Erasmus Experience in The Hague, Netherlands by Julie

Why did you choose to go to The Hague, Netherlands?

I chose the Hague because this is where the campus of Leiden university was for the bachelor internationl studies.

How long is the scholarship? How much money do you receive to help you with living costs?

I don t have any scholarship as i went on my own.

What is the student lifestyle like in The Hague?

Very good, as the hague is very international! What is amazing is that you can meet all nationalities. In my bachelor for instance they are more than 66 different nationalities.
Also, it is a prominent place for future graded in international studies as they are plenty of international organizations.

Would you recommend the city and the University of The Hague to other students?

Yes definitly even if i would prefer to live in Amsterdam which i really love.However you can find this special athmosphere by living the center and find all the little shops and streets very representative of Netherlands.

What is the food like?

I don t really know as you cn buy everything you like. There is no specialities like in China for example but it is very european and there is a great diversity. To my great surprise and pleasure there are also organic markets "ekoplaza" and you can easily eat vegan also.

Did it cost you to find your accommodation in The Hague?

Well I was very lucky as for the accomodation because i am currently rwnting a room for only 350 per month but it was at the last moment. Otherwise for a 10m2 room it generally costs around 500-600 per month and is very hard to find.
You can go on the facebook page room to rent the hague but good luck because a lot of student are constantly looking for accommodation.

How much does it cost to live in The Hague?

It costs me around 1000 euros per month but because i eat organic food and that here it costs the double.
Then taking the tram is very expensive as each time you take it it would cost you 1 euro even for one stop so for me,for 4 stops twice a day it costs me around 12 euros per week and there is no reduction.

Is the language easy to get to grips with? Are there language courses available at the University?

Well personnaly i don t like german language and the dutch is the same but with more sshhhrrr in it. For example the street of my campus is named schouwburgstraat.
And yes i guess there are some courses but not so much things are offered in the hague contrarly to the campus in Leinden where there is everything, that s a pity.

What's the easiest or most economical way to travel to The Hague from your city?

Economical not so much but i would say the train if you book tickets 3 months before.

Where would you recommend to go on a night out in The Hague?

I don t know there are a lot of nice pubs and its depends on what kind of athmosphere you like. But don t worry there are a lot of parties organized.

And for eating? Can you recommend some good restaurants in The Hague?

Yes, shabu shabu where you can eat until you re not hungry anymore for 28 euros. And most restaurants in general seems good but i tried french restaurants in amsterdam via groupon which were sooo good.
Then there is the cheesecake compagny which is gorgeous!

What good cultural sites are there to visit?

Have a look on internet!;-)
All thebinternational organizations,museums, churchs..

Is there any other advice that you could give to students going to The Hague in the future?

Think twice before buying a bike because i pratically never use it as it is windy and it is raining all the time so if in general you don t like cycling like me don t buy one.