Reviews of Hogeschool van Amsterdam (HVA) | Netherlands

Useful | 0

Ana d

Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
Business Studies, Graduate, Erasmus

Expenses

Main source of funding:

Family

Other sources of funding:

Personal savings<br> An ERASMUS grant

Work opportunities:

I didn't explore any work options

Personal spending habits

Mostly because the accomodations in Amsterdam are much more expensive. But things like go out, have dinner/lunch, or go to a cafe and drink something it's very expensive too.

Housing, Nightlife, Food, Overall:

was more expensive than at home.

Telephone, Travel:

was the same price as at home.

Accessibility of student needs

Second-hand text books

Second-hand household items

Computers / Internet

Administrative

Money from home

Personal comments

Most of the time I didn't spend more than it was planned.

Useful | 2

Ana d

Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
Business Studies, Graduate, Erasmus

Academic

Course recommendations

I felt like in The Netherlands - at least at Hogeschool - they give a lot of importance to culture and interaction, difference in cultures and they had a lot of options on that topic. I realise that at my home university you don't feel this given importance to culture and I think It's great opportunity to learn about that.

My academic experiences

Quality of courses

Variety of courses

Access to resources

Interaction with teachers

Interaction with international students

Interaction with local students

Personal comments

What I felt about the host school is that they have a really particular method of studies - it's something like "do it by your self". The level of difficulty and requirement it's much higher at my home school, but I feel that teachers give you a lot of information and follow the students closer.

My opinion of the university assessment

Exams at end of course

Exams throughout the course

Essays and/or projects at the end of course

Essays and/or projects throughout the course

Overall

Useful | 6

Ana d

Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
Business Studies, Graduate, Erasmus

Overall

I wish I had known...

I would like to have more information about the method of studies in the Netherlands.

In my opinion:

Everybody loved it, you will too!

Important factors in my choice
(1) Unimportant – (4) Very important

Academic reasons

4

Culture

4

Costs

2

Activities

4

Campus life

2

Party / people

4

Weather / location

3

Personal recommendation

It a very good university with a really good reputation and good staff.

During my experience abroad, I ...
(1) Never – (4) A lot

Became familiar with another culture

3

Traveled

3

Improved language skills

4

Met people from other countries

4

Became more independent

4

Partied a lot

4

Experienced a change in life

4

Advanced my studies & career

4

Final comments

Try to save some money before for your own expenses and to travel, there are places inside Holland that you have to see, and Holland it's also close to a lot of countries. And I think it's a good opportunity to travel. Also if you can it's very easy to find a job and to study and work at the same time.

Useful | 0

Ana d

Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
Business Studies, Graduate, Erasmus

Languages

Language of instruction: English

Local language was: Different than language of instruction

Was learning English a key decision factor?

Yes, I wanted to improve my English

Was learning the local language a key decision factor?

Yes, I wanted to improve my the local language

How much did you improve your English?

My level before: Everyday knowledge (shopping, directions, etc.)
My level after: At ease in most situations

How much did you improve your the local language?

My level before: Did not speak it
My level after: Basic phrases

Language difficulties

Social

Educational

Administrative / Institutional

Overall

Personal comments

It was simpy the best experience that I had. I went alone, and I learn how to deal with this and start to meet people, to know places and to do more things independently. My adaptation was pretty fast and I improve my communications skills and the capacity to leave and most important to coexist with different people, culturaly different. Addicionaly I improve my english and I learn spanish.

Useful | 3

Ana d

Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
Business Studies, Graduate, Erasmus

Housing

Type of housing: Apartment/House

Arranged by: Host university

If returning, I would choose: Apartment/House

Why?

Since now it was the only experience living by my own. I liked a lot the experience of having my own apartment. And I shared the apartment with another girl, what is very nice too.

Personal assessment

Cost

Facilities

Location

Cleanliness

Space

Personal comments

Generally the housing was not bad. It was not on the center of the city, but it was close and it was a quiet place. Honestly, I prefer the life, the movement and energy of the city center, but it was close to the center and the public transportation in Amsterdam are amazing. The room was very small and expensive for the size.

Useful | 1

Ana d

Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
Business Studies, Graduate, Erasmus

Student life

Describe host city:

Students interact with the local community without much university involvement

Travel, Activities, Nightlife: Takes place mostly within the university/student environment

Personal social experience

Activities

Nightlife

Travel

Overall

Personal comments

Amsterdam is a great city. It has a lot of life 24hours a day!It's incredible!The architecture is beautiful, and all the city is crossed by canals. For me the best disco was Escape. If you go to Amsterdam and want to go out you have to go there!Paradiso is also very nice!Amsterdam is the place of "cafes". Everywhere you go you have a lot of options and they are pretty much the same!An event that no one can miss is the Queens Day. It was one of the best parties. I've ever been!Culturaly it's a very good place too. You have a lot of good places to visit, museums (I recommend the Van Gogh Museum, it's incredible), expositions, etc!

Hogeschool van Amsterdam (HVA)

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