Rijksuniversiteit Groningen

The Netherlanders speak english really well. It was therefore not a problem at all to communicate with these polite and helping people. As for dutch, I managed to learn basic phrases for my daily life during my short stay therein.

Cost saving tips: get a monthly travel card from the National railways, if u plan to travel a lot by train within a month's time. This should save you a respectable amount of money. For more daily things, do eat at the University's cafe-restaurant: good food, good coffee, nice environment with impressive roof seeing the sky, good prices.

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Housing at this university is organised by a special housing organisation cooperating with the University but acting independently. From my experience and others' comments, the housing assistance offered was excellent, since all efforts had been made in order to meet one's specific needs&wishes with the existing hoysing possibilities. And most times those two were met indeed.

"Molly Malone's irish pub", "The Palace" and others. The town centre, located around the Martini Square, is really full of cafes, pubs, bars etc, so one should not easily get bored. Places not to be missed? Visit the open air market taking place at the Martini square, go to the interesting town Museums, climb to the top of the Martini Tower (destroyed during the 2nd World war and totally rebuilt afterwards) preferably on foot, and enjoy the splendid city view...Ride with your (rent) bike&new friends to the superb countryside lying outside Groningen, safe&sound at the specially made bicycle streets, and enjoy the serene landscape of horses, cows, valleys and waters. Do not miss the Botanic Garden just outside the city. Simply, taste Groningen-and its fried potatoes at MartiniSquare, served with tomato sauce at the end of the nights out:-)