The Student Room Group

Advanced Technology Twente or Electrical Engineering Eindhoven?

Hi guys, I need to know urgently a few things to choose in the next few days:

-For AT at Twente, would it be hard to switch to Electrical Engineering after the first year or so? (I'm way past 18 years old, and I'm already switching from another bachelor to this... so I'm afraid they'll just tell me to make up my mind!)

-About Eindhoven: I really really can't go to the mandatory International Introduction Week, and they probably won't grant me an exemption... what happens if I don't attend?

Thanks :smile:
Reply 1
In Twente you can change to another degree if you find AT isn't for you. Many people did that when I was in my first year there. You can switch all the way up until sometime in the second semester.
With Eindhoven, they will probably grant an exception. The intro week is to help you get settled, like register in the town hall, with a health practise etc but you can probably catch up later.
Are you from the UK and where (what Uni) did you start your other bachelor at?
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by kben_21
In Twente you can change to another degree if you find AT isn't for you. Many people did that when I was in my first year there. You can switch all the way up took sometime in the second semester.
With Eindhoven, they will probably grant an exception. The intro week is to help you get settled, like register in the town hall, with a health practise etc but you can probably catch up later.
Are you from the UK and where (what Uni) did you start your other bachelor at?



Thank you for the quick reply, I must choose before tomorrow... tough choice!
I'm actually from Italy. I'm 23 year old and I have a bachelor in political science.
I'm applying in the Netherlands because UCAS rejected all my applications....

Eindhoven's office is really insisting that I attend, and they grant exemptions only for "serious reasons". They threatened me saying I'll get low grades.
https://static.tue.nl/en/education/studying-at-tue/practical-information-for-international-students/international-introduction-weeks-iiw/
I would be able to participate to Twente's Kick-In. But I don't want to study AT anymore.
What do I do?
Reply 3
Original post by Experiment795
Thank you for the quick reply, I must choose before tomorrow... tough choice!
I'm actually from Italy. I'm 23 year old and I have a bachelor in political science.
I'm applying in the Netherlands because UCAS rejected all my applications....

Eindhoven's office is really insisting that I attend, and they grant exemptions only for "serious reasons". They threatened me saying I'll get low grades.
https://static.tue.nl/en/education/studying-at-tue/practical-information-for-international-students/international-introduction-weeks-iiw/
I would be able to participate to Twente's Kick-In. But I don't want to study AT anymore.
What do I do?


The truth is I left Twente after a year and came back to the UK. The problem with AT was the way teaching was done. Instead of traditional lectures there was something called 'Problem based learning' (PBL) where you were given questions and meant to learn through discussions with fellow course mates, teaching assistants and sometimes the lecturers. The problem was despite the best intentions, most of the students were native Dutch speakers and thus in discussions would tend to drift towards the native tongue instead of English (which is to be expected) and so as an international you will miss out on the quality of the discussions.
If you really must you can just go for the first week at Twente and change your course as soon as you get there, they are quite flexible in that regard.

But Eindhoven is probably a better University overall and in terms of academics, the city, nightlife etc. Even though it's understandable that their term starts early and you might be working or still on holiday at that time and that might make going there difficult for you, try and get at least a doctor's form or letter from your manager if you happen to in a job explaining your situation to the Uni.

Have you considered taking a year off and reapplying to UK next year? I understand that at your age that might not seem the most Ideal. Alternatively there is UCAS Extra where you can keep applying to one school at a time until one accepts you. Did you use your grades from your previous years in University or your High school grades to apply to the UK?
Original post by kben_21
The truth is I left Twente after a year and came back to the UK. The problem with AT was the way teaching was done. Instead of traditional lectures there was something called 'Problem based learning' (PBL) where you were given questions and meant to learn through discussions with fellow course mates, teaching assistants and sometimes the lecturers. The problem was despite the best intentions, most of the students were native Dutch speakers and thus in discussions would tend to drift towards the native tongue instead of English (which is to be expected) and so as an international you will miss out on the quality of the discussions.
If you really must you can just go for the first week at Twente and change your course as soon as you get there, they are quite flexible in that regard.

But Eindhoven is probably a better University overall and in terms of academics, the city, nightlife etc. Even though it's understandable that their term starts early and you might be working or still on holiday at that time and that might make going there difficult for you, try and get at least a doctor's form or letter from your manager if you happen to in a job explaining your situation to the Uni.

Have you considered taking a year off and reapplying to UK next year? I understand that at your age that might not seem the most Ideal. Alternatively there is UCAS Extra where you can keep applying to one school at a time until one accepts you. Did you use your grades from your previous years in University or your High school grades to apply to the UK?




Wow that was so useful!!
Thanks, you helped me in a moment of panic. I decided to go for Eindhoven.
I'll write here as soon as I know my "punishment" for not attending the IIW. I can't attend for extremely important family reasons, that I can't postpone (it's probably not enough for them).
I'll do my best to learn Dutch on Duolingo, but having a scientific conversation will be out of my depth for a while. I'll team up with other foreigners.
Who knows I might come to the UK in the future, if you need engineers. :smile:
I should have applied to UCAS with the official translation of my high school results, but it wasn't ready at the time.
I'll be happy in the Netherlands for now.
Reply 5
All the best

Quick Reply

Latest