Every one month someone scraps me about living, studying in The Netherlands. So here goes the answers for the FAQ
1. You don’t need to learn, speak Dutch in University or in the street. You can study, write your thesis in English. Most of the people understand English. However, if you intend to stay here for a longer time, after you reach here, it is advisable to start learning spoken Dutch at least. It will help you socialize better.
2. You would need at least 500 Euro to survive a month including house rent, transport and food. You could earn this by doing part time job in restaurants, shops which you can find with relative ease. If you are coming for PhD please try to secure a scholarship from your University. You may not have much time for part time work if you are in research. Also, by the time you do PhD you deserve earning more than the amount you get in part time work. So, don’t land here just for the craze of a foreign degree.
3. Bicycle is the primary mode of transport within a city. To travel to next city, you would take the trains or bus. If you didn’t know biking yet, please learn it before you land here. You don’t really need a car here.
4. The people are friendly and helpful. I haven’t felt racism so far anywhere. I have walked the streets of the city alone anytime in the night and I haven’t felt afraid. It’s one of the safest places I had been.
5. It doesn’t snow much. But the weather can be said dull, windy, rainy for most of the year except summer.
6. You can buy all Indian groceries, movie CDs here. You can also watch Hindi, Tamil movie screenings.
7. If you have a Netherlands visa, you can travel to 16 other European countries like Germany, France without restrictions. You would need a visa for UK, though. Before you come here your University will ask you some documents including birth certificate and they will arrange to send the visa invitation. This would take 1-3 months. After the invitation arrives you have to fix an appointment at The Netherlands Embassy in India. South Indians should attend it in the embassy in Mumbai. Others at New Delhi. Before you apply for the interview, you should legalize your birth certificate. For this you have to get attestation from local corporation / municipality, foreign affairs division in State secretariat and at a special office in New Delhi. If you have financial assistance from the university you don’t need to prepare a financial status document. Once you have all the documents ready, the interview is just a formality and will go through smoothly.
8. You can send money to India by Internet Banking services from any Local bank here.
9. Job opportunities for people who did their studies here are better than who did the studies outside Netherlands / Europe. Still, European Union citizens will be given first preference for a job by Law. Do not come to study here with an expectation to land in a Job here.
{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi Ravi,
This is Dhinakaran. Your information on studying and livivng in Netherlands is very useful. I would like to ask for some more information, if you don’t mind.
Thanks in advance.
Bye.
With regards,
Dhinakaran
Dhinakaran, i am glad that the info was useful. please let me know what more info you need.
Is it possible in netherlands to get a decent job (in a bank or IT cos ) with a valid french passport + an year of exp in the same feild?
EU citizens have better chances of getting a job in EU. (But, having a passport and being a citizen are not same !!) Having knowledge of Dutch language would help a lot too.
Thanks for the info Ravi.
Hi Ravi,
Thanks for the info post. I would like to know whether we get any job search visa after study in Netherlands or that we immediately have to find a job or come back to India if not found one?
And also one of the agent in Chandigarh here is bullying abuot getting permanent residency in Czech/Poland/Slovak after 2 years of study there. Is this true?
Thanks.
Hi David, study visa and work permit visa are two different things in most of the countries. The best strategy will be to hunt for jobs before finishing the study and while your student visa is still valid. Once you get a Job, you will have to come back to india to complete the work permit visa procedures and then go back again. Generally student visa expires once your course is over. So you may not stay there for ever without finding job.
I haven’t heard of getting permanent residency in any country if you study in Netherlands.
Dear Ravi Bhai,
Is it possible to get permanent residency in Netherlands after completion of study ?
Please tell us about the job prospects of foreigners after completing studies in Netherlands (e.g. masters or MBA).
You can get permanent residency if you live there for 5 years and can pass the Dutch language test. Jobs are given to local citizens first, then EU citizens and then outsiders if they are exceptionally talented in the field. Also, a thorough knowledge of Dutch is must. The language requirement is common in most of the non-English speaking European countries.
hey is mba free in germany/netharland/ sweden …plzz tell
Netherlands – no.
germany – not sure. Mostlt No.
Sweden – contact for more info at http://vinaiooki.blogspot.com/2009/01/online-mba-in-sweden.html
Hi ravi
If i studied there for 5 years can i apply for pr too? and is there a minimum wage for me to stay there or to apply for pr
Hi Macha,
after 5 years you can apply for citizenship. Guess no minimum wage needed. sorry, I moved out of Netherlands. Better contact some one there now.