Opmaak UM Covers-extra 2006 - Faculty of Psychology and ...

STUDENT HANDBOOK 

2006 - 2007 

STUDENT HANDBOOK

STUDENT HANDBOOK

STUDENT HANDBOOK • TABLE OF CONTENTS 

TABLE OF CONTENTS 

FOREWORD 

Welcome to Maastricht by Professor dr. Harald Merckelbach 

Preface 

By Loes Mallee - International Relations Officer 

ACADEMIC GUIDE 

1 Universiteit Maastricht A3 

2 Terms and procedures regarding education and examinations A4 

2.1 UM card or Student Identity Card (SIC) A4 

2.2 Education A5 

2.2.1 The educational system: Problem-based Learning A5 

2.3 Educational support A6 

2.3.1 Course schedule A6 

2.3.2 Electives course shedule A7 

2.3.3 Daylight saving time A7 

2.3.4 Tutorial groups A7 

2.3.5 Attendance of the tutorial meetings A7 

2.3.6 Course manuals A8 

2.3.7 Sickness and absence A8 

2.3.8 Requirements for passing a course A8 

2.3.9 Mailboxes/Pigeon holes A9 

2.3.10 Notice boards A9 

2.3.11 Lectures and practical meetings A9 

2.4 Examination A11 

2.4.1 Registration for exams A11 

2.4.2 Exams A11 

2.4.3 Resits A11 

2.4.4 Examination Administration A11 

2.4.5 The Examination Board (EC) A12 

2.4.6 Grading system A12 

2.4.7 Right of inspection A12 

2.4.8 Right of appeal A12 

2.4.9 Certificate / Grade transcript A13 

2.4.10 Fraud A13 

3 Educational organization and administration A16 

3.1 ELEUM: Electronic Learning Environment Universiteit Maastricht A16 

3.2 The Student Advisor A16 

3.3 International Relations Office A16 

3.3.1 The Buddy System A18 

3.4 Study materials A18 

3.4.1 Psychology student association A18 

3.4.2 Academic Bookshop A19 

A= Academic Guide 

S= Social Guide


4 Informing Students A20 

4.1 Computerized Information System A20 

4.2 E-mail A20 

4.3 The Internet A20 

5 Student Facilities A21 

5.1 ICT Compass A21 

5.2 Computer access A21 

5.2.1 Computer rooms A21 

5.2.2 Computer programs A22 

5.3 Mensa Academica Maastricht (MAM) A22 

5.4 Copy shop and copying A22 

5.5 Fax A23 

5.6 Prepaid chipper A23 

5.7 Bicycle cellar A23 

5.8 Lockers A24 

5.9 Information and services A24 

5.9.1 Student Services (SSC) A24 

5.9.2 The information Desk A24 

5.9.3 General Counsellor A25 

5.9.4 Academic counsellors A25 

5.9.5 Confidential advisor A25 

5.9.6 Studying with a disability, chronic illness or dyslexia A26 

5.9.7 Career Counsellor A26 

5.9.8 Study Careers and Information office (ISL) A27 

5.9.9 University Housing Agency - Het Kamerburo A27 

5.10 Instruction rooms, the University Library and Learning Resource Centre A27 

5.10.1 Instruction rooms A27 

5.10.2 University Library A29 

5.10.3 Learning Resources Centre A29 

5.11 Public Library of Maastricht A30 

5.12 UM-Sports Services A30 

5.13 Studium Generale A31 

6 Nuffic A32 

7 International Student Associations A33 

7.1 AIESEC A33 

7.2 AEGEE A33 

7.3 Erasmus Student Network Maastricht A34 

8 Education A36 

8.1 Becoming a regular student at the UM A36 

8.2 Extension of Exchange period A36 


S= Social Guide


APPENDIX I: Important telephone numbers and websites 

A37 

Academic Calendar 2006/2007 

A40 


S= Social Guide


SOCIAL GUIDE 

1 The Netherlands and the city of Maastricht S3 

1.1 The Netherlands S3 

1.2 The history of South Limburg and Maastricht S5 

1.3 Maastricht: an overview S8 

2 Money matters S11 

2.1 The Euro S11 

2.2 Changing money S12 

2.3 Opening your account S12 

2.3.1 Day-to-day finances S12 

2.3.2 Banks in Maastricht S12 

2.3.3 Bank opening hours S13 

2.4 Paying for things S13 

2.4.1 Cash and bank cards S13 

2.4.2 Cash dispenser (or Automated Teller Machines, ATMs) S13 

2.4.3 Credit cards and cheques S13 

2.4.4 Bank transfers S14 

2.4.5 Chipper and Chipknip S14 

2.4.6 UM Card/Chipknip S14 

2.4.7 Prepaid Chipknip S15 

3 Legal matters S16 

3.1 Student Law Agency S16 

3.2 Bureau Rechtshulp S16 

4 Religion S17 

5 Sports S21 

5.1 University Sports Organization S21 

5.1.1 UM Sports S21 

5.1.2 MUSST S22 

5.1.3 Student Sports Clubs S22 

5.2 Sports Programmes S22 

5.2.1 The Sports Card and University Sports S22 

5.2.2 Private Sports Clubs S22 

5.2.3 Sports Facilities S23 

5.3 Competitive Sports S23 

5.4 Sporting Events S24 

6 Lifestyles S25 

6.1 Finding groups and clubs S25 

6.2 A few suggestions S25 

7 On the move S31 

7.1 The bicycle S31 

7.1.1 Buying a secondhand bike S31 

7.1.2 Bike theft S31 

7.2 Bike laws S33 

7.2.1 General bike laws S33 

7.2.2 Inner City Regulations S33 

7.3 Public transportation S34 

7.3.1 Buses, trams and subways S34 

7.3.2 Trains S34 

7.3.3 Travelling abroad S35 

7.3.4 Rent a car S36 

7.3.5 Taxis and train-taxis S37 

7.4 Driving your car S38 

8 Health care S40 

8.1 Family Doctor (‘huisarts’) S40 


S= Social Guide


8.2 Medication S41 

8.2.1 Pharmacy (‘apotheek’) S41 

8.2.2 Drugstore (‘drogisterij’) S41 

8.3 Hospital S41 

8.4 Dentist (‘tandarts’) S42 

8.5 Student Physiotherapist S42 

8.6 Student Psychologists S42 

8.7 Others S43 

9 Drugs S45 

9.1 Drug policy S45 

9.2 Coffeeshops S45 

10 Social Events and Important Dates S47 

10.1 Carnival S47 

10.2 April 30th – The Queen’s Birthday S47 

10.3 May 4th – Dutch Memorial Day S47 

10.4 May 5th – Liberation Day S48 

10.5 Preuvenemint S48 

10.6 December 5th – Sinterklaas S48 

10.7 Elfstedentocht S48 

10.8 Oktoberfest (Munich) S48 

10.9 Other events S49 

11 Working in the Netherlands S50 

11.1 Who can work? S50 

11.2 Working Permits S53 

11.3 Sofi-Number S53 

11.4 Finding a Job S54 

11.5 Contact Information S54 

12 Student life S57 

12.1 Chilling Out S57 

12.2 Bars S58 

12.3 Restaurants S63 

12.4 Dance Till Dawn S64 

12.5 Anything else? S65 

12.6 Cinemas S66 

12.7 Theatre S67 

12.8 Museums S67 

12.9 American Military Cemetery S69 

13 Shopping S70 

13.1 Supermarkets S70 

13.2 Ingredients S71 

13.3 Market day S71 

13.4 Department stores S72 

13.5 Voltage Transformer S73 

14 Communication S74 

14.1 Dutch language S74 

14.2 Phones S74 

14.3 Pay phones S75 

14.4 Fax S76 

14.5 E-mail S76 

14.6 Post packages S76 

14.7 Important phone numbers S79 

APPENDIX 1: Official Institutions S80 

APPENDIX 2: Information Sources S82 

APPENDIX 3: Social Calendar 2006-2007 S83 

Map of Maastricht 

Inside cover (back) 


S= Social Guide

STUDENT HANDBOOK • WELCOME

STUDENT HANDBOOK • WELCOME 

Welcome to Maastricht by Prof. dr. Harald Merckelbach 

Dear student, 

Surveys consistently show that the psychology curriculum of Maastricht University 

ranks highest in the Netherlands. Indeed, our programme is an innovative curriculum. 

For one, it uses problem-based learning as its main educational principle. Secondly, it 

focuses on cognitive and biological psychology. We emphasize these perspectives 

because we firmly believe that they offer the most attractive and fascinating avenues 

in psychology today. Finally, our programme aspires to be thoroughly international. For 

example, many of our graduates spent some time at a foreign university or research 

institution. Because of this international orientation, some of them work abroad and 

others even obtained international grants. 

Our faculty likes to welcome students from abroad as well. That’s why the majority of 

our courses is or can be taught in English. Our faculty building hosts teaching and 

many high-tech laboratory facilities. It is located in the Randwyck area of Maastricht, 

close to the academic hospital and the faculties of medicine and health sciences. Down 

town is only a 10-minutes bike ride away. Maastricht is situated near the Belgian and 

German borders and that makes it an international city. Walking in the center, you will 

hear people speak French, German, English, Spanish, and, of course, Dutch. 

This handbook is a way of showing you how much we appreciate your presence at our 

faculty. Hopefully, it also helps you to experience an international academic environment 

on our premises. 

Harald Merckelbach 

Dean of the Faculty of Psychology

STUDENT HANDBOOK • PREFACE 

Preface by Loes Mallee, Head of the International Relations Office 

Dear students, 

On behalf of the International Relations Office I would like to seize this opportunity to 

welcome you to Universiteit Maastricht. 

Universiteit Maastricht is established in Maastricht, the city of the Treaty of the 

European Union, the city with the European magic, in the triangle of Belgium, 

Germany and the Netherlands. The city with international style and with a wealthy 

history. The city where internationalization is more than studying at an internationally 

oriented University. 

The student handbook that you have in front of you is designed to assist you in 

making a smooth transition to Universiteit Maastricht, the city of Maastricht and to 

the Netherlands in general. 

In this handbook you will find lots of important information about the facilities of the 

Faculty of Psychology, Universiteit Maastricht and the rules and regulations concerning 

our educational system. 

Together with the information that you find in the Social Guide this handbook will 

hopefully give you the answers to most of your questions about your stay in 

Maastricht. 

Please keep in mind that you can always contact either one of us, should you need any 

help. 

Anke van der Stoel, Assistent Internationalisation 

Universiteitssingel 40, Room 5.749 

Tel: 043 38 84031 

E-mail: a.vanderstoel@psychology.unimaas.nl 

Office hours: Monday and Tuesday 12-5 pm 

Wednesday and Thursday 8.30 – 1.30 pm 

Or 

Drs. Loes Mallee, International Relations Officer 

Universiteitssingel 40, Room: 5.749 

Tel: 043 38 81920 

E-mail: l.mallee@psychology.unimaas.nl 

Office hours: 9 am – 5.30 pm 

Enjoy your stay and we wish you a successful study period at our Faculty of Psychology! 

Loes Mallee, 

Head International Relations Office

STUDENT HANDBOOK


A2

STUDENT HANDBOOK • CHAPTER 1 

1 Universiteit Maastricht 

A warm welcome to Universiteit Maastricht. Universiteit Maastricht is the youngest 

university in the Netherlands (founded in 1976) and currently has about 12,000 students 

and almost 3,000 employees. The university has 7 Faculties: Medicine, Health 

Sciences, Law, Psychology, Arts & Cultures, General Sciences and Economics & Business 

Administration. The ‘Keuzegids Hoger Onderwijs’ (Higher Education Selection Guide) 

classified Universiteit Maastricht as one of the two ‘best choices’ for prospective students. 

The educational program offered at Universiteit Maastricht has two unique features: 

- This university was the first Dutch institution to adopt a problem based learning 

approach to teaching in all of its educational programs. 

Universiteit Maastricht was founded initially because there was a growing need for 

another medical Faculty in the Netherlands. However, the government was only going 

to support this new university under the condition that it would add something new 

to academic education itself. Universiteit Maastricht (or State University of Limburg as 

it was then called) decided to implement a different educational system, which was 

already in use in Canada: problem based learning. This method has an interdisciplinary 

character. This means that the program is not based on separate subjects, but on integrated 

theoretical and practical problems. These problems are arranged around themes 

and studied in courses. By working in groups and individually on these problems 

and cases, you discover those areas where your knowledge is lacking. Specialists, staff 

and teaching material, specially developed for the system, are at your disposal. You 

must, however, make an effort yourself: the Maastricht system is ‘student-centered’ 

rather than ‘teacher-centered’. 

- All educational programs have a strong international perspective. 

Universiteit Maastricht has developed a strong international orientation in most of its 

education programs. The development of the European Common Market, the changing 

relations between Western Europe and Central and Eastern Europe, the increasing 

interdependence between East and West and North and South, and the development 

of technology and communication have all contributed to the gradual transition of the 

world into ‘one global society’. Today’s students, the professionals of tomorrow, must 

therefore be prepared to function in a highly internationalized environment. They not 

only need a basic understanding of international developments in their field of study, 

but also an understanding of social and cultural differences. They must learn to speak 

one or two foreign languages and to gain some international experience during their 

University studies. 

Its location at the crossroads of the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium and close to 

Luxembourg and France, offers Universiteit Maastricht an excellent opportunity to 

integrate this international dimension into its educational programme. These two characteristic 

features attract a lot of students and the latter especially makes Universiteit 

Maastricht a very interesting study environment for you! 

In the following section, you will find out more about university related topics. 

A3


2 Terms and procedures regarding education and examinations 

2.1 UM card or Student Identity Card (SIC) 

At the start of the introduction day you will receive your Student Identity Card together 

with a certificate of enrolment. The identity card is only valid in combination with 

this certificate of enrolment. 

You need your UM card + certificate of enrolment: 

- To identify yourself during exams 

- To obtain your residence permit from the Aliens Police 

You need your UM card: 

- To borrow books at the University Library 

- To make copies and print outs at the University Library. 

At the University Library you can also obtain a card for the Public Library, which can be 

used in its scientific department only. To obtain a card for the Public Library you have to 

show your UM card. For more information about the University Library and the Public 

Library see page A30. 

Have you lost your UM card ? 

After payment of € 9 and submission of a passport photograph, you can apply for a 

new one at the Service and Information Desk of the Student Services (located at 

Bonnefantenstraat 2) by sending an e-mail to: umcard@fd.unimaas.nl 

Have you lost your certificate of enrolment? 

Please visit the Student Services in case you have lost your certificate of enrolment. 

They will need your name, address and ID number, so they can make you a new certificate 

of enrolment. 

Do you have problems with your UM card ? 

Please report your problem to the helpdesk (ground floor) of the Universiteitssingel 40 

(Uns 40) or send an e-mail to umcard@fd.unimaas.nl, you may also call: 043-3882002. 

How to make copies using your UM card 

(information can also be found on the UM card site: 

http://www.fd.unimaas.nl/umcard/english) 

• Students first have to LOAD the chip on the UM card by means of the CHIPKNIP 

(which is the golden chip on your Dutch bank card and basically a sort of electronic 

wallet). If you have a Dutch bank account with a bank pass, you need to LOAD this 

Chipknip (your Dutch bank will have loading facilities for your bank pass), before 

you can transfer any money to the UM-card. 

• There is a Chipknip loading point: 

1. in the main building of the Faculty at Universiteitssingel 40, first floor at the 

Mensa entrance. 

2.in the building Universiteitssingel 50, first floor in the hall where you find the 

soda- and coffee machines. 

3.Peter Debyeplein 1, near the main entrance. 

If you have a Postbank or ING account you can also load the chip in all public phone 

booths. 

A4


• When the Chipknip is loaded, you need to transfer money from the Chipknip onto 

your UM-card. 

There are transfer machines in: 

1. Universiteitssingel 40 ( first floor corridor of computer room Psychology) 

2. Universiteitssingel 40 ( ground floor near copying machine) 

3. Universiteitssingel 50 (2nd floor, copying room of the University Library) 

4. Peter Debyelaan 1 ( near main entrance) 

Please follow the instructions on the machine. 

• Once the UM card is loaded, you can make copies on the machines available to students. 

Please make sure you follow the instructions on the copy machine very carefully! 

You have to push the stop button and wait for the beep before you can take it out 

of the machine. 

The Chipknip 

Other uses for the Chipknip on your Dutch bankcard in this university: 

• The soda-, candy- and coffee machines in the Faculties in Randwijck ( Psychology, 

Medicine and Health Sciences) 

• The mensa in this building (Universiteitssingel 40). Payment in cash is possible but 

limited. 

The following offices/service desks of Universiteit Maastricht no longer accept cash; 

you MUST use your Chipknip: 

1. Student Services; Bonnefantenstraat 2 

2. Copy shop; in the middle of the footbridge connecting Uns 40 and Uns 50 

3. UM sport desk; Bonnefantenstraat 2 

4. Library desk ; Uns 50 

You can of course also use the Chipknip as “electronic wallet” to pay in supermarkets 

and stores etc. 

If you have no Chipknip card but you still want to make copies or printouts 

At the copy shop (on the connecting bridge between Uns 40 and Uns 50) and in The 

Guesthouse you can buy a prepaid CHIPKNIP for € 30 (which includes a € 10 deposit; 

this will be refunded when you return the card to the reception). You can load/charge 

your UM card using this pre-paid chipper and use the rest of the pre-paid card in the 

mensa, vending machines or in the shops. The charged UM card can now be used for 

copying and printing. 

2.2 Education 

2.2.1 The educational system: Problem-based Learning 

The decision to study at the Universiteit Maastricht also implies the choice of a form of 

education which is quite different from methods commonly employed elsewhere. 

Learning in Maastricht is based on the method of problem-based learning (PBL). In 

general, the following characteristics of this method can be distinguished: 

• Student-centered 

In contrast to traditional forms of education, problem-based learning is not based 

on the transfer of knowledge from instructor to process. The student, rather than 

the instructor, is central. 

A5


• Learning is focused on problems 

The starting point for the learning process consists of problems that small groups of 

students discuss in depth. These problems have been formulated in such a manner 

that they lead students to a range of explanatory questions. Based on this discussion, 

students formulate “learning goals”, the subject matter which they will study 

in the following days. 

• Tutorial groups 

Instruction takes place in tutorial groups of approximately ten members which 

meet once or twice a week. In these meetings, problems or assignments are discussed 

with the help of the course manual. The tutorial groups are supervised by 

instructors (tutors). They guide and monitor the learning process. 

• Self-motivation 

Focus on problems and group discussion stimulate students to acquire relevant 

knowledge, insights and skills in a relatively independent manner. This emphasis on 

self-motivation is a central feature of PBL. 

PBL Training 

Upon arrival, you will receive information about a special PBL training that is organized 

for exchange students. This training is organized for you to get acquainted with the 

PBL teaching method. Every exchange student is obliged to attend this training. After 

successful completion of this training, you will receive 2 ECTS credits for it. 

2.3 Educational support 

2.3.1 Course schedule 

A course lasts seven weeks, on the last Wednesday and Friday of these 7 weeks, there 

will be an examination. 

Each course has its own manual and schedule for all tutorial group meetings, lectures, 

and practical meetings. At least one week prior to the start of each course, the schedules 

are posted on the bulletin boards opposite the Psychology mailboxes 

(Universiteitssingel 40, ground floor). You can also collect the course schedule and 

manual from the Office of Educational Administration, which will have extended office 

hours in the week before a new course and in the first week of the course. The schedule 

is also available via ELEUM. 

Example of a course schedule: 

Faculteit der Psychologie 2003-aug-25 

Rooster Jaar 1 Bachelor. Periode 1.1 2003-sep-08 t/m 2003-okt-24 

Maandag, 2003-sep-08 

———————————————————————————————— 

|1.1A |101-126 |Blokopening 1.1A |09:30 - 10:30 uur |UNS40 0647 | 

|1.1A |101-112 |Onderwijsgroep 1.1A |11:00 - 13:00 uur | 

|1.1A |115-126 |Onderwijsgroep 1.1A |13:30 - 15:30 uur | 

———————————————————————————————— 

In the first the column the number of the course is given. On the bulletin boards on the 

ground floor, you can look yourself up, and see in which group you are. In the second 

column the group numbers are given. All the groups have to attend the ‘blokopening’ 

(= opening lecture, first lecture of a course), but half of the groups have a tutorial mee- 

A6


ting (= onderwijsgroep) at eleven o’clock and the other half have a meeting at 13.30 

pm. In the last column the room is given. As you can see, the ‘blokopening’ is in the 

building Uns 40, in the lecture hall 0.647. There is no room given for the tutorials, but 

these are also given on the bulletin board on the ground floor. If you have found your 

name in a group, there is also a list which lists the group numbers with their tutors 

and room numbers. 

Not all the opening lectures (= blokopening) lectures (= colleges) are given in English, 

so you should check with the course coordinator first if it is in English, otherwise you 

will get an update from the course coordinator or an especially assigned tutor. 

2.3.2 Electives course schedule 

Each year students can choose from a number of electives that are offered by the 

Faculty of Psychology staff members. Most electives are offered only once. All electives 

use a teaching format that combines reading and discussion groups with presentations 

and practical training. In general, electives conclude with a paper or presentation 

that will be marked. 

Teaching periods 3.4 and 3.5 cover seven weeks each. Within each teaching period students 

will take two electives of 3 1 ⁄2 weeks each. It will not be possible to take two electives 

in parallel. Elective course schedules deviate from the schedules for regular courses. 

Contact Anke van der Stoel for more information: 

a.vanderstoel@psychology.unimaas.nl 

2.3.3 Daylight saving time 

The daylight saving time ends October 29, 2006 and will start again March 11, 2007. 

This means that on October 29, 2006 at 02.00 hrs the clock will be put one hour back 

and will be put one hour forward on March 11, 2007 at 02.00 hrs. 

2.3.4 Tutorial groups 

Within the Problem-based Learning method, all students are divided into so-called 

tutorial groups. The meetings of the tutorial groups take place once or twice a week 

during seven weeks. The Office of Educational Administration assigns students to 

these tutorial groups for each course period in a random manner. Due to the organizational 

complications involved, these assignments cannot be changed. Group assignments 

are posted on the bulletin boards opposite the Psychology mailboxes (ground 

floor). 

2.3.5 Attendance of the tutorial meetings 

You are obliged to attend tutorial meetings and are expected to participate actively. A 

meeting takes place once or twice a week for two hours. If you follow two courses in 

parallel, you will have three meetings a week in total. The minimum percentage of 

tutorial group meetings that should be attended is 85% for each course. This means 

that 9 out of 10 tutorial group meetings must be attended. The tutors register your 

presence/participation. See also: Requirements for passing a course,. 

Please, try to miss as few meetings as possible, and especially be present at the first 

tutorial group meeting at the beginning of each course!!! Some of the courses you are 

attending are offered in English especially for you. Please bear in mind that for some 

A7


Dutch students it is difficult to speak and study in English, so attend as many meetings 

as possible! 

2.3.6 Course manuals 

Each course in problem-based learning uses a “course manual” prepared by a team of 

teachers and students. 

The course manual contains all essential information regarding the learning during 

the term concerned: the person(s) responsible for the course, the subject matter of the 

course, the knowledge which the student must have acquired by the end of the course, 

the skills which will be taught during that period, the essential and recommended literature 

involved and the lectures. The primary component, however, is formed by the 

problems or assignments (usually a dozen) for the tutorial group meetings. 

This course manual can be picked up at the Service Desk of the Education Office 

(Onderwijsbalie) at the ground floor, shortly before the beginning of the course. 

2.3.7 Sickness and absence 

In cases of sickness/absence lasting longer than ten consecutive days, students must 

inform the Education Office of the situation in writing. They should state their name, 

student ID number, address, and provide a brief description of the reason/cause of 

their illness and the expected duration of the absence (if possible). When the student 

returns, he or she must report to the Education Office during the first consultation 

hour after the day on which he or she has returned. Only when the above procedure is 

followed it is possible to include the sickness report in the student’s file for use in connection 

with examination reviews and requests for re-examination. In certain cases, 

the examination board may require medical certification. 

2.3.8 Requirements for passing a course 

1. At least 85 % attendance at the tutorial meetings. 

When attendance is less than 85% but no more than one extra meeting is missed, 

there is a possibility to meet the criteria for the attendance by turning in a ’catch-up 

assignment’ . One needs to apply for an assignment by filling out the REQUEST FORM 

FOR A CATCH-UP ASSIGNMENT INSUFFICIENT ATTENDANCE (VERZOEK INHAALOP- 

DRACHT ONVOLDOENDE AANWEZIGHEID), to be downloaded from Eleum/Blackboard. 

This request has to be sent in within 2 weeks of the end of the course. 

If an assignment is granted, turned in on time and passed, the fulfillment for attendance 

will be met. Each academic year only 2 requests for catch-up assignments will be 

granted. 

2. At least a mark of 5.5 or higher for the course exam. 

On a 10-point scale, the exam score needs to be at least 5.5 in order to pass the exam. 

When the score is 5.4 or lower the student has failed the exam. In that case the student 

will have the possibility to re-sit the exam. Per year one re-sit will be scheduled 

for each course exam. 

3. Having passed the practical 

Attendance for each practical is 100 %. A student who arrives more than 10 minutes 

after the official starting time of the practical training shall be considered not to have 

A8


attended. Most practical meetings will involve writing a report or paper. This needs to 

be turned in by the deadline. The student needs to pass this report or paper to pass the 

practical part. When the report or paper is not passed, the student will be given the 

opportunity to revise it. 

In case the practical of a particular course is only available in Dutch, the student will 

need to make an assignment. When this assignment is passed, the practical will be 

registered. Even when a student has passed the exam, the transcript can still show a 

FAILED for a particular course, when either requirement 1 or 3 or both are not met. 

Make sure all three requirements have been met to avoid failing a course. Exchange 

students will get exemption from attending non-course-related practicals. 

Requirements for Electives can be different. An attendance of 85 % is required as well, 

but some electives will require an exam, others a paper. Usually there is no practical 

involved. 

Contact the Examinations Committee for any information or questions regarding 

exam related topics. 

Office hours of the Chair of the Examinations Committee, Dr. Hanneke van Mier, are: 

every Tuesday and Thursday from 1.00 till 1.30 p.m., room 4.744. 

You can also make an appointment for another day or time. 

Phone: 043 38 84010 

If you have a question for the examination administration, you have to fill out a form 

with your question at the Service Desk of the Education Office. This form will be returned 

to you with an answer in your mailbox. 

2.3.9 Mailboxes/Pigeon holes 

All students have their own mailboxe/pigeon hole.These are located on the ground 

floor of the Psychology building, Universiteitssingel 40. They are used by the staff of 

the Education Office to distribute announcements and results, by students to communicate 

with each other, and by the faculty and staff to contact students directly. The 

mailboxes are arranged by student ID number. You are asked to check your mailbox 

regularly. 

2.3.10 Notice boards 

Course schedules, room numbers, tutorial group assignments and exam results can be 

found at the notice boards on the ground floor, opposite the mailboxes. 

2.3.11 Lectures and practical meetings 

Some of the lectures and practical meetings that are given during a course are not provided 

in English. If so, the course or practical coordinator will give you an update of the 

lecture during one hour a week or will give you an alternative assignment for the practical 

meeting. Please check with the course coordinator whether this procedure applies 

for your course. 

A9


Map of Maastricht / Addresses locations examinations 

- Sporthal Dousberg Bus line 11 

- Sporthal Daalhof Bus lines 5, 6 

- Sporthal Geusselt Bus line 10 

- Sporthal De Heeg Bus lines 1, 6 

- Sporthal Randwijck Bus line 11 

- MECC Bus lines 1, 11 

A10


2.4 Examination 

2.4.1 Registration for exams 

Normally, exchange students are automatically registered for an exam if they are 

registered for a course. If you have failed the first chance, you are automatically 

registered for the re-sit. 

2.4.2 Exams 

At the end of each course, there will be an exam. For registration reasons, you need to 

have your student identity card with you. Make sure you are on time, because if you 

come in more than half an hour late, you will not be allowed to participate in the 

exam. You are also not allowed to leave the exam until half an hour after the beginning. 

There are several locations, where the examinations can be held, which usually are 

sports halls. These are indicated on the course schedule. The most common locations 

are: 

From the train station: 

Daalhof, Goudenweg 190, 6216 TT Maastricht bus 5, 6 

De Heeg, Roserije 500, 6228 DN Maastricht bus bus 1, 6 

Dousberg, Dousbergberg 4, 6216 GC Maastricht NO bus 

Geuselt, Olympiaweg 81, 6229 HD Maastricht bus 10 

Randwyck, Sorbonnelaan180, 6229 HD Maastricht bus 9 or 1, 3, 4, 11 

to the hospital and then walk 

to Sporthall Randwyck 

MECC, Forum 100, 6229 GV Maastricht bus 1, 4, 9, 11 

2.4.3 Resits 

A student who failed a course exam will get one other chance to do a resit. In case the 

student has already returned to his/her home country prior to the date of the resit, the 

possibility exists to resit the exam under supervision of the Home Institution. Please 

contact the International Office for more details. A student who has passed an exam is 

not allowed to resit that exam. In the case of a resit the highest mark counts. 

2.4.4 Examination Administration 

The staff members of the Examination Administration are responsible for the administrative 

handling of all the study results (e.g. test grades attendance/participation, 

assignments, etc). In addition, they are charged with administering the students’ individual 

records. 

You can contact the Examination Administration for: 

• Questions and/or remarks with respect to the registration of your attendance in the 

tutorial groups; 

• Questions concerning registration of results and verification of your credits. 

If you have a question for the exam administration, you can visit the Service Desk of 

the Education Office on the ground floor. There are forms available on which you can 

write down your question. This form has to be handed in at the Service Desk of the 

Education Office or in the red mailbox on the fifth floor near room 5.765. The exam 

A11


administration will try to answer your question and return the form to you in your 

mailbox. 

2.4.5 The Examination Board (EC) 

The Examenation Board is responsible for matters relating to the Education and 

Examination Regulations (EER) of the study program of the FdP (Faculty of Psychology). 

The secretariat of the Examinations Committee (EC) supports the OEC and assists students 

in these matters. You can turn to the secretariat of the EC with: 

• questions concerning examination rules; 

• explanation of procedures; 

• requests for an EC decision (concerning procedures based on the examination rules 

such as exemptions etc.); 

• objections, after conclusion of the standard procedure. 

Head of the Examinations Committee: 

Dr. Hanneke van Mier, Room 4.765, Phone: 38 84010 

If you have a question for the examinations committee, you have to fill out a form with 

your question at the office of educational administration. This form will be returned to 

you with an answer in your mailbox. 

2.4.6 Grading system 

The Dutch grades are awarded on a scale from 1 to 10. 1 to 5,4 (will be rounded down to 

5) constitutes a FAIL grade. 5,5 (will be rounded up to 6) – 10 constitutes a PASS grade, 

whereby 

1 Very bad 

2 Bad 

3 Low 

4 Insufficient 

5 Almost sufficient 

6 Sufficient 

7 Ample sufficient 

8 Good 

9 Very good 

10 Excellent 

Full-time study load for visiting students: 

• per academic year 60 European credits 

• per semester 30 European credits 

2.4.7 Right of inspection 

The examination rules stipulate that students have the right to inspect a written examination. 

The course coordinator is responsible for the announcement and organization 

of the opportunity to inspect the assessed work. This can be mentioned on the 

front page of the test, on the digitally published list of the results, in ELEUM or on the 

course’s or the course coordinator’s website. 

2.4.8 Right of appeal 

If the decision of the Examinations Committee is not to the student’s satisfaction, he 

or she can lodge an appeal with the Examinations Appeal Board (‘College van Beroep 

voor de Examens’). A student can only appeal if a decision has directly harmed your 

A12


interests. Also the lodging of an appeal with the Examinations Appeal Board should be 

done within the period of 4 weeks after the publication date of the test results. The 

appeal should be addressed to the Chairman of the Examinations Appeal Board and 

sent to: 

The Secretary of the Board 

Dienst Bestuurlijke en Juridische Zaken UM 

Postbus 616, 6200 MD Maastricht 

The procedures of the Examinations Appeal Board are stated in the Regulations for 

Appeal of the Examinations Appeal Board (‘Beroepsreglement van het College van 

Beroep voor de Examens’). The complete text of these regulations is available at the 

Information & Service Desk. The text can also be asked at the secretarial department 

of the Examinations Appeal Board: 

Ms. L. Franken 

Dienst Bestuurlijke en Juridische Zaken UM 

Postbus 616, 6200 MD Maastricht 

Students who wish to appeal are advised to consult these regulations. 

2.4.9 Certificate / Grade transcript 

At the end of your exchange in Maastricht, the International Relations Office records 

the grades you obtained on a certificate/grade transcript. During your stay you can 

check your grades in Eleum. The results of the exams will be published 20 days after 

the exam. Courses dropped after the deadline can be taken off the final transcript. It is 

not possible to have fail grades removed; they will always appear on the transcript. 

Two original copies of your transcript will be sent to the International Relations Office 

at your home university. 

2.4.10 Fraud 

Fraud: 

1. If the examination committee ascertains that in the course of any form of testing, a 

student: 

• made use of illicit aids, texts or notes, or makes or made use of electronic aids or 

means of communication: 

• verbally or by means of gestures communicated or tried to communicate with a 

fellow student without the permission of a supervisor, examiner or member of the 

Examination Committee; 

• copied or tried to copy or gave somebody the opportunity to copy; 

• deliberately misled the examination committee, the examiner or the supervisor, 

with respect to the examination, or at least tried to mislead them or gave the 

opportunity for this to happen; 

• committed any other form of fraud, which includes also plagiarism, then the examination 

committee can declare the result of the relevant test invalid for the student 

concerned. 

2. The examination committee can furthermore take the following measures for the 

cases mentioned under point 1: 

• reprimand, 

• exclusion from (further) participation in one or more parts of the examination of 

the study programme for a period of at the most one year. 

A13


3. In the case of fraud, the examination committee will apply a fraud regulation, i.e. 

the fraud regulation, as set out in the Rules and Regulations for the Bachelor 

Examination. This also specifies what is understood by fraud. 

REGULATION ON FRAUD 

The Psychology examination committee has laid down the following regulation on 

examination fraud by way of further elaboration of article 4.13, point 1 sub e of the 

education and examination regulation (OER), in its meeting of 14th June 1995. This 

regulation is part of the Rules and Regulations. 

Article 1 

Fraud as meant in article 4.13 of the Education and Examination Regulations is understood 

to mean: 

a. acting or failing to act on the part of an examinee in a way which makes it wholly or 

partly impossible to form a fair judgment about the knowledge, insight and skills of 

the examinee. 

b. acting or failing to act on the part of an examinee in a way which makes it wholly or 

partly impossible to form a fair judgment about the knowledge, insight and skills of 

a co-examinee. 

Article 2 

Fraud as meant in article 4.13 of the Education and Examination Regulations also includes: 

an attempt at fraud. 

Article 3 

Acting or failing to act as meant in article 1of this regulation is understood to mean: 

a. In respect of the writing of papers: 

• literal or paraphrased copying of passages from other papers or oral texts in such 

a way that the impression is given that it is one’s own work; 

• literal or paraphrased copying of passages from scientific articles or books in such 

a way that the impression is given that it is one’s own work. 

• literal or paraphrased copying of passages from other electronic papers in such a 

way that the impression is given that it is one’s own work; 

• literal or paraphrased copying of passages from sources on the Internet in such a 

way that the impression is given that it is one’s own work. 

b. In respect of taking tests and comparable proofs of ability and examinations: 

• disposing over the usage of texts other than those of which the use is expressly 

permitted, on or in the vicinity of the table where the examinee sits or another 

place accessible to the examinee, during the taking of the test; 

• exchanging information with a co-examinee where and in whatever way, during 

the taking of the test. 

Article 4 

If in the opinion of the examiner a (possible) case of fraud has taken place, the examiner 

as a rule takes the following action: 

a. If the (possible) fraud has been ascertained during the taking of the test: 

• the examiner notifies the examinee of the ascertained (possible) fraud; 

• a possible text which the examinee had unjustly at his/her disposal for usage is 

confiscated; 

• the examinee is given the opportunity to complete the test, unless the examiner 

decides otherwise; 

• the examiner will bar the student from further participation in the test, if the examinee 

refuses to hand over the text which was possibly unjustly kept at hand in 

order to be used; 

A14


• a text which has been confiscated is normally not returned to the examinee after 

the test is finished, unless the examiner decides otherwise; 

• the examiner documents the relevant facts connected with the ascertained fraud 

in writing and sends this without delay to the Psychology examination committee, 

together with possible texts which had been confiscated; 

b. if the (possible) fraud has been ascertained during or after the correction of a test or 

examination: 

• the examiner notifies the Psychology examinations committee in writing without 

delay about the (possible) fraud, adding the relevant papers and documents; 

• the Psychology examination committee notifies the examinee about the ascertained 

(possible) fraud. 

c. if the (possible) fraud is ascertained during or after the correction of written papers 

which are part of a test or which count as concluding part of a study unit: 

• the examiner notifies the Psychology examinations committee in writing without 

delay of the (possible) fraud, adding the relevant papers and documents; 

• the Psychology examinations committee notifies the examinee about the ascertained 

(possible) fraud. 

Article 5 

The Psychology examinations committee deals with cases of possible fraud in the following 

manner: 

a. the person who is suspected of fraud is called for a discussion; the examination 

committee will be represented by the chairperson and the secretary or their representatives, 

and if possible by one other member of the committee; 

b. the examinations committee decides, also on the ground of the outcome of the discussion 

as meant under point a., whether fraud has taken place; 

c. the relevant test or paper will be declared invalid in each case that fraud as meant 

by article 1, point a. has been ascertained; 

d. the examinations committee imposes a sanction, taking into account the nature 

and severity of the fraud committed in accordance with what has been said in article 

4.13 of the Education and Examination Regulations (OER), in each case that fraud 

as meant by article 1, point a has been ascertained; 

e. the person concerned will be notified about the decision of the examination committee 

as soon as possible; 

f. An entry will be made in the student’s file when a test or paper has been declared 

invalid and a sanction has been imposed; 

g. texts which have been confiscated will on request be returned by the examination 

committee to the person concerned, if it decides that they do not need to remain 

available any longer in connection with the (further) treatment of the case; 

h. the examinations committee can decide to reveal its decision publicly but anonymously, 

with all the facts and circumstances on which it was based. 

Article 6 

One can appeal to the Examinations Appeal Board against decisions taken by the examinations 

committee concerning fraud, within four weeks after the decision has been 

publicized. 

A15


3 Educational organization and administration 

3.1 ELEUM: Electronic Learning Environment Universiteit Maastricht 

http://eleum.unimaas.nl 

ELEUM is the electronic learning environment for students and employees of the UM, a 

program which provides educational information and from where you can start working 

yourself. The program is available from every student-working place and from 

anywhere over the internet. 

The following is available in ELEUM: 

• the courses you attend 

• education and examination schedules 

• announcements from your tutor or coordinator 

• submission of your assignments 

• all necessary materials to take the course (for example literature, cases, data, sheets 

and old exams) 

• addresses from your tutors or coordinators 

• entrance in a Community, especially designed for your tutorial group; here you can 

work on problems and learning goals, cases you have to make with your group and 

you can discuss or mail with your group members. 

In order to make the best possible use of ELEUM, it is important for students to dispose 

of a good Internet connection. Adequate Internet facilities will allow students to 

fully benefit from the advantages of ELEUM outside the FE&BA too. 

3.2 The Student Advisor 

The student advisor provides information and advice concerning the study programmes. 

In addition, the student advisor can give more personal advice and counselling in 

case of study delay because of illness or other personal circumstances. All conversations 

with the student advisor are strictly confidential. If necessary, the student advisor 

may refer to others or mediate between student and faculty. In case of study delay or 

if, for whatever reason, the study has come to a deadlock, you should contact the student 

advisor as soon as possible. A conversation may point out study delay, resolve it 

and eventually avoid new delays. 

Another task of the student advisor is to inform the responsible bodies within the 

faculty about bottlenecks in the educational and examination program. 

The Faculty has 2 student advisors. You can contact: 

- Monique Römkens (room 5.759) when your last name starts with A - K . 

- Gerda Galenkamp (room 5.747) when your last name starts with L – Z. 

Appointments with the student advisors should be made via the secretariat of the 

Education Office, Faculty of Psychology, tel.: 043 38 819118. 

3.3 International Relations Office 

The Faculty of Psychology has exchange agreements with universities and institutions 

in many countries all over the world. Maastricht psychology students have the opportunity 

to spend part of their studies within an exchange program abroad, and in return 

exchange students from our partner universities visit the Faculty of Psychology at 

Universiteit Maastricht. All of these students need administrative and social support, 

which is provided by the International Relations staff: 

A16


Drs Loes Mallee 

(Head International Relations; 

outgoing students) 

Room 5.749 

Phone: +31-43-38 81920 

E-mail: l.mallee@psychology.unimaas.nl 

Mrs Anke van der Stoel 

(assistant International Relations Officer; 

incoming students) 

Room 5.749 

Phone: +31-43-38 84031 

E-mail: a.vanderstoel@psychology.unimaas.nl 

Ms Desiree Weerts 

(student assistant) 

Room 5.749 

Phone: +31-43-38 84031 

E-mail: international@psychology.unimaas.nl 

Dr. Arjan Blokland 

(academic advisor) 

Room: 2.743 

Phone: +31-43-38 81903/81039 

E-mail: a.blokland@psychology.unimaas.nl 

A17


International relations Staff. 

3.3.1 The Buddy System 

Since January 2005 the International Relation Office initiated a Buddy System. The 

Buddy System is designed to help exchange students to get to know the university and 

the city. Senior students help the incoming students. They provide the newcomers with 

personal contact and support. This way it will be easier for the exchange student to 

adapt and integrate into the new environment. 

Buddies will be Year 3 students who plan to go on exchange later in the year, or Year 4 

students who have been on exchange already. All incoming exchange students will be 

paired up with a buddy during the introduction week. They can indicate to the buddy 

what kind of support they would like to have. 

3.4 Study materials 

3.4.1 Psychology student association: Luna-tik (Luna-tic): 

Luna-tik is the student association for the Faculty of Psychology. Its aim is to represent 

the interests of the Psychology students in the broadest sense of the word: not just for 

pleasure and relaxation but also for curriculum-based activities. 

Luna-tik members can purchase their study books at a 10% discount. The membership 

fee is € 25 per year. 

Telephone: + 31 43 388 1957 

Visiting address: Universiteitssingel 40, first floor, room 1.771 

A18


3.4.2 Academic Bookshop 

The academic bookshop is located at the Universiteitssingel 30, on the square before 

the main entrance of the Universiteitssingel 40. If you prefer to have your own books 

instead of borrowing them from the library, this is the best place to buy them. 

Address: Universiteitssingel 30 

Phone : 043-3883015 

Opening hours: Monday through Friday 09:30 until 18:00 hrs 

A19


4 Informing Students 

Basically, all the information you need for your study at Universiteit Maastricht is mentioned 

in this Student Handbook and the faculty website 

(www.psychology.unimaas.nl ➞ English version ➞ Exchange students ➞ Incoming 

students) 

Any modifications and/or additions will be made known through the news media discussed 

in this chapter. Furthermore, the International Relations Office will keep you upto-date 

via e-mail. 

4.1 Computerized Information System 

In light of the fact that it takes a few days for the study results reported by the course 

coordinator to be entered into the student information system (Pandia Student), the 

results are also posted on the bulletin boards near the counter in the Office of 

Educational Administration as soon as they are known. 

Once the data have been entered into the computer, the posted lists are removed and 

the students can view and/or print their results via Pandia. Access to the student information 

system can be obtained via the website of the faculty: 

www.psychology.unimaas.nl. 

Along with their student registration card, students receive a user name plus password 

combination consisting of their ID number (for example, 1960001) and a pass word, a 

four-figure code. This user name plus password are necessary to access various network 

services, such as e-mail, Internet, and Pandia. 

4.2 E-mail 

During the introduction day you will receive your own university e-mail account. You 

are expected to check your university e-mail account regularly. The International 

Relations Office will send you regular updates via e-mail and also uses e-mail to contact 

you whenever necessary. 

4.3 The Internet 

On the Faculty’s web page http://www.psychology.unimaas.nl you will find relevant 

information for students. The information is also available via ELEUM. The information 

on the Faculty’s Internet site is continuously extended and kept up to date. The advantages 

of the Internet are obvious: the information is available at any place with 

Internet access, and it can be kept up-to-date more easily. Therefore, the Faculty will 

use this medium more and more to inform its students and we strongly advise you to 

check the Faculty’s news page regularly. 

A20


5 Student Facilities 

5.1 ICT Compass 

From September 15th 2003 on, the UM offers the so called “ICT Compass”. This is a 

guide with information about the general ICT facilities that are used within the university. 

Each part contains an explanation on how the program works. Especially new students 

and employees will need this information. You will get into the compass via the 

address www.icts.unimaas.nl/ictcompass 

The following items are discussed: 

1. Computer network UM 

• Access 

• Mailbox 

• Web site UM 

2. Working at home 

• Connecting to UM 

• Buying software 

3. Support facilities 

• ICT Service Desk 

• Manuals 

• Surf yourself 

4. Educational support 

• Electronic learning 

• Learning together 

• Exams, study progress and administration 

• Digital catalogues 

• End Note 

5. Free software! 

5.2 Computer access 

5.2.1 Computer rooms 

Location 

The computer rooms of the Faculty of Psychology are located in the UNS40 

(Universiteitssingel 40) building at floor 1. 

1.746 Computer room I (in Dutch: Computerlandschap I) 

1.734 Computer room II 

1.731 Computer room III 

Opening hours 

Monday 9:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. 

Tuesday 8:30 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. 

Wednesday 8:30 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. 

Thursday 8:30 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. 

Friday 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. 

A21


Student assistants 

During the opening hours, student assistants are present for answering questions and 

scanning. Printing in black costs € 0,05 per A4. Printing in color costs € 0,20 per A4. 

Log in procedure 

You can log in with your username and password, provided by the university. 

5.2.2 Computer programs 

There are different programs on the computer which might be helpful to you. Here is a 

short guide of how to use them. 

Pandia Student 

With Pandia, you can check your grades online. You have to go to mail www.psychology.unimaas.nl, 

then click on ‘Studieresultaten’ under ‘Studenten’. Then a new page will 

open, go to the bottom of that page and click on ‘Raadplegen studieresultaten’. The 

computer will ask you to fill in your login number and password again, the domain is 

UNIMAAS. If that is done correctly, you can click on text, written in blue on the left side 

of your screen. You have to choose ‘Raadplegen’ again. Then click on the grey button, 

which says ‘Verzend’ and you can take a look at your grades. 

E-mail 

To check your email when you are not in the university, you can go to mail.unimaas.nl. 

Then you have to fill in your login name and password again, and you can look at your 

email. 

PsycInfo 

PsycInfo is an international database of psychology and relevant materials from related 

disciplines, such as medicine and psychiatry. The types of information you will find 

are citations and summations of journal articles, book chapters, book and technical 

reports, as well as citations to dissertations from 1887 to the present. To use this program, 

go to maasnet services (in the windows interface at start), Maastricht university 

library, UB cd-roms, then choose ‘Social and Behavioral Sciences web based interface: 

UL Homepage. There you can choose information resources, UL bibliographies and 

databases. There is also a tutorial about psycinfo on: 

http://www.ovid.com/site/help/tutorials/psycinfo.html. 

5.3 Mensa Academica Maastricht (MAM) 

The Mensa offers a broad assortment at student-friendly prices. In addition to all kinds 

of snacks, salads, drinks and cold meals one can choose from two hot meals and a 

vegetarian version every day. Except on Fridays there is also the possibility to have a 

hot meal in the evening. At the Mensa you can pay with cash, chipknip or prepaid chipper. 

The Mensa’s opening hours are: 

Monday through Thursday: 08:30-19:00 hrs 

Friday: 

08:30- 17:00 hrs 

Hot dishes are served from 11:30-14:00 hrs and 16:30-19:00 hrs 

5.4 Copy shop and copying 

As mentioned before, copying at the University and at the University Library can only 

be done with your Student Identity Card (UM card). If you do not have a UM card or a 

Chipknip yet, you can also buy a prepaid CHIPKNIP (see page A20). You can go to the 

A22


Copy shop for special copying services such as copying onto A3 format, making colour 

prints, binding theses and reports etc.. At the copy shop you can only pay by bank card 

or by Chipknip. 

Please note that when you use your UM card to copy, you should press “STOP” at the 

machine when you are done copying; otherwise you will lose all the money loaded on 

your UM card. 

Besides the University, here are two other addresses with student-friendly prices: 

Copy Master Nederland BV Delnoy Drukkerij 

Looiersegracht 1/c Abtstraat 23 

Phone: 043-3210355 Phone: 043-3219455 

(Near the Bonnefanten Library) 

5.5 Fax 

Sending a fax for private purposes is not possible within the university. However you 

can send your faxes at: 

CopyMaster Nederland BV Central Post Office 

Looiersegracht 1/c Statenstraat 4 

Phone: 043-3210355 Phone: 043-3299199 

(Near the Bonnefanten Library) (Near the Vrijthof Square) 

Prices of sending a fax depend on the size of your document and the destination to 

which you want it sent. 

Note: If you have to send a fax to your home university concerning your exchange in 

Maastricht, it is possible to send it at the International Relations Office (room 2.008, 

Abtstraat 2A) during open office hours. 

5.6 Prepaid chipper 

A prepaid chipper can be obtained with the desk-man at the main entrance of the 

Universiteitssingel 40. The costs of this chipper are € 50, which includes € 10 deposit. 

This € 10 is returned to you, after handing in your prepaid chipper again. On that occasion, 

the amount left on the chipper will be given to you in cash. The prepaid chipper 

can be used for paying in the Mensa and the vending machines. The prepaid chipper 

can also be used in the rest of the city, in shops or in parking lots, for example. 

5.7 Bicycle cellar 

Students, who come to the university by bike, can store away their bicycle in the bicycle 

cellar at the Universiteitssingel 40. This cellar is free to use for all students, and free of 

costs. There will be surveillance and you can be asked to show your student identity 

card to make sure you are a student of the University of Maastricht. 

Opening hours: 

Monday till Friday 8.00 am – 10.15 pm. 

After 7.00 pm the bicycle cellar can only be reached through the main entrance. 

A23


5.8 Lockers 

For all the students of Psychology there are lockers available on the ground floor of the 

Universiteitssingel 40. You do not need money to use them. To use a locker you have to 

make up your own PIN code. It is advised not to use a PIN code which you also use for 

other purposes. Make sure you clear your locker at the end of everyday, because the 

lockers will automatically open in the evening. 

5.9 Information and services 

5.9.1 Student Services (SSC) 

This department has a number of specialized service units for student related issues 

such as accommodation, sports, information on studies, work and career advice. In 

addition, there is a central Information Desk to which current and prospective students 

may address their questions. The SSC as well as the information desk can be found in 

Bonnefantenstraat 2. 

5.9.2 The information Desk 

Information and Advice 

Below is a list of the topics illustrating the areas where the Desk staff may provide 

information and advice. This list is not exhaustive: Students who cannot find the topic 

they need to have information about in this list may still contact the staff or visit the 

information Desk. 

• application and registration 

• termination of registration because of special circumstances 

• level of tuition fees: payment and reimbursement 

• change of studies 

• reporting a change of address 

• making appointments with SSC service staff 

Appointments 

Appointments with an academic counsellor, general counsellor, career advisor, or the 

admissions officer, are made through the information desk. This means that the desk is 

the place to make or change appointments but also to report for the actual appointment 

and for a visit during the regular office hours for the academic counsellors. 

Brochures and forms 

The Information desk has brochures on a number of topics, which students may take 

with them. These include most important brochures and forms relating to financial 

assistance. The desk also provides a variety of UM forms. 

Opening hours and telephone consultation 

Students are welcome at the Information Desk at Bonnefantenstraat 2. 

Opening hours: Monday through Thursday, 11:00 – 16:00 

Friday, 11.00-13.00 

E-mail: studinfo@sz.unimaas.nl 

Telephone Consultation: 

Monday to Friday, 10:00-12:30, 13:30-16:00 

Phone number: 043-3885388 

A24


5.9.3 General Counsellor 

General counsellors, also called Student Psychologists, are available for students with 

personal or psychological problems, for example study stress, fear of failure, depression, 

eating disorders, stress-related complaints, lack of confidence, difficulties making 

and maintaining contacts, problems and conflicts with parents, family or partner, etc. 

The first meeting with a general counsellor is an exploratory one and has the aim of 

determining the problem and determining what to do about it. Sometimes one meeting 

is sufficient to get one back on track, but sometimes a number of follow-up meetings 

are useful. The general counsellors also provide group activities, such as a training 

course on fear of failure. Appointments can be made by phone number 

043 3885388 (10:00-12:30 hrs and 13:30- 16:00 hrs) or via Student Services. 

For more on the general counsellor, see section 8.5 of the Social Guide in this handbook. 

5.9.4 Academic counsellors 

The academic counsellors, also called Student Deans, inform and advise in a variety of 

areas, in particular those relating to the legal and financial position of students. The 

academic counsellors may be called upon for questions that seem to lie outside the 

area of studies. 

The academic counsellors should definitely be consulted in the case of interruption of 

studies, termination of studies, illness, pregnancy, family problems, the need for childcare 

and the need for facilities relating to a disability. Furthermore, the academic counselors 

are the confidential officials for sexual harassment. 

NOTE: For academic issues, it is preferred if students contact their study advisors at the 

faculty level first. Student deans serve the whole university, and thus should be used 

in situations where study advisors have already proven insufficient in solving an academic 

problem. 

You can contact the academic counsellors through: 

Telephone hours: Monday through Friday, 13:30-14:00 hrs. 

Phone: 043 3885273 

Open hours:Tuesday and Thursday, 14:00-16:00 hrs at Bonnefantenstraat 2. 

Personal appointment: can be made by phone number 043-3885388 

(10:00-12:30 hrs and 13:30-16:00 hrs 

E-mail: Stud.Decanaat@ssc.unimaas.nl 

5.9.5 Confidential advisor 

The Executive Board of the Universiteit Maastricht actively pursues a policy against 

undesirable behaviour at the workplace and in the study environment. Undesirable 

behaviour includes at least sexual intimidation, aggression, violence and bullying, and 

discrimination. 

The confidential advisor is there to provide assistance and support to people who are 

troubled by the undesirable behaviour of others. The individual who reports such 

behaviour should have the opportunity to end it, if necessary with external help. The 

confidential advisor is the person who gives guidance to a complainant who wishes to 

take her/his complaint further. The confidential advisor acts only with the consent of 

the complainant. 

A25


Confidential advisor on undesirable behaviour 

José van Eijsden (by appointment) 

Tel: 043-3885621 

Mail: vertrouwenspersonen@bu.unimaas.nl 

5.9.6 Studying with a disability, chronic illness or dyslexia 

Students with disabilities, chronic illnesses or dyslexia can suffer from delayed study 

progress. There are certain departments within Universiteit Maastricht that can help 

these students become aware of the facilities available for them. For specific information 

on how to obtain assistance for disabled students please contact: 

Service Desk Disability Management, Bonnefantenstraat 2 

Open hours: Tuesday to Friday, 9.30-12.30 hrs 

Call for appointments: Monday to Friday, 10.00-12.30 hrs and 13.30-16.00 hrs 

Phone number: 043-3885388 

At Universiteit Maastricht all permanent disorders causing delayed study progress are 

named functional disabilities or chronic illness. Often functional disabilities are visible, 

for example motor disabilities, visual and auditory disorders. However in some cases 

disorders can not be seen as easily, for example Crohns disease, diabetics, epilepsy, dyslexia, 

asthma, ME, whiplash, migraine, RSI, psychological issues. ‘Temporary’ illnesses 

such as Mono (“Pfeiffer”), are not classified as chronic illnesses. And of course not all 

disabilities lead to delayed study progress. 

As each student differs in the degree in which their disability or illness will affect their 

studies, it is important that each student receives personal treatment in how to deal 

with their situation. The academic counsellor at Universiteit Maastricht is specialised 

in dealing in supporting and guiding students with disabilities or chronic illnesses. It is 

important for these students to contact the academic counsellor before coming to 

Universiteit Maastricht (see above for contact information), in order to be able to work 

out what kind of help can be offered. For example, housing, access into buildings, individual 

tutoring, extra exam time, adapted course material, are areas that the counselor 

can provide assistance. 

5.9.7 Career Counsellor 

The Career Counsellor specializes in the fields of study choice, career choice and the 

labour market. At any time during one’s studies there may be questions and doubts. 

At the beginning of one’s studies, there may be various reasons for the idea that one is 

not in the right place or that one may not have chosen the right study; there may be 

questions regarding the alternatives and how to make a choice from these. As your 

study progresses there will be more questions relating to one’s future position in the 

labour market: what are one’s abilities, which job would one most like to have, and 

how this can be achieved. Career counsellors offer assistance with all such questions, 

clarifying career perspectives, even assessing job application letters and CVs. 

In general, students are referred by their study advisor or academic counsellor. In the 

initial meeting, the counsellor makes an inventory of the issues to be dealt with and 

decides how this could best be done. Guidance is provided individually or in groups, 

through workshops, training sessions and courses. 

The university’s career counsellors are Paula Aussems, José Otten and Marloes Rikhof. 

A26


They only work by appointment. Appointments can be made at the information and 

service desk at the SSC, or by phone: 043-3885318 

5.9.8 Study Careers and Information office (ISL) 

The ISL offers information (partially in English) in the fields of studies in the 

Netherlands, studies and traineeships abroad and the labour market. The information 

is provided on the form of printed documentation (like prospectuses, reference works, 

study guides, reports, annual accounts, newspapers and magazines). You will find also 

reviews of interesting websites for all fields. The ISL provides access to the internet and 

several computerized systems (in case you would like to use it: reserve computer time 

please). 

Visiting Address: 

Bonnefantenstraat 2 

Telephone: 043 3885328 

Opening hours: Monday to Thursday 11:00-16:00, Friday 10:000-12:00 

Internet: www.loopbaancentrum.unimaas.nl 

5.9.9 University Housing Agency – Het Kamerburo 

The Kamerburo is an initiative of the Stichting Studentenhuisvesting (student housing 

foundation) Maastricht. This foundation is a joint effort if the hogeschool Zuyd 

(Maastricht section), Univeristeit Maastricht, the Jan van Eijck Academy and the three 

Maastricht housing corporations. The Kamerburo helps students find accommodation 

in and around Maastricht. 

The Kamerburo has data on approximately 2 200 rooms offered by the housing corporations. 

In addition, many private owners offer their accommodation to the Kamerburo 

for mediation. All intermediaries take place via the website: 

http://www.kamerburo.net 

Visiting Address 


Office hours: 13:00-16:00 daily 

Take Note: All Exchange students have a place reserved in the University Guesthouse, 

and need only contact the Kamerburo if they are planning to stay longer than their 

regular exchange program lasts. 

5.10 Instruction rooms, the University Library and Learning Resource Centre 

5.10.1 Instruction Rooms 

Instruction rooms 

Tutorial group meeting rooms 

• Universiteitssingel 40 (Uns 40), first floor up to fifth floor 

• Universiteitssingel 5 (Uns 5), ground floor 

Seminar Rooms 

• Universiteitssingel 40 (Uns 40); ground floor: 0.737 Diepenbeekzaal, 35 seats. 

• Universiteitssingel 40 (Uns 40); ground floor: 0.731 Luikzaal, 35 seats. 

• Universiteitssingel 40 (Uns 40); ground floor: 0.771 Tongerenzaal, 70 seats. 

• Universiteitssingel 40 (Uns 40): ground floor: 0.553 Keulenzaal, 40 seats 

A27

The University Library.


• Universiteitssingel 40 (Uns 40): basement: K.667 Heerlenzaal (level –1) 

• P. Debyeplein 1 (Deb 1); ground floor: D.003 and D.005, 35 seats. 

Lecture halls 

• Universiteitssingel 40 (Uns 40), ground floor 0.647 Maastrichtzaal, 404 seats. 

• Universiteitssingel 40 (Uns 40), ground floor 0.673 Akenzaal, 150 seats. 

• Universiteitssingel 50 (Uns 50), ground floor 0.402 Blue hall 259 seats. 

• Universiteitssingel 50 (Uns 50), ground floor 0.406 Green hall 65 seats. 

• Universiteissingel 50 (Uns 50), ground floor 0.480 Red hall 65 seats. 

• P. Debyeplein 1 (Deb 1), ground floor: D.001 auditorium 175 seats. 

5.10.2 University Library 

If you want to borrow books you need your UM card (used to identify yourself during 

exams, to make copies and printouts). 

The most important lending/borrowing rules are: 

• the loan term is four weeks; 

• the maximum number of books to be borrowed is 10; 

• extension of the loan term is possible (via the library terminal, the lending desk, or 

telephone) unless the book has been reserved by another individual; 

• books that have been borrowed can be reserved; 

• journals cannot be borrowed (they can, however, be used for photocopying); 

• not all books can be borrowed. 

Books and Journals can be found in the UB catalogue using the computers available in 

the library, ground floor (Universiteitssingel 50) 

The University Library. 

Opening hours University Library Randwyck, Universiteitssingel 50 

Monday - Thursday: 08.30 - 22.00 h (from 18.00 h no loan facilities) 

Friday: 

08.30 - 21.00 h (from 18.00 h no loan facilities) 

Saturday: 

10.00 - 17.00 h (from 14.00 h no loan facilities) 

Sunday: 

12.00 - 17.00 h (no loan facilities) 

5.10.3 Learning Resources Center 

The Llearning and Rresource Ccenter is a unique support facility of Problem-Based 

Learning (PBL), the education system used by the Universiteit Maastricht (UM). The 

Learning and Resource Center is located in the immediate vicinity of the library. It consists 

of a number of study rooms, suitable for both individual and group study activities 

(smaller and larger rooms, with or without PC facilities, study cells and AV units), 

and offers a wide selection of learning materials used in the faculty curriculum (books, 

video tapes, PCs giving access to data files, programs, and faculty files. 

It is a mistake to assume that the purchase of the basic textbooks is simply not necessary 

because sufficient copies of the books are available at the Learning Resources 

Center (studielandschap). It is not only impossible to purchase sufficient copies of a 

book for the large number of students needing it but also not the primary purpose of 

the Learning Resources Center. The main purpose of the Learning Resources Center is 

to enable students to search for information relevant to their learning objectives in a 

collection of varied sources. 

A29


Exchange students get a general library introduction during the introduction day organized 

by the International Relations Office at the beginning of each semester. More 

information about the University Library and the Study Landscape, as well as opening 

hours can be obtained from the University Library homepage: www.ub.unimaas.nl 

(click on ENGLISH). 

Opening hours of the Library and the Learning Resources Center 

Monday – Thursday 08.30 – 22.00 hrs (from 18.00 hrs; no loan facilities*) 

Friday 

08.30 – 22.00 hrs (from 17.00 hrs; no loan facilities) 

Saturday 

11.00 – 18.00 hrs (from 14.00 hrs; no loan facilities) 

Sunday 

11.00 – 18.00 hrs (no loan facilities) 

* No loan facilities: It is not possible to request or borrow books or journals from the 

closed stacks. Books from the open shelves can be borrowed by means of the self-check 

machine. 

5.11 Public Library of Maastricht 

The public library offers over 500,000 books, hundreds of magazines and thousands of 

cds, but also cd-roms and seventy connections to the Internet. The library is divided 

into four floors and several terminals in the building that will guide you in your search 

for a specific item. 

You can get a card (called IHOL) to the academic/scientific part of the public library for 

free at the University Library, provided you show them your UM card and certificate of 

enrolment. The IHOL card will give you entrance to the public library, after a one-time 

payment of € 2,50 administration fee. It may also be that you need to show them 

proof of your address in Maastricht. 

If you want to become a regular library member for the time you are in Maastricht 

(especially if you are here for a full academic year) you can buy a “combination subscription” 

(in Dutch combinatie- abonnement) for € 18,50 (provided you show them 

the IHOL card). Then you can also borrow novels, CD’s, videos, language courses etc. (4 

items for 3 weeks. Books are free; music CD’s from € 1,45 to € 4,40; CD-roms/DVDroms 

and video tapes € 1,45; Language course € 3,75). 

The Public library is part of ‘Centre Céramique’ which is located at: 

Avenue Céramique 50 

6221 KV Maastricht 

Phone: 043-3505600 

Centre Céramique – opening hours: 

Tuesday: 10:30 – 20:30 hrs 

Wednesday: 10:30 – 17:00 hrs 

Thursday: 10:30 – 20:30 hrs 

Friday: 10:30 – 17:00 hrs 

Saturday: 10:00 – 15:00 hrs 

Sunday: 13:00 – 17:00 hrs 

5.12 UM-Sports Services 

The UM Sports Bureau organizes various activities in the field of physical training and 

sports between September and July. Activities include lessons and training courses, 

A30


competitive and recreational sports, championship tournaments, and various other 

sports events with the other universities. The so-called sports card allows you to participate 

in all kinds of athletic activities at a reasonable price. 

For more information about the UM Sports Services please see section 5 of the Social 

Guide in this Handbook. 

5.13 Studium Generale 

Studium Generale offers programmes providing a wider experience of the arts, culture, 

science and society, in addition to regular study programmes. The programmes comprise 

lectures, debates, interviews, competitions, excursions and cultural evenings, covering 

a wide range of topics. The activities are (almost) always free of charge for students. 

Students may actively take part in the preparation and organisation of the programmes 

and events and can submit their own proposals to the Studium Generale 

Bureau. 

• The cultural programme presents a variety of activities in the Culture Café (Stand-up 

Comedy, Cabaret, Free Stage, Student Songcontest, etc.). Most of the time language is 

not a problem to enjoy these activities. 

• In the science programme you will find lectures on developments in all disciplines of 

science (philosophy, humanities, arts, economics, medicine). These lectures usually are 

in Dutch. However Studium Generale Maastricht also organizes lectures in English. 

You will find information on the activities for English speakers at the English programme 

page on our website. 

Where do you find information on our programme? 

The activities of Studium Generale are announced in the SG-Agenda, which is distributed 

four times a year on all locations of Maastricht University and in various public places, 

bars, etc. The university newspaper Observant gives a weekly overview of all activities. 

You can also look on our website www.sg.unimaas.nl. Or you can consult the 

regional press or the www.maastrichtnet.nl website. 

Receive information by e-mail 

Would you like us to keep you informed about our upcoming English spoken activities? 

Send an e-mail to: mail@sg.unimaas.nl 

Address of Studium Generale 

PO Box 616 

6200 MD Maastricht 

Phone: 043-388 35 41 (Mon -Thurs 9 AM – 5 PM) 

Fax: 043-388 48 89 

E-mail: mail@sg.unimaas.nl 

More information: www.sg.unimaas.nl 

A31


6 Nuffic 

Nuffic is the Netherlands Organisation for International Cooperation in Higher 

Education. According to this organisation, International Cooperation is essential if education 

is to contribute effectively in all countries towards improving the quality of life 

and increasing intercultural understanding. 

Recently Nuffic has started a new website to serve the international students in the 

Netherlands: 

www.international-students.nl 

A32


7 International Student Associations 

7.1 AIESEC 

AIESEC (Association Internationale des Etudiants en Sciences Economiques et 

Commerciales) is the world’s largest international student association. The organizationwas 

founded in 1948 and is currently present in 85 countries with over 50.000 active 

members at more than 800 universities. AIESEC’s core businesses are international 

traineeship exchange and supporting activities that provide practical learning experiences 

for our trainees, our members and other stakeholders. 

AIESEC Maastricht offers a diverse range of activities to contribute to the development 

of the students with an overriding commitment to international understanding and 

co-operation. The core business of AIESEC Maastricht is the exchange program, in 

which students from Universiteit Maastricht can go on an internship in one of the 85 

countries. Another part of this exchange program is that we give students from foreign 

universities the opportunity to do an internship in the Netherlands. At this very 

moment, students from Universiteit Maastricht have been sent all over the world. AIE- 

SEC has provided them with internships in Russia, Tunesia, India, Botswana and many 

more destinations. 

AIESEC facilitates cultural understanding and tries to create an open mind among the 

Maastricht and international students. AIESEC aspires to facilitate its trainees’ experience 

abroad at most. A good example of the international commitment of AIESEC 

Maastricht is the Outgoing Preparation Seminar (OPS), which is held four times a year. 

It is a congress about cultural understanding, preparing students for their stay abroad 

and dealing with the positive as well as the negative aspects of this stay. Besides this 

preparation in Maastricht, local students abroad will take care of all the administrative 

matters and the social part by means of organizing several activities just as we do here 

in Maastricht for our trainees. As you can see, AIESEC Maastricht has a lot to offer to 

students. If you want to know more about AIESEC and its activities, you can surf to 

http://www.AIESEC.nl or sign up to become an AIESEC friend.We will keep our AIESEC 

friends posted about all our activities and the organization. Just drop by the AIESEC 

office at the Abtstraat 4, room 2002, and phone: 043-3883863.We hope that you will 

take advantage of the opportunities AIESEC offers. Are YOU ready to explore the world 

via AIESEC? 

7.2 AEGEE 

Who are we? 

AEGEE-Maastricht is the local branch of a European student organisation, called 

AEGEE. This student association has an extensive European network with over 17.000 

members. We are proud to be part of it. Curious? Read on! 

What do we do in Maastricht? 

For our members we organise loads of fun activities, a weekly drink, parties and weekend 

trips. You might make friends in fraternities, sororities and yearclubs or committees. 

In other words, the usual pattern you can expect from every student association. 

However, what distinguishes us from all the others is our network! 

A33


Europe is our backyard! 

In every European student town, members of AEGEE are organising all kinds of entertainment. 

We can visit conferences, exciting events, and parties all over Europe. What 

about a sauna party in Helsinki, a conference on corruption in Barcelona or an adventure 

in Istanbul? Or visit the other cities in the Netherlands. If you want to meet people 

from all over Europe, this is your chance. 

Maastricht in Europe 

AEGEE-Maastricht contributes to European activities as well. Every year we organise a 

conference with a serious or a fancier topic. In August,we organise a Summer 

University. During two weeks filled with entertainment and relaxation, 30 European 

students improve their English language skills. This is your chance to really get to know 

some foreigners. 

Why should you consider joining us? 

• Get to know some Dutch people AND European folks 

• Opportunities to travel to other European cities 

• Have fun at our parties and our weekly drinks. 

How you can reach AEGEE-Maastricht: 

http://www.aegee-maastricht.org 

aegee@studver.unimaas.nl 

Weekly drink: 

Every Tuesday from 22:00 at Café de Beurs, Brusselsestraat 142A. 

7.3 Erasmus Student Network Maastricht 

Every country has its own traditions. It takes time for a newcomer to find his way in 

the new environment. The most qualified person to guide an exchange student 

through an unknown city, typical Dutch behavior and student-life, is, of course, a local 

student. 

The Erasmus Student Network Maastricht consists of 50 volunteers; these include both 

board members and ‘Active Members’. Besides that there are a lot of students that 

function as mentors for exchange students by showing them around during their stay 

here in Maastricht. They are responsible for the well being of about 1200 foreign 

exchange students who come to Maastricht every year. ESN Maastricht is a section of 

the international Erasmus Student Network, which has 129 sections in 23 European 

countries. The aim of ESN is to promote the social and personal integration of the students 

who spend part of their studies at a foreign university. 

To realize this, ESN Maastricht provides an interesting and extensive activity program 

during the year. During the first days after your arrival, you will be confronted with ESN 

a lot of times. It all starts with the arrival service, which means that members of ESN 

pick you up and bring you to the Guesthouse of the University. They will take you on a 

guided tour through the city and invite you to a welcome dinner at the Twee Heeren, 

which is the pub where they always meet. The ESN member that gave this city tour will 

be your “buddy” during the rest of your stay. You can contact him or her when you have 

problems or questions. Next to that, with this member you will have several mentor 

dinners during the year and he or she will contact you on the events that ESN will 

organize. 

A34


In September and January, you can join our special introduction program, which consists 

of a pub-crawl, a cantus which is a typical Dutch student singing festival, sports 

and cultural activities, our famous leave-your-name-and-number party and an introduction 

camp that has a different theme every year and is organized at a location outside 

Maastricht. Other activities ESN organizes during the year are the Discover 

Holland Weekend, where you make a trip through Holland to see its unknown beauties, 

and the Global Glamour Night, a typical night in style starting with a Euro dinner 

and ending with a splendid party in a Fortress. 

Throughout the year, ESN Maastricht organizes all kinds of theme parties or meetings 

with Dutch student associations. Every Tuesday Night you can find ESN at café Twee 

Heeren, where we organize the International Drink from 10.00 PM onwards. The ideal 

spot for Dutch and international students to meet each other… 

Besides, they publish every two months a newsletter for foreign exchange students, 

called The Babble. In this newsletter you will find information on ESN-activities, events 

in the city, in The Netherlands and opinions of other foreigners.We hope we can contribute 

to the success of your stay in Maastricht and that ESN can make you feel at home 

in this city. If you have any questions, comments or problems, do not hesitate to contact 

us: 

Open office hours: daily from 15:00 – 17:00 hrs 

Address: 

Oude Tweebergenpoort 2, on the first floor (next to America Today). 

ESN Maastricht 

P.O. Box 616 


Phone: +3143-3883089 

+3143-3264162 

Fax: +31433264162 

E-mail: esn@esn-maastricht.nl 

Website: www.esn-maastricht.nl 

Every Tuesday night 22:00 hrs International Drink at cafe De Twee Heeren 

A35


8 Education 

8.1 Becoming a regular student at the UM 

Exchange Students who consider registering as a regular student at our Faculty after 

their exchange period should file a request with certified copies of their previous education 

with the Board of Examiners. This Board decides whether the student will be 

granted exemptions from components of the desired study program. Every application 

is handled as an individual case and no rights can be derived from earlier decisions by 

the Board of Examiners. 

8.2 Extension of Exchange period 

If you would like to extend your stay as an exchange student you need to keep the following 

requirements in mind: 

• You can only try to extend your stay if you are only here for the fall semester and 

you would like to also stay for the spring semester; 

• You need to have passed both courses of the first block period during the first examination 

(re-examinations will not be taken into account); 

• Your home University needs to grant you permission to extend; 

• The International Relations Office of the Faculty of Psychology grants you permission. 

Please note that if you meet all the requirements, you may only stay at the 

Guesthouse if there are rooms left after all the new exchange students have been 

given a room. 

A36

STUDENT HANDBOOK • APPENDIX I 

Appendix I: 

Important telephone numbers and websites 

112 General emergency number for alerting police, fire department and 

ambulance 

0900 8844 General number for alerting police; not for real emergencies 

(dial 112 for emergencies) 

0900 9292 Information on public transport in the Netherlands, 

including door-to-door itineraries 

0900 9296 Information on international train travel 

0900 8008 Directory Enquiry. Useful for local tourist offices, police stations etc 

0900 8418 International directory enquiries 

0800 0101 Request collect call from the Netherlands to telephone number 

abroad 

(043) 388 4031 Anke van der Stoel, Assistent International Relations 

(043) 388 1920 Loes Mallee, International Relations Officer 

(043) 388 1911 Office of Educational Support 

(043) 346 7210 Guesthouse Maastricht 

For phone calls within the Maastricht area, you can leave out 043. 

www.ns.nl 

www.holland.com 

www.schiphol.nl 

Information on train travel in the Netherlands 

Official site of the Netherlands Board of Tourism 

Information on flights and timetables 

A37


Notes: 

A38

STUDENT HANDBOOK • ACADEMIC CALENDAR 

ACADEMIC CALENDAR 2006/2007 

Period 0 | Period 1 

Semester 1 

September 11 September: Start period 1 October 

4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 1 

October 

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 

Ta 

Tb 

Period 2 

November 

30 31 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 

December 

27 28 29 30 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 

Re-sit 

January 

25 26 27 28 29 30 31 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 

Christmas 

New Year 

Period 3 January 

February 

8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 1 2 3 4 

T 

Semester 1 from till 

Period 1: 8 weeks 04-09-2006 27-10-2006 

Period 2: 8 weeks 30-10-2006 22-12-2006 

Period 3: 4 weeks 08-01-2007 02-02-2007 

Semester 2 from till 

Period 4: 8 (9) weeks 05-02-2007 05-04-2007 

Period 5: 8 weeks 10-04-2007 01-06-2007 

Period 6: 4 weeks 04-06-2007 29-06-2007 

A40

STUDENT HANDBOOK • ACADEMIC CALENDAR 

Period 4 

Semester 2 

February 

March 

5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 1 2 3 4 

Carnival 

March 

April 

5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 1 

Ta 

Tb 

April 

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 

Re-sit 

Easter 

Period 5 April 

May 

9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 1 2 3 4 5 6 

May 

June 

7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 1 2 3 

Ta 

Tb 

Period 6 June 

July 

4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 1 

T 

July 

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 

Re-sit 

HOLIDAYS ACADEMIC YEAR 2006-2007 

Christmas: December 25, 2006 - January 5, 2007 

Carnival: February 19 - February 23, 2007 

Easter: April 6 - 9, 2007 

Queen’s birthday: April 30, 2007 

Ascension: May 17 - 18, 2007 

Whit Monday: May 28, 2007 

A41


Notes 

A42


S2


1 The Netherlands and the City of Maastricht 

1.1 The Netherlands 

The Netherlands (Dutch: Nederland) is the European part of the Kingdom of the 

Netherlands (Dutch: Koninkrijk der Nederlanden). The Netherlands is a parliamentary 

democracy under a constitutional monarch, located in north-western Europe. It borders 

the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the 

east. The Netherlands is often referred to by the name Holland, although this is incorrect; 

Holland was the economic powerhouse during the time of the United Provinces 

(1581–1795). After the Napoleonic era, Holland became a mere province of the Kingdom 

and was split into North and South Holland in 1840. There are 10 more provinces in the 

Netherlands. 

The Netherlands is one of the most densely populated and geographically low-lying 

countries in the world (its name literally means "Low-lands") and is famous for its 

dikes, windmills, wooden shoes (clogs), tulips, bicycles and perceived social tolerance. 

Its liberal policies are often mentioned abroad. The country is host to the International 

Court of Justice; Amsterdam is the official capital as stated by the constitution, but The 

Hague is the seat of government, the home of the monarch, and the location for most 

foreign embassies. The Netherlands ranked fifth on the 2004 UN Human Development 

Index, behind Norway, Sweden, Australia, and Canada. 

The English adjective and noun for relating to the Netherlands is "Dutch," which is also 

the name of the Dutch language. 

Population 

The Netherlands has a population of roughly 16.5 million, which is growing annually at 

0.49 percent. More than 40 percent of the population lives in the two western provinces 

of North and South Holland. These provinces, from which the Netherlands received 

its nickname Holland, contain the three largest cities of the country: Amsterdam, 

Rotterdam and The Hague. The population is ethnic Dutch. Much of the foreign population 

is made up of Turks (341,000), Surinamese (321,000), Moroccans (295,000), and 

Antilleans and Arubians (129,000). 

Language 

The official language is Dutch, a Germanic language. Frisian is also spoken in the 

north-eastern province of Friesland. English, German, and French are commonly understood 

and spoken and are taught in the secondary schools. Flemish, a form of Dutch, is 

spoken in a region of Belgium called Flanders. 

Religion 

About 31 percent of the population is Roman Catholic. Most Catholics live in the southern 

provinces of Brabant and Limburg. Another 21 percent are Protestant (mostly 

Dutch Reformed), 4.4 percent are Muslim. The royal family belongs to the Dutch 

Reformed Church. The Netherlands, like many European countries, is a secular society, 

in which the role of religion has diminished steadily for some time. There is a strong 

tradition of maintaining the separation of church and state. 

Sources: Wikipedia, Culture Grams, CIA World Fact Book 

S3

“Op de Thermen” (the old Roman baths).


1.2 The History of South Limburg and Maastricht 

The first inhabitants of what is now called “the Netherlands” were bands of hunter 

gatherers, who lived in Limburg (the most southern province of the Netherlands) some 

250,000 years ago. During the Neolithic Age (5300 BC) farmers settled on the soils of 

Beek, Elsloo, Geleen and Sittard in the Western Mining District. In the first century BC 

the Romans conquered South Limburg, building Trajectum ad Mosam (Maastricht, the 

oldest city of the Netherlands) around 50 BC and Coriovallum (Heerlen). Trajectum ad 

Mosam means ‘the crossing over the river Maas’. The bridge of Maastricht (nowadays 

called St. Servaas-bridge) formed a vital link in the Roman communication route from 

Gaul (France) to Germany (built under Emperor Augustus 27 BC- 14 AD). Therefore, two 

camps on each side of the Maas guarded it. The main camp was situated in the area of 

the city centre. The smaller camp on the other side of the Maas developed into the area 

called ‘Wyck’. 

With the rise of Christianity in the 4th century, Maastricht became a cathedral city. The 

first bishop, St. Servaas, founded the first church on the site where the Onze Lieve 

Vrouwe-church is located today. You can still find his name in our city: St. Servaas 

Bridge, St. Servaas Basilica etc. After St. Servaas, many other bishops ruled in 

Maastricht. In the beginning of the 8th century Maastricht not only had a religious 

and cultural function but also an important centre of commerce. During those days the 

bridge in Maastricht was the last crossing point of the river before it flowed into the 

sea. This (in fact) made Maastricht an inland port. Around 1220 Maastricht obtained 

the privilege of township and was ruled by two lords, the Prince Bishop of Liège and 

the Duke of Brabant. Rivalry between the two men led to the decision to build defensive 

walls around Maastricht. 

During the Middle Ages Maastricht developed itself as an important centre. Two old 

Roman churches were enlarged and many new Gothic churches were built such as the 

St. Jan, the Dominikanen and the Minderbroeders church. It was a flourishing time that 

attracted many sculptors, wood carvers, painters and craftsmen working with gold, silver 

and ivory. The city reached its peak of prosperity in the early 16th century. 

During the Eighty Years’ War with Spain, Maastricht played an important role. From 

that time on, the city was an important fortress with a strategic location. In 1576 

Maastricht rose against the Spanish but the rebellion was brutally crushed. The city 

remained in Spanish hands until it was recaptured by Frederik Hendrik in 1632. His victory 

brought a certain degree of stability and introduced a new era of religious tolerance. 

Protestants and Catholics could now coexist in some sort of harmony. 

After the Napoleonic Wars, the allies set to work to redraw the map of Europe. The 

solution they came up with for the Netherlands was to build a new united state combining 

Belgium and Holland to form a strong buffer to the north of France. This union 

did not last long. In 1830 the Belgians rose against the monarch and government of 

the north and declared their independence. Geographically Maastricht should have 

become a part of Belgium, but the garrison under General Dibbets remained loyal to 

the house of Orange. In 1839, to the discontent of the Belgians, the province of Limburg 

was partitioned with Maastricht remaining in Dutch hands. 

The early 19th century was a difficult period for Maastricht, once again trying to pick 

up the pieces after foreign occupation. The first signs of the industrial revolution appeared 

when Petrus Regout started his business career in pottery works, in which he 

made his fortune. Others followed his example and Maastricht became the 

Netherlands’ first industrial city, with flourishing ceramic works and paper mills. In the 

twentieth century, South Limburg became increasingly international in appearance. 

South Limburg is located in an area known since 1976 as the Euregio Maas-Rijn or 

S5

Stokstraatquarter.


Meuse-Rhine Euregion. This region consists of the Dutch province of Limburg in which 

Maastricht is situated, the Belgian provinces of Limburg (Limbourg) and Liège (Luik), 

the Belgian Ostkantons (German-speaking regions) and the Aachen region of 

Germany. The Euregion is known for its natural beauty. Liège is the largest Belgian city 

in the Euregion. It is a lively university town offering plenty of entertainment only half 

an hour’s drive from Maastricht. In geological terms, South Limburg is the oldest part 

of the Netherlands. In a topographical sense, South Limburg is quite separate from the 

rest of the country. The rolling hills contrast with the flatness of the rest of the country. 

The inhabitants of South Limburg today do not consider themselves Dutch, but prefer 

to identify with their region of birth. For most people from South Limburg Dutch is 

their second language. The dialect Limburgs, an official regional language since 1997, is 

made up of widely varying dialects, which are not always understood outside their 

locality. However, all South Limburgers understand Dutch and many speak German and 

English as well. 

1.3 Maastricht: an overview 

Maastricht gained international fame as the host of the European Summit in 1991, 

where the ‘Treaty of Maastricht’ was adopted as the formal foundation of the 

European Union. Located in the southernmost tip of the Netherlands, this city has a 

reputation of being a little foreign even in its own country. Many tourists visit 

Maastricht to go shopping, taste the Burgundian atmosphere or to visit one of the 

1660 monuments in Maastricht. Maastricht used to be an industry and trade city. 

Ceramics, paper and glass have dominated the economy of the city for decades and 

still do. Some famous company names in these sectors are Mosa, Sphinx, Sappi and 

ENCI. During the last decade Maastricht has become predominantly a science and service 

city. Nowadays, the most important industries in Maastricht are the financial and 

business services industry (19.4%), trade/hotel and catering industry (19.4%) and the 

education/health care sector (31.4%). Some large companies situated in or near 

Maastricht are Vodafone, Apple, Daimler Chrysler and DSM (large chemical concern). 

Furthermore, the city has also developed strongly because of the presence of a 

University and a College of Higher Education. Although Maastricht is not a very big city 

(125.000 inhabitants), it is usually buzzing with people day and night, many of which 

are students. There are hundreds of shops, bars, cafés (Maastricht has the highest café 

density of the Netherlands: 1 café per 350 inhabitants versus 1 per 900 on average), 

restaurants, pubs, clubs, galleries, theatres etc., which you will read more about in the 

following section of this guide. 

Maastricht area by area 

For a live picture of the different areas you can visit the web site 

www.maastricht360.nl (you need to have Flash video software on your computer to 

view this page, which you can download at the site. Once you have this installed on 

your computer make sure you visit the page, it is a real must!!) 

Vrijthof and Markt 

The Vrijthof is the heart of Maastricht. Already in the 10th century this large square 

was the centre of a thriving St. Servatius cult. Today the Vrijthof square is dominated 

by two impressive churches: St. Servaasbasiliek and St. Janskerk. Whenever Maastricht 

has something special to celebrate, like the Preuvenemint or Carnival, the Vrijthof is 

the place to be. The Markt, the other square in the centre, is a more down-to-earth version 

of the Vrijthof. On Wednesdays and Fridays the mooswiever (vegetable vendors) 

and other vendors erect their stalls around the town hall. 

S8


Stokstraatquarter 

The “Stokstraatkwartier” is one of the most attractive shopping areas in Maastricht. It 

has many narrow streets, lovely restored houses and shops, attracting many tourists 

and day-trippers. The Romans build their settlement in the first century AD here in the 

Stokstraatquarter. Various Roman ruins, such as the baths and parts of a wall with 

towers, lie hidden below the surface. 

Jekerquarter 

This is the student part of Maastricht. Besides the Universiteit Maastricht, other educational 

institutions such as the Maastricht School of Drama and The Conservatory are 

located here. Between the many churches, monasteries, mills and historic buildings 

glimpses can be caught of the Jeker, the narrow river which winds through this area. 

Céramique 

Céramique is a relatively new neighbourhood in Wyck (across the St. Servaasbrug in 

the direction of the main railway station). The Bonnefantenmuseum as well as the City 

Library (as part of the Centre Céramique) can be found here. 

Maastricht and surroundings throughout the year 

South Limburg is one of the favourite destinations of the Dutch holidaying in their 

own country, drawn here by the natural beauty. Cycling and walking are popular pastimes 

in the hills with their unique flora and fauna. Almost every town organizes its 

own events throughout the year. The most important events in Maastricht and 

surroundings are mentioned below: 

Winter: Winter is the time for indoor-activities, for time spent at home, at the cinema, 

the theatre, or a museum – with the exception of Carnival, when people revel in the 

streets! 

Spring: As weather conditions improve – hopefully – and the country switches to daylight 

saving time, the number of activities and events held out in the open increases. 

Daylight saving time ends 29 October 2006 and will start again 25 March 2007. This 

means that on 29 October 2006 at 03h00 the clock will be put one hour backwards 

and will be put one hour forwards on 25 March 2007 at 02h00. 

Summer: Summertime is the prime festival season. 

Autumn: In autumn the number of open-air festivities decreases again, but the season 

still offers plenty of activities. 

See chapter 10 for a full calendar of Social Events throughout the year. 

S9


Average monthly temperature in South Limburg 

This chart shows the average minimum and maximum temperatures for South 

Limburg. 

Climate 

Someone once peered up at the Dutch sky and glummly summarized it as follows: 

‘Just look at that. It always looks as if it has just rained, is about to rain or is 

raining.’ 

Unfortunately this is rather true. Those who are already suffering from culture 

shock will find that the dreary Dutch skies do not do much to uplift the spirit. To 

the contrary. They reflect it. The Netherlands has a ‘sea-climate’, meaning that the 

relatively constant temperature of the water moderates any seasonal changes 

the climate might try to induce on the temperature. The Netherlands depend on 

an Easterly wind (Siberia) for its good, cold, blue-skied winters and a southerly 

wind (Spain) for a nice, dry, sunny summer. But rest assured, these days do occur – 

and actually quite a few per season. 

One of the great things about the Dutch, however, is their attitude towards the 

sun. They love it! Once the sun breaks out in the summer, they take days off, leave 

the office early and spend lengthy lunch breaks outside – soaking up the sun. 

Gone are the traffic jams, the ‘moody blues’ and life behind closed doors. Café terraces 

are well populated, street life is lively and gardens are filled with the blue 

smoke of barbecues. 

S10


2 Money matters 

2.1 The euro 

The Netherlands is one of the European Union member countries that has changed its 

currency from guilders to euro as of 1 January 2002. The other member countries that 

have converted to this currency are: Belgium, Germany, Greece, Spain, France, Ireland, 

Italy, Luxembourg, Austria, Portugal and Finland. 

The member countries that have introduced the euro will have the same bank notes 

and coins. There are seven bank notes: 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 Euros, and eight 

coins: 1 and 2 Euros and 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 (euro)cents. 

These coins have two faces: the common euro face and a national face – though these 

coins look different, they can be used in any of the countries that have introduced the 

euro. 

€ 

This is the symbol of the euro. The official abbreviation for the euro is ‘EUR’. 

For more information about the euro you can check www.europa.eu.int. 

S11


2.2 Changing money 

The exchange rate (wisselkoers) is fixed every day and will be posted wherever you 

change money. The rate does not vary from one bank to the next, although the charges 

for changing money may differ. The most common place to change money is a bank 

(ABN-Amro, VSB, ING or Rabobank), a post office (Postbank), or a GWK exchange office. 

You will find GWK offices at railway stations, the airport and places where there are 

many tourists. 

2.3 Opening your account 

Apart from needing a Dutch account to get a bank card plus Chipknip there are more 

advantages of having a Dutch account. 

• Provided you get a so-called Europas, you will be able to withdraw money from any 

ATM machine in Europe (so not only in the Netherlands). This will be free in all the 

euro countries, whereas if you use your “normal” account you will probably have to 

pay each time you withdraw money from an ATM. 

• You will be able to use your PIN code to pay in stores and supermarkets (and even in 

more and more foreign stores). 

• You will be able to pay your monthly rent automatically. 

• You will be able to transfer the money for the residence permit. 

• You will be able to “pin” the money for the residence permit (check 2.4.1 for “pinning”). 

• There is an alternative to opening a bank account: students can also buy a prepaid 

chipknip card (check 2.4.7). 

2.3.1 Day-to-day finances 

To manage your day-to-day finances, you will need a current account. You can open this 

account either at a commercial bank, where it is called a privérekening or at the post 

office (Postbank), where it is called a girorekening. Each has its advantages and disadvantages. 

An account at a commercial bank (ABN-AMRO, Rabobank, VSB, SNS and ING 

are the most common ones) is functional the same day that you open it, but if the 

bank knows you will be staying for only a short time, like for exchange students, it 

might refuse you. The commercial banks are generally not eager to have temporary 

residents as customers because they often leave the country without closing their 

accounts. Current accounts pay no interest, but you are charged interest if you overdraw 

from them. Many Dutch people have a girorekening with the Postbank for their 

day-to-day finances. You will have no trouble getting an account there, and statements 

reporting transfers arrive in the post twice a month. The only disadvantage is that 

after you fill in all the application forms, it takes several weeks before your account is 

functional. This means an inconvenient period of having to use cash for everything. 

2.3.2 Banks in Maastricht 

There are several banks in Maastricht. A bank account can be opened at ABN AMRO 

(location: Bredestraat 10). For information on how to open the account, please go to 

our website: www.fdewb.unimaas.nl/internationalisering (go to ‘incoming students’). 

the other banks will ask for a residence permit or a social-fiscal (sofi) number, which 

you obviously will not have (at least not straight away). At the ABN AMRO (Bredestraat 

10) they will not ask you for this information. 

If you open a bank account, you will be provided with a bankcard plus PIN code. This 

card can be used at any time to withdraw cash from any ATM. It is a good idea to ask 

S12


for a Wereldpas (=Worldpas), which will give access to most ATM’s in countries outside 

of the Netherlands. 

2.3.3 Bank opening hours 

Opening hours of the banks differ from regular opening hours. Below you find the opening 

hours of the ABN AMRO offices. 

Monday to Friday 

Saturday and Sunday 

Exceptions: 

Thursday (only Bredestraat) 

Saturday (only Avenue Ceramique) 

9h00 – 17h00 

closed 

9h00 – 20h00 

10h00 – 16h00 

2.4 Paying for things 

2.4.1 Cash and bank cards 

There are basically six ways to pay for things: 1) in cash, 2) with a bank card, 3) with a 

credit card, 4) by cheque, 5) by having your bank make a transfer, 6) the ‘Chipper’ and 

the ‘Chipknip’. Paying in cash is common, although bankcards (the words are pin, pinpas, 

pinnen or chippen) are increasingly replacing cash payments. Shops have a link to 

the bank system, and the amount due is withdrawn immediately from your account. 

You or the clerk passes your card through a reader that looks like an oversized calculator; 

you type in your own secret four-digit personal identification number (PIN, or pincode); 

the bank reports whether or not your balance will cover the amount; you confirm 

the amount by pressing ja (yes), and the transaction is complete. 

2.4.2 Cash dispenser (or Automated Teller Machines, ATMs) 

You will find a ‘geldautomaat’ or cash dispenser at every bank and post office, in railway 

stations and other public places where people are spending money (at the post 

office the sign reads giromaat). There is also one at the main entrance of the Faculty of 

Economics and Business Administration. Dispensers will accept almost every kind of 

card nowadays. You must find a match among the symbols on the dispenser and on 

your card. If you have a bankcard from a Dutch bank, you can withdraw money from 

any ATM in the Netherlands (so not only from the dispensers of your bank). Please note 

that you are only allowed to pin at a cash dispenser from a different bank than your 

own once per day. 

2.4.3 Credit cards and cheques 

Paying by credit card is less common in shops, especially smaller shops and supermarkets, 

mainly because the shops must pay a percentage of each sale to the credit card 

company. However, restaurants, hotels and department stores generally accept all 

major cards. Look at the window beside the door to see which cards they will accept. 

Personal cheques will most likely not be accepted. If you bring Travellers cheques with 

you it is advised to cash them in first, as paying with Traveller cheques is not common. 

The banks encourage people to use the pin system instead. Traveller cheques are useful 

when you travel in Europe because you can write them out in any currency and cash 

them at any bank. Traveller cheques are insured, although with a certain amount of 

personal risk. 

S13


2.4.4 Bank transfers 

Bills are generally paid by bank transfer, which at the Postbank is known as the giro 

system. When bills are sent, they usually have a acceptgirokaart attached to them. You 

fill out your own account number, sign your name, and send it to your own bank, which 

deducts the money from your account. Your bank will also provide you with forms for 

paying bills that do not have an acceptgirokaart attached. If it is a regular bank, these 

are called overschrijvingsformulieren and the Postbank calls them overschrijvingskaarten. 

On these you fill in the amount payable, the account number, the city of the recipient 

and you indicate what the payment is for (where the form says betreft, betalingskenmerk, 

or mededelingen, and you place your signature where it says ‘handtekening’). 

2.4.5 Chipper & Chipknip 

In order to overcome shop owners’ objections against paying smaller amounts than 

€ 10 with your bankcard, the Chipper (issued by the Postbank) or Chipknip (issued by 

other banks) were introduced. This can either be a separate card or your regular bankcard 

with this added feature; it can be charged (‘laden’) with money, holding an 

amount in electronic money that you can then spend at stores, on the bus, at the train 

station, in vending machines and at an ever increasing number of places. UM as an 

institution has adopted use of the Chipknip card, and you will be encouraged to pay 

with it at many places, including the UM Sports desk, Student Services and the Mensa 

Restaurant. The Chipknip can be loaded at the bank (there is usually a machine next to 

the ATM that says “Chipknip”). There is also a Chipknip loading point in the UM Inner 

City Library. Any amount between € 5 and € 500 can be loaded onto the card. This 

however also depends on the amount of money that is in your bank account. A disadvantage 

of this ‘system’ is that it does not require a PIN code, a result of which is that 

anybody who finds your (lost) Chipper/Chipknip can make payments with it. 

2.4.6 UM Card/Chipknip 

On top of being an Identity Card, your UM card is equipped with a Chipknip, which you 

will use to pay for many university services. The primary use for your UM card is to pay 

for printing and copying services at the UM Libraries and faculties. 

Charging your UM Card 

• Students have to load the chip on the UM card by means of the Chipknip. 

• When the Chipknip is loaded, you need to transfer money from the Chipknip onto 

your UM-card; transfer machines are available in the UM libraries as well as at a few 

locations in the Faculty buildings. Instructions are written in Dutch, but quite simple. 

If you need assistance, ask at the reception desk at the Library, where they will 

be happy to help. 

• Once the UM card is loaded, you can make copies on the machines available to students. 

Please make sure you follow the instructions on the copy machine very carefully! 

YOU HAVE TO PUSH THE STOP BUTTON AND WAIT FOR THE BEEP BEFORE YOU CAN 

TAKE YOUR CARD OUT OF THE MACHINE, OTHERWISE YOU WILL LOSE ALL THE MONEY 

ON THE CARD. 

S14


2.4.7 Prepaid Chipknip 

In case you do not want to open a Dutch bank account and therefore possess no bank 

card with Chipknip, there is a convenient alternative. At the reception of Tongersestraat 

53, the library and Minderbroedersberg 4-6 you can buy a prepaid Chipknip for € 30 

(which includes a € 10 deposit; this will be refunded when you return the card to the 

reception). You can load/charge your UM card using this pre-paid Chipknip and use the 

rest of the pre-paid card in the Mensa, vending machines or in the shops. The charged 

UM card can now be used for copying and printing. 

Note: You can also buy a prepaid copy card, but we strongly advise you NOT to do this 

because prints and copies are much more expensive when you use this card: € 0.062 

instead of € 0.05 per page. 

For more Information on the UM card, see the Academic Guide. 

S15


3 Legal matters 

3.1 Student Law Agency 

The Student Law Agency is an organisation meant for students and run by students. If 

you need legal assistance, they can help you for free! 

Student Law Agency Maastricht 


Maastricht 

Open: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday between 10h00 and 13h00 

Phone: +31 (0)43-388 53 46 

e-mail: SRB@studver.unimaas.nl 

3.2 Bureau Rechtshulp 

The Bureau Rechtshulp is an office that provides legal aid. However, it is operated by 

professional staff that is able to provide basic legal advice or provide you with a free 

folder about a particular legal field. The initial appointment and advice is always free 

of charge. Clients are seen ONLY by appointment. 

Bureau Rechtshulp 

Mariastraat 2 

6211 EP Maastricht 

Phone: +31 (0)43-350 17 77 

Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday: 9h00-17h00 

Tuesday: 09h00-19h00 

S16


4 Religion 

Although modern Dutch society is not very much concerned with religion and few 

Dutch people identify with an organized religion, you will see plenty of churches and 

other places of worship and you will have plenty of opportunities to practice your own 

religion if you wish. 

Of the Dutch people who nowadays claim church affiliation, about half are Roman 

Catholic and half are Protestant. However, only about 20% of the population attends 

services regularly. The southern provinces of Brabant and Limburg are predominantly 

Catholic (Maastricht is situated in the province of Limburg) and the other provinces are 

predominantly Protestant. 

If you would like to have more information about ‘where to go’ in Maastricht for religions 

of ANY kind, you can contact: 

Ecumenical Student Ekklesia ‘Tafelstraat 13’: 

Tafelstraat 13 

6211 JD Maastricht 

Phone: +31 (0)43-321 56 51 

For more information about student activities, visit www.tafelstraat13.nl 

The staff members, called studentenpastoren in Dutch, come from different religious 

backgrounds and are open for talk, counselling and advice. Tafelstraat 13 is not a mere 

religious centre, it is an open house for all students, religious or not, who like to share 

opinions and experiences. 

‘Tafelstraat 13’ tries to cover the whole religious world in and around Maastricht. It has 

a database (www.tafelstraat13.nl/reliconnex.htm) which includes many (faith-) 

groups, published on the website. Please inform them if you have any suggestions to 

add to the list! 

Some of the addresses, most frequently searched for: 

Roman Catholic Student Chaplaincy: 

Régis de la Haye - Onze Lieve Vrouwekerk 

Tel. +31 (0)43-356 13 30 

E-mail: r.delahaye@planet.nl 

Mosque: 

Turks Kultureel Centrum TEVHID te Maastricht 

Weustenraadstraat 24 

6217 HZ Maastricht 

Tel. +31 (0)43-354 08 40 

Ar Rahman (Elfath Moskee) 

Sint Lucassingel 70 

6217 JC Maastricht 

Phone: +31 (0)43-343 71 20 

Origin: Moroccan 

Fax: +31 (0)43-364 81 00 

S17


And then there are Baptists, Evangelical and Pentecostal Christians 

(www.members.lycos.nl/maaskerken), Hindus and Buddhist groups of different origins. 

Ecumenical Student Chaplaincy: 

Roel Bosch, Esther Diederen, At Ipenburg 



Phone: +31 (0)43-321 56 51 

E-mail: tafelstraat13@ssc.unimaas.nl 

Typically (Dutch)? 

The rule of Dutch behaviour is “doe maar gewoon, dan doe je gek genoeg” – act 

normal and you will be acting crazy enough. What this boils down to, basically, is 

modesty. Act modestly, live modestly: Do not buy expensive cars, do not have an 

attitude, decorate your home simply and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do. 

S19


5 Sports 

For students who do not get enough exercise riding their bicycles to and from the university, 

UM sports organizes a huge sports programme to suit the needs and desires of 

all students. 

What is most important to understand is that at the UM sports do not come to you! 

Students interested in sports and athletics should go looking for them themselves. This 

means visiting the UM Sports desk, visiting the clubs and organisations yourself, and 

eventually becoming a member. The sports programmes are not compulsory, but 

through UM sports students can involve themselves in as much physical activity as 

they please for very low fees. 

The best place to start is at the UM Sports desk in the Student Services, at 

Bonnefantenstraat 2. There you can sign up for all University-organised sporting activities 

as well as get information regarding the sports facilities and activities available to 

students. 

5.1 University Sports Organization 

Complete Information on all university sports is available in the sports info booklet at 

the UM sports desk or Sporthal Randwijck. 

To best understand what sports programmes are offered by the University, it is good to 

have an understanding of how the sports organization is structured. There are three 

levels: UM Sports, MUSST, and the individual sports clubs. 

5.1.1 UM Sports 

UM sports is the central university department responsible for the sports programme 

and is run by the Student Services. 

OPENING HOURS 

UM Sports Desk (visitors centre) 

Sporthal Randwijck – Front-desk 

Bonnefantenstraat 2 Sorbonnelaan 180 

Tel: +31 (0)43-388 53 11 Tel: +31 (0)43-361 39 33 

Monday – Friday 10h00 – 18h00 Tuesday 17h00 – 18h30 

Saturday 10h00 – 16h00 Wednesday 12h30 – 14h00 

Thursday 

17h00 – 18h30 

Friday to Monday closed 

Note: The opening hours are subject to change. Hence, to make sure that they are correct 

we advise you to call before your visit. 

Website: www.ssc.unimaas.nl/sports 

They are responsible for the sports card and form the largest part of the sports programme. 

All programmes under UM Sports require a sports card. 

S21


5.1.2 MUSST 

Sports Council MUSST (Maastricht University Student Sports Trust) is the “umbrella” 

organization for all Student Sport Associations. They help these Associations with both 

advice and subsidies. Besides giving advice, they organise all kind of events during the 

year like the Batavierenrace, the Student wintersport, the Great Dutch Student 

Championships and the sports week in Maastricht. 

Individual athletes can receive subsidy from the Sports Council MUSST for participation 

in national student championships. Of course you can always contact them for information 

or advice. 

Tel: +31 (0)43-388 53 40 

Website: www.musst.nl 

SSC: room C2.03 

5.1.3 Student Sports Clubs 

Sports clubs organized by students are clubs aimed specifically at one single sport or 

activity. They all function under MUSST, and are subsidised by the university. In order to 

participate in these clubs, students must have a sports card AND become a member of 

the specific club. 

Each club has different membership criteria. Be sure to check out what the requirements 

are for joining the clubs you are interested in very early, as some only recruit in 

the first month of the academic year. 

5.2 Sports Programmes 

5.2.1 The Sports Card and University Sports 

For a yearly payment of € 42,50, students may buy a sports card. The card gives students 

access to several sports facilities, as well as the chance to participate in a range 

of free activities. The Sports card is also necessary to get student discounts at some 

student and private sports clubs. Buy your sports card at Bonnefantenstraat 2. 

Some of the free activities included on the sports card are: 

Badminton, basketball, rugby, aerobics, volleyball, Chinese fighting arts, swimming, 

indoor soccer and Judo. 

However, far more sports activities are organized on the side, for which you need to 

have a UM sports card, plus a membership in the sports club to participate in. 

For a complete list of all sports activities pick up a “Sportsinfo” booklet at either the 

UM Sports desk or the Sportshal Randwijck during open office hours. Information on 

all sports activities offered by the UM can also be found on the website www.ssc.unimaas.nl/sports. 

5.2.2 Private Sports Clubs 

Private sports clubs are abundant in Maastricht and cater to all levels and backgrounds. 

Such clubs are as a general rule more expensive than UM sports clubs but are 

usually open to students and eager for new members. 

Although mostly a second choice to university-organised sports where you can participate 

with your peers and enjoy discount rates, private clubs do offer most sports not 

S22


available through the UM programme. A simple example of this would be the three 

private Tae Kwon Do clubs in Maastricht, which, while not affiliated with the university, 

provide inexpensive professional training for beginners and masters. Private clubs are 

too numerous to name here. If you are looking for a specific sport, ask at the UM sports 

desk, or check the Yellow pages, and keep your eyes open for posters and promotions. 

5.2.3 Sports Facilities 

Sports halls: Contact the hall for information on sports activities and clubs available 

there. Tip: Ask for student programmes! 

Sporthal Belfort 

Phone: +31 (0)43-347 62 53 

Beeldsnijdersdreef 1 

Sporthal Daalhof 

Phone: +31 (0)43-341 10 05 

Goudenweg 190 

Sporthal Geusselt 

Phone: +31 (0)43-362 32 90 

Olympiaweg 81 

UM SPORTS 

Sporthal De Heeg 

Phone: +31 (0)43-361 12 44 

Roserije 500 

UM SPORTS 

Sporthal Randwijck 

Phone: +31 (0)43-361 39 333 

Sorbonnelaan 180 

Swiming Pools: The UM sports card allows you free access 

to SOME swimming pools at SOME times. Check the 

“Sportsinfo” booklet from UMsports for a detailed list of 

when swimming is free. Otherwise, contact the swimming 

pool for information on lessons and water sports. 

Zwembad de Dousberg 

Phone +31 (0)43-343 34 66 

Dousbergweg 10 

Zwembad Heer 

Phone +31 (0)43-362 04 04 

Laan in den drink 8 

Fitness Centres: Maastricht has more than 20 gyms, which 

you can search for in the Yellow Pages. Most fitness programmes 

are also offered through the UM sports programmes 

at Sporthal Randwijck. However, some private gyms 

offer student discounts and personal training. 

UM SPORTS: 

(Just a sample) 

Running Training 

Technical Training 

Basketball 

Bounce ball 

Handball 

Hockey 

Korfball 

Outdoor Soccer 

Indoor Soccer 

Uni-Hockey 

Volleyball 

Aerobics 

Condition Training 

Power Kick 

Skipping 

Total Body workout 

Aikido 

Boxing 

Capoeira 

Chinese Combat 

Jiu Jitsu 

Judo 

Karate 

Badminton 

Waterpolo 

Swim Training 

Swimming (free) 

Spinning 

Balet 

Jazz Dance 

Modern Dance 

Ballroom Dance 

Thai Chi 

5.3 Competitive Sports 

Students who compete as professional athletes are sometimes 

eligible for Top Sports benefits. This generally means 

that these students will have the opportunity to arrange 

S23


their academic schedule around their training schedule to some extent, as well as 

gain access to some extra sports facilities. For more information, visit 

www.ssc.unimaas.nl/sport/ and follow the link “Top Sports”. 

Even if you are NOT a professional, any student entering a sporting tournament can 

apply for subsidy through MUSST (www.MUSST.nl) to help with registration and transportation 

costs. 

5.4 Sporting Events 

GNSK Tournament 

GNSK is an impressive tournament encompassing many 

sports and disciplines that take place each year in May. 

Keep yourself in shape and help UM compete against other 

Dutch Universities. In 2006, UM ended up 1st in the handball 

competition and 3rd in soccer. 

GNSK Tournament 

Tennis 

Fencing 

Diving 

Skating 

Skiing 

Rock Climbing 

Horse Riding 

Lacrosse 

Mountain Biking 

Rowing 

Rugby 

Sailing 

Surfing 

Batavierenrace 

The longest relay race in Europe! Each of 300 teams covers a distance of 178 Km, 

although each individual runner need not cover more than a few kilometres. The race 

continues all night, then all day, and ends at the Largest Student Party in Europe! An 

event not to miss! 

Uni Tournaments 

Throughout the year, UM Sports clubs organise tournaments and events in basketball, 

aerobics, hockey, soccer and many other sports. Keep your eyes open for such events, as 

they are usually only planned a few months in advance and can be great fun. 

S24


6 Lifestyles 

Whether it’s sports, drinking, drama schools, classical music, volunteering for charity or 

meeting people from other cultures, Maastricht is guaranteed to have a programme 

that fits your lifestyle. This section, while incapable of showing you ALL the possibilities, 

will try to get you in contact with as many of those groups as possible. 

6.1 Finding groups and clubs 

Finding a club in Maastricht is often a matter of luck. Although posters and recruitment 

campaigns are not uncommon, many clubs will wait for you to find them. 

Here are a few tricks to finding a good club. 

1) Ask around. The most common way to find your way into a club is to ask somebody. 

By the time a student reaches his or her third year, they are sure to have “a friend of a 

friend” in just about every organisation out there. Personal contacts are key to finding 

your interests, so just ask! 

2) Keep your eyes open. Posters are everywhere and each one offers its own unique 

opportunity. Check student areas: in the Faculty buildings, at student cafés and around 

sports halls. 

3) Check the Internet. It is more and more common for clubs to have their own website. 

Include “Maastricht” in the keywords and you are bound to come up with something. 

Some Useful Sites: 

www.maastricht.nl; www.ssc.unimaas.nl; www.eleum.unimaas.nl 

4) Be diligent! Just because you did not find a club listed in the yellow pages does not 

mean it does not exist! Keep asking around and you will eventually find what you are 

looking for. 

6.2 A few suggestions 

Here is a list of activities that may interest you as a student. This is not a complete list! 

In fact, it is not even half of the list. New clubs start every week, filling the desires of 

students that share your interests. Think of this as a starting point. 

Academic Associations 

These are numerous, and are different in every Faculty. Each Faculty has an information 

desk that should have at least some information on all of its associations. Also, nearly 

all of these groups are registered at the Student Services (www.ssc.unimaas.nl). 

Art Academy 

The Academy of Fine Arts Maastricht is located just down the road from the Faculty of 

Economics, at the far end of the Abtstraat. Students there enjoy extensive art facilities 

and train to become professional artists. If you are an artist, an aspiring artist, or just 

like the idea of art, check out the people and the programmes there and you are bound 

to find something to get involved in. 

S25


Charity Organizations 

MARA 

The Mara Foundation was founded in January 1994, an independent student organisation 

which offers aid to civilian victims of the war in the former Yugoslavia. 

www.bkb.nl/mara/ 

RAGWEEK 

Each year, the RAGWEEK is organized, involving all UM student associations organising 

activities that raise money for charity. 

www.ragweek.unimaas.nl/ 

USEFUL SITE! 

www.tafelstraat13.nl/pagina/vrijwilligerswerk.htm covers many charity organisations 

as well as service and activist groups. 

Community 

TAFELSTRAAT 13 

Tafelstraat 13 is an open community organised through the University chaplain that 

targets both Dutch and International students. Organising activities in English and in 

Dutch, its goal is to create a friendly home-like atmosphere for students to meet each 

other and share experiences. Tafelstraat 13 organises activities all throughout the year, 

both serious and light-hearted ones. Feel free to visit their website 

www.tafelstraat13.nl or drop in on one of the International Dinners to find out more 

about their programme! 

Roel Bosch (Chaplain) 



www.tafelstraat13.nl 

+31 (0)43-321 56 51 

ERASMUS STUDENT NETWORK 

ESN Maastricht helps international students integrate into life in Maastricht by 

organizing mentorship programmes, greeting events and other activities. 


P.O box 616 


Visiting address: 


6211 KL Maastricht 

Office hours: 

Mon.-Thu.: 15h00-17h00 

esn@studver.unimaas.nl 

www.esn-maastricht.nl 

T: +31 (0)43-388 53 57 

F: +31 (0)43-753 45 84 

International drink every Tuesday at the “Twee Heeren”. 

S26


Cultural Groups 

ACSSNL 

The Association for Chinese Students and Scholars in the Netherlands is an official 

organization supported by the national Chinese Embassy. It aims at uniting Chinese 

students and scholars in the Netherlands and helping each other. It provides students 

with information on living, studying and other social activities. For more information, 

check the website www.acssnl.org. 

Chairman of the Maastricht Branch: 

Ming Li 

St.Servatiusweg 54 

6227 TT Maastricht 

+31 (0) 64 123 84 76 

Fraternities 

(See student associations) 

Homosexual groups 

COC 

Identifying itself as an association for the integration of homosexuality, COC helps 

homosexual students in finding a community and, if necessary, support during their 

time in Maastricht. 

Bogaardenstraat 43 

+31 (0)43-321 83 37 

www.coczuidlimburg.nl 

Languages 

UM TALENCENTRUM 

The UM Talencentrum (Language Centre) offers courses for beginners and advanced 

students in many languages. Pick up a course catalogue at their main office, Sint 

Servaasklooster 39. 

Telephone: +31 (0)43-388 39 50 

www.languages.unimaas.nl 

talencentrum@languages.unimaas.nl 

Music 

KUMULUS 

Kumulus is a private arts school that offers courses in music, art, theatre and dance. For 

Information call: +31(0)43-350 56 69 

UNIVERSITY ORCHESTRA MAASTRICHT 

The UM has an orchestra of string, woodwind and brass instruments. For more information 

call Mw. Anke Heerburg: +31 (0)43-408 33 24 

S27


TUNA 

The UM also has a student association for traditional Spanish music. 

www.tunademaastricht.com/ 

Political Organizations 

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL 

Amnesty International Maastricht Students (AIMS) is an active group of students who 

organize actions to forward the cause of universal human rights in the world. 

Contact: aims@studver.unimaas.nl 

Internet: www.studver.unimaas.nl/aims 

ALERT 

Alert Maastricht is composed of international UM students, who share the goal to stimulate 

the development of political thinking and the exchange of different views on 

political matters. Thus, Alert aims to provide a platform for political discussions about 

controversial topics within the university. 

(topics so far: globalisation versus democracy, G8, corporate responsibility and human 

rights, AIDS; topics to come: migration, conflict management) 

Jan Joseph Stok 

j.stok@student.unimaas.nl 

Phone: +31 (0)6-21 82 52 81 

Religious groups 

(See section 4 on religion) 

Sports 

(See section 5 on Sports) 

Student Associations - Social 

Student associations vary widely, from the purely social, just for fun, societies, to very 

tightly focused groups specializing in a single activity. Some of the largest and most 

popular social associations are: 

AEGEE –International Student Association 

www.aegee-maastricht.org/ 

Koko – Large student association 

Gebr. Hermansstraat 11 - 13 

Postbus 28 

6200 AA Maastricht 

Tel. +31 (0)43-321 93 83 

koko@svkoko.nl 

SV Circumflex – Large student association 

www.circumflex.nl/ 

S28


M.S.V. Tragos – Large student association 

www.tragos.nl/ 

MDF – a federation of smaller student associations 

mdf@studver.unimaas.nl 

OSM – Independent Studentplatform Maastricht 

PO Box 803 

6200 AV Maastricht 

www.OSM1995.nl 

MCSV ALLIANCE – Culture is our strength! Student association focused on bringing 

diverse cultures together. 

alliance_maastricht@yahoo.com 

Saurus – Social Rowing Association 

Statensingel 15 

Postbus 175 

6200 AD Maastricht 

tel. +31 (0)43-325 71 40 

fax.+31 (0)43-321 74 82 

bestuur@msrvsaurus.com 

Theatre 

ALLES IS DRAMA 

Alles is Drama is a student association that offers performance courses of many varieties. 

Alles is Drama 

Postbus 616 


www.allesisdrama.com/ 

Phone +31 (0)43-388 53 58 

AIESEC 

What is AIESEC? 

AIESEC is the world’s largest international student association. Founded in 1948, AIESEC 

is currently present in 95 countries and has over 50.000 active members at more than 

850 universities. AIESEC’s core businesses are international traineeship exchange and 

supporting activities that provide practical learning experiences for our trainees and 

facilitate the learning of our members and other stakeholders. 

Products 

The Exchange Programme 

AIESEC Maastricht offers a diverse range of activities to contribute to the development 

of the students with an overriding commitment to international understanding and 

cooperation. AIESEC facilitates in arranging internships all over the world for 3rd year 

and master students from University Maastricht. This programme also gives students 

from foreign universities the opportunity to do an internship in the Netherlands. By 

means of exchange, either through a management traineeship or a development trai- 

S29


neeship, the students develop themselves personally and professionally. For an international 

career, or a successful international cooperation, insight in cultural differences 

and knowledge of foreign languages and customs are crucial. 

The Ambassadors Programme 

Another good example of the international commitment of AIESEC Maastricht is the 

Ambassadors-programme. This programme gives 1st and 2nd year students the chance 

to go abroad for 6 to 8 weeks in the summer paid by AIESEC. It gives students the 

opportunity to experience the student and corporate life in a foreign country and 

offers them a unique international experience. 

Make a Move 

To further develop students, AIESEC Maastricht introduced another concept: Make a 

Move. Make a Move consists of 4 “moves” and guides students during their orientation 

on the labour market. The 1st move is a handbook named “Profiel” where companies 

present themselves and their activities and explain what kind of students they are looking 

for. The 2nd move is a training path, assessment and application training, we offer 

to prepare the students for the 3rd move, which is the Make a Move Careerweek. In this 

week students and companies (large multinationals like Shell, Unilever, PWC and also 

small- and medium enterprises) can come in direct contact with each other by means 

of company presentations, company lunches and –dinners, workshops and personal 

interviews. The 4th and last move offered is the site www.businesscourses.nl, where all 

the business courses are represented. 

Becoming a Member of AIESEC 

Do you want to organize these activities yourself? You can also become an active member 

of AIESEC Maastricht and represent the Outgoing Exchange team, Incoming 

Exchange team or the Make a Move team. Please look for more information about AIE- 

SEC and the different teams on our website: www.aiesec.nl/maastricht. 

Contact 

As you can see, AIESEC Maastricht has a lot to offer to students. If you want to know 

more about AIESEC and its activities, please visit www.aiesec.nl/maastricht or become 

an AIESEC friend. For questions you can mail us at aiesec@studver.unimaas.nl or just 

drop by at the AIESEC office (Abtstraat 4, room 2002, phone: 043-3883863). 

Writing 

ELOQUENT MAGAZINE 

Eloquent is the independent Faculty magazine of the Faculty of Economics. Written 

entirely in English, it provides a critical, economic perspective on a wide variety of 

areas. Eloquent is always open to new talents entering the team. In addition to the 

magazine, the website of Eloquent creates a useful source of information. Helpful 

material for your studies can be retrieved from this website, as well as the most recent 

pictures of student parties. 

Website: www.eloquent.nl 

E-mail: jobs@eloquent.nl 

PSYCHOLOGY MAGAZINE 

Articles are in English and Dutch, written by and for psychology students. 

S30


7 On the move 

7.1 The bicycle 

If you really want to sample Dutch life and get around quickly and easily, buy yourself a 

bicycle. Get one like the people in the Netherlands use as a serious form of transport: a 

sturdy, no-nonsense bike, preferably not too expensive so that if it gets stolen you will 

not feel too bad. 

Be sure to buy a good solid lock and fix your bike to an immovable object, in order to 

discourage bike-snatchers. Most Dutch students spend more money on the locks than 

on the bike itself! 

7.1.1 Buying a second hand bike 

Most students buy second hand bicycles. The price will vary for a second hand bike. 

Second hand bikes are hard to get, though you can try one of these addresses in 

Maastricht: 

Hupkens Rijwielen BV 

Rechtstraat 19 

+31 (0)43-321 58 68 

Quaaden Rijwiel- en Bromfietsenhandel 

Akersteenweg 22 

+31 (0)43-361 39 25 

Aon de Stasie Tweewielerspecialist 

Stationsplein 26 

+31 (0)43-321 11 00 

Rijwielhandel George Walstock 

Ruttensingel 59 

+31 (0)43-325 06 62 

Also, ask around among students for old bicycles because students often have a spare 

one standing around. 

Try to avoid parking your bicycle overnight at the train station, since this is the most 

common place for your bike to get stolen. If you have to park your bike at the station 

overnight, it is much better to park it at the bicycle garage “Aon de Statie 

Tweewielerspecialist” close to the station. You can simply pick up your bike upon your 

return. The cost of leaving your bicycle at the garage is € 1,10 per day. If you park your 

bicycle overnight, you have to pay for two days. Example: if you bring in your bicycle on 

Monday and you pick your bicycle up on Tuesday, they charge you € 2,20. 

7.1.2 Bike theft 

If your bike gets stolen, you should report it to the police. Once you have the official 

police report you can visit the police office every last Saturday of the month in order to 

see if they have found your bike. If the police do not retrieve your bike, you have the 

opportunity to buy one of the other bikes that were stolen, retrieved by the police but 

not picked up by the owner. These bikes can be bought at a very low price. 

S31

I want to ride my bicycle… 

- there are about 16 million bicycles in the Netherlands, slightly more than one 

for every inhabitant; 

- about 1.3 million new bicycles are sold every year; 

- there are 3.277 bicycle shops in the Netherlands; 

- there are 19.100 kilometres of bicycle paths and lanes, and 115,600 kilometres 

of paved roads.


7.2 Bike laws 

7.2.1 General bike laws 

Please note that the laws for cyclists in the Netherlands are quite strict. Although there 

are many bicycle facilities such as bicycle lanes on the streets and bicycle parkings, you 

are advised to pay attention to the road signs etc. One-way streets that are still accessible 

for bicycles are clearly labelled as such; deciding to drive into one-way streets in 

the wrong direction can result in a heavy fine. Also, make sure that when buying a 

second hand bicycle the brakes and more importantly the lights actually WORK. The 

police do regular check-up rounds on the inner city streets in particular and they will 

pay no attention to the fact that you are a foreign exchange student and therefore not 

familiar with Dutch laws. 

7.2.2 Inner City Regulations 

There is a prohibition for bicycles and scooters to be placed randomly within the 

pedestrian area of the inner city. Bicycles and scooters must be stored in the respective 

bicycle racks. If you do not do so, your bike will be removed and brought to a bicycle 

parking on Kesselskade, scooters to the Mariastraat. 

The owner can pick it up for € 25. 

S33


7.3 Public Transportation 

7.3.1 Buses, trams and subways 

Transport companies provide frequent services on buses and 

trams. Amsterdam and Rotterdam also have subways (called: 

metro). Rural communities are linked by bus. 

You can use the same ticket in all of the buses, trams and subways 

throughout the country. It is called a strippenkaart, or 

strip ticket. You can buy those with two or three strips from 

the bus or tram driver, but the tickets with 15 or 45 strips that 

you buy in advance are much cheaper. You can buy the more 

economical tickets at all railway stations and post offices and 

at many bookstores and cigarette shops. A stamp on a strip 

cancels that strip and all those above it. Many busses also 

accept Chipknip payments. 

7.3.2 Trains 

The Netherlands has a dense railway network that offers frequent 

service as well as the quickest way to travel between 

city centres. The carriages are modern and clean and, 

although many Dutch people complain about delays, the 

trains usually run on time. On the train you have a choice of 

carriages: first or second class, which is indicated with a large 

1 or 2 painted on the outside of each wagon. First class costs 

about 50 % more and gives you a slightly larger seat in a compartment 

that is less likely to be full. Smoking is not allowed 

on any train. 

Train schedule 

From Maastricht you can go by train to practically any destination in the Netherlands. 

Some destinations can be reached directly from Maastricht, for other destinations you 

have to transfer to another train at a station. 

Information about the departure times of trains going to and leaving from Maastricht 

can be found on the web sites: 

www.ns.nl in Dutch and English 

www.9292OV.nl only in Dutch (this site also gives information about bus, tram and 

metro schedules). 

On the website www2.holland.com/nl/ you can find tips for interesting sites in the 

Netherlands. 

S34


If you do not have Internet at your disposal when you need information about your travel, 

you can also call the NS Information Service at: 

+31 (0)900-92 92 or 

+31 (0)099-92 96 (for international train travels) 

Tickets 

Regular tickets are either one-way (enkele reis) or return (retour). They are valid only on 

the day you buy them, unless you ask specifically for a ticket with a different date or no 

date. In that case, you must have the date stamped on the ticket before you get into 

the train on the day you travel. You do this at one of the yellow machines in the hall or 

on the platform. You buy your ticket at a ticket window or at a yellow ticket machine, 

which you will find either in the main hall of the station or on the platform. At the ticket 

machine you can only pay with your bankcard, either by using your PIN or CHIP- 

KNIP. If you only have cash at hand, you can buy your ticket at the ticket window 

(which is slightly more expensive). 

Costs 

There is a wide variety of passes and special tickets that can save you money. Which 

type you choose depends on the kind of travelling you will do – frequent or infrequent, 

in a group or alone, during morning rush hour or not, etc. Ask the clerk at the ticket 

window for advice. 

If you are travelling to a city in the Netherlands and are planning to stay there for the 

weekend, you can save money by buying a so called ‘weekend retour’. The only condition 

is that you leave Friday after 19h00 and make sure you arrive before 04h00 on 

Monday. 

If you want to travel extensively within the Netherlands, it is advisable to buy a so-called 

‘voordeel-urenkaart’. This railway pass gives you 40% reduction on your train tickets, 

if you travel on weekdays after 09h00 or during the weekends. Furthermore, you 

can take three other persons with you and they can also travel at 40% reduction, 

provided you travel together the whole time. This railway pass costs € 55 and is valid 

for a whole year. 

Note: Dutch students have an ‘OV-studentenkaart’ with which they can travel for free 

in the Netherlands. They can also take up to three people at the discount rate of 40%, 

so if you are making a trip through the country, it is worth travelling with a holder of 

the OV-studentenkaart. As exchange student you are not eligeble for the OV-studentenkaart 

since you do not get studiefinanciering and do not pay tuition fees. 

7.3.3 Travelling abroad 

If you want to explore the rest of Europe, there are several opportunities to do that in 

an economical way: if you want to travel extensively throughout one country try 

‘Eurodomino’, if you want to travel in several countries within Europe: ask for ‘Interrail’. 

Specific information about these packages can be obtained at the railway station. 

One specific ticket that deserves mentioning is the Belgian Go Pass for people under 

the age of 26, which is a very cheap and efficient way to travel through Belgium. The 

Go Pass costs € 45 and is valid for 10 single trips between any two Belgian train stations 

(except border stations). The Go Pass can only be purchased at Belgian train stations, 

so from Maastricht take the train to Liège and buy it there. 

S35


To discover Aachen (the main German city in the Euregion), you can take the bus that 

departs from the market or the train station. Aachen is a good place for shopping and 

somewhat cheaper than Maastricht. 

Since March 28, 2006 it is also possible to purchase a TGV-Thalys high-speed train ticket 

direct from Maastricht to Paris at the cost of EUR 61 for the return fare. Tickets can 

be obtained via www.nsinternationaal.com or via www.thalys.com 

Extra note concerning travelling abroad: Once you have obtained your residence permit 

(if you need one) you can travel freely in the Schengen countries (Belgium, the 

Netherlands, Luxembourg, Greece, France, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Austria and Italy). 

However, as long as you do not have your residence permit, it is wise to check whether 

you might need a visa before you want to travel. 

When travelling around Europe by airplane there are several airline companies that 

offer cheap flights, for example: 

Ryanair (www.ryanair.com) 

Virgin Express (www.virgin-express.com) 

Easyjet (www.easyjet.com, flies from Maastricht to Berlin) 

Transavia (www.transavia.com) 

German Wings (www.germanwings.com) 

Air Berlin (www.airberlin.com) 

Hapag Lloyd Express (www.HLX.com) 

Vueling (www.vueling.com) 

ISIC Card 

For travelling outside of the Netherlands your UM card will often not be enough to 

identify you as a student and get you the discounts you deserve. An International 

Student card is often required. 

Check out the website www.isiccard.com for more information on applying for an 

international student discount travel card. 

7.3.4 Rent a car 

When travelling through Europe it is also possible to rent a car. Some car rentals in 

Maastricht: 

Adrem 

Heerderweg 33 

Phone: +31 (0)43-352 11 00 

Hertz 

Maastricht Aachen Airport 

Phone: 046 475 00 07 

Avis 

Parallelweg 38 

Phone: +31 (0)43-325 23 77 

Sixti (very cheap!) 

Spoorweglaan 18 

Phone: +31 (0)43-310 17 37 

S36


7.3.5 Taxis and train-taxis 

All regular Dutch taxis use metres and all charge roughly the same rate. When you 

start, the metre will already show a balance of several Euros. This ensures the driver of 

a minimum fare. 

Only for very long distances it is sometimes possible to negotiate a fare. Otherwise you 

pay what the metre indicates. It is customary to give taxi drivers a tip, by increasing the 

amount up to a round figure. In order to get a taxi, you must either call (see numbers 

of Maastricht-Taxi-services below) or go to a taxi-stand where taxis wait. Taxi stands 

can be found for example at the market in Maastricht. 

Taxis in Maastricht: 

Taxi Centrale Frenske 

Phone: +31 (0)43-363 63 62 

Taxi Brull Maastricht 

Phone: +31 (0)43-343 00 00 

www.brull.nl 

Taxi Centrale TCT 

Phone: +31 (0)43-363 33 33 

www.taximaastricht.nl 

If you are making part of your journey by train, you can save money by using a traintaxi. 

These special taxis are available at more than half of the country’s railway sta- 

Drive without fill up! 

• Car and Van rental: fuel included 

• A day off? Want to make a trip through 

the Netherlands? Rent a car for only € 29 

a day 

• Move to another room? Rent a Van for 

only € 29 

• A weekend to Paris with 9 persons? Rent 

a minibus! 

Mention this ad and get 5% off your first rental. 

Offer expires on and cannot be used after 1st May 07. 

Adrem Car and Van rental 

Heerderweg 33 Maastricht 

Open M-F 9-17:30 / S 9-13 

www.ad-rem.nl 

043 - 352 11 00 

S37


tions. You buy train-taxi tickets when you buy your train-ticket. One trip costs € 4,00 

for one person, no matter where you are going within the local area. Check 

www.treintaxi.nl for an overview of cities that have train-taxi. Maastricht unfortunately 

does not have train-taxi. 

7.4 Driving your car 

Some points of advice: 

- Drive on the right hand side of the road; 

- Parking violations are punished rather severely: look for signs that say betaald parkeren 

(paid parking) or a blue sign with a white ‘P’ in the middle; 

- wearing your seatbelt is mandatory. 

- using your cell phone in the car while driving is only allowed as long as it is handsfree. 

Traffic Signs 

In general, blue signs tell you what is ok and red signs warn you of a restriction. A red 

circle indicates that something is forbidden and a red triangle tells you something 

about the road conditions. A yellow or orange diamond indicates that you are on a 

road with priority (Also see paragraph 7.2 on Bike laws). 

License 

If you have a valid driver’s license from one of the following countries, you are allowed 

to drive in the Netherlands for a period of 1 year: Aruba, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, 

Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, the 

Netherlands Antilles, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and The United Kingdom. 

Car insurance and service can be arranged through the ANWB, Wycker Brugstraat 24. 

S38


The Dutch Mentality 

By Han van der Horst 

The Dutch position on the international market is a strong one. This is not necessarily 

because the Dutch are the cheapest. It is not easy to be the cheapest, 

coming from a country where the wages are high and the social provisions the 

same. What the Dutch need to focus on is an optimal ratio between quality and 

price and their legendary dependability. 

You can find daily proof of this mentality at the busstops, the time the bus will be 

there is specified to the minute. For instance, 18.06, 17.46 and 19.08. This is not a 

statement of intent. It is an aim that will be sought to be achieved with all possible 

means. Should the bus be late due to a traffic jam or any other form of delay, 

then you will find that the atmosphere among the passengers will plummet. 

They will steal quick, irritated glances at their watches. They will start to pace 

restlessly. If they have a mobile phone, they will make a call. And when the bus 

arrives, five minutes late, the transportation company will have scored badly. This 

reaction of the passengers is less exaggerated than it seems. 

Arriving on time and keeping an appointment are key issues in the running of the 

Dutch society. Now that the bus is late, one might miss the tram or the train and 

thus be delayed even further. This can mean trouble for the person in question, 

but also for the others expecting him. They will be not be able to make optimal 

use of the time allotted to the appointment, which will further upset their agenda. 

This notorious system of appointments and agendas is surprisingly flexible and 

efficient, if you keep the main rules in mind: you must make an appointment for 

everything and you must stick to the agreed time. 

S39


8 Health care 

8.1 Family Doctor (‘huisarts’) 

The ‘huisarts’ is usually a General Practitioner who lives in your neighbourhood and in 

general, you need to go to him or her if you need medical assistance. Only if you cannot 

leave your house the doctor will make a house call. Your ‘huisarts’ will be the first one 

you call whenever you have any medical questions or you need help. If the ‘huisarts’ 

thinks you need more specialised expertise, he/she will recommend you to a specialist. 

Note: you need this recommendation from a ‘huisarts’, otherwise you cannot go to see 

a specialist. 

Family doctors in Maastricht: 

Maastricht Centre 

Maastricht East 

Dr. Smits 

C. Wijnands and Th. van der Waart 

Tongerseweg 40 Voltastraat 30 

Phone: +31 (0)43-321 63 00 Phone: +31 (0)43-363 74 33 

(Near the University) 

(Near Guesthouse Annadal) 

Huisartsenpraktijk Annadal 

Becanusstraat 15 

Phone: +31 (0)43-343 66 85 

Call between 08h00 and 10h00 to make an appointment with one of the doctors. 

Huisartsenpraktijk De Poort 

Becanusstraat 15 

Phone: +31 (0)43-343 79 40 

(Near Guesthouse Heugemerweg) 

Dr. Bastiaens and Dr. van de Berg 

Clermontlunet 3A 

Phone: +31 (0)43-321 62 68 or +31 (0)43-321 28 79 

You can look in the phone book under ‘huisartsen’ for more suggestions. If you need to 

see a doctor between 17h00 and 8h00 (when the family doctors can no longer be 

reached) please call +31 (0)43-3877777. You can make an appointment and go to the 

first aid department of the hospital. 

REMEMBER 

-Always call first to make an appointment 

-Take a copy of your European Health Insurance Card (or other proof of Health 

Insurance) with you, when you go to see a doctor. 

-Take money with you to pay for the consultation. Sometimes the proof of insurance 

is not sufficient. If you have to pay for the consultation right away, you can retrieve it 

from your insurance afterwards. Always make sure that you get a receipt of payment! 

S40


8.2 Medication 

8.2.1 Pharmacy (‘apotheek’) 

The ‘huisarts’ can recommend medication and give you a prescription (recept). 

Prescription drugs are bought at a pharmacy. Besides this, pharmacies also sell over the 

counter (non-prescription) drugs, vitamins, medical supplies etc. 

Pharmacies situated near the Guesthouses: 

Martens Apotheek 

Sijstermans Apotheek 

Koningin Emmaplein 19 Dokter van Kleefstraat 2/4 

Phone: +31 (0)43-321 24 66 Phone:+31 (0)43-343 26 30 

Mon-Fri: 9h00-13h00 and 14h00-17h30 

Mon-Fri: 8h15-18h00 

Sat-Sun: closed 


Wyck Apotheek 

Straver Apotheek 

(near Heugemerweg) 

(near Majellastraat) 

Wyckerbrugstraat 10 Akersteenweg 88 

Phone: +31 (0)43-321 36 52 Phone:+31 (0)43-361 28 29 

Mon-Fri: 8h30-18h00, Sat: 10h00-16h00 24 hours/7 days a week 

8.2.2 Drugstore (‘drogisterij’) 

The drugstore does not sell prescription drugs but handles over the counter remedies 

such as throat lozenges, syrups, homeopathic medicines and pain relievers, as well as 

toiletries, cosmetics, cleaning supplies etc.. An example of a drugstore near the 

Guesthouse is ETOS (situated in the Brusselse Poort-shopping mall). 

8.3 Hospital 

There are many good hospitals in the Netherlands, all with the latest technology. Eight 

of them are university hospitals, the others are run by the community or religious 

organisations. The only difference between university hospitals and community or religious 

hospitals is that on the whole, more research is carried out at university hospitals 

so that they can be more up-to-date on recent medical developments. 

The hospital in Maastricht is a university hospital (Academic Hospital Maastricht): 

AZM 

Debeyelaan 25 (near MECC) 

Phone: +31 (0)43-387 65 43 

EMERGENCIES 

In case of an emergency, call the national emergency number 112. 

Here they will inquire whether you need an ambulance, the police or the 

fire department and will connect you with the right department. 

In case you need the police but it is not an emergency, please call 0900-8844. 

EMERGENCY: 112 

S41


8.4 Dentist (‘tandarts’) 

In case of dental problems, you can contact one of the following dentists, or look in the 

phone book for other suggestions: 

Menger O.T. 

Tandartspraktijk van Nouhuys 

Stationsstraat 46 

Hertogsingel 89B 

6221 BR Maastricht 6211 NE Maastricht 

Phone: +31 (0)43-321 34 76 Phone: +31 (0)43-321 17 36 

(Near the Central Station) 

(Near the University) 

Remember: you have to make an appointment first! 

Please note: not all medical insurances cover dental costs, so please check this before 

you make an appointment. 

8.5 Student Physiotherapist 

If your back gets sore from spending too much time hunched over your books, or you 

sprain your ankle in your rush to make it on time for your exams, you may want to 

think about getting some physiotherapy to help you on your way to recovery. 

Normally you would need a referral from your doctor, but we have found one physiotherapist 

in Maastricht willing to take on students. Needless to say that this service is 

not free of charge and you may want to check with your insurance if they reimburse 

these costs, which you pay in cash and for which you need to ask a receipt. 

Always nice to know: “Schiffelers Fysiotherapie” is the only physiotherapist 

Maastricht that disposes of a swimming pool. 

in 

You have to make an appointment via: 

Schiffelers Fysiotherapie 

Mr Maarten Schiffelers 

Heugemerweg 60 (near the train station) 

6221 GJ Maastricht 

Tel: +31 (0)43-351 0501 

Fax: +31 (0)43-351 0542 

Email: info@schiffelersfysiotherapie.nl 

Website: www.schiffelersfysiotherapie.nl 

8.6 Student Psychologists 

The University provides a free student psychologist service, to assist students with possible 

personal troubles. Examples of problems with which the student psychologists 

can help include study stress, fear of failure, lack of confidence, dealing with traumatic 

experiences, feelings of guilt, depression and many other personal issues. 

A problem does not need to be clear or obvious in order to contact the student psychologists. 

While help is of a limited duration (usually 3 to 5 one-hour-sessions) persistent 

problems are not ignored and may lead to a referral to another service. 

S42


Student Psychologists for 2006/2007 are: 

Heiny Eilkes 

Maddy Meijers 

This service works by appointment only via Student Services. To schedule a meeting 

with a student psychologist, call: +31 (0)43-388 53 88 

Monday to Friday 10h00-12h30, 13h30-16h00 

More information on Student Psychologists is posted on the internet, at: 

www.ssc.unimaas.nl/student; click “student guidance”. 

8.7 Others 

Bourgogne Clinic 

The Bourgogne Clinic is a centre for family planning, which mainly provides pregnancy 

terminations under proper medical supervision. The Clinic can terminate 

pregnancies which have lasted less than 17 weeks. This period is calculated from 

the first day of the last menstruation. 

Address: 

Phone: 

Parallelweg 45c (2nd floor) +31 (0)900-09 69 

6221 BD Maastricht 

(near the Central Station) 

CAD (Centre for Alcohol and other Drugs) 

Offers help to addicted people. 

Address: 

Phone: 

Wilhelminasingel 68a +31 (0)43-325 40 81 

Maastricht 

RIAGG Maastricht 

Regional Institute for Ambulatory Mental Health Care 

Address: 

Phone: 

Parallelweg 45-47 +31 (0) 43 329 96 99 

Maastricht 

Open: daily from 09h15-17h15 

S43


Notes: 

S44


9 Drugs 

9.1 Drug policy 

The Dutch approach to combating drug abuse is perhaps the most misunderstood 

aspect of life in the Netherlands. The aim, as in many countries, is to reduce addiction 

to hard drugs and the crime associated with it. In the Netherlands, one way of achieving 

this has been to separate the markets for hard and soft drugs. The theory is that if 

soft drugs are brought out into the open and away from the criminal dealers, their use 

is far less likely to lead to hard drug addiction. Young people are free to try smoking a 

joint if they wish; they can do it openly and without coming into contact with criminals. 

The statistics show that under these circumstances most young people do not 

form a habit. Addiction to heroin and cocaine is actually on a decline in the 

Netherlands, where it is a crime to sell hard drugs but addiction is treated as a health 

problem. 

Please take into account the drug policy of the Guest House: 

Dealing in and possession of soft drugs and hard drugs is forbidden and shall lead to 

immediate eviction of the guests and end to their contract. The Guesthouse UM shall 

notify the police. 

9.2 Coffeeshops 

A coffeeshop can best be described as a café that does not sell alcoholic beverages and 

in which, under certain circumstances, soft drugs may be sold and used. Although the 

sale of soft drugs is an offence, low priority is given to the prosecution of coffeeshop 

owners, provided they sell small quantities only and meet the following conditions: 

- no more than five grams per person may be sold in any one transaction; 

- no hard drugs may be sold; 

- drugs may not be advertised; 

- the coffeeshop must not cause any trouble; 

- no drugs may be sold to persons under the age of 18, nor may minors be admitted 

on the premises. 

S45

Carnival monument at the Vrijthof.


10 Social Events and Important Dates 

Here is a summary of some of the most important happenings throughout the year in 

Maastricht and the surrounding area. Check the calendar at the back of this handbook 

for a summary of what is happening and when. 

10.1 Carnival 

Carnival: the Dutch either love it or hate it. Those who live in the southern provinces 

(especially Noord-Brabant and Limburg) love it and celebrate it with passion. Virtually 

all businesses close in a three-day celebration of life, spring, beer and friendship, 

though in the province of Limburg (the province in which Maastricht is located) there 

is an added element of poking fun at the government and politics. People get dressed 

up and go from café to café, singing songs, dancing and drinking. There is no need to 

be afraid of this being a local festivity at which strangers are not accepted: as long as 

you dress up (preferably also paint your face) you are more than welcome. Go to a shop 

called ‘In ‘t Panhuis’ (address: Markt 74) for your own dazzling carnival outfit. This academic 

year Carnival will take place from 18 - 20 February 2007. A lecture about Carnival 

will be given, especially for foreign students, before the celebration starts. During this 

lecture something will be told about the history of Carnival in Maastricht, video images 

will be shown and delegates of ‘De Tempeleers” the largest Carnival association of 

Maastricht, will be present. Of course a Carnival band will play live carnival music 

during and after the lecture to give a taste of the atmosphere of Carnival in 

Maastricht. This is the largest event of the year in Maastricht and as an exchange student 

you cannot miss this! 

10.2 April 30th -The Queen’s Birthday 

All through history, the Dutch Royal family has been very popular and their birthdays 

have been celebrated with enthusiasm. Queen Beatrix celebrates her birthday on the 

30th of April. You can either celebrate it by visiting one of the towns or cities the 

Queen visits on this day – and witness some true old-fashioned entertainment – or you 

can visit some of the bigger cities. Amsterdam (and to a lesser extent Utrecht) is the 

place to be during this day: bands playing everywhere, people dancing in the streets 

and having lots of fun! The trains to Amsterdam tend to be packed (people come from 

Eindhoven to Maastricht first to obtain a seat) so make sure you go early. The night 

before, called ‘koninginnenach’, is also wild and celebrated mainly in The Hague with 

large open air concerts at various locations. Since the Dutch national colour is orange: 

everyone wears something orange on the Queen’s Birthday, so if you really want to 

mingle with the Dutch… 

10.3 May 4th - Dutch Memorial Day 

Though this is not exactly to be considered a festivity, it is a day of national significance. 

May 4th is the day on which the Dutch remember those who died during the 

Second World War; soldiers, people in the Resistance and those who died in concentrations 

camps in Europe as well as in Indonesia. The radios are silent between 20h00 and 

20h01 and people sit in silence to remember those who did not make it through the 

war. 

S47


10.4 May 5th - Liberation Day 

Following the melancholy day of May 4th is May 5th, the day on which the Dutch celebrate 

their total liberation from the occupying forces in 1945 (some parts of the 

Netherlands were liberated in November 1944). On this day, flags are hung full-mast 

and the streets take on a festive look. Throughout the country, it is celebrated everywhere 

and there are a lot of open-air concerts. 

10.5 Preuvenemint 

Preuvenemint is a four-day culinary event on the Vrijthof Square in Maastricht. It is 

held annually during the last weekend of August (24 - 27 August 2006 and 23 - 26 

August 2007). The Vrijthof square will then be filled with some forty stands in a lovely 

setting, where the local elite meet ‘to see and be seen’. People come from far to experience 

the delicious food and wine and enjoy the excellent ambiance. 

10.6 December 5th - Sinterklaas 

Through the centuries Sinterklaas has been considered the patron saint of children. 

According to legend, he saved his town from starvation and he is said to have revived 

three dead children. He supposedly arrives in the Netherlands somewhere around the 

middle of November on his steamboat from Spain. This boat is loaded with gifts and 

populated by Zwarte Pieten (Black Petes), his helpers. One explanation why Sinterklaas 

has ‘zwarte (black) pieten’ to help him is because the Moors dominated Spain for several 

hundreds of years. Another more popular explanation for ‘zwarte piet’ being black is 

that he has come down the chimneys so often that he can not wash the dirt off. 

Sinterklaas is not only a holiday for children; also grown-ups like to participate in the 

fun. This is often done by means of a gift (serious, silly or, often, homemade - the latter 

type is called a surprise) with an accompanying funny poem. 

10.7 Elfstedentocht 

Though this is not so much an official festivity, much less an annually recurring one, it 

is well worth mentioning. Every year, the Dutch hope for a severe winter as this will 

freeze over the lakes and canals in the province of Friesland allowing the 

‘Elfstedentocht’ to take place. This elfstedentocht is a race on ice-skates, that passes 

through 11 cities in Friesland and is almost 200 kilometres long. The life of the winners 

of this event is never the same – they become national heroes and are recognized 

wherever they go. A surprising fact is that the winners are seldom trained Olympic ice 

skaters, but modest farmers who have been training as a hobby. 

10.8 Oktoberfest (Munich) 

Although admittedly a German tradition, Maastricht students cross the border en 

masse to take part in this wild festival of drinking, singing, and generally being happy 

together! Join in with a gang of German students to enjoy this truly European tradition. 

The Oktoberfest in Munich receives six million visitors annually, making it the 

world’s largest fair. This year it starts on September 16, 2006. For more information 

www.oktoberfest.de 

S48


10.9 Other events: 

Winter 

• Christmas market (mid November-Christmas) – Valkenburg, Heerlen, Maastricht 

• Winterland (from 25 November 2006 until 7 January 2007): Winterland at the 

Vrijthof in Maastricht with a skating rink, Ferris wheel and other attractions. 

Spring 

• TEFAF (European Fine Art Fair) (8-18 March 2007): A nine day long fair of famous 

international art antiques at the MECC in Maastricht. The fair had over 75,000 visitors 

last year and many art lovers consider it the world’s most prestigious art and 

antiques fair. 

• Easter in Maastricht (March or April): International music festival taking place in the 

city centre of Maastricht and the MECC. Big bands, brass bands and choirs will perform. 

• St. Servaasfeest (early May): Week-long funfair on the Vrijthof in Maastricht, procession 

to the St. Servatius’ Source, special services in the St. Servaas basilica, concluding 

with the St. Servaas procession 

Summer 

• Pinkpop (Whitsun): three-day pop festival (one of the largest in The Netherlands) in 

Landgraaf, 26 – 28 May 2007. 

• Rock Werchter (Belgium): June - July 2007. 

www.rockwerchter.be 

• Lowlands Festival: Another huge yearly music festival, which also features art, 

theatre, film, comedy and much more! 18 – 20 August 2006, August 2007. 

www.lowlands.nl 

Fall 

• Jumping Indoor Maastricht (23-26 November 2006): International horse show 

jumping contest. 

www.jumpingindoormaastricht.nl 

S49


11 Working in the Netherlands 

If you are going to be staying in the Netherlands for more than a few months, you may 

want to get a job to support your activities and fill your pockets. Although the Dutch 

system for applying for work is complicated, it is not impenetrable if you understand 

some of the basics. 

11.1 Who can work? 

Citizens of EU States 

(Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France Germany, Greece, Iceland, Republic of Ireland, 

Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and 

United Kingdom) 

These citizens are allowed to work unconditionally, and do not require residence permits. 

There are no legal barriers to working in the Netherlands and students can apply 

directly for the job they want. Hence, you do NOT need to have either a residence permit 

or a work permit. However, you have to obtain a social-fiscal (SOFI) number. You 

first register with City Hall where you will get a sticker in your passport; after this you 

can apply for a SOFI number. 

Citizens of newly joined countries from Eastern Europe 

(Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and 

Slovenia) 

These citizens are legally allowed to work. For jobs that take less than 10 hours per 

week, or which are seasonal (only in June, July and August) they do not require working 

permits. However, they do still require a working permit, even after the accession to 

the EU, for other jobs. The process to get those permits is much simpler than for non- 

EU members and is supposed to take no more than 2 weeks. Also, you have to obtain a 

social-fiscal (SOFI) number. You first register with City Hall after which you can apply 

for a SOFI number. 

Citizens from outside the EU 

(Everybody else) 

If you want to get a temporary job during your exchange period in Maastricht and you 

are a national from a non- European Union country you are not legally allowed to work 

without a permit. It is possible to work only if you keep the following conditions in 

mind: 

a) You have to have a residence permit, and 

b) Your employer must apply for a work permit. To support your application, you will 

need a written statement from Universiteit Maastricht certifying that you are 

indeed registered as exchange student and that a job will not interfere with the 

course of your study. This will have to be done after the first exam results have 

become available, so that we can assess whether you are academically strong 

enough to handle this extra work. 

c) Apart from that, the job must not exceed 10 hours per week. If you find a seasonal 

job (waiting tables or picking cherries) in the months of June and July you can work 

full time. 

S50


Insurance 

A new health insurance system for curative healthcare for all residents of the 

Netherlands has come into effect on 1 January 2006. Under the new Health Insurance 

Act (‘Zorgverzekeringswet’) all residents and/or employees in the Netherlands are obliged 

to take out a health insurance. Every health care insurance company in the 

Netherlands that has stated it will provide services under the Act, has a legal obligation 

to accept anybody who applies for insurance. For the so-called Basic Insurance 

(‘Basis Verzekering’) you will have to pay a premium to the insurer. This is known as the 

nominal premium. Whether a foreign student is obliged to take out the Basis (health) 

Insurance under the Health Insurance Act depends on the residence purpose and/or 

employment situation. The flow chart below gives you an indication. Note that 

according to the law temporary residence is seen as a period of less than three years; 

this means that you as exchange students do not have to take out this Basic Insurance, 

even if you are over 30 years of age. The ONLY exception to the rule is if you get a 

temporary job; in that case you HAVE to take out the Basic Insurance: "Dutch law 

requires all residents to have health insurance. Even if you decide to keep your private 

insurance policy, as a part-time employee you must pay into the national scheme. The 

size of the monthly contribution depends on your income. As an employee you will also 

be insured against the consequences of an accident while at work. Other contributions 

that will be deducted from your gross wages support the systems that provide 

disability pay and unemployment benefits. In principle, the employer is obliged to 

deduct these ‘social security contributions’ from your pay before you get it. When in 

doubt on whether the new Health Insurance Act applies to you, please contact the 

Board of Health Insurers via 

+31 (0)20-7987555. 

S51


What type of healthcare insurance do I need from 1 January 2006? 

Flowchart for international students in the Netherlands 

I am in the Netherlands 

for study only 

I also have a job, or I 

am a trainee/intern and 

am getting paid a 

salary 

I am an 

EU/EEA or 

Swiss 

national 

I am not an EU/EEA or 

Swiss national, but I have 

a residence permit* 

Temporary 

stay 

Permanent 

stay 

EU Health 

Insurance 

Card 

Older than 

30 years 

Under 30 

years of age 

Older than 

30 years 

Temporary 

stay 

Permanent 

stay 

Private 

healthcare 

insurance 

You need a new basic healthcare insurance policy 

S52


11.2 Working Permits 

Non-EU citizens require a working permit in order to work legally in the Netherlands. 

Working permits will only be assigned under either of the following conditions: 

a) The worker is a student and is applying for a job of less than 10 work hours per week 

b) The employer can demonstrate that s/he has searched unsuccessfully for workers 

within the EU who possess the necessary skills for the job 

c) The worker is a citizen of a newly joined member state of the EU. 

Only an employer can apply for a working permit on behalf of its workers. The employer 

will require the following list of documentation in order to complete the application: 

• Photocopy of your passport 

• Photocopy of your application for a short-stay visa, MVV (if required) or residence 

permit 

• Diplomas and certificates 

• Copy of the employer’s registration with the Chamber of Commerce 

• Labour agreement or research plan 

• Statement of the gross monthly salary 

• Job description 

• A written statement from the university 

NOTE: If you are still waiting for your residence permit, a proof of application for the 

residence permit is enough to apply for a working permit. 

The unfortunate reality is that getting a working permit takes over a month, and you 

are not legally allowed to work until the permit is delivered. Planning ahead is vital to 

securing a good job. Note: working without a working permit can lead to serious 

troubles for both you and your employer if you are caught, and may result in having 

your residence permit revoked. 

Exceptions 

There are many exceptions to the basic rules for working permits. Many government 

programmes and special conditions exist to help students and young people get jobs 

when they need them. An example of these would be the Vacation Visa available to 

Canadians, Americans, Australians and New Zealanders only, which allows them a 

onetime full-time working permit for one year. 

Checking http://www.expatica.com/ is a good start for finding such programmes. 

Also, contacting the local CWI (public employment office) personally can uncover new 

opportunities. Also, the University Employment Agency ‘InterUM’ specialises in finding 

students jobs within the university where regulations are much less restrictive. See 

also http://www.nuffic.nl/immigration/ for more information. 

11.3 Sofi-Number 

For tax reasons, everybody working in the Netherlands must have a Sofi-number. Once 

you receive your residence permit, you are entitled to collect that number at the 

Belastingdienst (tax office) in Heerlen. 

Depending on your citizenship, you may be required to have a contract or a letter from 

an ‘Uitzendbureau’ before you apply for a Sofi-number. Once you have the required 

paperwork, getting your number only takes about half an hour. 

S53


11.4 Finding a Job 

Due to a relatively high unemployment rate, the competition for jobs in the 

Netherlands is somewhat tight. However, foreign students often have distinct 

advantages in certain areas, particularly in language capacity, that make them 

desirable workers. 

There are basically two ways to search for a job. The first and most obvious is to approach 

companies personally and offer them your CV. This direct search method works 

well for large companies, such as the Mercedes-Benz Customer Assistance Center, 

which hires many UM students. 

The second way is through an ‘Uitzendbureau’ (jobagency). These companies are in the 

business of connecting workers with employers searching for their particular skills. 

Maastricht has over a dozen ‘Uitzendbureaus’. Many of them are concentrated on 

Grote Gracht, a street between the Vrijthof and the Market square. Also, the UM uitzendbureau 

‘InterUM’ specialises in finding students jobs in and around the University 

(See section 11.5 for contact information). 

The first step to getting a good job is having a good CV. For advice on how to write a 

CV, ask an Uitzendbureau or check out the advice on http://www.expatica.com/. A visit 

to the University Career advisor or the Student Dean, who specialize in these matters, 

would not hurt either. 

11.5 Contact Information 

InterUM BV 

University employment agency 

Tongersestraat 22A 

+31 (0)43-388 26 88 

Randstad Callflex 

Specialized in temporary jobs in native languages. 

Wycker Brugstraat 28 

+31 (0)43-329 17 82 

Career Advisor 

Student Services 


+31 (0)43-388 53 18 

Student Dean 

Student Services 


+31 (0)43-388 53 88 

Creyf’s ASA Student 

Student Uitzendbureau 

Keizer Karelplein 28 

+31 (0)43-325 66 27 

S54


Mise en Place 

Uitzendbureau for students working in the service industry. 

At least minimal knowledge of Dutch required. 

Spoorweglaan 7 

+31 (0)43-350 03 50 

S55


12 Student Life 

Despite the fact that Maastricht does not have a very long history as a university town, 

student life is very much alive and kicking. Many students join student-associations, 

fraternities and sororities. They meet up at least once a week at their regular pub to 

have a beer and talk about the deeper meaning of life (?!). Two fraternities even run 

their own pub, which they conveniently named ‘the Uni’ (short for university)…so that 

their parents would not get worried if they tell them that they spend so much time 

there. Student life in Maastricht also stands for: lots of parties, going out on Tuesday, 

Wednesday and Thursday night (…but of course Monday and Friday are also fine!), 

spending lots of money in the beginning of each month (when Dutch students get 

their scholarship) and considerably less in the end. Furthermore: going out for a meal 

in one of the many student-cafes and sitting on the Vrijthof-Square enjoying the sun 

(in the Netherlands you have to enjoy the sun while you can…that is: when it is actually 

there). At the end of each block, however, many students lock themselves up in the 

University Library and drink as much coffee as their bodies can handle… to prepare 

themselves for the exams. By that time, everyone will be complaining about the horrors 

you face as a student. 

In the following section you can read all about ‘places-to-be’, good and cheap restaurants, 

cinemas, museums…in short: your guide through student life in Maastricht. 

Check out these sites: 

www.maastricht.nl 

www.maastrichtrestaurants.nl 

For interesting articles or news on Maastricht (and the Netherlands), check out the 

new website for foreigners in Maastricht: www.ejc.nl/crossroads 

12.1 Chilling Out 

Blanche Dael Coffeelovers (mbd.nl) 

Corner Ruiterij/Plein 1992 

If you consider yourself a coffee connoisseur, you definitely have to visit Coffeelovers in 

the Céramique area. They serve a large variety of fantastic coffees and they have an 

excellent lunch menu. 

Café Ipanema 

Avenue Ceramique 250 

A new trendy café, beautifully situated on the riverside of the river Maas in the ground 

floor of the Bonnefanten Museum. Aside for its good breakfast and lunch menu, this 

café also serves fine tapas. You can also sit outside on the terrace. 

Café Sjiek 

Sint Pieterstraat 13 

This is a bistro, where you can eat delicious regional dishes as well as other dishes. 

During summer, you can also sit outside on the terrace located across the street from 

the restaurant. 

For more information about Café Sjiek please check: 

www.maastrichtrestaurants.nl/sjiek 

S57


Café Twee 

Kommel 8 

Nice cafe near the Fine Arts Academy. A good venue to read one of the several papers 

and magazines offered here, making this the perfect intellectual getaway. Jam session 

on Wednesday, 22h15. 

Café Zuid 

Plein 1992-15 

This bar is situated in the Céramique area. Here you can have nice drinks and tapas, but 

they are quite expensive. During the summer, it is a perfect place to relax and have a 

drink and there is a nice terrace directly on the Maas. 

Café Zondag 


This popular, trendy bar is situated in Wyck, right across the Sint Servaas Bridge. This 

place features a superb atmosphere, sweet parties, and lots of people during the 

weekends! 

www.cafezondag.nl 

Deli Belge 

Tongersestraat 44 

On the front doorstep of the Economics Faculty, this typically Belgian lunch bar has 

been serving students’ lunch needs for nearly nine years. The menu includes a range of 

over 80 sandwiches and other home-made specialties. 

Something Good 


This is also a lunch bar that offers a great variety of sandwiches for reasonable prices. It 

is also located opposite from the entrance gate to the Faculty of Economics and 

Business Administration. 

12.2 Bars 

Clinique 

Platielstraat 9A 

At night, this is a very popular student bar. During the day you can eat here for a 

reasonable price. 

www.cafeclinique.nl/ 

Also note the international ¡NewAmigosVille! language café at the Clinique : 

Would you like to learn Dutch or would you rather learn or improve another language? 

Do you feel like meeting both local and international people and making new friends? 

Every Tuesday from 7 pm, you are welcome in the ¡NewAmigosVille! language café to 

play the ¡New Amigos! board game, learn foreign languages and make new friends! 

The fun and easy ¡New Amigos! game enables to speak a new language in no time! 

Players choose between Dutch, English, Spanish, Italian, French, German and 

Norwegian and 3 levels of difficulty: beginner, intermediate or expert. The board game 

acts as an ice-breaker, enabling perfect strangers to quickly communicate, play and 

have fun. You do not have to know any of these languages in order to play: even people 

who don’t speak a word of each other’s language can spend an entertaining evening 

together and learn the language of their choice! The ¡NewAmigosVille! language café 

is open every Tuesday, September through December and January through April in Café 

Clinique (Platielstraat 9a, Maastricht). Entry is free. The international language café is 

S58


an initiative of the ¡New Amigos! Foundation aiming to encourage friendships across 

barriers of language, background and age, and to make language learning easy and 

fun! Further information can be found at www.newamigos.org. 

Derlon Hotel Bar 

Onze Lieve Vrouweplein 6 

Located in the basement of the Derlon Hotel, this bar is popular on weekends, foremost 

on Friday with a DJ. It creates a fantastic chill out atmosphere. Yet, this place 

closes early and would therefore be a good way to get the evening started. 

EDD’s café 

Heggenstraat 3 

EDD stands for Eat, Dance & Drinks. You can have breakfast, lunch, dinner, tapas and/or 

drinks in this café with a special interior. Jazz session on Tuesday, 22h15 (open stage). 

De Falstaff 

St. Amorsplein 6 

In the summer it is great to sit outside or inside! De Falstaff has a relaxed atmosphere 

and is the ideal place if you just want to sit down and chat with your friends. They 

proudly serve a large assortment of specialty beers and even have a beer menu! 

www.cafe-falstaff.com/ 

The Highlander 

Hertogsingel 58c 

This is the number one bar for Guesthouse students, regularly packed on Tuesdays and 

Wednesdays with internationals. With sports on TV (including all the main football 

matches), parties, good food, cheap prices and open until 02h00, this is definitely a 

HOT spot. 

The Highlander 

We have: 

Parties, Food, Sports on tv 

(MLB, NBA, NFL, NASCAR, SOCCER), Terrace 

Hertogsingel 58, Maastricht 

S59

• The Dutch consume an average of 7.7 kilograms of coffee per person per 

year. This makes the Dutch the fourth biggest coffee drinkers in the world, 

after Finland, Norway and Sweden. 

• 91% of the population (15 years old and over) drinks coffee. 

• The Dutch drink an average of 84 litres of beer per person per year. 

• There are 1.7 million milk cows in Holland. 

• Over half of all the milk produced in the Netherlands is turned into cheese. 

• The Netherlands is the world’s largest exporter of cheese, butter and 

powdered milk. 

• Ten and a half billion kilograms of milk were supplied to Dutch dairy factories 

in 2004. Fifty-nine percent of this milk was used to make cheese. 

• A smaller part (14 percent) ends up in the shops as fresh milk or a fresh milk 

product, and about the same amount is processed into powdered milk. 

• The remainder of the milk is processed into other dairy products such as 

condensed milk, butter and cream. 

Onze Lieve Vrouwe Square.


John Mullins Irish Pub 


A big Irish Pub, John Mullins boasts a great atmosphere and authentic Irish personnel. 

There is often live music and it is the Pub if you are craving typical Irish stew. Check out 

the popular quiz night; join a team and compete on a diverse range of subjects. Live 

music on Thursday or Friday. 

www.johnmullins.nl/ 

Het Kruithuis 


Het Kruithuis is located in the Faculty of Economics’ garden. Built in an old gunpowder 

storage building with walls two meters thick, this student bar features good music, 

cheap drinks and an absolute student atmosphere. 

Ramblassin 

Bassinkade 6 

The Ramblassin is situated in the basin of the small marina of Maastricht. Built in a 

tiny yard cellar one might overlook the place if it wasn’t for the beautiful terrace by the 

waterfront. A stylish place for chilling, lounging and dancing with good cocktails. 

The Shamrock 

Brusselsestraat 49 

A café with an Irish touch. Here you also have the possibility to play pool and darts. 

Often, the Shamrock is positively crawling with international students. 

S61


Take Five 

Bredestraat 14 

The Take Five is the quintessential ‘trendy little spot to hang out’, offers fantastic international 

lunches and good value for your money. A real student café. 

Tramhalte 

Cannerplein 1 

This is a rather old-fashioned bar but with a cosy atmosphere. Especially on Monday, it 

is a great place to enjoy live Jazz music. Conveniently for exchange students, this place 

is relatively close to the Main Guesthouse. (Open stage: Monday from 22h00). 

De Twee Heeren 

Platielstraat 17-19 

Funky music abounds, and Tuesday nights signal the overflow by international 

students. In short, for inner-city UM students, the Twee Heeren is the place to be! It is 

also a good place to eat: try the saté with french fries! 

Note: this list is by no means exhaustive and the above only gives an indication of popular 

student bars. Maastricht has around 365 bars so you would spend an entire year 

exploring them if you try a different one every night! 

Let’s go out to eat! 

One expatriate’s view of life in the Dutch kitchen - don’t take it too seriously 

When you decide to go out to dinner in Holland... 

Do try some of the local delicacies, but don’t expect anything to be very spicy. The 

Dutch East India company bought and transported spices for centuries, but 

apparently never brought them to Holland. In fact, garlic is used more often here 

for repelling vampires than it is in Dutch cooking. 

Don’t expect Italian restaurants in Amsterdam to serve food that tastes Italian. If 

you look in the kitchen in most of these places, you’ll find a bunch of Turkish guys 

trying to make Italian food taste like Dutch food. This procedure will include putting 

large chunks of carrots in your marinara sauce. In Holland, carrots are also a 

spice, apparantly. I’ve been to at least fifteen Italian restaurants in Amsterdam, 

and have only found one where the food was prepared by Italians. I won’t tell you 

where it is, though, as they are probably doing something illegal. 

Do expect potatoes to be served with anything you order anywhere. Even in the 

“Italian” places. I’ve ordered spaghetti bolognaise on more than one occasion, and 

had it served to me with a side of potatoes. I’ve even had a dinner that included 

large boiled potatoes as part of the entrecôte, and it came with a side of french 

fries! Did i mention the Dutch like potatoes? They do. 

Don’t expect to find a spicy salad dressing anywhere near a Dutch restaurant. The 

Dutch have four basic salad dressings: mayonnaise, mayonnaise with water, 

mayonaise with little flavorless flecks in it, and mayonaise. Even Dutch pepper is 

almost without flavor. They generally use white pepper, which is very finely 

ground, and tastes like sawdust. I believe it’s made from small pieces of plywood, 

but don’t quote me. 

S62


12.3 Restaurants 

Café In ’t Knijpke 

St. Bernardusstraat 13 

Deep down in the cellar, ’t Knijpke provides a great meal! There are three fireplaces, 

which create a quiet, friendly atmosphere. The Ciné-K, an independent cinema, is also 

located here. 

Café Charlemagne 

Onze Lieve Vrouweplein 24 

This place is something totally different. Good dishes, such as the Greek Salad and the 

Satehtje Marcus, make it unforgettable! 

Dalia 

Brusselsestraat 72 

Good Döner Kebab with a student discount draws many UM patrons here. 

Gadjah Mas 

Rechtstraat 42 

One of the best places for Indonesian food, excellent price/quality ratio. 

Gio’s Cucina Casalinga 

Vrijthof 29a 

According to some “the best Italian restaurant in the South of the Netherlands” this 

restaurant serves true Italian dishes and has a very friendly staff. The setup is unusual 

however: there is no menu (only a waiter’s explanation of the different dishes), you 

cannot make a reservation and you can only pay cash. Many argue that this adds to the 

great atmosphere! 

Grand Café de Perroen 

Vrijthof 34-35 

This place is a grand café and restaurant. Different rooms entice its customers with different 

atmospheres and they serve good food at reasonable prices. 

www.perroen.nl/ 

Ma van Sloun 


Very affordable restaurant in student setting. 

Preuverij 

Kakeberg 6 

Well-known place among students: reasonable dishes for around € 7.- 

Reitz 

Markt 75 

The Reitz once won the ‘best fries in Europe’ award! Cheap, delicious and undeniably 

Belgian fries are served fresh at the marketplace daily. Be prepared to wait in line on 

warm days, but the wait is definitely worth it! 

Tabkeaw 

Rechtstraat 102 (Tel +31 (0)43-325 97 12) 

A personal favourite of the authors, Tabkeaw is a top class Thai restaurant. The dishes 

are the best in its kind in the wide area, but be sure to bring enough money since this 

place is pricey. 

S63


Tapas y Mas 

Rechtstraat 83 (Tel +31 (0)43-354 10 11) 

¡Mejor que en España! This tapas restaurant has it all: a great atmosphere, affordable 

dishes, delicious food and friendly service. Tapas-lovers cannot skip this place when in 

Maastricht. 

Witloof 

St. Bernardusstraat 12 (Tel. +31 (0)43-323 35 38) 

Excellent Belgian restaurant with good atmosphere and very affordable dishes. Due to 

its popularity, reservation is necessary. 

Also check the websites www.iens.nl and www.specialbite.nl for information and 

ratings on almost all restaurants in Maastricht. The websites are available in English. 

12.4 Dance Till Dawn 

Allabonneur 

Leliestraat 5 

The so-called “Alla” is a night club, pub and great place to dance. Tuesdays to Thursdays 

are big student nights. The “Alla” is open daily from 22h00 to 5h00, making it the perfect 

after-pub nightspot. 

Backstage 

Tongerseweg 57 

This is a basement party zone featuring themes and alternative cultures every 

Thursday and Friday nights. It is located right next to the big supermarket on the 

Tongerseweg. 

www.backstage.nu/ 

De Kadans 

Kesselskade 62 

Here you find food, live music, dancing, a pub and a café on three stories. Open till 

5h00, this is a nice après-pub alternative to the “Alla.” Sometimes they have student 

parties, plus salsa dancing every Wednesday night. 

www.dekadans.nl/ 

Metamorfoos 

Kleine Gracht 42 

This cosy café/bar/dancehouse is located behind the marketplace and is open until 

5h00. The prices are quite student-friendly, as are the DJs and service personnel. 

Mondial 

Middelweg 12 in Beek (Limburg) 

This large discotheque is quite nice and features parties and events all the time. 

For more information check www.mondial2000.nl. 

Versuz 

Slachthuiskaai 6, Hasselt (Belgium) 

Located in Belgium, this top-class night club is one of the most happening places 

around. From celebrity ‘Temptation Island’ parties to special guest stars like Lumidee, 

this place is off the hook! For more information, surf to www.versuz.be. 

S64


12.5 Anything else? 

There is always something else to do if you are tired of movies and going to the bar. 

Here are a few suggestions. 

Snooker Centrum Maastricht 

Tongerseweg 46 

Shoot some pool or snooker with friends. 

Open Daily: 13h00-2h00 

St.Pietersberg hill 

Behind the police station near the UM inner-city library and between the Tongerseweg 

and the Maas. Whether it’s walking through the afternoon, taking a guided tour 

through the Maastricht caves, or going on a mysterious night hike, the St. Pietersberg 

natural reserve is a small piece of wilderness for all bush lovers. 

Snow World (www.snowworld.nl) 

Situated in Landgraaf, Snow World is only a half hour train-ride away and offers year 

round snow sports! No previous experience is required; try skiing, snowboarding, or 

just ride down the slopes on a tube. Guaranteed to be a fantastic day of fun! Opening 

hours in the summer are from 9h00 to 23h00. In the winter snow world is open from 

9h00 to 24h00 Mondays to Fridays and from 8h00 to 24h00 on weekends. Getting to 

Landgraaf by public transport: 

Go to Heerlen train station. When you leave this station, you can take bus 7 to Landgraaf. 

It is then only a 7-minute walk. 

Ice Skating Rink 

Kummenaedestraat 45, Geleen 

Skating is one of the most popular sports in the Netherlands and any exchange 

student should have tried at least once while in this country. Located in Geleen (around 

15 minutes by train from Maastricht) the sports centre Glanerbrook hosts South- 

Limburg’s 400 metre ice skating rink. 

Swimming Pools 

Swimming is not only exercise! Grab some friends and head to the pool! Opening 

hours and locations are available in the Sports section of this Handbook. 

Rock Climbing Gym 

Stadionbaan 52, Heerlen 

Neoliet, the rock climbing gym in Heerlen, offers top quality rock climbing facilities to 

people of all ages and backgrounds. Whether you are a pro looking for a place to practice 

or a scared-of-heights-’überbeginner’, they have a programme fit for you! 

www.neoliet.nl 

Thermae 2000 

Kuurpark Cauberg 27, 6301 BT Valkenburg aan de Geul. 

Tel: +31 (0)43-609 20 00 

Not far from Maastricht is a natural spa, flowing with natural spring water. Take a 

couple of hours and chill out, swim around, get a massage or simply relax! Reasonably 

priced programmes are available. 

S65


Holland Casino 

Kuurpark Cauberg 28, Valkenburg aan de Geul 

Tel: +31 (0)43-609 96 00 

Next to Thermae 2000 is Limburg’s state-owned Casino, a great place for an 

entertaining evening at the gambling tables. 

Shopping in Liège 

Liège, one of the cultural centres of Belgium, is just a 25 minute train ride away. Why 

not take the afternoon or evening and indulge in some Belgian culture or enjoy lower 

taxes while shopping for the things you need? 

Mountain Bike Rentals 

At Courtens, Calvariestraat 16, you can rent mountain bikes for the day. Explore the 

beautiful Dutch and Belgian countryside on the back of a novelty bicycle. Rent is € 8,50 

per day. Another possibility for rental is the bicycle shop at the train station “Aon de 

Stasie”. They rent out good mountain bikes for € 14.75 per day (and demand a deposit 

of € 100). It is worth buying a map at the VVV (see appendix 1) with eight good mountain 

bike trails for all levels of experience. 

12.6 Cinemas (www.bioscoop.nl) 

Show your student ID card to obtain a discount! 

Minerva Bioscoop Maastricht 

Wilhelminasingel 39 

Phone: +31 (0)43-325 35 05 

Minerva is Maastricht’s main cinema showing all the major movie productions. Check 

out the Sneak Preview (see below) every Tuesday for € 5,00 

(www.sneakpoint.nl). 

Ciné-K 

In ‘t Knijpke 

St. Bernardusstraat 13 

Phone: +31 (0)43-321 65 25 

Filmtheater Lumière 

Bogaardenstraat 40b 

Phone: +31 (0)43-321 40 80 

Cult/Art movies 

Cult/Art movies 

Sneak Preview 

The cinemas in Maastricht offer a sneak preview. The sneak preview is a movie that is 

not out yet in the cinemas, so you get to see the première. There is a catch however. 

Usually you do not know what movie you are going to see until you are watching it. So 

if you want to take the chance, go ahead and let yourself be surprised! 

S66


12.7 Theatre 

Theater aan het Vrijthof 

Vrijthof 47 / Phone: +31 (0)43-350 55 55 

Beautiful theatre & good shows. Leftover tickets can be bought right before the show 

for reduced prices. Take your student ID card with you to get a reduction. 

www.theateraanhetvrijthof.nl 

La Bonbonnière 

Achter de comedie 1 / Phone: +31 (0)43-350 09 35 

Theatre, variety, cabaret. Great atmosphere! If you want a ticket, get there early. 

www.bonbonniere.nl 

Kumulus Theater 

Herbenusstraat 89 / Phone: +31 (0)43-350 56 80 

Kumulus is a centre for arts. You can attend over 150 different art courses, which are 

facilitated by professional artists, musicians and dancers. 

www.kumulus.nl 

Löss Theater 

Achter de Barakken 31a / Phone: +31 (0)43-325 39 33 

The Löss Theater is a theatre café where small concerts and acts are performed. 

12.8 Museums 

Bonnefanten Museum (www.bonnefanten.nl) 

Avenue Céramique 250 / Phone: +31 (0)43-329 01 90 

The world famous building of Aldo Rossi. Archaeology, old and modern art. The bullet 

shaped tower has several strange nicknames. The Museum has a special offer for 

students: for € 3,50 you will get access to the Bonnefantenmuseum until the end of 

this study year, as well as to the special activities that the museum will organize on 

Sunday (English-spoken). If you want to make use of this offer, you have to purchase a 

special sticker in the UM Visitors’ Centre (electronic payment by means of pin or chip). 

Please don’t forget to bring your student identity card (SIC) with you! Open Tuesday- 

Sunday : 11h00-17h00 

Natural History Museum (www.nhmmaastricht.nl) 

The museum outlines the natural history of South Limburg. Modern displays offer an 

insight into both the recent and distant past. Among the museum’s highlights are the 

remains of enormous Mosasaurs and Giant Turtles found in marlstone at the 

St. Pietersberg caverns. 

De Bosquetplein 7 / Phone: +31 (0)43-350 54 90 

Open: Monday-Friday 10h00-17h00, Saturday-Sundays 14h00-17h00 

For more information about activities in Maastricht check the following sites: 

www.maastrichtnet.nl 

www.maastrichtweb.com 

www.vvvmaastricht.nl 

S67

Bonnefanten museum.


12.9 American Military Cemetery 

In Margraten you can find the Netherlands American Cemetery. More than 8,000 

soldiers who died in World War II are buried here. The cemetery and its memorial are 

an impressive monument to the dead, who are commemorated each year on Memorial 

Day. 

Address: 

Rijksweg, Margraten 

Phone: +31 (0)43-458 12 08 

Open: daily from 09h00-17h00 

S69


13 Shopping 

Generally, all stores have the following opening hours: 

Monday : 13h00-18h00 

Tuesday : 9h00-18h00 

Wednesday : 9h00-18h00 

Thursday : 9h00-21h00 

Friday : 9h00-18h00 

Saturday : 9h00-17h00 

Sunday : CLOSED 

Koopzondag (= Shopping Sunday) 

Generally, the shops are closed on Sundays. However, on Koopzondag the shops will be 

open on Sundays from 12h00-17h00. In Maastricht, the first Sunday of the month is 

Koopzondag. The shops indicate with posters on the door when it will be Koopzondag. 

Not all the shops participate in the Koopzondag, so make sure to look for the sign on 

the door whether or not the shop will be open. 

13.1 Supermarkets 

Albert Heijn (AH) 

Albert Heijn is a supermarket with a lot of different products and good quality. The prices, 

however, tend to be a bit above average. Buy the Euro-shopper brand if you are on 

a budget! 

Scharnerweg 10 (behind the Central Station) 

Opening hours: Monday-Saturday : 8h00-22h00 

Brusselse Poort 45 

Opening hours: Monday-Wednesday : 8h00-20h00 

Thursday-Friday : 8h00-21h00 

Saturday 

: 8h00-20h00 

Helmstraat 4/6 

Opening hours: Monday-Wednesday : 8h00-20h00 

Thursday 

: 8h00-21h00 

Friday 

: 8h00-20h00 

Saturday 

: 8h00-20h00 

Plein 1992 52 (Céramique) 

Opening hours: Monday-Wednesday, Friday, Saturday: 08h00-20h00 

Thursday 

: 08h00-20h00 

Stationsplein 29 (at the Central Station) 

Opening hours: Monday-Friday : 06h30-21h00 

Saturday 

: 07h00-22h00 

Sunday 

: 08h00-22h00 

Opening hours are subject to change, for example due to holidays. 

To be sure, check: www.ah.nl/albertheijn/winkelinformatie 

S70


C1000 

Situated in the shopping mall Brusselse Poort 19. 

Supermarket with a large assortment of products, cheaper than Albert Heijn. 

EDAH 

Edah is another supermarket, in price and product comparable to C1000. 

You can find Edah at Tongerseweg 57, and at Franciscus Romanusweg 2. 

ALDI 

Situated near the main guesthouse (Volksplein 34), Aldi is one of the cheapest supermarkets 

with a small assortment. Aldi is also situated at Plein 1992 (Céramique). 

In addition, look out for authentic international food stores, selling Chinese, Indian, and 

Middle-Eastern ingredients. 

13.2 Ingredients 

The translation of some ingredients you can buy in the supermarket and prepare a 

delicious breakfast, lunch or dinner! 

English: 

Salt 

Pepper 

Bread (white/brown) 

Sugar 

Butter 

Eggs 

Milk 

Potatoes 

Ground beef/pork 

Yoghurt 

Apple 

Carrot 

Tomato 

Pineapple 

Orange 

Strawberry 

Endive 

Rice 

Peanut butter 

Beans 

Chocolate 

Cookies 

Dutch: 

Zout 

Peper 

Brood (wit/bruin) 

Suiker 

Boter 

Eieren 

Melk 

Aardappelen 

Gehakt 

Yoghurt 

Appel 

Wortel 

Tomaat 

Ananas 

Sinaasappel 

Aardbei 

Andijvie 

Rijst 

Pindakaas 

Boontjes 

Chocolade 

Koekjes 

13.3 Market day 

On Wednesday and Friday mornings, the Markt square is full of stalls and tents selling 

fresh products, meats, cheeses and lots of fun merchandise as well. The Wednesday 

market is particularly known for its cloth and fabrics and the Friday market is 

renowned for its excellent fish. 

S71


Prices are generally comparable to the Aldi, the food is farm-fresh and the atmosphere 

is far nicer than in a supermarket. Although prices are not as tightly fixed as in a 

department store, haggling is generally not acceptable. Still, there is always a bargain 

to be found and the more you buy, the cheaper it gets. 

The market is only open from 08h00 to 13h00, so be early! 

13.4 Department stores 

V & D 

Big department store in the city centre (Grote Staat 5/15). Clothes, food, furnishing, 

books, cosmetics etc. 

Bijenkorf 

In 2003 this rather upmarket department store opened its doors in Maastricht. 

Although this is more for people with quite a bit of money to spend it is definitely 

worth a visit. Please note that the Bijenkorf is actually part of the same building as 

V&D, but it has a separate entrance (in Maastrichter Brugstraat). 

HEMA 

Small department store situated in the city centre Grote Staat 10 and in the Brusselse 

Poort 54. Cheaper than V&D. 

IKEA 

The most popular furniture chain in Europe is situated in Heerlen, a quick train ride 

from Maastricht station. 

In de Cramer 142 

6412 PM Heerlen 

Information line: +31 (0)900-235 45 32 (€0.10/min from within the Netherlands) 

Kwantum 

If Ikea is too far, or if you are looking for a more down-to-earth alternative, Kwantum, 

situated in the Brusselse Poort offers lights, mattresses, tables, bed-sheets and anything 

else you may need to furnish your new student room. 

Blokker 

Although slightly expensive, this store will provide dishes, pots and pans, and bathroom 

supplies, all of those little things that you need to settle in to a new home. 

Blokker is situated in Brusselse Poort 19,Plein 1992 and various locations in the city 

centre. 

Xenos 

This recently-moved furniture/novelty/grocery store has almost anything your heart 

desires and at a price that your wallet can afford. The Xenos is located on the 

Maaspromenade, just south of the Sint Servaas Bridge. 

Media Markt 

This is a large electronics store where you can buy nearly everything from DVD’s to 

refrigerators. It is located in Wijck near the Maas (Franciscus Romanusweg 2). 

S72


Kruidvat 

Although not a department store, the Kruidvat is an excellent place to find all kinds of 

products ranging from personal hygiene to the development of film rolls for low prices. 

There are several in Maastricht, on Grote Staat 55, Markt 57 and Wyckerbrugstraat 32- 

36. 

13.5 Voltage Transformer 

Exchange students coming from countries that have a different voltage system than 

the European (220 V) can buy a voltage transformer at the shop ‘HandyMan’ in the 

Nieuwstraat 17. The devices that they sell are both-ways-transforming, but only up to 

80 watt. Hence, a laptop or shaver works with this, but not your stereo for example. 

Prices are approximately € 60. 

S73


14 Communication 

14.1 Dutch Language 

Dutch, the language of the Netherlands, belonging to the West Germanic branch of 

the Indo-European family and quite closely related to German and English. Here you 

can find some Dutch vocabulary to help you around: 

English 

Dutch 

Yes 

Ja 

No 

Nee 

Good morning 

Goedemorgen 

Good afternoon 

Goedemiddag 

Good evening 

Goedenavond 

Goodbye 

Tot ziens 

See you later 

Tot straks 

1,2,3,4,5 Een, twee, drie, vier, vijf 

6,7,8,9,10 Zes, zeven, acht, negen, tien 

Thanks 

Bedankt 

There you are/please 

Alstublieft 

Enjoy your meal 

Eet smakelijk 

Good 

Goed (about food: lekker) 

I am sorry 

Neemt u mij niet kwalijk/”sorry” or pardon 

Could you tell me.. 

Kunt u mij misschien zeggen… 

What, where, when 

Wat, waar, wanneer 

May I have the bill please? Mag ik de rekening alstublieft? 

May I order? 

Mag ik bestellen? 

Open, closed 

Open, gesloten 

No entry 

Verboden toegang 

No parking 

Niet parkeren 

Bus stop 

Bus halte 

Pharmacy 

Apotheek 

Doctor 

Dokter 

Dentist 

Tandarts 

Post office, bank 

Postkantoor, bank 

Station 

Station 

Police, fire department 

Politie, brandweer 

Hospital 

Ziekenhuis 

Beer, wine, liquor 

Bier, wijn, likeur 

Tea, coffee 

Thee, koffie 

Newspaper 

Krant 

Magazine 

Tijdschrift 

I love you 

Ik hou van jou! 

You are handsome/pretty Lekker ding! 

14.2 Phones 

Making a phone call in or to the Netherlands is quite simple. Here are the basic rules 

for recognizing phone numbers. 

S74


A typical phone number in Maastricht looks like this: 

+31 (0)43-329 17 82 

Country code +31 (the Netherlands) 

Area code (0)43 (Maastricht) 

Number 324 58 63 

In order to dial this number from within the Netherlands, you would leave out the 

Country code (+31) and include the zero: 

043 - 324 58 63 

To dial this number from OUTSIDE the Netherlands, start with two zeros, and then dial 

the country code, and SKIP the zero in brackets: 

0031 43 3245863 

These rules are the same for mobile phones, where a number would read: 

+31 (0)6-24 358 636 

Decoding phone numbers 

• +31 … Any number starting with 0031 is a phone number in the Netherlands. 

• +32 … Any number starting with 0032 is a phone number in Belgium 

• 043 … All numbers with a 043 area code is a Maastricht land line 

• 06 … All numbers starting with a 06 are mobile phone numbers. 

• 0900 … These numbers will charge you extra for calling. They are often used for 

information lines, as well as government offices. A recording will tell you before you 

are connected how much you will be charged each minute for calling that number. 

• 0800 … these numbers do not charge, but if you call from a mobile it may still cost 

you minutes, so be careful. 

Note: All phone calls (including local calls) cost money. Even in the Guest House, when 

calling one of your neighbours, you are charged. Moreover, local calls, regional calls or 

calls to mobile phones and foreign countries all have different rates. 

14.3 Pay phones 

To call abroad from the Netherlands, dial 00 followed by the international country 

code. Most public phone boxes require telephone cards of € 5, € 10, € 11 from the 

major telephone operator KPN. These are available at post offices, newsagents and 

bookshops. 

Confusingly, public phones at train stations work with a different card (from Telfort). 

These phones accept both coins and cards, available at the station (€ 4,50). 

Note: If you would like to have your own phone, we would advise you to buy a so called 

‘pre-paid’ mobile phone. Places to go to: 

Vodafone: Grote Staat 24 

Primafoon: Muntstraat 13 

Debitel: Maastrichter Brugstraat 33 

BelCompany: Muntstraat 6 

The Phone House: Wolfstraat 11 

T for Telecom: Grote Staat 21 

T Mobile: Kleine Staat 13 

Orange: Kleine Staat 21 

S75


14.4 Fax 

As mentioned earlier: sending a fax for private purposes is not possible within the 

university. However you can send your faxes for example at: 

Post Office 

Statenstraat 4 

Phone: +31 (0)43-3299199 

(Near the Vrijthof Square) 

Prices of sending a fax depend on the size of your document and the destination to 

which you want it sent. If you want to send a fax at the Post Office, you need a 

telephone card. Make sure your card holds enough units. 

Note (for exchange students): If you have to send a fax to your home university 

concerning your exchange in Maastricht, it is possible to send it at the International 

Relations Office. 

14.5 E-mail 

You can email at the university, as mentioned earlier. 

To check your email or to surf on the web you can also go to an internet café, for example: 

De Unit (next to student café Alla) 

Easylink 

Leliestraat 19 Scharnerweg 44 

6211 EA Maastricht 6224 JH Maastricht 

Phone: +31 (0)43-321 27 90 Phone: +31 (0)43-362 89 30 

Number of PCs: 7 Number of PCs: 30 



Mon-Sat: 12h00-19h30 

Mon-Sat: 10h00-21h00 

Sunday: closed 

Sunday: 14h00-21h00 

Prices: 

Prices: 

€ 4,00 per hour € 3,00 per hour, 

€ 10,00 per 4 hours 

Centre Céramique (the public library located on Avenue Céramique 50), offers free use 

of a high speed wireless internet connection. Bring your own laptop to enjoy the benefits 

of access to the library’s databases and working at a quiet work station. You do not 

have to be a member of the library. 

14.6 Post packages 

If you would like to send some luggage to your home country you can go to one of the 

post offices. 

S76


(Near the Vrijthof Square) (Near the Central Station) 

Statenstraat 4 Stationstraat 60 

6211 TB Maastricht 6221 BR Maastricht 



Monday: 10h00-18h00 


Tue-Wed-Fri: 9h00-18h00 Tue-Fri: 9h00-17h30 

Thursday: 9h00-19h00 

Saturday: 10h00-16h00 

Saturday:9h30-13h30 



Brusselsepoort 5 Scharnerweg 110 

6216 CE Maastricht 6224 JJ Maastricht 




Mon-Fri: 9h00-12h30, 13h30-17h30 

Tue-Fri: 9h00-17h30 


Saturday: 10h00-13h30 


Sending international mail is divided according to destination: ‘within Europe’ or the 

‘rest of the world’. It is possible to send your packages with a Standard Service, a 

Priority Service or an Extra Fast or Extra Secure Service. The cost and duration for your 

package to arrive depends on the destination and on the chosen service. 

There are special low rates if you would like to send your books (2-5 kg). Please refer to 

the post office for more information about this. 

Packages within Europe 

WorldPack Basic (Packages within Europe) 

Priority 

Standard 

Rates as of 1-1-06 1-1-06 

Europe EUR EUR 

0-250 gr. 3,40 2,85 

250-500 gr. 5,50 4,25 

500-2 kg.* 10,60 7,70 

* When heavier than 2 kg: see WorldPack Special 

Note: 

• Minimum format 38 x 26,5 x 3,2 cm; 

• Maximum weight: 2 kg ; 

• For countries outside the European Union a custom statement is necessary; 

• Indicate your choice for Priority service with a Priority stamp or a Priority sticker. 

S77


Packages within Europe 

WorldPack Special (Packages within Europe) 

Minimum 

Maximum 


Within the EU EUR EUR 

0-2 kg 12,00 17,00 

2-5 kg. 16,75 22,00 

5-10 kg. 21,00 27,75 

10-20 kg. 28,00 36,00 

20-30 kg. 41,00 48,50 

Note: 

• Maximum weight: 20 kg; 

• Indicate choice of service on the “Sending document” or with a special sticker; 

• Maximum compensation in case of damages of € 146,-. 

Packages outside Europe 

WorldPack Special (Packages outside Europe) 

Priority (max. price) Economy 


Outside Europe EUR EUR 

0-2 kg 22,75 16,75 

2-5 kg. 30,25 22,50 

5-10 kg. 52,00 34,00 

10-20 kg. 98,00 52,25 

Note: 

• Maximum weight: 20 kg; 

• Indicate choice of service on the “Sending document” or with a special sticker; 

• Maximum compensation in case of damages of € 146,-. 

S78


14.7 Important phone numbers 

112 General emergency number for alerting police, 

fire department and ambulance 

0900 8844 General police number 

0900 9292 Information on public transport in the Netherlands, 

including door-to-door itineraries 

0900 9296 Information on international train travel 

0900 8008 Directory Enquiry. Useful for local tourist offices, 

police stations etc. 

0900 8418 International directory enquiries 

0800 0101 Request collect call from the Netherlands to 

telephone number abroad 

+31 (0)43-388 37 06 International Relations Office of the Faculty of Economics 

and Business Administration 

+31 (0)43-631 06 06 Emergency number (after office hours) for 

exchange students of the Faculty of Economics 

and Business Administration only 

+31 (0)6-45 49 09 56 International Relations Office of the Faculty of Psychology 

(emergency number) 

+31 (0)43-388 15 24 International Relations Office of the Faculty of Medicine 

(emergency number) 

+31 (0)43-388 54 70 Office of Student Affairs, University College. 

UCM students can contact this office in case of emergency. 

S79

STUDENT HANDBOOK • APPENDIX 1 

APPENDIX 1 

Official Institutions: 

The Netherlands often appears to be a sea of red tape and bureaucracy. In order to 

make your way safely through this ocean of confusion, here are a few places and definitions 

that could prove useful. 

Aliens Police: 

The Aliens Police deal with Immigration procedures and controls. Although they used 

to distribute residence permits and working permits, they are now primarily focused 

on immigration controls. The Aliens police are not involved in registration, or other 

licenses or permits. For registration with the city, permits, or licenses, you must go to 

the Gemeente Maastricht (Maastricht City Hall). 

Note: exchange students should contact their Faculty’s International Relations Office 

prior to making their own residency arrangements. 

ANWB: 

ANWB is a nationwide organization that offers technical assistance to car drivers. If 

you plan to drive in Holland or own a Dutch car, you must buy a membership before 

receiving services. ANWB does NOT deal with licenses or driving permits for internationals. 

This is done by the Gemeente Maastricht (Maastricht city hall). 

Address: Wycker Brugstraat 24 

Belastingdienst: 

The Dutch tax office distributes Sofi-numbers, which are required to work and pay 

taxes in the Netherlands. Tax information can be found at the Maastricht office, but to 

get a sofi-number, all students must go to Heerlen to the central office. 

Addresses: Terra Higrastraat 10, Maastricht / Kloosterweg 22, Heerlen 

Phone: +31 (0)45-560 32 70 

CWI: 

Centrum voor Werk en Inkomen will help find jobs and will provide employment information 

for working in the Netherlands. It is a public institution and is often involved 

in settling contracts, getting work permits and settling tax details. The CWI does not 

distribute Sofi-Numbers. This is done at the Belastingdienst (Tax Office). 

Address: Het Bat 12A 

Phone: +31 (0)43-329 12 12 

Gemeente Maastricht: 

Government agency/city hall of Maastricht. Gemeente Maastricht deals with a wide 

variety of legal and bureaucratic issues. The most common for students are registration 

at the city, drivers’ licenses, and residence permits. 

Address: Randwijcksingel 2, next to the MECC. 

Essent 

Is a company that provides gas, water and electricity supplies. It is also responsible for 

installing TV cables and phone lines. 

Maagdendries 12 

Phone: +31 (0)43-350 57 77 

S80


VVV: 

The VVV provides tourist information and some travel advice. They will be able to help 

in finding your way around Maastricht, onto busses, to cultural events or with anything 

tourist-related. 

Addresses: Kleine staat 1 (Het Dinghuis) / Wycker Brugstraat 24 

www.vvvmaastricht.nl 

S81


APPENDIX 2 

Information Sources 

When you are looking for information that is not available in this Handbook, here are 

some suggestions as to where to find it. 

Study Guide: 

Each Faculty has a Study Guide (University College: Course Catalogue). The Study 

guide/course catalogue is the definitive information source for all academic issues 

such as schedules, grade requirements, examination rules etc. The Study guide is only 

available on ELEUM. 

EleUM: 

EleUM, used throughout the university, contains constantly updated information and 

announcements for students. Check there for any university-related issues. 

eleum.unimaas.nl 

Student Services: 

The Student Services is the central organizing body for all university programmes. It 

deals with registration, housing, tuition fee payments, promotion and university programmes. 

Anything that is not administered by the Faculties is usually the responsibility 

of the Student Services. 

Call the Student Services call-centre at: +31 (0)43-388 5388 

www.ssc.unimaas.nl 

Student Services Information Desk Address: Bonnefantenstraat 2 

Information Desk: 

Each Faculty has its own information desk where you can ask about Faculty-related 

issues. Questions about course schedules, departments, rules and regulations within 

the Faculty can be asked at the information desk. 

General Counsellors/ Academic Counsellors: 

Faculties and Student Services provide student advisors and a student dean to help 

students navigate the university as well as the city of Maastricht. Check their contact 

information and office hours at the information desks and make an appointment. 

Student Dean’s Office: 

Bonnefantenstraat 2 – ask at the information desk 

Office Hours are Tuesday and Thursday: 14h00-16h00 

S82


APPENDIX 3 

Social Calendar 2006-2007 

In addition to the Academic calendar, UM also has a full and exciting Social Agenda. 

Here you find a calendar to help you organise your social time throughout the year. 

Some public and university events are already labelled (see chapter 10 for details of 

social events and chapter 5 for sport events). The rest you will have to find and fill in 

yourself! Good luck! 

Notice, some dates were not yet available on the printing date of this guide; those 

dates have been included next to the month in which they are expected to occur. Days 

marked in black are identified at the bottom of the page. 

S83


SOCIAL CALENDAR 2006-2007 

BLOCK PERIOD 1 

August 

September 

6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 1 2 3 

Lowlands 

Festival 

Preuvenemint 

September 

October 

4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 1 

Oktoberfest 

Oktoberfest 

October 

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 

S84




November 

30 31 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 

Jumping 

Indoors 

Maastricht 

MECC 

November 

December 

27 28 29 30 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 

December 

January 

25 26 27 28 29 30 31 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 

Christmas 

January 

February 

22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 1 2 3 4 

October 31st 

December 5th 

January 1st 

: Halloween 

: Sinterklaas 

: New year’s Day 

S85




February 

March 

5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 1 2 3 4 

Carnival 

March 

5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 1 

TEFAF: 

Fine Arts Fair 

April 

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 

Easter 

S86




April 

May 

16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 

May 

June 

14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 

Pink 

Pop 

June Rock werchter July 

11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 

July 

9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 

April 30th 

May 4th 

May 5th 

May 28th 

: Queen’s Day 

: Memorial Day 

: Liberation Day 

: Whit Monday 

S87


S88


Notes: 

S89


Notes: 

S90

STUDENT HANDBOOK • COLOPHON 

Colophon 

Student Handbook 

Faculty of Psychology 

Universiteit Maastricht 

Published and edited by: 

Academic Guide 

Social Guide 

Loes Mallee – International Relations Office, 


Julienne Erckens – International Relations Office, 

Faculty of Economics and Business Administration 

Ellen Nelissen – International Relations Office, 


Luc Steuns – International Relations Office, 


Photography: 

Lay-out and Design by: 

Printed by: 

Advice and coordination: 

Valerie Musson – Maastricht (NL) 

Carin Willemsen – Sittard (NL) 

Maurice Bastings – Maastricht (NL) 

Gregor Studio voor Fotografie – Maastricht (NL) 

Meesters Media bv – Maastricht (NL) 

Meesters Media bv – Maastricht (NL) 

Diamedia Minds – Maastricht (NL) 

Every effort has been made to provide information that is current and accurate, however 

the International Relations Office, Faculty of Economics and Business 

Administration, Universiteit Maastricht, can not be held responsible for any errors, 

omissions, and/or misinterpretations. 

© All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized in any 

form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or 

by any information storage or retrieval system, without prior written permission from 

the copyright owner, or, as the cases may be, the publishers, beyond the exceptions 

provided by the Copyright Law.

STUDENT HANDBOOK • MAP OF MAASTRICHT 

Map 

of Maastricht

STUDENT HANDBOOK • MAP 

STUDENT HANDBOOK • MAP 

5 

8 

1 

2 

7/12 

13a 

6 

13b 

9 

11 

10 

3 

4 

1 

= Faculty of Economics and Business Administration 


4 

= Faculty of Medicine 

Universiteitssingel 50 

7 

= Center for European Studies 


11 

= Guesthouse Raccordement 

Raccordement 11a 

2 

= Faculty of Humanities and Sciences 


5 

= Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences 

Grote Gracht 90-92 

8 

= Main Guesthouse 

Brouwersweg 100 

12 

= Student Services 


3 

= Faculty of Psychology 

Faculty of Health Sciences 

Universiteitssingel 40 

6 

= University College Maastricht 

Zwingelput 4 

9 

10 

= Guesthouse Heugemerweg 

Heugemerweg 51 

= Guesthouse Majellastraat 

Majellastraat 2 

13a 

13b 

= School of Governance 


= School of Governance 

Kapoenstraat 2

Universiteit Maastricht 


P.O. Box 616 


The Netherlands

Opmaak UM Covers-extra 2006 - Faculty of Psychology and ...

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?