Details

• Netherlands
• BaWiSo-23
• Undergraduate
• WS 2025
• Time spent at the partner university: 4 months

1. Preparation

When preparing for a semester abroad, it is most important to familiarize yourself with the city and the university. I also spent a lot of time figuring out the best way to get there and back, looking at possible airports and public transport connections to the city. It is also a good idea to get in touch with the other students who are going to the same city as you early on. Bachelor's students usually already know each other from the preparatory courses, but it is also advantageous to get in touch with Master's students so that you can help each other with organizational matters.

2. Accommodation

Finding accommodation in Maastricht is very difficult, as there are a lot of students and relatively few apartments. I decided against using Maastricht University Housing, as I had heard very little good about them, and this was confirmed by friends who live there. I found my apartment through an external agency called CityHousing Maastricht, which I can highly recommend to anyone. If it's not so important to you to live in a particularly central location, which I would recommend, then you can also look on Airbnb in the surrounding areas. If you live in the city, everything is within easy walking distance; the locals get around by bike. It is also important that if you don't choose a partner from the university to help you find accommodation, you find out as much as you can about the agency beforehand, as cases of fraud are common here.

3. Academic life at host university

Maastricht consists of various faculties, and it is possible that your classes will always be held in different locations. However, the student calendar always includes a Google Maps link to help you find your way there. The SBE itself also has two locations between which you will be moving. They are about a five-minute walk apart. Maastricht University uses a system called Problem-Based Learning, which is something you're not really used to at WU and takes some getting used to, but you'll get the hang of it very quickly. The system here is based more on students teaching each other, with tutors participating purely as observers. However, this varies from course to course. The range of courses on offer is very interesting, and you can use your semester to “specialize” a little more in a particular direction.

5. Every day life in the host country

Maastricht itself is a very safe city and you really don't need to feel uncomfortable anywhere. There are restaurants and cafes on every corner where you can go for a drink with friends in the evening. Every sport is offered in and around Maastricht, and the university has clubs for many disciplines that you can join. If you just want to go to the gym, I highly recommend Sportcity Maastricht, as it is very affordable and still has everything you need. You also get to know people very quickly here, as there are lots of exchange students who are in the same situation as you.

6. Testimonial

All in all, I think Maastricht is a very cool city with lots of interesting people, and you can have a lot of fun. The university is also excellent, and you really feel like you're learning a lot. I particularly enjoy the international experience here with people from all over the world, which confirms that my decision to come to Maastricht was the right one. However, sometimes you can feel a little claustrophobic, as you are used to Vienna being a big city and Maastricht is only about half the size of a Viennese district.