have TU in their name

in the Netherlands tend to place more focus on engineering,
physics, and maths programmes.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_the_Netherlands

4
2 How to Apply
Scholarships

There are several types of scholarships offered in higher education in the

Netherlands.

The Holland Scholarship is available to

students from outside the EU/EEA region
and consists of a one-off payment of
€5000 in your first year. The scholarship
requirements varies across each institution.

The second type of scholarship is offered by individual institutions, and the

availability is dependent on each institution. For further information, please
reach out to your university’s international office, since they will have more
relevant and detailed information!

If you would like to study in another university within the EU as a part of your
degree in the Netherlands, you may be eligible for the Erasmus+ Scholarship!
This scholarship funds a period abroad of between 2-12 months within a
study cycle, and covers any cost differences in both countries in regards to
living expenses and travel costs. You are required to apply for this through
your institutions’ Erasmus+ Office.

5
3 Living Costs
Living Expenses
The cost of living you will need to prepare for will vary from city to city.
Below is a conservative estimation of the month expenses per city. Bigger
cities like Amsterdam, Utrecht, and Den Haag tend to cost more.
Please note that these values are not inclusive of rental!

Budgeting can be tricky as students. One way to save on your expenses is by

cooking at home, instead of eating out. The most common supermarkets
around are Albert Heijn and Jumbo - if you sign up for a membership with
them, you can also collect points and get notified of discounted produce!. Do
check out your local markets for fresh and potentially cheaper produce! As
for transportation, consider biking or walking (like the locals!) as public
transport costs can quickly add up.

6
3 Living Costs
Rental and housing
Housing is one of the first big hurdles you will have
as a student in the Netherlands! In most major cities
in the Netherlands, rent can be relatively expensive,
and accommodation is not normally offered by
universities. As a student, you have the same rights
as any other renter on the free market!

Some universities have housing programmes

through a third-party company like SSH, room.nl, and
Our Domain. Even so, be aware that offerings on
these sites are in high demand and may have you
queuing up like you do for concert tickets!
A word of advice: room.nl often allocates accommodation on the
basis of the length of your registration, so sign up as soon as you
can. Even if you don’t qualify yet, you may qualify for something
when you’re next looking.

You can also look for accommodation on rental sites such as Kamernet,
Pararius, or Funda, though some listings will advise that the landlord
does not rent to students.

7
3 Living Costs
If you have a Facebook account, most cities will also have Facebook groups
for students looking for accommodation. However, do beware of scammers
on these groups. Always attend a viewing, either in person or online, before
signing and paying for anything. If something seems too good to be true, it
generally is!

When looking at a place to rent, always check:

● Whether or not the landlord allows students or home

sharers
● Size & number of rooms
● Location
● Duration of the rental contract
● Inclusion of service costs (gas, water & electricity)
● Possibility of address registration with the local
municipality

Your last resort should be looking through some rental companies in the
area, or couchsurfing. Do note that you need to find a place that allows you
to register with the municipality sooner rather than later, because that allows
you to open a bank account in the Netherlands, getting insurance and a local
number. If you are stuck, reach out to friends or family that you may have in
the area for help - the MSCN Family is always a good network too! ;)

8
4 What to Pack
Recommended Clothes

The Netherlands has four seasons: Autumn, Winter, Spring, Summer. Here
are some clothing ideas for the different seasons:
Winter
Summer

It is important to know that Dutch weather can get pretty windy and rainy
all year round. As such, waterproof clothes will come in handy. You don’t
want to be caught holding an umbrella while biking! Moreover, do not
underestimate your sunglasses. The sun can get very intense during
spring and summer.
9
4 What to Pack
Winter Coats and Jackets

You might want to consider buying heavier items of clothing like winter coats
and jackets in the Netherlands if you don’t already have some, since they
tend to occupy more luggage space! Additionally, we can tell you from
experience that winter jackets tend to go on sale in the warmer months - i.e.
spring and summer!

Instead, use the extra luggage space for some essential foodstuffs (like
Maggi Mee or your favourite kari mix) that could be difficult to obtain in the
Netherlands. We know how tough it can be to be homesick and sometimes, a
bit of home-cooked food hits the spot.

10
4 What to Pack
Important Items

Be sure to have the following:

❏ Your university enrollment letter

❏ Passport
❏ Birth certificate (if requested by your university)
❏ Rental contract (if available)
❏ Other relevant materials specified by your airline
❏ International/ EU Travel adapter
❏ Good to bring: proof of COVID-19 vaccination*
❏ Cash**

*Whilst COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted in the Netherlands,

documentation of your vaccination(s) can come in handy for the purposes of
travelling.

**We recommend carrying sufficient cash, at least enough to tide you over
the first few months! This is because getting your BSN to open a bank
account can take some time, and as such it might take some time for your
university to refund your living expenses to you. Moreover, not all stores in
the Netherlands accept Visa and Mastercard as most of the banking system
here works on iDEAL. We will cover more on the BSN in the next section!

11
5 Your First Month in
the Netherlands!
BSN
The BSN number - burgerservicenummer - is your social security number.
You will need it for a number of things - getting a bank account, getting a
phone number, filing your taxes or getting health insurance; to name a few!

To get your BSN number, you make an appointment in advance at the

Gemeente (city hall) of your respective city. Check online if your municipality
allows for making appointments online! You should bring your passport,
rental agreement, residence permit (or letter of approval of your residence
permit). The BSN number is key for accessing many governmental services,
so this should be high on your priority list.

Residence Permit

Your student residence permit is a

temporary residence permit in the
Netherlands. Unlike your BSN number,
your residence permit card is processed
at the nearest IND (Immigration and
Naturalisation Service) Office to your city.

The appointment for processing and

collecting this card is assisted by the
university. Bring the documents you
obtained during your visa application at
Source: ind.nl
the Dutch Embassy in Malaysia.

12
5 Your First Month in
the Netherlands!
With COVID-19 rules lifted in the Netherlands, travel has become simpler than
in the past few years. In this section, it will cover the first steps to settling in
the Netherlands: public transport, BSN, Residence Permit, banking and
insurance, and lastly, how to make the most of your time here.

Public Transport a n d
NS,
s for n
os t atio
t h i s log transport !
Psst… blic train therlands
Upon arrival, you can make your way the p
u Ne
m o f the
syste
around using the NS train, regional
busses or tram system! The
Netherlands has a well-connected
public transport system, and you will
likely be able to find your way to your
accommodation through a
combination of the above and walking.

Getting around in a taxi can be

inconvenient and costly, so we would
recommend avoiding it unless you are
left without other choices. Google
Maps will become your best friend, at
least until you familiarise yourself with
your environment.

If you plan on using public transport frequently, we would recommend

applying for a (personal) OV-chipkaart (see next page).

13
5 Your First Month in
the Netherlands!
The OV-chipkaart

The public travel card - the OV-chipkaart - comes in disposable, anonymous,

and personal forms. The disposable card is meant for infrequent travellers
and made of paper or plastic, and can be purchased at a ticket vending
machine or service counter for single travel use.

Anonymous
On the anonymous card, you can
load credit into and can be bought
at public transport ticket
machines and service counters for
a one-time fee, normally €7.50.
You will need a minimum credit of
€4 for travel on buses, trams and
metros whereas it is €20 for
trains.

Once you have a permanent Dutch

l
Persona address and bank account, you
can apply for a personal
OV-chipkaart online. With this, you
can buy season passes and/or
authorise an automated reload.

With all three, remember to check

in at the card reader at the
beginning of a journey and check
out when you reach your
destination to avoid a fine!

14
5 Your First Month in
the Netherlands!
Opening a Bank Account
As many payments in the Netherlands utilise iDEAL, you will want to have
your bank account set up relatively quickly. Luckily, the Netherlands is now
switching over to Debit Mastercard, so your bank cards from Malaysia should
work with in person transactions!. Some universities already have special
arrangements with certain banks. However, you can still open your own bank
account by yourself via the respective bank’s website or branch. The three
recommended Dutch banking services for international students are ABN
Amro, ING and Rabobank. Alternatively, online banks can be a quicker option,
but lack the physical branch presence, which may make some things harder.

Insurance Providers

Every resident in the Netherlands needs to have health insurance, and some
companies to consider include AON, LoonZorg, and AIG. This will require you
to have a BSN number, and most often a Dutch bank account too. If your
university has already acquired insurance for you, then you don’t have to
worry about this!

15
5 Your First Month in
the Netherlands!
A Final Note!

Administrative tasks aside, make sure you take time to familiarise yourself
with your new environment!

Take time to explore, make new friends, find the grocery store with the best
deals, and enjoy your time in the Netherlands. Academics are just one part of
your experience studying abroad, and you should try your best to make the
most of the situation you find yourself in. Make mistakes - as long as they
aren’t too big - and don’t be shy about asking people for help. We’ve all been
here, and we’re happy to share any tips or experiences if you need!

Want to be notified of all the latest events with your home buddies? Be sure
to register with us and the Embassy of Malaysia. Now, have fun, stay safe and
as the Dutchies say veel succes!

16
@mscn.nl

Malaysian Students’ Council in the Netherlands