My experience studying in Maastricht University

Reply 260

Teshz

Anyone else starting in Feb 2013, MSC?
From Asia?
=)

Reply 261

Anca181

Hey everyone :smile:

I am currently thinking of going to Maastricht School of Business and Economics in 2013. I was just wondering if anyone knows why Maastricht has such low entry requirements. I know it has been discussed before in this thread, but I don't quite understand why they only expect 24 points for IB - that is just passed. It would be great if someone could tell me about the standard of the students and the quality of the teachers there because these factors obviously play a great role when deciding something as important as the choice of the university.

Thank you a lot! Anca :smile:

Reply 262

Duncan8

OP

2

Original post by Anca181

Hey everyone :smile:

I am currently thinking of going to Maastricht School of Business and Economics in 2013. I was just wondering if anyone knows why Maastricht has such low entry requirements. I know it has been discussed before in this thread, but I don't quite understand why they only expect 24 points for IB - that is just passed. It would be great if someone could tell me about the standard of the students and the quality of the teachers there because these factors obviously play a great role when deciding something as important as the choice of the university.

Thank you a lot! Anca :smile:

The system for universities in the Netherlands is a bit different from the one in the UK. They have relatively low requirements because they believe that people can have a chance to really do well at university. Some students score relatively low in High school while they achieve remarkly good marks while at University. With some low entry requirements, you can expect the courses to be quite demanding (though not being impossible if you put enough effort in them). For example last year, to take the example of first year law students, only 50% of them were admitted into the second year.

Reply 263

Anca181

Original post by edward94

You missed the deadline for the decentralised selection (where they look at your CV and motivation letter and accept you depending on that) but if I'm not mistaken, the deadline for the lottery is the 15th of May. So apply anyway!!

Hey

I am applying to Maastricht School of Business and Economics for September 2013 - I haven't missed the deadline, but I am really getting confused with the application process. On the My UM portal they give the opportunity to upload references and motivation letters, but I thought it was not needed for the application as they do not state in on the website. However, as you've been talking about it, does it mean they require this extra information?

Thank you a lot - also, thanks Duncan, your thread is amazing! I would have not known what to do without it :smile:

Anca

Reply 264

munwaiwurm

Original post by Anca181

Hey

I am applying to Maastricht School of Business and Economics for September 2013 - I haven't missed the deadline, but I am really getting confused with the application process. On the My UM portal they give the opportunity to upload references and motivation letters, but I thought it was not needed for the application as they do not state in on the website. However, as you've been talking about it, does it mean they require this extra information?

Thank you a lot - also, thanks Duncan, your thread is amazing! I would have not known what to do without it :smile:

Anca

Hi I am a first year business and economics student :tongue:

any questions feel free to ask.
And yess the application process is so complicated for uk student :/ took me so long to do haha

Reply 265

Asha5692

15

Original post by Teshz

Anyone else starting in Feb 2013, MSC?
From Asia?
=)

Hey! You'll love MSC! :biggrin:

Great programme, honestly. Let me know if you've got any questions - I'm on the promotional team.

Reply 266

litmoon

hi asha. I am looking at the undergraduate pure science degree. I understand you can only choose from science subjects - (though would have liked to substitute at least one scence subject for geography/French) - my confusion primarily centres around the varying levels. So ok, level 100,200,300 of any subject increases in complexity - but what is the rule re mixing the subjects. For instance, how many 100 levels are allowed in first year .My subject is biology - and I want to make that my 300 level. I have no clue as to how the mix of levels work out. Would you know?
Thank you.

Reply 267

TheresaB45

1

Original post by munwaiwurm

business and economics :smile:

im originally from germany but moved to england to study but maastricht is very a very good university
so are you a student there?

Business and economics has a selection process (as well as International Business, Econometrics and some other non-business courses). You wont get in with just the two E's at A Level...I have seen students with 3 A's get turned away from this course (not to scare you or anything). Also to get onto this course you need at least AS Maths as a required subject. Good luck!

Reply 268

Sunny91

Hi.
Thank you for letting us know about the costs...
Since I have had some unexpected "financial outcomes"...I don't have much savings anymore...so I was wondering if u know of any good options for students who aren't that well...finances-wise..?
I was also wondering if anyone here is going to study at UCM...or has been studying there because I'd have a few questions about it :smile:

?
Thanx ^^

Reply 269

10Mills

Original post by Sunny91

Hi.
Thank you for letting us know about the costs...
Since I have had some unexpected "financial outcomes"...I don't have much savings anymore...so I was wondering if u know of any good options for students who aren't that well...finances-wise..?
I was also wondering if anyone here is going to study at UCM...or has been studying there because I'd have a few questions about it :smile:

?
Thanx ^^

Hey, I'm starting at UCM next month but have been living in Maastricht for the past 2 months. The following is a mixture of my own discoveries and the information I've been given by students at the uni...
If, like me, you don't have a lot of money, it is possible to survive but you're definitely gonna need some money to get yourself started and tide yourself over until you have a job (I had 800 euro but I'd recommend over 1000). Not least because before you can even get a job you have to register at the municipality, get a BSN, get a Dutch bank account, phone number, address and (if you want to work) health insurance. This is going to take at least 3 weeks. But after that you can find yourself a job of a minimum of 8 hours a week. I got a job as a dishwasher within a week of being in Maastricht (was living in Eindhoven before I came here so had the above all sorted already) but have quit since and been offered 3 jobs at various hotels as a housekeeper. If you know Dutch you will be able to get something better but if it's just English you have then you will be limited to such jobs. So even though I haven't started at UCM just yet, I have the means to support myself on a modest lifestyle until I can live more comfortably in 3 months time once I start receiving the grant.
So, to find a job, I actually recommend googling all the hotels, restaurants and bars etc in Maastricht and emailing them your CV and a short message to explain your situation and tell them how awesome you are. Seems like a lot of work, but once I had the message down, I just copied and pasted it into all the emails and attached the CV. Spend a couple of hours doing this and be persistent and you've got yourself a job. Also agencies like Albatros and EW Facility Services hire English speakers and the shop Hollister also. Oh and of course, you can get jobs at the university but they recruit in September so I didn't have that option. And that will put you in line for the grant and student travel product, once you have 3 months' worth of payslips as evidence of work.
You can get a loan for your tuitions (even the increased fee for UCM) whether you're working or not, that allows you to pay your tuition in instalments, provided you have a Dutch bank account. By the way, I'm assuming you're from an EU state or most of what I've said is irrelevant?
For a cheap room without huge agency fees, search and join the group 'Rooms/ Kamer/ Zimmer in Maastricht' on facebook. There will be plenty of rooms on offer for under 300 and often if you're subrenting somebody's room for a 6 month period or something then sometimes you won't even have to pay a deposit. But you have to be quick because thousands of students use the page and they get snatched up. The same goes for the student page for selling furniture 'Furniture for sale! Maastricht!'. These pages are lifesavers but you can also get things from Kringloop Zuid, the second hand shop on the outskirts of the city.
Cheap bikes can be purchased from any smackhead you find lurking under a bridge (though people may scold you for this) but students are often selling theirs cheaply when they leave Maastricht and certain providers offer second hand bikes cheaply. Nobody cares if you have a trendy bike here so don't get anything expensive- it will get stolen anyway. Once you have a bike you'll never need to pay for a bus so that'll save you money.
Junk food is expensive so cook for yourself. Get an Albert Heijn bonus card if this is your shop of choice. Drink beer before you go out (that might just be the British in me talking).
It is do-able on a tight budget but the first few weeks are hard, especially when you're hearing of the lucky devils who get everything paid for them.
Hope this helps :smile:

Reply 270

munwaiwurm

For people thinking of applying to IB or economics , as for financial matters, books are expensive and new ones are needed every 6 weeks !!

Reply 271

rlms88

Hi Duncan!
I am an exchange student studying at UCM in Maastricht right now. I am here for the next semester, and am now in desperate need of a job!!
So I was wondering, how did you find out about those jobs that you applied for?? And could you please send me some tips! Thank you so much! Hope to hear from you soon.

RL

Reply 272

Duncan8

OP

2

Maastricht University has a really good ranking this year and takes over many great UK universities apparently:

http://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/web/Main/ProspectiveStudents/HomepageNewPortalProspectiveStudents/International/InternationalStudents/UK/MAASTRICHTUNIVERSITYOVERTAKESUKELITEINNEWGLOBALRANKINGS.htm

Reply 273

Duncan8

OP

2

Original post by Asha5692

Hey! You'll love MSC! :biggrin:

Great programme, honestly. Let me know if you've got any questions - I'm on the promotional team.

Hey Asha, so random but I'm the guy who helped you out via Skype when your gas was turned off :tongue:

Reply 274

CocktailFreestyle

Got accepted at UM for the European Studies course this week.

Looking to start in September, anyone else in the same boat?

Reply 275

Asha5692

15

Original post by Duncan8

Hey Asha, so random but I'm the guy who helped you out via Skype when your gas was turned off :tongue:

Really! How odd! I love tsr, what about you?

EDIT: do you troll a lot or something? Why do you have such bad rep?

Reply 276

Asha5692

15

Original post by Teshz

Anyone else starting in Feb 2013, MSC?
From Asia?
=)

There are a few people from Asia here at MSC. :smile:

Original post by Anca181

Hey everyone :smile:

I am currently thinking of going to Maastricht School of Business and Economics in 2013. I was just wondering if anyone knows why Maastricht has such low entry requirements. I know it has been discussed before in this thread, but I don't quite understand why they only expect 24 points for IB - that is just passed. It would be great if someone could tell me about the standard of the students and the quality of the teachers there because these factors obviously play a great role when deciding something as important as the choice of the university.

Thank you a lot! Anca :smile:

People get kicked out after the first year because it's still quite intense, despite the fact that they let lots of people in. Don't underestimate it.