Universiteit Maastricht (UM)

yes, that the weather was soo bad

It's a perfect place to open your mind to different cultures and points of view, as you'll always be in class with people from all over the world. Apart from learning a lot, you'll also have plenty of time to travel, go out, and enjoy off campus life.

yes, make sure your english is very good, because the educational system is based on active participation and presentations about the study topics. Many students that don't speak good english have a very hard time adapting. Another thing, if you want have easy classes, dont choose the financial ones, because you'll have to study hard!

yes, final exams should actually evaluate what you learn during the course, instead of just testing how good you can memorize articles and authors. Final exams should target analysis, not memory! this is not highshool!

well, first of all at home i lived with my parents, so i didn't have to pay for food, or housing; and second, because i went out much more often while abroad, prices were higher, i traveled everytime i could, and i had to make international phone calls constantly, things that i very randomly did at home.

It's ok to live at the student's Guest House for a short while (1 semester), but for extended periods of time, it's not a good deal. The prices are too high for what you get, it's far better to find a place in town with more space and the same extras (internet, phone, etc.)for a much lower price. It's worth saying, though, that for an erasumus student that doesn't speak dutch, living at the univerity's residece is easier, as it's not necessary to deal with landlords, contracts, you always get your deposits back, and it's easier to meet people.