Second largest city in the NetherlandsRotterdam is famous for its commercial port and its many skyscrapers.
It is also home to the country’s fourth-best university, Erasmus University.
The latter offers a Bachelor of Arts and Sciences interdisciplinaryErasmus University College (EUC). Émilie, a first-year Bachelor student, shares her experience with us.
Profile
FIRST NAME : EmilieNATIONALITY Frenchçaise
COURSE NAME : Bachelor Liberal Arts and Sciences
UNIVERSITY NAME : Erasmus University College, Rotterdam
TYPE OF BACCALAUREATE AND RESULT OBTAINED General baccalaureate with honours, specializing in mathematics, physics and English
NAME OF YOUR SCHOOL Lycée Sainte-Marie des Champs, Toulouse
Study abroad
What was your educational background?
I did all my schooling in France, in a French collège and lycée.
In Première, I chose the Maths, Physics and English specialties.
I continued in Terminale with these same specialties and obtained my baccalauréat with honors.
Why did you choose to study abroad?
I’ve always wanted to study abroad, ever since I was in secondary school.
I spent a month studying at a high school in Australia.
I really enjoyed being in an international environment and discovering a new language and culture.
When I was in second year, I knew I wanted to go abroad after the baccalauréat, but I didn’t yet know which university I wanted to go to.
Why did you choose Erasmus University College?
What factors were decisive in your choice?
I wanted to study Liberal Arts and Sciences.
I was also thinking about business schools in Rotterdam.
I was hesitating about McGill University in Canada.
The >YourDreamSchool finally recommended Erasmus University College.
I chose this university because The Bachelor’s program and the teaching format.
Most classes have a dozen or so students.
There’s a lot of discussion and participation.
Another determining factor was the proximity to France and the fact that I could easily return during the vacations.
Finally, I liked the cohesion of the students on campus.
In the first year of the Bachelor’s program, we all live in the same building.
The admission process and administrative procedures
What was the admission process like?I had to provide my academic record and a cover letter. YourDreamSchool helped me write my letter. After a selection process based on the application and cover letter, you can be declared eligible and have an online interview.
What administrative steps have you taken?
The administrative formalities involved in moving to Rotterdam are explained on the university website.
I had to get my BSN, the citizen service number.
Il m’a permis d’ouvrir un compte en banque aux Pays-Bas.
C’est important d’avoir un compte bancaire car j’ai remarqué que les cartes VISA et MasterCard ne sont souvent pas acceptées.
Mon BSN m’a aussi permis de faire la demande pour obtenir des aides au logement.
Ensuite, j’ai aussi dû m’inscrire pour avoir un médecin traitant.
1st year courses
What courses did you choose in your first year of the Bachelor’s program?
The academic year is divided into four parts, known as quads.
In the first year of the Bachelor’s programme, we have a common core.
Pour le premier quad, je n’avais que des matières du tronc commun.
Je ne pouvais donc pas choisir mes cours.
J’avais un cours Human Society qui se rapprochait de la psychologie.
Ce cours m’a beaucoup plu.
Pour le deuxième quad, j’avais deux matières du tronc commun et une matière que je pouvais choisir.
J’ai choisi un cours de Neurosciences.
Ce n’est qu’en second and third years that we can choose our courses entirely.
Did you find it difficult to adapt to the education system?
I feel there’s a difference in adaptation to working in English between myself, who did a French baccalauréat, and the students who took the International Baccalaureate.
For example, since we have a lot of personal work and reading to prepare for lessons, I wasn’t used to reading so much in English.
However, I have no problem with comprehension.
At the beginning of the year, I simply took longer to reason and then express myself.
I got the results of my grades and I didn’t get any less than the other bilingual students.
Apart from the language, it’s above all a lot of personal work, and the difficulty lies in knowing how to get organized.
Does the university support foreign students?
Yes, students can visit the school counselor throughout the year.
We also have tutors in the second year.
We can ask them methodological or course-related questions.
We also have a mentor who can be consulted once a term in case of difficulties.
How many hours of lessons do you have a week?
There are two types of course formats.
In-class courses are TD (travaux dirigés) in which we are a dozen students.
Each course represents 3 hours per week.
Then there are lectures, which usually take place in amphitheatres.
With health restrictions in place, these courses are now online.
They last 1 hour 30 minutes per subject.
So all in all, I have 13 hours 30 minutes of classes a week.
Do you find it a heavy workload? I don’t think it’s a lot of work, but I do think it requires good organizational skills. During the second quad, I told myself I was going to visit the Netherlands at weekends. I’ve fallen a bit behind and it’s not always easy to catch up. However, I think that if students organize themselves well each week, the workload is manageable.
Student life on campus
What’s student life like on campus?
I really like living with all the students. It’s necessary to be able to meet people.
For example, in the residence, we have a room that we can reserve as a group to watch films, organize events or parties.
This creates a real sense of group cohesion.
The school building is just a few minutes’ walk from our accommodation.
This proximity is ideal for student life.
There are also many student associations.
We have the choice of joining the associations at Erasmus University College or those at Erasmus University, located on another campus 20 minutes by bike from EUC.
In particular, I belong to the university’s dance association.
Does Erasmus University College offer accommodation for first-year students? Yes, all first-year students have a room in the building called LUCIA residence.
Nous avons une chambre pour nous avec une salle de bain et une cuisine.
On peut être seul comme en groupe.
C’est idéal.
Into the future
What would you like to do next?
I’m thinking of continuing my academic studies with a Master’s degree.
Before coming to Erasmus University College, I wanted to go into the professional field of commerce and business.
However, my career aspirations are changing as I’m discovering new subjects in my Bachelor’s degree.
Today, I’m more interested in psychology.
It’s in my second year that I’ll be able to choose a major and specialize!
What advice or recommendations would you give to a student interested in joining Erasmus University College?
I’d say don’t be afraid to go through the admissions process.
It’s very enriching to be able to study with people of different nationalities and cultures.
One of my pieces of advice would be to get organized right from the start of the year.
