The student-friendly cities of Utrecht and Maastricht offer a chance to study in English in the heart of Europe. Discover a cultural treasure trove of events, museums, and cozy cafés. In the south, Euro-eclectic Maastricht is an international hub for trade, education, and travel with its French, German, and Flemish influences. Located just a short train ride from Amsterdam, Utrecht attracts a large student population and many visitors with its picturesque streets, tree-lined canals, and medieval charm. With an innovative academic environment, Dutch universities will satisfy a students' breadth of interests or focus on business, environment, or medical sciences.
Planning Steps to Study Abroad
Mapping Your Study Abroad Journey
Preparing to study abroad takes up to a year, and the best way to avoid missing out is to start right now. Deadlines for program applications, travel documents, course approvals, and scholarship applications arrive quickly. Check our interactive timeline to pinpoint your next step for this term and keep your plans on schedule.
Funding and Affordability
Paying for Study Abroad
Your UC financial aid, grants, and scholarships travel with you, and some programs cost less than a term on campus. Explore the Making Study Abroad Affordable Guide (written by UC students who've done it) for budgeting tips, estimating your expenses, and making your global experience fit your financial plan.
Questions about study abroad?
Get Application Support
Connect with our advising team to get your questions answered and start planning your study abroad experience! Here are some of the advising options available:
- Interactive workshops to set goals, explore academic and funding resources, and prepare your application.
- Drop-in advising to speak with region-specific advisors.
- Individual virtual sessions for specialized guidance focused on your target region.
- Don't forget to meet with advisors at your home UC campus for academic planning, major credit petitions, and campus financial aid.
Academic Planning for Study Abroad
Stay on Track to Graduate
Studying abroad integrates into your degree when you plan ahead. Discover how UC credit transfers, explore courses that satisfy major or general education requirements, and read student tips on planning what courses to take abroad. Connect with your campus advisor early to build a schedule that aligns with your graduation timeline.
Family and Support
Involve Your Support Network
Bringing your family into your study abroad plans early helps everyone feel confident and prepared. Share key details about health, safety, finances, and academic credit using our family and support network guide. For advice on starting informative and constructive conversations, check out our tips for talking with your family and friends about your global goals.
I deliberately chose the shortest program I could find and ended up feeling like it wasn’t long enough! Our classes followed problem-based learning which meant doing the reading prior so we could participate in the discussions. Initially, the idea of speaking in class was jarring to me, but I learned that the class may benefit from what I share just as I would from what my classmates share.
Living in Europe means effortless travel to numerous countries. A weekend in Paris? Just a train ride away. A week in an all-inclusive Turkish resort? A few hours by plane. Not to mention the beauty of the Netherlands itself–old architecture, delicious stroopwafel, King's Day parades, and the greenest nature you've ever seen. Even though I encountered my fair share of obstacles (I was not sufficiently prepared for Dutch weather and I got on the wrong bus more times than I'd like to admit), my time studying abroad was remarkable.
My study abroad experience in the Netherlands changed my life. I was able to explore the entire city of Maastricht independently. It is extraordinary how different, serene, and beautiful it all was. The ice cream tasted better than any I had ever had before. Grocery shopping was a challenge, but with the help of my roommate, we managed to use context clues to shop, and now we know that “aardappel” means potato.
