Erasmus Experience in The Hague, Netherlands by Sharyuen

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

My campus is the medical center in Leiden, however, due to the high demand of housing in Leiden, there was insufficient space there. Hence, I got allocated a housing in Den Haag by the school.

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

None.

What is the student lifestyle like in The Hague?

It really depends on the friends that you have in the city and the people that you're living with. I live in a flat with 5 other girls, but I don't exactly hang out with them because I get along better with some others that I met. Sometimes there is a building party that you can attend, but it isn't too crazy. You can pick and choose which events you want to attend, but most importantly it is up to you and the people that you hang out with the most in the city to make the most of whatever markets or festivals and parties going on in the city. There is a great open market that sells fresh produce called Haagse Marko and there are usually cute little festivals to attend on the weekends as well. Or head to Schveningen Strand, which is the beach, when its still sunny for a fun day out. Den Haag is overall, a pretty decent place to live in.

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

I think as a student, Den Haag is a pretty decent place. I don't study at the University of The Hague, so I cannot make any recommendations regarding that. But the university is located such that is it really accessible via train or tram. I study in the Leiden Universitair Medisch Centrum, and I need to travel to Leiden everyday because of class. The transport cost is a pain because its 3,60 euros one way, and it really adds up because I am an international exchange student. But if you're a Dutch student transport cost isn't an issue.

What is the food like?

Den Haag is like a salad toss of many different races and cultures in comparison to other cities in the Nederlands in my opinion. Here I see a greater proportion of Asian, Blacks, and Middle-Eastern residents interspersed with the Dutch compared to other cities, which is fairly expected given the cities parliament and history here. As such, there are many different types of food to suit your craving. Just pick and choose from all the different types offered! But as someone who grew up in Asia, the Asian food here isn't anything special. I'd say go for the others.

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

I had my school Leiden University source for my accommodation for me. I had to pay an application fee of 300 euros.

Source

How much does it cost to live in The Hague?

My flat consists of 6 people and one kitchen and one bathroom. The common area is rather large, and it costs 400 euros a month. You cannot get any rent allowance on this because it is not self-contained. Personally, I wouldn't recommend living in a flat like mine under this housing company called DUWO because we've ran into many problems that they aren't very helpful with. And having 6 girls in one apartment with one toilet is pretty much a nightmare when you want to use the bathroom but its always occupied.

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

Practically everything is in Dutch here, so I would say it took a little getting used to. All the street signs and instructions, in the shops and supermarkets are all in Dutch. You need to guess as you go along, but eventually you'd start to recognise some of the words. The Dutch are mostly fluent in English as well, so that helped very much with living here.

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

Intercity trains or the tram. There aren't that many bus services here in Den Haag because the trams do a good job of covering just about wherever you need to get to.

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

I mostly go to a place called Paard or Millers for a fun night out at the club with friends.

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

Go to Den Haag Centraal, there are many options to choose from. Ming's Dynasty for Chinese cuisine, Vapiano's for Italian, Umami for some fusion food.

What good cultural sites are there to visit?

The Peace Palace here and the museums are rather nice places to visit.

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

Come with an open mind, especially if you're someone that has never resided in the Netherlands. Coming from a country that has long opening hours and convenience as our top priority, I had a lot to get used to when I came here. I find many things a hassle (such as really short opening hours (I'm talking 3 hours a day for some services)), and finding a doctor for any ailment is a nightmare, so I highly suggest bringing all your needed medication, and keeping healthy. Trust me, if you're an international student, you don't want to get sick here because the process of getting to see a doctor will make you want to bawl your eyes out.