Going Dutch is a brilliant way to study
AS ANNA Lynch already had family in the Netherlands, it made sense for her to consider a degree course at Maastricht University.
The 20-year-old, from Bath, attended an Open Day in 2012 and was impressed by how beautiful the city was and its large student community.
‘I had applied to British universities at the same time, so I’d have several options,’ says Anna. ‘I had offers by Portsmouth, Bournemouth and Birmingham, but I finally settled on Maastricht.’
Anna, who studied for her A-levels at St Brendan’s Sixth Form College, Bristol, achieved an A in English literature, Bs in German and Dutch and a C in History.
‘As I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do once I had graduated, I decided Maastricht could provide me with a completely fresh start,’ she adds.
‘The fact that the course was taught in English and that I would be living in an international environment were also attractions.’
Anna is now in the third year of her European Studies course and believes the experience of studying abroad will certainly help her future career.
The course appealed to her because instruction was in English, the tutorial groups were small and it had an inter-disciplinary approach.
Anna was also attracted by the range of subjects covered by her course — law, economics, history, languages, culture, politics and international relations.
‘As the entire course is taught in English, this puts the British, Irish and Americans students at a massive advantage,’ she says.
‘However, the British students tend to be the only ones who don’t speak at least two languages — most people speak around three.
‘Maastricht offers foreign students free Dutch courses, but knowing the language is not really necessary and you can get by with a few phrases.’
Anna adds: ‘Getting to know different nationalities and different cultures, and perhaps learning a different language, makes you more interesting and open-minded. I think it has helped me to grow up and increased my independence.’
Fellow student, Becky Turner, 21, from Cambridge, is in the third year of an arts and culture degree.
Becky says: ‘I think deciding to attend Maastricht has helped my career opportunities because moving abroad to study shows determination.
‘It’s been an amazing opportunity, and I have enjoyed every bit of it. If you’re hesitant, just remember most students in Maastricht have been through the same, and contact the Student Service Centre or your faculty if you have any questions.’