Reviews of Universiteit van Amsterdam (UVA) | Netherlands

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Jordi T

Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
Financial Management, Undergraduate, 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: At ease in most situations
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

I have just learned some basic phrases of Dutch, although I would like to learn more in the future. Especially if I decide to work in Holland. My level of English before coming here was advanced. In Amsterdam I have used English very offten, both in the academical and the social activities. I have improved my fluency and my vocabulary.

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Jordi T

Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
Financial Management, Undergraduate, Erasmus

Expenses

Main source of funding:

Personal savings

Other sources of funding:

Family<br> An ERASMUS grant

Work opportunities:

I didn't explore any work options

Personal spending habits

In general, prices are higher in Amsterdam than in Barcelona. I have also done more activities here than I do in Barcelona (traveling basicaly).

Travel, Food, Telephone, Housing, Overall:

was more expensive than at home.

Nightlife:

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

none

Useful | 0

Jordi T

Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
Financial Management, Undergraduate, Erasmus

Overall

I wish I had known...

I think it would have been better if I had learned a bit of Dutch before coming here. It would have allowed me to integrate easily in the local comunity and to understand more their culture

In my opinion:

Everybody loved it, you will too!

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

Academic reasons

3

Culture

4

Costs

2

Activities

3

Campus life

2

Party / people

3

Weather / location

2

Personal recommendation

They could try harder to improve contact between foreign and local students

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

Became familiar with another culture

3

Traveled

4

Improved language skills

3

Met people from other countries

3

Became more independent

4

Partied a lot

3

Experienced a change in life

4

Advanced my studies & career

3

Final comments

You should face the Erasmus experience with a very opened mentality. You should be open to talk to very different people. One of the most amazing things Erasmus has is that it gives you the possibility of meeting very diverse people, which is quite difficult in your country.

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