Reviews of Landbouwuniversiteit Wageningen (WAU) | Netherlands

Useful | 0

Kinga K

,
Environmental Sciences, Graduate, University Agreement

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: No problems in any areas (including slang)
My level after: No problems in any areas (including slang)

How much did you improve your the local language?

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

Language difficulties

Social

Educational

Administrative / Institutional

Overall

Personal comments

I was speaking a fluent Dutch when I arrived in Wageningen. I was keen on improving my Dutch. There were Dutch classes offered but only for the beginners and advanced. All Dutch people speak a very good English and they like to speak English. I still had the opportunity to speak Dutch at the bank, when shopping etc. I could also speak Dutch with some of my house mates. There are many international students, so I was speaking mostly English. Meeting all these internatinal students also provided me the chance to improve the other languages I speak. Overall, it was a great experience. I would rate it as excellent.

Useful | 0

Kinga K

,
Environmental Sciences, Graduate, University Agreement

Academic

Course recommendations

Overal it is very well organised, with one exception though - Academic Master Cluster 1 (AMC 1). This course consists of 4 modules the students have to chose. Often they chose 4 modules and then when the schedule is published they see that the nodules overlap. In general the schedule is availbale for all the courses already in the beginning of the academic year and courses are very well organised, again with the exception of AMC 1.

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

none

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 | 1

Kinga K

,
Environmental Sciences, Graduate, University Agreement

Expenses

Main source of funding:

Other

Other sources of funding:

Other

Work opportunities:

I worked during my study abroad experience

Personal spending habits

I come from Romania, where the average salary is about 200 euro. os, living in the Netherlands was more expensieve, but I was there with a fellowship programme. Therefore, I could afford living there. Living in The Netherlands is not more expensieve then living in other EU countries.

Telephone, Food, Housing, Overall, Nightlife, Travel:

was more expensive than 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

Kinga K

,
Environmental Sciences, Graduate, University Agreement

Overall

I wish I had known...

No

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

1

Activities

4

Campus life

2

Party / people

4

Weather / location

1

Personal recommendation

It is a great place. Keep up the good work!!

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

Became familiar with another culture

4

Traveled

4

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

It has been a great experience. Dutch people are very direct people nd very helpful. They tend to speak about the problems that might occur and solve them. Wageningen University also provides a great social experience and also work experience in seminar groups with international students. Concerning travelling there are many things to see in The Netherlands. There are the 5 islands in the North, near the Wadden Sea with a special flora and fauna and protected areas. There is Keukenhof, where in the end of April- beginning of May you can visit the most amazing flower garden. There is Amsterdam with its nightlife and museums. Rotterdam - the most modern town. Hague - a great town with Scheveningen nearby where you can enjoy the beach and the sand dunes. And then there are some other towns that cannot be missed - Delft, s'Hertogenbosch, Utrecht, Maastricht. If you study at Wageningen University you could go by bike to visit the Veluwe Park with special vegetation and the Kroller Muller museum with painting of van Gogh and pointilism. Outside there is a sculpture garden. I loved it. Overall i got so close to this small and flat country. I feel at home there.

Useful | 1

Kinga K

,
Environmental Sciences, Graduate, University Agreement

Housing

Type of housing: On campus

Arranged by: Host university

If returning, I would choose: On campus

Why?

Even if it was more expensieve I enjoyed living in the campus. The facilities were good and it provided me with a great social experience.

Personal assessment

Cost

Facilities

Location

Cleanliness

Space

Personal comments

You can basically choose where you want to live. There are several student hostels with the description of the space offered and the facilities. You can opt for your own bathroom and kitchen or you can opt for shared ones. I found some of the student hostels more expensieve when compared to the rent you have to pay when you live in a room rented in a house that you share with other students outside the campus.

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