We hosted 2 live webinars for upcoming students in which we discussed practical information on what to know and prepare before your arrival in The Netherlands. Missed them? No worries, you can watch the recordings here:

Webinar 1: 

In this first webinar we discussed the application process, visa and insurance, financial matters, the Goin’ app and housing. Click here to watch the webinar.

Webinar 2:

In this webinar we discussed the introduction week, your travels to The Netherlands, VHL culture and Dutch culture. Click here to watch te webinar.

To help you with everything you need to arrange, we created the VHL survival guide: When in the Netherlands! This booklet contains all kinds of useful information for international students. Download it here to get all the details on opening a bank account, registering at the local municipality and healthcare in the Netherlands.

As you prepare for your study abroad adventure, one of the key things on your to-do list is finding a cozy place to call home. You'll be in charge of arranging your own accommodation, so before you depart to the Netherlands, make sure you've got this sorted (even if it's just temporary). Given the current housing shortage in The Netherlands, it can be a bit tricky to find a place. That's why we recommend starting your search in Springtime. But don't worry, we're here to help! We've mapped out different routes to guide you in finding a place to stay:

Take the train from the airport

If you fly to the Netherlands, you can take a train from Schiphol Amsterdam Airport to Velp. We would like to warn you about taxis, as they are extremely expensive, even for short distances. Public transport is well-organised in the Netherlands, so it’s really best to take the train! You can plan your journey via NS.nl. This is also where you can buy your tickets online, or do this at the NS desk or machine at the airport. Alternatively, you can check in with a contactless debit card using OVpay.

Travel to the Netherlands by international train or bus

A sustainable option is to travel by international train to the Netherlands. You can visit the website of the railway company in your own country, or go the website of the Dutch Railways at nsinternational.com. If you prefer to travel to the Netherlands by bus, the budget option Flixbus.com is worth checking out.

Public transport in the Netherlands

Once you’ve arrived in the Netherlands and need to take a bus from the train station to get to your final destination, please have a look at 9292.nl for routes and bus numbers. You can buy a single ticket on the bus or check in with your contactless debit card. If you plan to travel more often with Dutch public transport, please check NS.nl for discount subscriptions.

Bicycle

All students in the Netherlands cycle! It’s really the best way to get around. Most people get a second-hand bike at a bike shop, via student Facebook pages, or via marktplaats.nl (Dutch eBay). Alternatively, you can rent a bike from swapfiets.nl.

You will need a VHL account during your studies. This account grants you access to all the digital facilities of the university of applied sciences. Such as your class schedule and the digital learning environment. Your VHL account consists of an e-mail address (firstname.lastname@hvhl.nl) and a password you set yourself. From the start of your programme, VHL will only send you information via this e-mail address.

Logging in from home is not necessary. You will do this together with your lecturers during the first week of classes.

Complete enrolment first, then VHL account
You will only receive an email to activate your VHL account once your enrolment is complete. Is there anything you still need to submit to guarantee your start at VHL? Please do so as soon as possible, so that we can have enough time to process your information, and ensure you are able to participate on the first day without worries.

Which laptop do you need for your study programme?

At Van Hall Larenstein University of Applied Sciences, you will use your own laptop. This allows you to study flexibly: at university, at home or on the go. It is important that your laptop meets the minimum requirements for your study programme. This way, you can be sure that all software runs smoothly and that you won't encounter technical issues during classes or assessments.

Before the start of the academic year, we publish a list for each programme outlining the required software and corresponding system requirements for your laptop. Make sure to check this carefully before purchasing a laptop or bringing one with you to university.

At VHL, we work with several sets of system requirements for laptops. For most programmes, the basic system requirements listed below will be sufficient. Some specific programmes require more advanced specifications – see the section ‘high-performance system requirements’ for more information.

Basic system requirements: Component & Minimum specification

Operating system: Windows 11 or higher (not all applications work on a Chromebook (ChromeOS) or MacBook (macOS))

Processor: Modern quad-core (or more) Intel Core i5 (12th generation or higher) or AMD Ryzen 5 (2000 series or higher)

Memory: (RAM)8 GB or more

Storage: At least 256 GB SSD

Graphics card: Integrated GPU in a modern CPU

Security: TPM 2.0 chip and Secure Boot enabled in BIOS/UEFI

Screen: At least 14” Full HD (1920 × 1080)

Ports: USB-C (Thunderbolt) and HDMI

Useful to know:

• An HDMI port allows you to connect your laptop to the projector in the classroom.
  
• A USB-C port lets you easily connect an additional monitor, mouse and keyboard to the VHL workstations.

No rights may be derived from this advice.

Can I use a different type of laptop?

You are free to choose which laptop you purchase or use.
However, we advise against using a Chromebook or tablet, as these devices often do not support the required educational and assessment software properly.

Some of our students use MacBooks, but please note: not all applications run on macOS and our instructions are written for Windows. Therefore, check carefully whether the software required for your programme is compatible with your chosen operating system.

High-performance system requirements

Some degree programmes require higher system specifications. This is necessary because the programme involves working with demanding applications, for example for video editing, data analysis, GIS or 3D modelling. This software requires more processing power from your laptop, particularly in terms of processor, graphics card and memory.

The exact (higher) system requirements, along with a list of the programmes to which they apply, will be published on this page shortly. Therefore, wait to purchase a new laptop until this information becomes available, to ensure that your laptop will be suitable for your programme.