University of Groningen 2016

Hey! I went to the University of Groningen open day last week and really loved the city, the International Relations course and the European Languages and Cultures one too. Right now, I would say Groningen is my first choice but I just wanted to get some advice from anyone who is currently studying there or elsewhere in The Netherlands.
Apparently the workload in first year is very demanding so I wanted to know from people (preferably who are studying one of the degrees I'm interested in) how often you have exams and whether the amount of work you get is a lot or do you get plenty of time to relax, go out and do other stuff? If I go there, I am also planning on taking up free Dutch lessons and hopefully work too, aswell as exercising and going out too so I am a bit worried whether there is enough time for all of this without feeling completely stressed out.
Also, as I said before, I absolutely loved the city and saw that there were plenty of students so I want to know what the nightlife is like? Are there many clubs, bars? Do students go out a lot? How expensive are drinks and clubs?
Finally, this might make me sound completely useless but I am a terrible bike rider. I am going to practice and see if I can get any better but the thought of riding a bike in the streets next to cars absolutely terrifies me. If I decide to not cycle and just walk will I really be missing out on that much?

Hi there,

I am currently a first year ELC student so I'm happy to answer your questions!

The workload is quite demanding, but certainly not unachievable - if you are motivated to study independently and do the reading/preparation on time then it's certainly not too much.
Exams take place after each block of teaching, which is every 7 weeks. This can seem quite frequent, but the good thing is that you're only tested on 7 weeks of material so it's not like having an entire semester of work to revise.
If you are organised, there is definitely enough time to do everything - I have time to study, go out, go to the gym, and do plenty of extracurricular activities. As long as you organise your time efficiently, you shouldn't feel too stressed or like you don't have enough time to do everything!
The nightlife here is great - there are countless bars/clubs etc. and they don't charge entry - plus it's cheap to drink here!
Cycling here is very nice - the car drivers are very considerate and I have never felt in danger cycling near them. Cycling is definitely an integral part of living here, but most things are in walking distance too and there are good bus services, so if you don't have a bike you'll still be fine!

Thank you so much for your reply! I am about to start my application but I was wondering whether I have to write a personal statement as we do here in the UK?

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I have been offered admission, but I have to send certified copies to the university.

I have already sent one and it's been rejected for verification purposes

Does anyone have experience with sending certified copies, what should the letter include etc?