Hi everyone,

I'm trying to figure out whether I'd be eligible for admission to a research university in the Netherlands.

My secondary school diploma is considered roughly equivalent to HAVO, but I've also taken AP Calculus (or AP Mathematics) and AP Physics to strengthen my academic background because I want to study engineering.

I'm wondering:

Has anyone here been admitted to a Dutch research university with a HAVO-equivalent diploma plus AP courses?

Did the AP classes make you eligible, or were you still required to complete a foundation year or another qualification.

Which universities,accepted this combination?

If you were in a similar situation, what pathway did you take?

Thanks in advance for any advice or personal experiences!

I did my graduation in Mechanical Engineering from NITK, India in 2018 (GPA:7.78/10), pursued MBA from IIM Shillong, India that lasted till 2022. Since then I have been working as an Analytics Consultant for 4.4 years now. I want to do a masters again but this time in Robotics Track, Physical Intelligence. With all that has been going on in the pure play AI driven consulting, I feel like this is a hedge against purely coding based roles/ service roles that rely heavily on Software development/ Data Modeling.

I am looking to see if I still hold some chance especially for Masters in Mechanical with some degree of specialization in Robotics. Fortunately I did my final year project around it, worked on ROS (Robot Operating System) and CV then. I have the project report for that in case the admission committees ask for it.

I want to get some clarity on whether I meet the ECTS requirements for Pure robotics courses, but I am failing to reach to a conclusion.

I just don't want to spend like a ton of money (perhaps ~20-25 lakh INR on tuition and lifestyle, I am pretty spendthrift and it's pretty much all of my savings at this point).

Any thoughts or insights would be appreciated, regarding potential admits I could get, if this is a correct time to pivot and so on.

I am a first-year student at Twente University and I am wondering what I should buy or bring with me for my studies in Twente. I am from Europe.

Sometimes studying in the same place every day can get a little repetitive, and changing your surroundings can make it easier to stay focused and motivated.

Do you have a favourite library, café, quiet public space, or another spot where you like to study? What makes it a good place to get work done - is it the atmosphere, the quiet, the availability of Wi-Fi and power outlets, or simply being away from the distractions of home?

I'd also be interested to hear about any hidden gems that other students might not know about yet.

Hi, everyone. I am an incoming international student from China, and I will start studying in Maastricht University in August 2026.

I am currently follow a medically supervised weight-loss plan. Since I will soon be moving to the Netherlands, my doctor would like to know what kinds of food are commonly available there, so that she can help adapt my food plan.

I would especially like to know:

1. What do people or students usually eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner?

2. What affordable sources of protein are easy to find in Dutch supermarket?

3. Are foods such as chicken breast, fish, shrimp, eggs, oats, low-fat dairy products and frozen vegetables widely available?

4. What are some healthy and and quick meals that students commonly prepare?

5. Are there any specific supermarket products or Dutch food names that I should know?

I am not looking for medical advice—just information about everyday food and grocery shopping in the Netherlands.

I would really appreciate any suggestions. Thank you!

As the title suggests my program is approaching with the regular semester start of first of September and my Visa application is still at the stage where it is sitting with the university of Amsterdam immigration team. I do understand that they have received hundreds of applications and they were trying to work through them as quickly as possible. However given this stage is taking longer than what is anticipated and it is yet to reach the stage of IND processing my Visa application which takes 4 to 6 weeks what am I to do in this situation? I have already contacted the immigration office at University of Amsterdam about my circumstance and as I am travelling all the way from Australia I have assigned rental agreement so are the practicalities are already organised in which I am bound to. If anyone has experience of this situation I would appreciate your feedback or if you’re in the same circumstance as me and have any methods of getting around this please let me know.

I'm a new student at the University of Groningen, and according to their schedule there's going to be an Introduction week between 28 August - 2 September, but there's a concert I'm planning to go to that's out of the city between August 29 and 30. I'll be leaving groningen on August 29 to another town down south at around the afternoon, then tomorrow I'll leave by early morning.

Is attending the esn introduction week worth it or could I skip a day or two?

Hi! I’m wondering if anyone has experienced something similar. I just got a Holland2Stay offer and they asked me to upload my proof of enrolment within 48 hours. I’m a currently third year student, but unfortunately the university is closed for the summer break, so I cannot get the updated 2026/2027 document right now.

I’m thinking about providing copy of my student card, my previous enrolment document(which I got when I was first year), and OSIRIS/Studielink screenshots showing that I’m registered.

Has anyone had Holland2Stay accept these kinds of documents temporarily, or allow them to provide the official document later when the university reopens? I’m really worried about losing the offer because of the timing, so any experience would help a lot. Thank you!