Useful info

• Studying in Groningen

  Groningen, a city of about 200,000 inhabitants, is the cultural, commercial and business capital of the province of the same name in the north of the Netherlands. The city was founded over 950 years ago. The surrounding countryside offers many sights within easy reach: woods and meadows to the south, the Frisian lakes to the west, the sea, the islands and dunes of the Wadden tidal flats, and the unique wetland to the north. The city is a centre of trade and commerce especially in relation to Germany and Scandinavia. It has two large hospitals of which the University Hospital is one of the largest in the Netherlands. Groningen has several (movie) theatres and museums; bookshops also catering to foreign languages, and art galleries. Its industry includes sugar, tobacco and coffee factories, and the printing of schoolbooks. However, Groningen is most of all a university city: the presence of staff and students can be felt in all aspects of city life. Besides the university there are dozens of other educational facilities, from an agricultural school to an art academy.

• Accommodation

  In Groningen, students live throughout the city and among the locals or ‘Stadjers’ as they call themselves. As such, there is no campus or campus accommodation.
   
  Accommodation varies from single rooms to double rooms and studios. Prices for accommodation are from €350 up to €700 per month. These rents are all inclusive (room, heating, electricity, furniture, often internet, et cetera).
   
  More information is available on the following website
  www.rug.nl/education/bachelor/international-students/study-in-the-netherlands-groningen/accommodation

• Living costs

  Study costs – Textbooks, readers, photocopies: around € 650 per year
  Housing – Rent (incl. energy and other costs, for example ISP bills, excl. administration costs and security deposit of approximately 1 month rent): € 350 to € 500 per month
  Food and drinks – Meals, drinks, etc.: € 150 to € 250 per month
  Bikes – Price based on a decent secondhand bike: € 45 to € 110
  Travel expenses – For students who do not have a Dutch OV-travel card: € 50 per month on average
  Insurance – Health care, third-party, fire and theft insurance: € 100 to € 120 per month
  Language courses – Depending on if you enrol for such a course: On average between € 160 - € 310 per course
  Additional costs – Clothes, hairdresser, cinema: € 75 per month

• Language courses

  The languages offered at the Language Centre are: Arabic, Chinese, Dutch, English, French, German, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish. The Language Centre at the University of Groningen offers various possibilities for learning different languages.
  
  For more information on the available Language courses please visit the website of the Language centre
  https://www.rug.nl/language-centre/

• Other

  • Sports
    • Students enrolled at the University of Groningen can apply for an ACLO member card. ACLO is a students’ sports organization that offers the supply of sports. An ACLO-member can participate in over 80 different types of sports a whole year from September 1st until August 31st for only 59,95.
       
  • Study skills/counselling
    • The University of Groningen also offers students courses that will help improve their academic skills and effective study time. Courses are offered by the Student Service Centre (SSCat modest rates . Some of the courses offered are:
      • Study skills (for example effective studying, academic writing skills, presenting, speedreading, studying with dyslexia)
      • Dealing with stress (for example dealing with writing anxiety, successfull exam techniques, work-life balance, mindfullness)
      • Self-discipline (for example stop procrastination, study- and thesis support groups)
      • Personal development (for example living to the full, assertiveness, fear of failure, socializing, bullet journaling)
      • Study choice (for example study choice workshops for bachelor- and master students)