Information-Guide-For-International-Students-2015-2016.Pdf

Information Guide

for International Students 2015-2016 Welcome at Zuyd University of Applied Sciences Introduction 1

Dear student,

Welcome at Zuyd University of Applied Please feel free to look at the information Sciences and a thank you for choosing us you will find on the following pages and as a stepping stone for your academic and should you have any questions about professional careers. We feel proud to Zuyd University of Applied Sciences, life in host you. the Netherlands in general or anything whatsoever, remember that the Zuyd Inter- In addition we welcome you to the national Office will always do the utmost Netherlands and, more specifically, to the to assist. South of Limburg. A part of the Netherlands tucked between Belgium and Germany; Zuyd International Office the EU Region. Sinnika Kroese In this information booklet you can find Tamara Nkhata information concerning your new lives as Nicole Lemmens Zuyd University students. What to expect when you arrive in the Netherlands and what to know, from the most basic of information to more detailed in’s-and-out’s. International Information Booklet 2 Table of contents

1 Europe Carnaval 21 General Information 5 Bruis Festival 21 Conversion Table 5 National bank holidays 2015-2016 21 Facts 5 4 Money matters 2 The Netherlands Currency 23 The Netherlands in General 7 Bank cards 23 Holland or the Netherlands? 7 Daily expenses 23 Economy 8 Food 23 Cultural and historic background 8 Supermarkets 24 Practicial information 9 Student discounts 24 Transportation 11 Opening a bank account 25 Getting to Zuyd 12 ABN AMRO 25 Rabobank 25 3 Maastricht, Heerlen & Sittard Requirements to open your own Maastricht 14 banking account 25 Maastricht in general 15 ING 25 Student in Maastricht 15 Restaurants 16 5 Accommodation Shopping 17 Accommodation in Maastricht 27 The art of Maastricht 17 Short stay 27 Heerlen 17 Avantgarde residence 27 Heerlen in general 17 SSH M building 27 Student Associations 18 Long stay 28 Shopping 18 Accommodation in Heerlen 28 Sittard-Geleen 19 Accommodation in Sittard-Geleen 28 Sittard-Geleen in general 19 Students in Sittard-Geleen 19 6 Working in the Netherlands Student Associations 19 Which countries are eligible 31 Events in the southern part of Work permit application 31 the Netherlands 20 Health insurance during work 31 Pinkpop 20 Social security number 31 Orlando Festival 20 Taxes 31 Limburg Festival 20 Cultura Nova 20 Sinterklaas 21 International Information Booklet 3

7 Safety Sittard-Geleen 41 Identification card 33 General practitioners 41 Do’s and don’ts 33 Heerlen 41 Alcohol 33 Sittard-Geleen 41 Drugs 33 Smoking 33 Some not too serious facts about Dutch people 33

8 Zuyd University student facilities and services Student counselors 35 Student Information Centre 35 Library 35 Study books 35 Second-hand books 35 ICT 35 Notebook 35 Audiovisual equipment 36 Photocopies 36 Restaurants 36 Transport and parking facilities 36 Visa en permits 36

9 General Information Dentist 39 Electricity 39 General recommendations 39 Useful websites 39 Helpful phrases 39

Emergency & Health Important telephone numbers 40 Medical care 40 Hospitals and Emergency Rooms 40 Heerlen 40 1 Europe Europe 5

General Information Conversion Table The Netherlands is located in Europe, Europe consisting of 51 countries. 28 independent Europe USA member states belong to the European € 1,- (Euro) = $ 1,38 (Dollar) Union, an economic and political union. 20° Celsius = 68° Fahrenheit The EU operates through a hybrid system of 1 Meter = 3.28 Feet / supranational independent institutions and 39.36 Inch intergovernmental decisions negotiated by 1 Kilogram = 2.2 Pounds the member states. Important institutions 1 Liter = 0.26 Gallon of the EU include the European Commis- 1 Km/hour = 0.62 Miles/hour sion, the Council of the European Union, the European Council, the European Court of Justice, the European Central Bank and the European Parliament.

Belgium Germany The China USA Netherlands

Inhabitants 11 million 81.8 million 16.7 million 1.351 billion 313.9 million

Foreigner 9% mainly from 8% mainly from 5% mainly from population Italy, Morocco, Turkey, Italy, Turkey, Germany, France and Poland, Greece Poland & Turkey & Croatia Morocco

Political Federal state, a Federal Constitutional Single party Federal situation constitutional parliamentary, monarchy with democratic parliamentary and parliamen- representative a parliamentary centralism democracy tary monarchy democratic system republic

Size 30, 528 km² 357,021 km² 41,528 km² 9,596,960 km² 9,629,091 km²

Capital Brussels Berlin Amsterdam Beijing Washington

Languages French, Dutch, German Dutch Chinese English spoken German 6 Wilhelmus van Nassouwe ben ik, van Duitsen bloed, den Vaderland getrouwe blijf ik tot in den dood. Een prinse van Oranje ben ik, vrij onverveerd, den Koning van Hispanje heb ik altijd geëerd.

2 The Netherlands The Netherlands 7

The Netherlands in General The Netherlands, officially the Kingdom of Important emergency the Netherlands is a constitutional monarchy telephone number in with a parliamentary system. King Willem- the Netherlands: Alexander is the Dutch Head of State. Together with the Ministers, he forms the Police / Ambulance / Dutch Government. Prime Minister Mark Urgency anywhere in Rutte is head of the Cabinet (Ministers and Europe State Secretaries).

The Netherlands has a multiparty system. 112 Every four years, a new Parliament is chosen. The Parliament consists of a Senate and a House of Representatives. The latter and the Cabinet develop laws and monitor the Holland or the Netherlands? implementation, while the Senate monitors Holland or the Netherlands? What is the the House of Representatives. difference between these two? The Netherlands is often referred as Holland. At the moment the Dutch Cabinet is Nevertheless, the official name of the comprised of two parties: the Liberal party country is the Kingdom of the Netherlands. (VVD) and the Social Democrats (PvdA). The Netherlands consists out of twelve provinces. Two of them, North and South The country has twelve provinces. A Dutch Holland, are the two provinces that to- province fulfils responsibilities of regional gether make up Holland. importance and is the connection between the national government and the local Due to the maritime and economic power municipalities. The Netherlands largest city, of these provinces in the 17th century, the and capital, is Amsterdam. Netherlands became known worldwide as Holland. Holland is also the brand that is The Netherlands covers an area of 41,528 km² used to promote business and leisure trips and has a moderate marine climate. With to the Netherlands. It stands for all our 16.7 million inhabitants, it is the most country’s positive elements, the elements populous member state and the 4th largest that attract foreign leisure and business economy in the European Union. It is one of travellers. the major political powers of the European continent and a technological leader in To make matters even more confusing the many fields. inhabitants of the Netherlands are called: “the Dutch.” The Netherlands 8

The country ranked as the 18th largest economy in the world in 2013. It is regarded as the fifth largest exporter of goods. The service sector contributes 72,6% of the total GDP, industry 24,9%, and agriculture 2,5%. The average national unemployment rate in 2013 was about 8,7%.

The Netherlands was a founding member From a very early age milk is of the European Community in 1957, which a main part of a Dutch break- became the EU in 1993. It is part of the fast, several researchers claim Schengen Area (25 European countries this is why the Dutch are without internal borders) and since 1999 so tall, it also leads to them a member of the Eurozone. Maastricht is having the lowest incidence actually the birthplace of Euro as a currency of lactose intolerance of any with the signing of the treaty of Maastricht country in the world (<1% of in 1992. The Netherlands is a member of the the population). United Nations, NATO, the OECD and the Council of Europe and took a non-perma- nent seat on the UN Security Council for the 1999 - 2000.

Economy Cultural and historic background The Netherlands is known as a politically The history of the Netherlands is the history stable country with a sound financial policy. of a seafaring people thriving on a watery The Netherlands is one of the most open lowland river delta on the North Sea. Forced economies in the world, it remains to this day by nature to work together, over the centu- one of the world’s largest exporters, proudly ries they built and maintained a network of having a place in the top 5 world ranking list. polders and dikes that kept out the sea and the floods, in the process transforming their Three quarters of the professional popula- desolate landscape into a highly productive tion work in the tertiary sector, one quarter garden-state, emerging out of the struggle in the industrial sector and only 4% in agri- as one of the most urban and enterprising culture. Despite these figures, the Nether- nations in Europe. Famous naval heroes lands is a big exporter of agricultural and such as Piet Heyn, Maarten Tromp and horticultural products. Michiel de Ruyter are revered for their roles in history to this day.. Well known Dutch conglomerates include: Shell, Unilever, Akzo Nobel, Philips, Aegon, In addition, wars of religion have shaped ING Group, Rabobank, Heineken, TNT and Dutch history and culture. Under Charles Randstad. V the Netherlands became part of the Catholic Spanish empire. The Protestant International Information Booklet 9 Practical information

Tipping nized languages, beautiful and poetic as Service charge is not included in the price. they may sound. Several Southern provinces Usually people give 5% - 10% of the bill as want their dialect to become an officially tipping, depending on the quality of the recognized language but alas, this has not, service. and will most likely never come to fruition.

Temperature Cost of living In summer, the average temperature is To meet everyday living expenses a single 20°C. (68° Fahrenheit). student should have at least €800,- per month at his/her disposal. Here are the Air conditioning prices, in Maastricht, for some staple foods: Since the temperature rarely rises above 30°C (86° Fahrenheit), few places are Bread: €1,20 - €2,50 equipped with air- conditioning system. Order of chips: €2 - €2,50 Touristic places however generally are. Glass of beer (café/bar): €2,10 – €2,30 Restaurant in town (single dish): €10 - €15 Greetings Fast food - McDonald’s: €2,00 - €7.50 In the Netherlands, people greet each other by shaking hands when they do not know each other.

Religion in the Netherlands Christianity is the largest religion in the Netherlands. 27% of the population is catholic and 17% Protestant. The second largest religion is Islam (6%), followed by Buddhism (1%) and Hinduism (1%).

Languages Dutch is the official and predominanty spoken language in the Netherlands. It is The Dutch are the tallest one of 23 official languages in the European people in the world. Union. Frisian is the second official language Hitting an impressive of the Netherlands but is only spoken in the 184cm average for men and province of Friesland. Don’t be fooled by 170cm average for women. many headstrong locals! Southern dialects are in no way shape or form officially recog The Netherlands 10

Reformation made Calvinism the dominant Using its naval power and vast commercial religion in the north. Protestantism lost fleet, the province of Holland, built a world- its gains in the South after the Catholic wide maritime power with a commercial, Counter Reformation leaving the South imperial and colonial reach that extended to (Belgium) almost wholly Catholic. In 1566, Asia, Africa and the Americas. The trade in William of Orange, a Calvinist, launched the slaves was especially profitable. Eighty’s Years war to liberate the Dutch of all religions from the Catholic Spaniards. After occupation by French Napoleon in The war was won in the North in 1648 after 1813, the Netherlands was restored as a which the Dutch Republic was born, a “sovereign principality” with the House of Dutch- speaking nation with a Protestant Orange providing a monarch. Industrialisa- majority, many Catholics and thousands of tion and urbanisation made it a prosperous Jews—and an unusual policy of tolerance. small nation with a large empire.

During the Revolt commerce flourished and The Netherlands was neutral during the the country prospered. Amsterdam became First World War, and the 1920s and 1930s the most important trading centre in were quiet years. On 10 May 1940 Nazi Ger- northern Europe. In the Dutch Golden Age, many occupied the country until liberation which had its zenith around 1667, there was by mainly Canadian forces. The post-war a remarkable flowering of trade, industry years were a time of hardship, natural (especially shipbuilding), the arts (especially disaster and mass emigration, followed painting: Rembrandt van Rijn, Johannes by rebuilding, large-scale public works Vermeer for example) and the sciences. programs, economic recovery, European integration and the gradual introduction of a welfare state. Indonesia arose in a conflict in order to gain independence, which ended with the Dutch withdrawing completely from their former colonies there in 1961. Suriname declared independence in 1975. Many people from Indonesia and Suriname, and later from other countries as well, moved to the Netherlands, which resulted in the transformation of the country into a multicultural society.

The Dutch national The second half of the 20th century was anthem, the “Wilhelmus” marked by relative peace and prosper- is the oldest in the world, ity. By the 21st century, the Netherlands written and first used in has become a modern, dynamic country 1568, but officially adopted with a successful, internationally oriented in 1932. economy and a high standard of living. The Netherlands 11

Transportation Disposable ticket The Netherlands has an efficient public A disposable card for one trip or for a pre- transport system. Trains generally run on determined short-term use. For example, a time, with frequent connections to a wide one-day train or bus ticket or a 3-day ticket number of destinations. To save money on for all public transport within the city of short distances, most of the (international) Amsterdam. More information can be found students in the Netherlands ride bicycles. at www.ov-chipkaart.nl. As a newcomer you may need some time to learn how to cycle safely in busy traffic. The OV Chip Card Second-hand bicycles are widely available. The OV-chipkaart is a contactless smart If you buy one and sell it when you leave, card system for all public transport in the it will save you a lot of money on transpor- Netherlands. If you add credit to your OV- tation. Don’t forget to buy a decent lock as chip card you can travel thought the whole bikes might be stolen by others. country. Only on trains it is possible to buy single or return paper tickets for the same Your own transportation price. If you buy a single ticket in the bus, If you are from a European Union member you have to pay more and therefore it is state, you may use your national driving advantageous to buy a OV-chip card. The license in the Netherlands. If you are here full name in Dutch is Openbaarvervoerchip- for longer than three months, however, kaart (literally ‘public transport chip card’) your own license is only valid if you are though this full name is almost never used: officially registered with the authorities. the shorter OV-chipkaart is used, as is the After twelve months you will need a Dutch abbreviation OV to refer to public transport. license. Please check in advance whether or not you will need an international driving For our exchange students we recommend license at: www.government.nl/issues/ to get the anonymous OV-chipkaart, which driving-licence/foreign-driving-licences. can be bought at the ticket-service at the If you are driving your car through coun- railway station of Maastricht. The main tries that lie between your country and the advantages of this card is that it is not Netherlands, make sure that your car insur- personalized and thus you are able to lend ance provides full coverage for all costs that your card to others, and that you can buy it you might incur in the Netherlands (which quickly at the train station rather than go- can be very high). Parking space may be ing through an application process online. hard to find, and car parks are often quite You can sell this card as well when you leave expensive. Cars can be parked at most of the Netherlands. Zuyd’s campuses. The parking fee amounts to a maximum of € 1.15 per day. There is no specific OV-chipkaart for tourists.

You can also download an app on your mobile phone. So you can see what time the buses will leave. www.9292.nl 12 Getting to Zuyd

Maastricht

Academy of Fine Arts and Design Academy of Performing Arts Herdenkingsplein 12 Lenculenstraat 31-33 6211 PW Maastricht 6211 KP Maastricht

Maastricht Academy of Fine Arts and Design Maastricht Academy of Performing Arts can can be reached by bus from the railway be reached by bus from the railway station station of Maastricht. Lines 1 (Malberg), of Maastricht. Lines 3 (Wolder), 4 (Villapark) 3 (Wolder), 4 (Villapark), 6 (Daalhof) and and 9 (Pottenberg). You should get out of 9 (Pottenberg). You should get out of the the bus at the bus station Papenstraat. bus at the bus station Papenstraat except for line 1, here you should get out of the bus at the bus station Koningin Emmaplein. Hotel Management School Bethlehemweg 2 6222 BM Maastricht The Netherlands Academy of Music Bonnefantenstraat 15 Hotel Management School Maastricht 6211 KL Maastricht can be reached by bus from the railway station of Maastricht. Lines 2 (Nazareth) Maastricht Academy of Music can be and 9 (Bunde). You should get out of the bus reached by bus from the railway station of line 2 at the bus station Kemenadeplein and Maastricht. Lines 3 (Wolder), 4 (Villapark) with bus line 9 at bus station Balijeweg. and 9 (Pottenberg). You should get out of the bus at the bus station Papenstraat. Faculty of International Business and Communication Midwifery Education and Studies Brusselseweg 150 Universiteitssingel 60 6217 HB Maastricht 6229 ER Maastricht Faculty of International Business and Midwifery Education and Studies Maastricht Communication can be reached by bus 1 can be reached by bus from the railway and 2 from Maastricht station. station of Maastricht. Lines 1 (De Heeg), 5 (Heugem), 8 (Eijsden) or the train to Maastricht Randwyck. If you go by bus, you should get out of the bus at the bus station Academisch Ziekenhuis.

Heerlen

Nieuw Eyckholt 300 6419 DJ Heerlen

This location can be easily reached by bus from the railway station of Heerlen, do The Netherlands has the note that this railway station is undergoing highest population density major renovations. Lines 20 (Hoensbroek), of any European country: 21 (Gulpen), 40 (Kerkrade), 52 (Meerssen) and 493 Inhabitants per square 41 (Kerkrade) all stop in front of the Nieuw mile. Worldwide, only Eyckholt location. Hogeschool Zuyd has its Bangladesh, and Taiwan own bus station. have a higher density of population!

Sittard

Havikstraat 5 6135 ED Sittard

Havikstraat can be reached by bus from the railway station of Sittard. Lines 15 (to Geleen) and 118 (to Holtum) stop within walking distance of the Havikstraat location. You should get out of the bus at bus station Bradleystraat.

Campus: Sportcentrumlaan 35 6136 KX Sittard

Sportcentrumlaan can be reached from the railway station of Sittard. Lines 18 (Gre- venbicht), 70 (Roosteren) and 13 (Kemper koul via Baandert). You should get out of the bus at the bus station Dr Nolenslaan/ Hogeschool. 3 Maastricht, Heerlen & Sittard Maastricht, Heerlen & Sittard 15

Zuyd University of Applied Sciences is located in the most southern part of the Netherlands, in three different cities, each with its own unique character. Below the main aspects from the city will be described:

Maastricht

Maastricht in general Maastricht is the capital of Limburg. It is one of the eldest cities in the Netherlands and certainly the most international one. It is for good reason that Maastricht stood at the cradle of the European Union in 1992 at the time of the signing of the Maastricht is a real university city with a lively student Treaty -the treaty on European Union. culture and plenty of facilities. Zuyd has Thousands of tourists come to Maastricht eight locations in Maastricht. The building every year for a taste of the epicurean at the Brusselseweg houses several inter- character of the south of the Netherlands. national study programmes. The Academies In 2015 Maastricht has 122,358 inhabitants. of Music, Performing Arts and Fine Arts There are some typical Maastricht special- are located in the city centre, while the ties you don’t want to miss: zuurvlees (a Hotel Management School and the Faculty soury beef stew) served with chips, onion of Midwifery Education and Studies are soup (a rich soup made of onions with lots located at the edges of the city. Students of cheese) and saté (chicken or beef skewers of Zuyd University of Applied Sciences in served with peanut sauce). Maastricht can benefit from the Maastricht More information can be found on the University sport card. More information can website: www.vvvmaastricht.nl be found on the website: www.maastrichtuniversity.nl . Mymaastricht.nl has all the information students would need. Student Associations A student association will give you an added Student in Maastricht opportunity to fully enjoy your student Maastricht is quite international and has years and to develop yourself further. If you a large student population that includes organize your time efficiently, you should many international students. The city has have enough time to do things other than a rich cultural life, a wide variety of shops just study! During INKOM (at the beginning and boutiques, and many pubs, bars and of September), representatives from most restaurants, all of which make it an ideal of the student associations will be there to place to live, work and study in. Maastricht introduce themselves to you. Maastricht, Heerlen & Sittard 16

Restaurants Overall you can’t go wrong with the ‘Platielstraat’ and its square (Amorsplein), the buzzing heart of the student area, with a lot of restaurants and bars. Right across the river on the Wyckerbrug straat is located the Irish Pub John Mullins, always welcome to expats, international crowds and locals alike.

Shopping The Entre-Deux shopping mall is located near the Vrijthof right next to the Domini- canen Church, home to the internationally renowned Polare bookshop. A stone’s throw away and you’ll find yourself on the main The following student associations are shopping street, the Grote Staat. It is a big located in Maastricht: street that is connects the Vrijthof to the SV KoKo www.svkoko.nl remaining inner city. Department stores like MSRC Saurus www.msrvsaurus.nl HEMA, V&D and Bijenkorf are situated here SV Circumflex www.circumflex.nl as well as many other clothes and shoes MSV Tragos www.tragos.nl stores. The Stokstraat used to be one of Aegee www.aegee-maastricht.org the poorest streets in Maastricht that now Lux ad Mosam www.luxadmosam.nl carries shops with fashion’s biggest names (A christian student association) and brands. For boutiques, vintage clothing Erasmus www.esn-maastricht.nl and not so well-known upcoming brands, Student Network simply walk around the centre. You’ll be (For exchange students in Maastricht) sure to find something to your liking and everything is highly accessible. To get to know these associations, you can join the INKOM. This is a good way to get to Shopping for Maastricht souvenirs: know more new students in Maastricht. The tourism bureau has a nice selection of For more information and to sign up: gifts (Kleine Staat 1, close to the Vrijthof). www.inkom.nl/eng. Preuve Limburg (Laag, Mosae Forum 13) has specialty food stuffs and regional products. Kiekoet (Rechtstraat 52 or Heggenstraat 5) is an ideal place to shop for a nice souvenir from the city. Maastricht, Heerlen & Sittard 17

The art of Maastricht Please do not miss out on the many, architecturally and esthetically speaking, spectacular sights of the many churches Maastricht is home to. All across the city many beautiful churches from days long gone by can be found. For English sermons please visit www.damascusroadic.com or www.michurch.nl. Having no religious views or different religious views should not let you miss out on these beautiful sights.

Heerlen

Heerlen in general Heerlen is a city and a municipality in the Tip southeastern Netherlands. The munici pality is the second largest in the province Reitz - Markt 75 of Limburg. In 2015 Heerlen has 87,400 Reitz is a popular fast food joint where inhabitants. More information can be found you can get the best fries in Maas- on the website. tricht also widely acclaimed as the first snackbar of the Netherlands. You can’t Students in Heerlen miss the line of waiting customers The city of Heerlen has an ultra-modern during a sunny day. Located, ironically shopping centre and has attracted a large enough, right next to the McDonald’s number of high- tech companies in recent at the Vrijthof. years. Not many people regard Heerlen as a typical student town. But nothing could be Barsserie Appart - Achter de Molens 15 further from the truth – Heerlen is a great A trendy restaurant with great cocktail place to spend your student days. The bar. modern university building in Heerlen at Nieuw Eyckholt houses numerous study De Preuverij - Kakeberg 6 programmes and facilities. It is located A student café with good and low price close to the city centre, which can easily be food. Reservations recommended: reached by bus, by bicycle or even on foot. +31 43 325 09 03. The city centre features great pubs and outdoor cafés that are filled with students Maastricht, Heerlen & Sittard 18

during fine weather. A number of student associations are located in cafés and restaurants downtown. The centre also houses two large cinemas and the city theatre.

Student Associations A student association will give you an added opportunity to fully enjoy your student years and to develop yourself further. If you organize your time efficiently, you should have enough time to do things other than just study! The following student associations are located in Heerlen:

Volupia Heerlen www.volupia.nl Woord en Daad Heerlen www.svwoordendaad.nl Bedrijfskundig Genootschap Heerlen www.bgheerlen.nl

During the ‘Heerlense Studenten Intro’ (HSI), most of the student associations will be there to introduce themselves to you. This is the perfect chance to get to know Tip other new students. For more information and to sign up: Café Bracke - Saroleastraat 52 www.heerlensestudentenintroductie.nl A nice café with a lot of students. You can order a special beer menu com- Shopping bined with some nice food. Heerlen has many fashion shops, boutiques, international fashion chains and depart- De Kromme Toeter - Pancratiusplein 55 ment stores in the city centre. There are A student café with a lot of simple nice weekly markets held on Tuesday, from 8.30 dishes. This café is located in the city till 15.00 hours and on Saturday from 9.00 center. till 17.00 hours. You will find fruits, vege tables, flowers, household goods, clothing Chique but cheap: and fabrics. An antique market with second Arcus - Willemstraat 2 hand stuff and bric-a-brac is held regularly A really nice student restaurant with on Saturdays from May to October, in the students from the tourism school heart of the city. serving you. Maastricht, Heerlen & Sittard 19

and Accounting, Commercial Management and People and Business Management are located at the Havikstraat and the Faculties of Social Work and Law at the Sportcentrumlaan.

Sittard-Geleen in general To get to know these associations, you can Sittard-Geleen is an industrial centre with join the Sittard-Geleen introduction. an attractive, historic town centre. Mul- This is a good way to get to know more tinational companies like DSM, Lanxess new students in Sittard-Geleen. For and Sabic can be found in Sittard-Geleen. more information and to sign up: Around the historic market square of www.studentenintroductiesittard.nl. Sittard, there is a wide range of pleasant pubs and restaurants. There is a town theatre and a modern cinema and you can find several discotheques in the cities nearby. In Tip 2015 Sittard-Geleen has 93,630 inhabitants. Ernesto’s Cantina - Markt 32 Students in Sittard-Geleen An typical Mexican restaurant with In recent years, Sittard-Geleen has devel- a nice mix of misic, drinks and food. oped into a regional centre for education, sport and business. Sittard-Geleen is a Kafee de Kup - Limbrichterstraat 28 dynamic city. It has all the ingredients for An old cozy city café with typical old fun-filled student days. Sittard-Geleen, the instruments. official home of the Sport Zone Limburg, -of fers a wide range of sports facilities. Various Café Schtad Zitterd - Markt 25 fitness centres offer special reductions to An old café with traditions from over students with a student card. Zuyd Univer- the 175 year. sity of Applied Sciences has two locations in Sittard-Geleen: the Faculties of Finance Maastricht, Heerlen & Sittard 20

Events

Events in the southern part of the Netherlands The many facets of Zuid-Limburg can also be seen in the large number of cultural events on offer. Zuid-Limburg is virtually bursting with events and culture! There are events that occur every year, transforming Zuid-Limburg into a world full of music, theatre, song and dance. Well-known events are for instance Pinkpop and the Limburg Festival. For a good overview from all the events: www.holland.com/uk/tourism.htm and www.charlzz.com.

Pinkpop Limburg Festival This festival is the oldest and best-loved The Limburg Festival is aimed at a broad open-air pop festival in the Netherlands, audience. The objective is to bring those takes place every year over the Whit parts of the general public who rarely, if weekend in Megaland, the festival site of ever go to regular theatrical productions Parkstad Limburg in the municipality of into contact with suburban and street Landgraaf. The Pinkpop Festival was first theatre, in familiar surroundings, using held in 1970. Lots of internationally famous the most varied, straightforward and bands have now been on stage during audience-friendly material possible. In Pinkpop, such as for example the Red Hot order to reach the target audiences, the Chili Peppers, Dire Straits, Metallica, Foo Limburg Festival quite literally takes Fighters and Rage Against The Machine. theatre to the people. For more informa- For more information: www.pinkpop.nl. tion: www.limburgfestival.nl.

Orlando Festival Cultura Nova The Orlando Festival has been bringing This festival is held every year in Parkstad musicians from a very wide range of levels Limburg. It is a fascinating, summery event together for more than twenty-five years. that astonishes, amazes and surprises. Both younger and older amateurs are given For ten days, Cultura Nova offers a hugely lessons by renowned musicians. For more wide-ranging programme of theatre, music, information: www.orlandofestival.nl/en. dance, visual arts and films for adults and children. Its guests include regional, national and international artists and groups. For more information: www.cultura-nova.nl. Maastricht, Heerlen & Sittard 21

Carnival In Holland, carnival is a holiday mainly celebrated in the south of the country. The provinces Limburg and Noord-Brabant are the predominantly Catholic provinces of the Netherlands, where most inhabitants celebrate Carnival. Though some people take the Carnival traditions very seriously, most people keep it simple and just drink, sing and dance wearing a colorful outfit. For more information: www.vastelaoven- dinlimburg.nl

Sinterklaas There is not a single family in Holland that does not in some way or another honor the old “Bishop” and his servant the Grumpus with a party, a small get-together or by going to somebody’s else’s house to celebrate. There may be many presents, or just a few, tables laden with traditional candles and cookies, or just a pot of hot chocolate. The house may be teeming with children, or with perhaps just a few grown-ups around the dining room table, but the Sinterklaas spirit is everywhere. It is far and away the nicest, most wonderful and exciting festivity in the land! For more information: www.iamsterdam.com/en/visiting/ whats-on/holiday-season-in-amsterdam/ School holidays sinterklaas. Autumn break 2015 Bruis Festival 24-10-2015 - 01-11-2015 This is a two-day music festival with a lot Christmas holiday 2015 of popular international artists! For more 19-12-2015 - 03-01-2016 information: www.bruismaastricht.nl. Carnaval holiday 2016 20-02-2016 - 28-02-2016 May holiday 2016 30-04-2016 - 08-05-2016 Summer holiday 2016 23-07-2016 - 04-09-2016 Maastricht, Heerlen & Sittard 22

4 Money Matters Money Matters 23

Currency In 2002 the former national currencies of most of the EU countries were replaced by a new common European currency called the Euro. The biggest advantage of the common currency is that you can travel through most of the EU without having to exchange currencies.

Bank cards The Netherlands has been If you have a bank card that allows access one of the richest countries to the CIRRUS or Maestro network, you in the world. It has the can withdraw money from your account fourth highest GDP of the through ATMs (you will need a PIN-code to EU. access your account). Travellers’ cheques can be exchanged at the local branches of the major banks. Please note that some banks do not accept USD100 bank notes. Daily expenses Your daily expenses include food, public Most shops accept cash payment, payment transport, books, clothes, and cinema by debit card or payment by credit card tickets. But you also need to take into ac- (VISA or Eurocard/ Mastercard, American count the costs for housing and insurance. Express is accepted in fewer locations). Experience has shown that students living Usually credit cards are only used for larger and studying in Holland for one year spend amounts. It is advisable to always carry between €800 and €1100 a month. some some cash currency. The Netherlands has a relatively high living standard and Food some products may be more expensive than Food is estimated to take a third of your in your own country. Make sure that your income. Fortunately, most higher education budget is sufficient for the entire period of institutions offer hot meals at reasonable your stay. prices. Many cities have pubs (eetcafés) where you can get a good meal at a good The IND (Immigration and Naturalisation price. But the cheapest way to eat is to do Service) estimates that you need at least your own cooking. €815,- a month for living expenses. How ever, if you wish to visit other parts of Some average prices: a cup of coffee/tea Europe while you are here, we recommend in a café: €2, a cheese sandwich: €3, dinner an extra budget for travelling. in a typical student restaurant: €10. Most supermarkets offer a variety of brands. It is worth comparing the prices to find the cheapest option. Money Matters 24

Student discounts Many bars, restaurants, museums and cinemas give student discounts. Most of these ask for proof in the form of a student card from your institution. You should check in advance if a student discount is available. Especially for international students, the International Student Identity Card (ISIC) can provide some interesting discounts and Orange-colored carrots first offers on travel, shopping, museums and appeared in the Netherlands more, worldwide. Find out more on this in the 16th century. Before site: www.isic.org. then carrots were white, yellow, purple or red. It is said that orange carrots are bred in honor of the Dutch House of Orange, who led the revolt against the Spanish and went on to become the Dutch Royal family.

Supermarkets Albert Heijn: The largest supermarket chain in the Netherlands, with stores ranging from small convenience stores to large hypermarkets. Aldi: Very low cost hypermarket chain selling B-brand foods as well as non-food products such as cheap computers, DVD players and clothes. Plus: Large supermarket chain selling standard produce as well as gluten free and international products. Jumbo: One of the fastest growing supermarket chains in the Netherlands with a wide range of food and non-food items. Money Matters 25

Opening a bank account Requirements to open your own banking account As a service to its students, Zuyd University Requirements when applying for an account makes it possible for all students to pay with ING: their annual tuition fee in 12 equal install- • Minimum age is 18. ments. However, this is only possible when • You live abroad during your study at the student has a Dutch bank account. Zuyd University. If you would like to pay your tuition fee • You have a national identity card, a in installments or need a bank account in driver’s licence or other valid proof of the Netherlands for other purposes (for identity with a photograph, issued by example to pay your rent) then ING have an a qualified authority. account that caters specifically to students. • A written and signed certificate of ING and Zuyd University cooperate with registration from Zuyd University each other to offer you banking facilities (your student card is not sufficient). and to make it easier and hassle free. ING ATM’s can be found across the city, all major Opening your ING banking account: Dutch banks are represented. Among others 1. Visit an ING office in Maastricht, Heerlen ING, ABN Amro, Rabobank and SNS. or Sittard and bring a valid proof of identity and the written and signed evidence A few addresses of ATM’s in Maastricht: of enrollment issued by Zuyd University. 2. Fill in the application form handed to ABN AMRO you at the bank. If your application is Vrijthof 21, 6211LD Maastricht approved, you will receive an e-mail from Avenue Ceramique 27, 6221 KV Maastricht ING inviting you to collect your direct debit card. ING 3. You will receive a separate application Vrijthof 45, 6211 LE Maastricht form for internet banking at your home Statensingel, 6217 Maastricht address. Sign this form and send it to ING in the envelope provided. Stamp the Rabobank envelope if you are posting it outside of Tongerseweg 166, 6214 BD Maastricht the Netherlands. For more detailed information you can visit the ING website For more ATM’s: with this link: http://www.ing.nl/de-ing/ places.tomtom.com/ over-de-ing/over-de-ing/welcome-to- nl_nl/rubriek/pinautomaten/ ing/index.aspx. Maastricht?locale=en_GB. International Information Booklet 26

5 Accommodation Accomodation 27

Are you looking for a room in Maastricht, Heerlen or Sittard-Geleen? In this chapter you can find information about student accommodation in these three cities.

Maastricht

Short stay Zuyd University of Applied Sciences offers Avantgarde residence dedicated short-stay accommodation for incoming exchange students. The buildings below are located in Maastricht. You SSH M building can contact Tamara Nkhata at the Zuyd The so-called M ‘building’ from the SSH International Office for more information company, offers furnished single rooms, on these accommodation options. You can prices ranging from €360,- to €500,- per contact her at this telephone number: month, all inclusive (wireless internet and +31 (0)43 34 66 450 or email to this email utilities are included). A lot of international address: [email protected]. students and PhD researchers live there.

Avantgarde residence Twin rooms are available at around €290,- The single rooms at Avantgarde are furnis per person. Residents at this M building hed (wall-to-wall carpet, curtains, lighting, have access to some sport facilities. Kitchen single bed, mattress, duvet and pillow, table and bathroom facilities are shared per floor. and chair). Each room has a wardrobe, and an en suite shower and toilet. Bed linen is The deposit amounts to one month rent. not included. A fee is charged for cleaning services at the end of your stay. There is a common room on the ground floor where you can watch TV, play table tennis, pool, mini soccer and darts. Each of the floors has a shared kitchen, laundry room and dining room. The floors can be reached by means of a staircase and eleva- tors. Avantgarde has a terrace, a parking lot and a secure bicycle shed.

The rent is €350,- per month. The deposit, which is refundable when you check out of your room, amounts to €500,-. All services, including wireless internet, are included in SSH M-building the monthly rent. Accomodation 28

Long stay Heerlen Maastricht Housing helps you find accommodation in and around Maastricht and in Accommodation in Heerlen Sittard-Geleen. In order to apply for a room In Heerlen, you are welcome at the Stichting you need to register. The fee for a one time Studenten Huisvesting (SSH). The SSH will subscription is € 35. It’s their shared goal to help you find a room. The SSH is located supply good quality housing at affordable on our Nieuw Eyckholt campus at Heerlen prices for students, staff and guests from (Monday–Friday from 9am to 4pm). You Maastricht University, Zuyd Hogeschool can also contact the office at this telephone and Jan van Eyck Academie. number: +31 (0)45 400 66 15 or email to this email address: [email protected]. You can contact the office of Maastricht Housing at this telephone number: +31 (0)43 388 53 00 (Monday – Friday from 9am to 6pm) or email to this email address: Sittard [email protected] or [email protected]. Accommodation in Sittard-Geleen Housing Association Woonpunt can assist In addition the company Jules and you you in finding accommodation in Sittard- can assist as well. Please visit Geleen. They also coordinate short stay www.julesmaastricht.com. facilities and furnished rooms. You can add your personal profile (free of charge) on the website in order to apply for a room. You can also contact the office at this telephone number: +31 (0)46 474 77 61 or email to this email address: [email protected].

Gin was invented in the Netherlands as ‘Jenever’. 29 International Information Booklet 30

6 Working in the Netherlands Working in the Netherlands 31

Which countries are eligible For more information about health insur- If you are from the EU/EEA (but not from ance: www.studyinholland.nl/practical- Croatia) or from Switzerland, you are free matters/insurance/healthcare-insurance/ to work without restrictions. healthcare-insurance

If you are from Croatia, or from a country Social security number/BSN outside the EU/EEA or Switzerland, there BSN is short for Burger Service Nummer, are some restrictions if you want to take a which translates as ‘citizen service number’. job next to your studies. You need a permit The BSN is equivalent to a social security and you can only work for a maximum of number: a unique registration number for ten hours a week or, instead, you can work every citizen, used in contacts with any full-time during the summer months of government service. June, July and August. Various people may ask for your BSN. If you For more information please visit the have a job, your employer will need to know website: www.studyinholland.nl/ your BSN. Insurance companies may also practical-matters/working-while-studying ask for your BSN-number.

Work permit application When registering with your local munici Your employer needs to apply for a work pality, you are automatically issued a BSN. permit for you. The organization that Your local town hall will most likely send decides on work permits is called UWV you a letter to confirm all your personal Werkbedrijf. For more information visit the details listed in their administration. This website: www.uwv.nl letter will also mention your BSN.

If you are studying at a Dutch host institu- Taxes tion and you need to do an internship as You are required to pay tax over your total part of your study program, you do not need Dutch income for the year. Scholarships a work permit. Your host institution and may also be counted as income and added your employer do need to sign an internship to the total. For more information on agreement. income tax, you can check with your employer or directly with the Dutch Tax Office. Health insurance during work You need to be aware that as soon as you For more information: pick up a job, you are obliged to take out the www.studyinholland.nl/documentation/ Dutch basic healthcare insurance. If you do international-students-and-part-time-jobs. not meet this requirement you risk a huge pdf fine. International Information Booklet 32

7 Safety Safety 33

Identification card clubs. You will have to go outside or into a It is required by law to have your passport special smoking area inside the location to or European ID card with you all the time. smoke. Sometimes the owner allows people If the police asks you to show your identifi- to smoke inside, you will recognize this by cation, you have to be able to. The fines for the smell and ash trays on the tables. The not carrying a valid ID card is high. owner of these places take a risk to be fined to let you smoke. Do’s and don’ts

Alcohol First of all, don’t drink at public places. Some not too This means that you can’t drink alcohol anywhere except of places like bars and serious facts about discotheques. Dutch people The legal drinking age is 18. Public drunken- ness is punishable by a fine. If the ‘offender’ • Dutch people are very direct. De- causes disorder, disturbance or danger, he pending on your point of view, this can be imprisoned for two to twelve hours is rude, tactless or refreshing. at the police station. • The French speak French, and the Germans speak German. Italians Drugs speak Italian, Spanish people speak In contradiction to what most people think, Spanish. You can’t say Netherland- drugs in the Netherlands are illegal. The ers speak Nederlandish. The people police however allows you to have a small are the Dutch, and the language is amount (5 grams) for usage at home or at a Dutch. Almost all Dutch can speak coffee shop. The usage of drugs is forbidden English and are willing to do so. in public places. Take care that drugs might After English, German is the most be stronger in the Netherlands than in commonly spoken foreign language. your home country. Don’t experiment with • There are bicycles everywhere. ‘paddo’s’or pills of unknown origin. Many Aside from having absolute priority accidents happen as a result of drug usage. everywhere on the roads, they also Never mix drugs with alcohol. make drinking nights a hazard. Eng- lish visitors have ‘do not fall, it hurts’ Smoking deeply ingrained into their subcon- It is prohibited to smoke indoors. It’s no scious, so even when drunk the life problem if you smoke on the streets, but preservation instinct kicks in. In the when you enter any kind of building you Netherlands, even that is not safe. can’t smoke. In many of the student Immediately you step outside a café residences it is not allowed to smoke in the you run the risk of colliding with a common areas. It is also prohibited to smoke high speed cyclist. cigarettes inside of restaurants, bars and International Information Booklet 34

8 Zuyd University student facilities and services Zuyd University student facilities and services 35

Zuyd University of Applied Sciences offers Study books a congenial learning environment. Excel- Prior to the start of your study, you will lent facilities and services are available receive a letter and/or e-mail message for our students. The following may be of from your study program, telling you which interest to you. books are to be purchased. This letter explains in detail how and where you can Student counselors buy your books. Some study programs ar- The student counselors are there for all range this through the university’s intranet students of Zuyd University. Their main task (Infonet). Other programs will advise you to is to represent the general and individual order your books online, e.g. at Studystore. interests of students. To make an appoint- In this case you will find the order form for ment, call the correct number below your study program on the Studystore site:

Heerlen: +31 (0)45 400 62 98 Second-hand books Sittard: +31 (0)46 420 70 78 Study books may be expensive and some- Maastricht: +31 (0)43 346 66 66 times they are only used for a short period of time. In this case you could consider Student Information Centre buying second-hand books instead of new On the third floor of the C-section of our ones. Zuyd University of Applied Sciences building in Heerlen, you will find the service offers an online book fair. Always make sure desk of the Student Information Centre. that you purchase the right edition. Here you can find brochures of all our study programmes, including those taught in ICT Maastricht and Sittard-Geleen. You can The facilities at Zuyd are geared to the de- also visit the Student Information Centre mands of a modern student: online, flexible for assistance in filling out official forms learning and working environments and (e.g. for DUO or other official authorities). excellent ICT facilities are available. All of our buildings feature computer work sta- Library tions with fast internet access. You will also All the campuses of Zuyd have libraries have access to a Wi-Fi network, a computer featuring modern computer and study fa- account with a personal e-mail address, cilities. At the libraries you can consult and storage capacity for your personal files and borrow books, magazines and audiovisual printing facilities. The ICT Helpdesk offers media. The website of the library provides support for all your ICT-related enquiries. easy access to several databases. With the free library card you can get access to other Notebook libraries in the region, including the library As a student, you will regularly use our ICT of Maastricht University. facilities. Depending on the study program of your choice, you may be asked to purchase a notebook computer and software. This notebook will be your personal buddy during your study at Zuyd. Zuyd University student facilities and services 36

Audiovisual equipment Restaurants During your study you will have to prepare At all our sites you will find restaurants and many presentations, conduct interviews, cafeterias, operated by Sodexho catering make video recordings etc. On certain con- services as well as vending machines and ditions you can borrow audiovisual equip- coffee corners. The Heerlen campus also ment, e.g. laptop computers, multimedia features a Grand Café called de Hoeve, projectors, video cameras, at the AV service where you can have a quick meal or a drink. desk. These differ from location to location, Grand Café de Hoeve is a work-based please ask the front desk for the AV service learning project, run by students of Facility desk should you need their services. Management.

Photocopies Transport and parking facilities There are several photocopiers and printers All of our campuses can be easily accessed in Zuyd’s buildings, which are operated by by public transport. There are bus stops inserting pre- paid smart cards that can be near our buildings with regular bus services. purchased at central locations on our cam- At some of our campuses a €1,15 fee is puses. At these sales desks you can also buy charged at the car park. For €5 you can transparencies, binders and in most cases buy a parking card; extra amounts can be note-pads, pens, markers etc. charged to this card through your own debit card. Bicycles, mopeds and scooters can be parked in our free bike-parking facilities.

Visa en permits The international office is fully staffed and tasked to help all non-native students concerning visa’s permits and information concerning them. The office itself has an open door policy throughout the week, we would recommend however to make an appointment over email, please contact this email address: [email protected].

The Dutch company Philips invented the audio tape (1967), the video tape (1972), the Compact Disk (1982) and the CD-ROM (1985). International Information Booklet 37 International Information Booklet 38

9 General information General information 39

Dentist Electricity Should you be in high need of dental care Electrical appliances require 220-230V AC you can always visit your hospital for emer- and a special plug. Adaptors and converters gencies. They all have designated dentistry can be purchased before departure, but departments should you need them. For take into account that, in spite of these, regular dentistry appointments our non- 110V equipment may not last very long. native students students studying in Maastricht can always seek contact with General recommendations dentist ‘Drietand’. Below you will find the Pay attention to the pickpockets (airport, address. stations, buses, bars, public spaces). Take a copy of your identity documents with you Planetenhof 26A 6215 TW Maastricht anytime and leave your official documents Telephone: +31 (0)43 321 02 06 preferably somewhere safe. Email: [email protected] Opening hours: Monday - Friday Useful websites 08:00-17:00 (Wed 20:00) www.studyinholland.nl www.newtoholland.nl

Helpful phrases

English French German Dutch Hello Bonjour Hallo Hallo Goodbye Au revoir Tschüss Tot ziens Yes / No Oui / Non Ja / Nein Ja / Nee Excuse me Excusez-moi Entschuldigung Pardon Thank you Merci Danke schön Dank u wel Do you speak English? Parlez-vous anglais? Sprechen Sie Englisch? Spreekt u Engels? I don’t understand Je ne comprends pas Ich vestehe es nicht Ik versta het niet How are you? Ça va? Wie geht es dir? Hoe gaat het? Menu Menu Speisekarte Menu Pork / Beef / Chicken / Porc / Boeuf / Poulet / Schwein / Rind / Huhn Varken / Rund / Kip / Turkey Dinde / Pute Kalkoen Potato / Noodles / Pommes de terre / Kartoffel / Nudeln / Aardappel / Pasta / Vegetables Pâtes / Légumes Gemüse Groenten Toilet Toilette Toilette Toilet Station Gare Bahnhof Station Fries Frites Pommes frites Frieten 40 Emergency & Health

In general you will only visit the hospital Important emergency when severely ill and your GP cannot telephone number in conduct treatment, or when your GP is the Netherlands: unavailable for whatever reason. In the last case you will visit the emergency room, Police / Ambulance / these are attached to the hospitals given Urgency anywhere in above and will help you with whatever Europe medical ailment you might have. 112 Hospitals and Emergency Rooms Maastricht Maastricht UMC+ is located in Randwyck Medical care and easily accessible by public and private In the Netherlands, the general practitioner transport. (GP) is your first port of call for (non emergency) health problems. Address P. Debyelaan 25, 6229 HX Maastricht It is a good idea to register with a general Telephone: +31 (0)43 387 65 43 practitioner (GP) in the town where you www.mumc.nl liven in the Netherlands. Registration with a GP practice is free. If you have medical Heerlen problems, make sure to bring a copy of your Zuyderland Atrium is the predominant medical file with you. hospital in the Heerlen region and we would advise you to make use of its facilities. You can discuss this with the chosen GP As with all hospitals on this list it is easily in the Netherlands. Are you going to study accessible by public and private transport. in Maastricht, then you can find more information about registration at a GP practice Address in this brochure. Henri Dunantstraat 5, 6419 PC Heerlen Telephone: +31 (0)45 576 66 66 If you have to go to the after-hours clinic www.zuyderland.nl because of an acute medical problem, the GP where you have registered will be informed about this. 41

Sittard-Geleen Gezondheidscentrum Dr. Van Kleef Zuyderland Orbis is regarded as the best Dr. Van Kleefstraat 27, 6217 JJ Maastricht regarded hospital in Sittard-Geleen. As with Telephone: +31 (0)43 347 92 22 all hospitals on this list it is easily accessible www.vankleef.praktijkinfo.nl by public and private transport. This physician is located close to the faculty Address of International Business and Communica- Dr. H. van der Hoffplein tion at the Brusselseweg. 6162 BG Sittard-Geleen Telephone: +31 (0)88 459 77 77 Huisartsenpraktijk van Rooij www.zuyderland.nl Kemenadeplein 2/4, 6222VE Maastricht Telephone: +31 (0)43 362 41 00 General practitioners www.huisartsenpraktijknazareth.nl For your convenience we have listed some general practitioners you can consult should This physician is close to the Hotel you feel under the weather. Please do take Management School. note that should register before the doctor in question can treat you. Students with Heerlen known health problems should register in the first two weeks as a precautionary. Huisartsenpraktijk centrum Vlotstraat 7, 6417 CA Heerlen Maastricht Telephone: +31 (0)45 571 63 78 www.huisartsdewit.nl Diagnostic Center Teikyo Brouwersweg 100, 6216 EG Maastricht Located in the city center of Heerlen Telephone: +31 (0)43 329 20 82 this physician can be easily reached for www.dcteikyo.com those attending Zuyd University’s Heerlen locations. This physician is located in the Teikyo building, students living there or living in Sittard-Geleen the neighbourhood of the Bursselseweg location are encouraged to make use of Huisarts Boode Diagnostic Center Teikyo’s services. Daalstraat 28-A, 6165 TM Geleen Telephone number: +31 (0)46 475 82 84 Huisartsenpost Wolfs www.zorgkaartnederland.nl/zorginstelling/ Patersbaan 11a, 6211 LZ Maastricht huisartsenpraktijk-huisartspraktijk-boode- Telephone: +31 (0)43 321 86 00 geleen-198172 www.huisartsenmaastricht.nl

Students with postal codes in between 6211 and 6219 (in other words those living near the conservatory) should register with Huisartsenpost Wolfs.