Student Handbook (pdf) - Psychology and Neuroscience ...

Student Handbook 

2008-2009 

Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience

Student Handbook • Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience 

Colophon 

Student Handbook for (International) Students 

Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience 

Maastricht University 

Published, edited and coordinated by: 

Academic Guide 

Social Guide 

Loes Mallee – International Relations Office, 


Wendy Hardy – International Relations Office, 

Faculty of Economics and Business Administration 

Ellen Nelissen – International Relations Office, 

Faculty of Economics and Business Administration 

Photography: 

Lay-out and design by: 

Printed by: 

Photostock UM Communicatie- en Relatiebeheer 

Menno Roosjen, Maastricht 

Anita Kaemingk, Maastricht 

Océ Business Services, Maastricht 

Océ Business Services, Maastricht 

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system 

or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording 

or otherwise, without prior permission of the publisher. 

Please note that the information contained in this handbook is subject to change. 

Please be aware that some of the rules (i.e. exam regulations) differ for certain programmes 

e.g. B-EPH and Bachelor/Master studies. If you have questions, please feel free to ask your 

tutor or the Programme Coordinator.


• Student Handbook 

Table of contents 

Welcome to Maastricht 9 

Preface 11 

Academic Guide 

1 Maastricht University A1 

2 Terms and procedures regarding education and examinations A3 

2.1 UM card or Student Identity Card (SIC) A3 

2.2 Education A3 

2.3 Educational support A4 

2.4 Examination A9 

3 Educational organization and administration A15 

3.1 ELEUM: Electronic Learning Environment Maastricht University A15 

3.2 The Student Advisor A15 

3.3 International Relations Office A15 

3.4 Study materials A17 

4 Informing Students A19 

4.1 Computerized Information System A19 

4.2 E-mail A19 

4.3 The Internet A19 

5 Student Facilities A21 

5.1 ICT Compass A21 

5.2 Computer access A21 

5.3 Mensa Academica Maastricht (MAM) A22 

5.4 The DocShop and copying A22 

5.5 Fax A23 

5.6 Bicycle cellar A23 

5.7 Lockers A23 

5.8 Information and services A24 

5.9 Instruction rooms, the University Library and Learning Resource Centre A28 

5.10 Public Library of Maastricht A29 

5.11 UM-Sports Services A30 

5.12 Studium Generale A30 

6 Nuffic A33 

7 International Student Associations A35 

7.1 AIESEC A35 

7.2 AEGEE A35 

7.3 Erasmus Student Network Maastricht A36


8 Education A39 

8.1 Becoming a regular student at the UM A39 

8.2 Extension of Exchange period A39 

Appendix I 

Important telephone numbers and websites 

Academic Calendar 2008-2009 

A41 

A42 

A 

S 

= Academic Guide 

= Social Guide



SOCIAL GUIDE 

1 The Netherlands and the City of Maastricht S1 

1.1 The Netherlands S1 

1.2 The History of South Limburg and Maastricht S3 

1.3 Maastricht: an overview S4 

2 Money matters S7 

2.1 The euro S7 

2.2 Changing money S7 

2.3 Opening a Dutch bank account S7 

2.3.1 Day-to-day finances S8 

2.3.2 Banks in Maastricht S8 

2.3.3 Bank opening hours S8 

2.4 Paying for things S8 

2.4.1 Cash and bank cards S8 

2.4.2 Cash dispenser (or Automated Teller Machines, ATMs) S8 

2.4.3 Credit cards and cheques S9 

2.4.4 Bank transfers S9 

2.4.5 Chipper & Chipknip S9 

2.4.6 UM Card S9 

3 Legal matters S11 

3.1 Student Law Agency S11 

4 Religion S13 

5 Sports S15 

5.1 University Sports Organization S15 

5.2 Sports Programmes S16 

5.3 Competitive Sports S19 

6 Lifestyles S21 

6.1 Finding groups and clubs S21 

6.2 A few suggestions S21 

7 On the move S27 

7.1 The bicycle S27 

7.2 Bicycle laws S28 

7.3 Public Transportation S28 

7.4 Driving your car S31 

8 Health care S33 

8.1 Family Doctor (huisarts) S33 

8.2 Medication S34 

8.3 Hospital S34 

8.4 Dentist (tandarts) S35 

8.5 Physiotherapist S35 

8.6 Student Psychologists and Deans S35


8.7 Others S36 

8.8 Confidential advisor S36 

8.9 Studying with a disability, chronic illness or dyslexia S36 

9 Drugs S39 

9.1 Drug policy S39 

9.2 Coffeeshops S39 

9.3 Smoking Ban S39 

10 Social Events and Important Dates S41 

10.1 Carnaval S41 

10.2 30 April - The Queen’s Birthday S41 

10.3 4 May - Dutch Memorial Day S41 

10.4 5 May - Liberation Day S41 

10.5 Preuvenemint S42 

10.6 5 December - Sinterklaas S42 

10.7 Elfstedentocht S42 

10.8 Oktoberfest (Munich, Germany) S42 

10.9 Other events S42 

11 Working in the Netherlands S45 

11.1 Who can work? S45 

11.2 Work Permits S45 

11.3 BSN S49 

11.4 Finding a Job S49 

11.5 Contact Information S49 

12 Student Life S50 

12.1 Relaxing S50 

12.2 Bars S51 

12.3 Restaurants S54 

12.4 Dance Till Dawn S56 

12.5 Anything else? S56 

12.6 Cinemas (www.bioscoop.nl) S59 

12.7 Theatre S59 

12.8 Museums S61 

13 Shopping S62 

13.1 Supermarkets S62 

13.2 Ingredients S63 

13.3 Market day S63 

13.4 Department stores S64 

13.5 Shopping Centres S65 

13.6 Voltage Transformer S65 

14 Communication S67 

14.1 Dutch Language S67 

14.2 Phones S68 

14.3 Pay phones S68



14.4 Fax S68 

14.5 E-mail S69 

14.6 Post packages S69 

14.7 Important phone numbers S71 

APPENDIX 1 

Official Institutions 

APPENDIX 2 

Information Sources 

APPENDIX 3 

Social Calendar 2008-2009 

S73 

S75 

S76 

A 

S 

= Academic Guide 

= Social Guide

Student Handbook • Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience



Welcome to Maastricht 

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 hightech 

laboratory facilities. It is located in the Randwyck area of Maastricht, close to the 

academic hospital and the faculties of medicine and health sciences. Downtown 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 and Neuroscience


10



Preface 

Dear students, 

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

welcome you to Maastricht University. 

Maastricht University 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 Maastricht University, 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 and Neuroscience, Maastricht University 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. 

Desirée Weerts, Assistant Internationalisation 

Universiteitssingel 40, Room 5.749 

Tel: 043 38 84031 

E-mail: International@psychology.unimaas.nl 

Office hours: Monday through Tuesday 10-5 pm 

Or 

Drs. Loes Mallee, International Relations Officer 

Universiteitssingel 40, Room: 5.749 

Tel: 043 38 81920 

E-mail: International@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 and 

Neuroscience! 

Loes Mallee, 

Head International Relations Office 

11


12

Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience Academic Guide • Student Handbook 

1 Maastricht University 

A warm welcome to Maastricht University. Maastricht University 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: Health, Medicine and 

Life Sciences, Law, Psychology and Neuroscience, Arts and Social Sciences, General 

Sciences and Economics & Business Administration. The ‘Keuzegids Hoger Onderwijs’ 

(Higher Education Selection Guide) classified Maastricht University as one of the two 

‘best choices’ for prospective students. The educational program offered at Maastricht 

University 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. 

Maastricht University 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. Maastricht University (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 ‘teachercentered’. 

• All educational programs have a strong international perspective. 

Maastricht University 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 Maastricht University 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 Maastricht 

University a very interesting study environment for you! 

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

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Student Handbook • Academic Guide Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience 

A2


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 € 10 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: t. 

How to make copies using your UM card 

Information can also be found on the UM card site: www.fd.unimaas.nl/umcard/english) 

2.2 Education 

2.2.1 The educational system: Problem-based Learning 

The decision to study at the Maastricht University 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. 

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• 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 stimulates students to acquire relevant 

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

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 put on Eleum. 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. 

Example of a course schedule: 

Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience 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 column the number of the course is given. On Eleum you can 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 meeting (= onderwijsgroep) at eleven o’clock and the other half 

have a meeting at 13.30pm. In the last column the room is given. As you can see, the 

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‘blokopening’ is in the building Uns 40, in the lecture hall 0.647. The room numbers where 

the tutorials will be held, can also be found on Eleum. 

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

of all you should check with the course coordinator 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 and Neuroscience 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 31/2 weeks each. It will not be possible to take two 

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

courses. Contact Desirée Weerts for more information: 

International@psychology.unimaas.nl 

2.3.3 Daylight saving time 

The daylight saving time ends on October 26, 2008 and will start again March 29, 2009. 

This means that on October 26, 2008 at 02.00 hrs the clock will be put one hour back and 

will be put one hour forward on March 29, 2009 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 Eleum. 

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

meetings as possible! 

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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 INHAALOPDRACHT 

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 

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 

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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 examination board for any information or questions regarding exam related 

topics. 

Office hours of the Chair of the examination board, Dr. Hanneke van Mier, are: 

every Monday and Thursday from 1.00 till 1.30 p.m., room 4.744. The office hours of 

Martien Jenneskens (secretary) are every Friday from 1.00 till 1.30 pm. 

You can also make an appointment with dr. Hanneke van Mier room 8.773 for another day 

or time. Phone: 043 38 84010, or with Martien: 043 38 81459. 

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 mailbox/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 

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. 

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Map of Maastricht: locations examinations 

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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 1, 6 

Dousberg, Dousbergberg 4, 6216 GC Maastricht no bus line available 

Geuselt, Olympiaweg 81, 6229 HD Maastricht bus 51 

MECC, Forum 100, 6229 GV Maastricht bus 1, 3, 4, 53, 57 

Randwyck, Sorbonnelaan 180, 6229 HD Maastricht bus 1, 3, 4, 9, 11, 57 

To the hospital and then walk to 

Sporthall Randwyck 

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 administration 

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

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2.4.5 The Examination Board (EB) 

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

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

Neuroscience). 

The secretariat of the Examination Board (EB) supports the OEC and assists students in 

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

• questions concerning examination rules; 

• explanation of procedures; 

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

such as exemptions etc.); 

• objections, after conclusion of the standard procedure. 

Head of the Examination Board: 

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

If you have a question for the examination Board, 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 Examination Board is not to the student’s satisfaction, he or she 

can lodge an appeal with the Examinations Appeal Board (‘College van Beroep voor de 

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

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

• deliberately misled the examination board, 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 board can declare the result of the relevant test invalid for the 

student concerned. 

2. The examination board 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. 

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3. In the case of fraud, the examination board 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 board 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 1 of 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, from 

scientific articles or books, from sources on the Internet or from other electronic 

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

• literal copying or copying with minimal changes of extensive passages (more than 

a couple of sentences) from above mentioned sources with or without reference to 

the source text 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 accesible 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: 

1. 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; 

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• 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; 

• 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 board, 

together with possible texts which had been confiscated; 

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

examination: 

• the examiner notifies the Psychology examination board in writing without delay 

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

• the Psychology examination board notifies the examinee about the ascertained 

(possible) fraud. 

3. 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 examination board in writing without delay 

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

• the Psychology examination board notifies the examinee about the ascertained 

(possible) fraud. 

Article 5 

The Psychology examination board 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 board 

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

if possible by one other member of the committee; 

b. the examination board 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 examination board 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 board 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 

board 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 examination board 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 Examination Appeal Board against decisions taken by the 

examination board concerning fraud, within four weeks after the decision has been 

publicized. 

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3 Educational organization and administration 

3.1 ELEUM: Electronic Learning Environment Maastricht University 

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 5.744) when your last name starts with A - K. 

- Gerda Galenkamp (room 5.748) 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 and Neuroscience, tel. 043 38 819118. 

3.3 International Relations Office 

The Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience has exchange agreements with universities 

and institutions in many countries all over the world. Maastricht psychology students 

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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 and Neuroscience at Maastricht University. All of these students need 

administrative and social support, which is provided by the International Relations staff: 

Drs Loes Mallee 

(Head International Relations; outgoing students) 

Room 5.749 

Phone: +31-43-38 81920 

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

Ms Ilse Bougie 

(assistant International Relations Officer; outgoing students) 

Room 5.749 

Phone: +31-43-38 84031 

E-mail: international@psychology.unimaas.nl 

Ms Desiree Weerts 

(student assistant incoming students) 

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 

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International Relations Staff: 

Desiree Weerts, Ilse Bougie 

Arjan Blokland, Loes Mallee 

3.3.1 The Buddy System 

Since January 2005 the International Relations 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 and Neuroscience. 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 for 

exchange students is free of charge. 

Visiting address: Universiteitssingel 40, first floor, room 1.771 

Telephone: + 31 43 388 1957 

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 

Telephone : 043-3883015 

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

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4 Informing Students 

Basically, all the information you need for your study at Maastricht University 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 

up-to-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 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. 

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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 and Neuroscience are located in the 

UNS50 (Universiteitssingel 50) building in the center section. 

Opening hours 

Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. till 7:00 p.m. 

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 

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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 youremail. 

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: 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 UM card. 

The Mensa’s opening hours are: 

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

Friday: 

08:30- 16:00 hrs 

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

5.4 The DocShop and copying 

As mentioned before, copying and printing at the University and at the University Library 

can only be done with your Student Identity Card (UM card). You can go to The DocShop 

for special copying services such as copying onto A3 format, making colour prints, binding 

theses and reports etc. At The DocShop you can only pay by bank card or by Chipknip. 

You can also buy your stationary (pens, notepads, markers, ordners) at The DocShop. 

Visiting address The DocShop 

UNS 40-50 

(on the bridge between the mensa and the library) 

Phone: +31 43 38 81 148 

Opening hours: Monday – Friday 8:30h – 17:00 hrs 

E-mail: 

UNS40@thedocshop.eu 

University Library Grote Looiersstraat 17 

Phone: +31 43 38 84 794 

Opening hours: Monday – Friday 8:30h – 18:00 hrs 

E-mail: 

UB@thedocshop.eu 

Website: 

www.thedocshop.eu 

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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. 

5.5 Fax 

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

post office offers fax facilities. 

CopyMaster Nederland BV Central Post Office 

Looiersgracht 1/c (Near the Bonnefanten Library) 

Statenstraat 4 (Near the Vrijthof Square) 

Phone: 043-3210355 Phone: 043-3299199 

Prices per 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 5.749) 

during open office hours. 

5.6 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. 

5.7 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. For the lockers at the Computer Resource Center you need € 2. Make sure 

you clear your locker at the end of everyday, because the lockers will automatically open 

in the evening. 

5.8 Information and services 

5.8.1 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 

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

Bonnefantenstraat 2. 

5.8.2 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 Friday, 10:00 – 18:00 

Saturday, 10:00-16:00 

E-mail: 

study@unimaas.nl 

Telephone Consultation: Monday to Friday, 9:00-12:30, 13:30-17:00 

Phone number: 043-3885388 

5.8.3 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 (Monday through Friday 9:00-17:00 hrs) or via Student Services. 

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

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5.8.4 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 Thursday, 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 

(Monday through Friday 9:00 - 12:30 and 1:30 - 5:00 pm) 

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

5.8.5 Confidential advisor 

The Executive Board of the Maastricht University 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. 

Confidential advisor on undesirable behaviour 

José van Eijsden (by appointment) 

Tel: 043-3885621 

Mail: Jose.vanEijsden@OIFDG.unimaas.nl 

5.8.6 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 Maastricht University 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 

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Opening hours: Tuesday to Friday, 9.30-12.30 hrs 

Call for appointments: Monday to Friday 

Phone number: 043-3885272 

At Maastricht University 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 Maastricht University is specialized 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 Maastricht 

University (see above for contact information), in order to be able to workout 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. 

5.8.7 UM Career Services 

UM Career Services aims at assisting students in a successful preparation for their 

future career. This goal is achieved by providing students with the required education, 

information, advice and counselling. 

In addition UM Career Services links students of Maastricht University to the job market 

in various ways. 

What does UM Career Services offer: 

• Quick Career Advice: 

The Career Services employees can help you with all your questions about career 

planning. Just book a 15 minute one-on-one session. As often as you need! 

Call: +31 43 3885388 

• Career & Information Centre: 

Printed documentation, digital databases and online information about: 

- Careers and the international Labour Market 

- Studying and Traineeships in the Netherlands and abroad 

- Improving your Study Skills and Disability Management 

Location: Bonnefantenstraat 2, room B1.35 (1st floor) 

• Career Counsellors: for further individual career counselling 

• Workshops: Dutch and English 

• Vacancydatabase: student jobs - internships - graduate jobs - voluntary work 

• Career events, lectures, presentations: in cooperation with Alumni, companies, study 

associations, etc. 

For more information visit our website: www.unimaas.nl/careerservices 

You can make an appointment by phone, 043-3885388 

Visiting address: Bonnefantenstraat 2, room B.1.35. 

Opening hours: Monday to Thursday 9:00 AM - 5:30 PM, Friday 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM 

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5.8.8 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 only work by appointment. Appointments can be made 

at the information and service desk at the SSC, or by phone: 043-3885388 

5.8.9 University Housing Agency – Het Kamerburo 

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

foundation) Maastricht. This foundation is a joint effort of 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: 

www.kamerburo.net 

Visiting Address: 

Bonnefantenstraat 2 

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. 

5.9 Instruction rooms, the University Library and Learning Resource Centre 

5.9.1 Instruction Rooms 

Instruction rooms 

Tutorial group meeting rooms 

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

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• 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 

• 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. 

5.9.2 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 17.00 h no loan facilities) 

Friday: 

08.30 - 19.00 h (from 17.00 h no loan facilities) 

Saturday: 

12.00 - 17.00 h (no loan facilities) 

Sunday: 

12.00 - 17.00 h (no loan facilities) 

5.9.3 Learning Resources Center 

The Learning and Resource Center is a unique support facility of Problem-Based Learning 

(PBL), the education system used by the Maastricht University (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. 

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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. 

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 17.00 hrs; no loan facilities*) 

Friday 

08.30 – 18.00 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 selfcheckmachine. 

5.10 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 

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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 (Closed on Sunday during July and August) 

5.11 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, 

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. 

5.12 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 

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Address of Studium Generale 

PO Box 616 

6200 MD Maastricht 

Phone: 043-388 53 07 (Mon -Thurs 9 AM – 5 PM) 

Fax: 043-388 53 10 

E-mail: mail@sg.unimaas.nl 

More information: www.sg.unimaas.nl 

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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 

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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 organization 

was 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 Maastricht University 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 Maastricht University have been sent all over the world. AIESEC 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 

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! 

A35


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: 

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 

A36


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. 

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: Monday through Thursday from 15:00 – 17:00 hrs 

Address: 

Bonnefantenstraat 2, (Room C2.04 of the Student Service Center). 

ESN Maastricht 

P.O. Box 616 


Phone: +3143-3885357 

+3143-3264162 

Fax: +3184-7534584 

E-mail: esn@studiever.unimaas.nl 

Website: www.esn-maastricht.nl 

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

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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 applicationis 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 and Neuroscience 

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. 

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A40


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 Desiree Weerts, Assistant 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.9292OV.nl 

www.holland.com 

www.schiphol.nl 

Information on train travel in the Netherlands 

Information on all public transport in the Netherlands 

Official site of the Netherlands Board of Tourism 

Information on flights and timetables 

A41


Academic Calendar 2008-2009 

Semester 1 

Block period 1 

September 

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 27 28 

PBL and Portfolio week 1 week 2 week 3 

October 

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 25 26 

week 4 week 5 week 6 week 7 


November 

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 22 23 


December 

24 25 26 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 

week 5 week 6 week 7 Re-sits 

January 

22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 1 2 3 4 

Christmas break 

Christmas break 


January 

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 


December 22 - January 2 : Christmas break 

February 23 - February 27 : Carnival break 

April 10 - 13 : Easter break 

April 30 : Queen’s Birthday 

May 5 : Liberation Day 

May 21 - 22 : Ascension 

June 1 : Whit Monday 

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Semester 2 


February 

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 1 

week 1 week 2 week 3 Carnival 

March 

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 


April 

30 31 1 2 3 4 5 

Re-sits 


April 

May 

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 


May 

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 31 



June 

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 27 28 

Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 week 4 

July 

29 1 2 3 4 5 6 

Re-sits 

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Social Guide 


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 northwestern 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 as it 

refers to only a small part of the country. Holland was the economic power house 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 eleven other 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 ninth on the 2006 UN 

Human Development Index, behind Norway, Iceland, Australia, Ireland, Sweden, Canada, 

Japan and the USA. The English adjective and noun for relating to the Netherlands is 

“Dutch,” which is also the name of the language in the Netherlands. 

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 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 Germans (2.4%), Indonesians (2.4%; Indo-European, 

Indo-Dutch, Moluccan), Turks (2.2%), Surinamese (2.0%), Moroccans(1.9%), Indians (1.5%), 

Antilleans and Arubans (0.8%), and 6.0% other. 

Language 

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

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. 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, English and 

some French as well. 

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. 

S1

Student Handbook • Social Guide 

S2 

St Jan Church was build next to the 

St Servaas Basilica at the Vrijthof.

Social Guide 


Daylight saving time 

During summer time in the Netherlands, and in seventy other countries, such as the European 

Union, Mexico, Chile or Namibia, daylight saving time has been installed. 

This means for 2008 that on 30 March 2008 the clock was put one hour forward; daylight 

saving time ends 26 October when the clock will be put one hour backwards again. In 

2009 daylight saving time will start 29 March and end 25 October. 

Sources: Wikipedia, Culture Grams, CIA World Fact Book 

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) and was therefore guarded by 

two camps on either side of the Maas. 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 Vrouwechurch 

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 was 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 effectively 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 

led to the building of 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 (St John), the Dominikanen (named after the Dominican Friars, also known as Black 

Friars) and the Minderbroeders (named after the Friars Minor) 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. 

S3


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 (what was then known as) 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 

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, the largest Belgian city in the Euregion, 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, 

which is also reflected in their use of language, as described earlier. 

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 its flamboyant atmosphere or to visit one of the 1660 monuments in 

Maastricht. 

As mentioned earlier, 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 to some extent. 

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/Sabic (large chemical concern. 

S4

Social Guide 


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 elsewhere in this handbook. 

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 from the site. Once you have this installed on your 

computer make sure you visit the page, it is a real must-see. 

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 Servaas cult. Today the Vrijthof square is dominated by two 

impressive churches: the St Servaas basilica and the St Jan church. Whenever Maastricht 

has something special to celebrate, such as the Preuvenemint (see 10.5) or Carnaval, the 

Vrijthof is the place to be. The Markt (market), the other square in the centre, is a more 

down-to-earth version of the Vrijthof, centered around the Town Hall. 

On Wednesdays and Fridays the vegetable-sellers and other vendors erect their stalls 

around the Town Hall to sell their wares at slightly cheaper prices than in the shops. 

Stokstraat quarter 

The Stokstraat quarter, or Stokstraatkwartier, is one of the most attractive and expensive 

shopping areas in Maastricht. It has many narrow streets, lovely restored houses and 

shops, attracting many tourists and day-trippers. The Romans built their settlement in the 

first century AD here in the Stokstraat quarter. Various Roman ruins, such as the baths and 

parts of a wall with towers, lie hidden below the surface; although in some places you can 

still tell where they must have been. 

Jeker quarter 

This is the student part of Maastricht, sometimes jokingly called the Quartier Latin of 

Maastricht. In addition to Maastricht University, other educational institutions such as 

the Maastricht School of Drama and the Conservatory are located here as well. Between 

the many churches, monasteries, mills and historic buildings, glimpses can be caught of 

the Jeker, the narrow river which winds through this area all the way from Belgium. 

Céramique 

Céramique is a relatively new neighbourhood in Wyck (across the St Servaas Bridge in the 

direction of the main railway station). Here you will find the Bonnefantenmuseum and 

the Public Library (www.centreceramique.nl). 

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 its natural beauty. Cycling and walking in the hills with their 

unique flora and fauna are popular pastimes. Almost every town organises its own events 

throughout the year. Chapter 10 will provide you with a full calendar of Social Events in 

Maastricht and surroundings. 

S5


Climate 

Someone once peered up at the Dutch sky and glumly 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. On 

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. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Social Guide 


2 Money matters 

2.1 The euro 

The Netherlands is one of the European Union member countries that changed its currency 

to euro on 1 January 2002. Other countries that have converted to this currency 

are: Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Kosovo, 

Luxembourg, Monaco, Montenegro, Portugal, San Marino, Slovenia, Spain, and Vatican 

City. Although the Vatican, Monaco and San Marino are not EU members, they have still 

adopted the euro due to currency unions with member states. Andorra, Montenegro and 

Kosovo (also not part of the EU) have adopted the euro unilaterally. 

These countries have the same bank notes but slightly different looking 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. 

The coins have two faces: the common euro face showing the amount, and a national 

face. Although the 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 

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 a Dutch bank account 

Apart from needing a Dutch account to get a bank card (see 2.4.5) there are other advantages 

of having a Dutch account. 

Providing you get a so-called World Pass, 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 card plus PIN code (pinning) to pay in stores and supermarkets 

in the Netherlands (even in an increasing number of stores abroad). 

You will be able to automatically transfer your monthly rent. 

You will be able to “pin” the money for the residence permit (check 2.4.1 for “pinning”). 

S7


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 privé rekening or at the postoffice 

(Postbank, to be found at all large post offices), where it is called a girorekening. 

An account at a commercial bank is functional the same day that you open it, but if the 

bank knows you will be staying for only a short time, for example if you are an exchange 

student, 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 have 

an overdraft. 

2.3.2 Banks in Maastricht 

There are several banks in Maastricht: ABN-AMRO, Rabobank, VSB Bank, SNS Bank and 

ING. Most banks will ask for a residence permit or a burgerservicenumber (BSN), which 

you obviously will not have (at least not straight away). Actually, they are no longer supposed 

to ask for a BSN, but not all banks know this. 

Opening an account if you are a foreign student can be a daunting process, and we 

strongly advise you to check with the International Relations Office prior to arrival, to find 

out what the most recent process entails. 

If you open a bank account, you will be provided with a bank card plus PIN code. This card 

can be used at any time to withdraw cash from any ATM in the Netherlands. Check with 

the bank whether you can also use it for ATMs abroad. 

2.3.3 Bank opening hours 

Opening hours of the banks differ from regular opening hours of shops and supermarkets. 

Most banks are closed on Saturdays and Sundays. Once you have opened an account 

please check with your personal bank branch for its opening hours. 

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 the use of bank cards (the Dutch words used in 

connection with bank cards are pin, pinpas, pinnen or chippen) is 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 pin-code); 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 nearby the Lecture Hall in the Faculty of Economics 

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Social Guide 


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 allowed to 

pin at a cash dispenser from a different bank than your own only 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 have to pay a percentage of each sale to the credit card company. 

However, restaurants, hotels and department stores generally accept all major cards. 

There will usually be a notice board near the entrance that shows which credit cards are 

accepted. Personal cheques will not be accepted. If you bring Travellers Cheques with you 

it is advised to cash them in at a bank first, as paying with Travellers Cheques is not common. 

The banks encourage people to use the pin system instead. 

Travellers Cheques are useful when you travel in Europe because you can write them out 

in any currency and cash them at any bank. Traveller’s cheques are insured, although with 

a certain amount of personal risk. 

2.4.4 Bank transfers 

Bills are generally paid by bank transfer. When bills are sent, they usually have a so-called 

acceptgirokaart attached to them: a yellow slip containing the amount payable, the name 

and bank details of the beneficiary, and other data. 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 if you need to pay bills that do not have 

an acceptgirokaart attached. If it is a regular bank, these are called overschrijvingsformulieren. 

On the form you fill in the amount payable, the account number, the name 

and place of residence of the beneficiary, 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 amounts smaller than € 10 

with your bank card, the Chipper (issued by the Postbank) or Chipknip (issued by the other 

banks) was introduced in the Netherlands. This is either a separate card or your regular 

bankcard with a chip added to it, and can be loaded (laden) with money. After being 

loaded the Chipknip is effectively turned into an electronic wallet, 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. The Chipknip can be loaded 

at the bank (there is usually a machine next to the ATM that says Chipknip). 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 

On top of being an identity card, your UM card should also be used to pay for printing 

and copying services at the UM Libraries and faculties, and to gain access to these UM 

Libraries. Although it is recommended to pay with your UM card at the University’s food 

facilities (DE Coffee corner and Mensa Restaurant), another possibility is to pay with cash. 

S9


Note that you pay 25% more when paying in cash. You cannot use the UM card to pay 

outside the university. 

Loading your UM Card 

You can load your UM Card at several loading point near the reception and the Mensa Restaurant 

of the Faculty of Economics and Business in several ways. Instructions are written 

in Dutch and English, but quite simple. You can always ask for assistance, the MENSA staff 

will be happy to help. 

• By cash; make sure you only use Euro bank notes. 

• By bank card (pinpas). Make sure you sufficient money on your bank account, as you 

need to transfer money from the bank card onto your UM card before it can be used. 

• By credit card. 

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

or you can make printouts from your computer. If you make copies 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 YOUR 

UM CARD. 

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Social Guide 


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 

Bonnefantenstraat 2 Maastricht 

Open: 

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 

between 10:00 and 13:00 hrs 

Phone: +31(0)43-388 53 46 

e-mail: SRB@studver.unimaas.nl 

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The St Servaas Basilica at the Vrijthof 

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Social Guide 


4 Religion 

Although modern Dutch society is not very much concerned with religion and few Dutch 

people identify with an organised 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, 

whereas 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 

E-mail: tafelstraat13@ssc.unimaas.nl 

Monday-Thursday : 10:00-12:30 and 13:30-16:00 hrs 

For more information about student activities, visit www.tafelstraat13.nl 

Esther Diederen is called studentenpastor in Dutch, she is 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. 

The most frequently searched for addresses are: 

Roman Catholic Student Chaplaincy 

Régis de la Haye - Onze Lieve Vrouwekerk, Maastricht. 

Tel. +31 (0)43-356 13 30 

E-mail: r.delahaye@planet.nl 

Mosque 

Turks Kultureel Centrum TEVHID, Maastricht 

Weustenraadstraat 24 

6217 HZ Maastricht. 

Tel: +31 (0)43-354 08 40 

www.tevhid.nl 

Ar Rahman (Elfath Moskee) 

Sint Lucassingel 70 

6217 JC Maastricht. 

Tel: +31 (0)43-343 71 20, 

Fax: +31 (0)43-364 81 00 

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Synagogue Meerssen 

Kuileneindestraat 22a, Meerssen. 

Tel: +31 (0)43-365 55 27. 

Synagogue Maastricht 

Capucijnengang 2, Maastricht. 

Tel: +31 (0)6-46 40 58 88. 

Rabbi Yaakov Y Schapiro. 

Info@synagoguemaastricht.nl 

yyschapiro@yahoo.com 

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. 

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Social Guide 


5 Sports 

For those of you who do not get enough exercise riding your bicycles to and from the 

university, UM Sports organises 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. If you 

are interested in sports and athletics you should go looking for them yourself. This means 

visiting the UM Sport desk, visiting the clubs and organisations yourself, and eventually 

becoming a member. The sports programmes are not compulsory, but through UM Sport 

you can involve yourself in as much physical activity as you please for very low fees. 

The best place to start is at the UM Sport web pages or at the UM Sport desk at Sports 

Centre Randwyck. There you can get information regarding the sports facilities and activities 

available to students. 

5.1 University Sports Organization 

To best understand what sports programmes are offered by the University, it is good 

to have an understanding of how the sports organisation is structured. There are three 

levels: UM Sports, MUSST, and the individual sports clubs. 

5.1.1 UM Sports 

UM Sport is the central university department and responsible for the largest part of 

the sports programme at UM. The office as well as the desk is located at Sports Centre 

Randwyck, P. Debyeplein 15 in Maastricht. Please check the website for the actual opening 

hours: www.ssc.unimaas.nl/sport 

All programmes under UM Sport require a Sports Card, which you can buy at the UM 

Sport desk or at the UM Sport web shop. (More information in section 5.2.1) 

5.1.2 MUSST 

Sports council MUSST (Maastricht University Student Sports Trust) is the umbrella organisation 

for 19 Student Sports Associations with sports varying from Sailing to Soccer. 

The total number of members for all these associations is around 1600. Within these associations, 

not only playing sports is important, but they also organise all kind of activities 

and parties. 

Sports council MUSST supports these associations with subsidies, council and promotional 

efforts. Members of these associations can apply for subsidies with respect to the 

participation in tournaments. 

Besides this, Sports council MUSST organises all kind of events, within Maastricht and on a 

national level. Examples are the Sportsweek, the Student Wintersport, the Batavierenrace 

and the Great Dutch Student Championships. 

Individual sporters (non-members of one of the 19 associations) can apply for subsidies 

concerning NSK’s and GNSK’s (Dutch Students Championships and Great Dutch Student 

Championships). 

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5.1.3 Student Sports Organisations 

The various UM Students Sports Associations organise their own sports hours. These sports 

hours are only for their members. In September all Students Sports Associations usually 

organise introductory weeks, so that you can get acquainted with the various programmes. 

To become a member of a Student Sport Association the UM Sports cards is required. 

Again, the Sports council MUSST is the umbrella organisation of all Students Sports 

Associations in Maastricht. They can help you further with questions about any Student 

Sports Association. 

5.2 Sports Programmes 

5.2.1 The Sports Card and University Sports 

The Sports Card gives you access to several sports facilities; many ‘open hour’ activities 

are free of charge. There are additional fees, however, for the fitness licence and courses. 

Activities are spread all over the Maastricht area, but you will find a lot of them at Sports 

Centre Randwyck. 

Some of the free activities included on the Sports Card are: badminton, basketball, rugby, 

aerobics, floor ball, volleyball, wu shu, boxing, swimming, indoor soccer and judo. 

Some activities are available for a limited number of participants and therefore offered 

as a course. A course takes 7 or 14 weeks and you have to sign-up and pay an extra fee. 

Examples are: acrobatics, ballet, capoeira, modern dance, pilates, spinning and yoga. 

To use the gym at sports centre Randwyck you need a special permit: the fitness licence, 

which you can buy after attending an introduction class. In combination with the sports 

card, the fitness licence is less expensive. 

The sports card is valid during an academic year. There are several types of sports cards 

depending on the time you start and the length of your membership. Five terms: 12/12, 

10/12, 8/12, 6/12 and 4/12 whereas the 12/12 stands for 12 months (1 September 2008 thru 31 

August 2009) and the 8/12 for 8 months. This type of sports card always ends in August. To 

give you an indication the 12/12 sports card costs € 55. Besides there is a ‘4 months’ sports 

card (which starts at a term). The price for this card is € 25. The 5 terms are: 1 September, 

1 November, 1 January, 1 March and 1 May. Note that at UM Sport there is no entrance fee 

and no notice. 

For a price list of the sports cards, fitness licence and courses, please visit the UM Sport 

website at: www.ssc.unimaas.nl/sport 

The Sports Card and the fitness licence can be bought at both the UM Sport web shop 

(Save € 2.50 on the sports card!) or at the UM Sport desk, where you can register for a 

course as well. 

During the Try Out weeks (September 1-13) you can join several activities without the 

sports card. See the website for an overview. 

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Social Guide 


Information on all sports activities offered by the UM can be found on the website www. 

ssc.unimaas.nl/sport. 

5.2.2 Private Sports Clubs 

There are many private sports clubs in Maastricht, which cater to all levels and backgrounds. 

As a general rule such clubs are more expensive than UM Sports clubs, but are 

usually open to students and eager for new members. 

Although mostly a second choice to UM-organised sports where you can participate 

with your peers and enjoy discount rates, private clubs do offer most sports not available 

through the UM programme. Private clubs are too numerous to name here. If you are 

looking for a specific sport, ask at the UM Sport desk or search the Yellow pages, and keep 

your eyes open for posters and promotions. 

5.2.3 Sports Facilities 

Swimming Pools 

The UM Sports card allows you free access to some swimming pools at certain times. 

Please check the UM PORT website or contact the swimming pool for information on 

lessons and water sports. 

Zwembad de Dousberg 

Phone +31 (0)43-343 34 66 

Dousbergweg 10 

6216 GC, Maastricht 

Zwembad Heer 

Phone +31 (0)43-362 04 04 

Laan in den Drink 8 

626 HG, Maastricht 

Fitness Centres 

Sports Centre Randwyck 

Phone: +31(0)43-388 53 11 

P. Debyeplein 15 

6229 HA, Maastricht 

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 programme. However, some 

private gyms offer student discounts and personal training. 

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Social Guide 


UM Sports ( just a sample) 

Running Training Handball Sailing Indoor Soccer 

Pilates Aikido Lacrosse Jiu Jitsu 

Hockey Floor ball Power Kick Rowing 

Boxing Tennis Judo Basketball 

Acrobatics Korfball Yoga Volleyball 

Fencing Skipping Capoeira Streetdance 

Cycling Karate Outdoor Soccer Aerobics 

Club Power Golf Wu Shu Badminton 

Squash Waterpolo Ballet Swim Training 

Swimming (free) Modern Dance Spinning Ballroom Dance 

Condition Training Total Body Workout 

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 

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: “Study & 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. 

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Social Guide 


6 Lifestyles 

Whether it is 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 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, he or she is sure to have “a friend of a 

friend” in just about every organisation out there. Personal contacts are a key factor in 

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 Service Center (www.ssc.unimaas.nl). 

Art Academy 

The Academy of Fine Arts Maastricht is located just down the road from the Faculty of 

Economics and Business Administration, 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. 

S21


Charity 

Ragweek 

Each year, the RAGWEEK is organised, involving all UM student associations organising 

activities that raise money for charity. www.ragweek.unimaas.nl 

www.tafelstraat13.nl/volunteer.htm 

covers many charity organisations as well as service and activist groups. 

Community 

Tafelstraat 13 

See also Religion 

Tafelstraat 13 is an open community organised through the University chaplain that 

targets both Dutch and International students. Organising activities in English and 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 lighthearted 

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. 

Erasmus Student Network 

ESN Maastricht helps international students integrate into life in Maastricht by organising 

mentorship programmes, greeting events and other activities. 

Postal address: 

Bonnefantenstraat 2 

P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht 

Visiting address: 

Bonnefantenstraat 2, Room B2.04 of the Student Service Center 

6211 KL Maastricht 

Office hours: Monday - Thursday: 15:00 -17:00 hrs. 

esn@studver.unimaas.nl, www.esn-maastricht.nl 

Tel: +31 (0)43-388 53 57 Fax: +31 (0)43-753 45 84 

International drink every Tuesday at the “Twee Heeren”. 

Cultural Groups 

ACSSNL 

The Association for Chinese Students and Scholars in the Netherlands is an official 

organisation 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 

Tel:+31 (0)6 41 23 84 76 

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Social Guide 


Fraternities 

(See student associations) 

Homosexual Groups 

COC - Gay and Lesbian Association 

COC Netherlands is a federation of 24 COC organisations in most of the larger Dutch 

cities. The local organisations operate in the region and offer personal support, support 

groups and information. They promote lesbian and gay interests and provide venues 

where gays and lesbians can meet. Special activities aim at older gays and lesbians, 

women, young people, ethnic minorities and people with disabilities. The local organisations 

are run almost exclusively by volunteers. 

COC Limburg 

Bogaardenstraat 43 

6211 SN Maastricht 

+31 (0)43-321 83 37 

info@coclimburg.nl 

www.coclimburg.nl 

Kaleidoscope 

Maastricht LGBT Student Association 

Kaleidoscope provides a social space for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and like-minded 

students in Maastricht. It promotes a more diverse student community, trying to create 

more awareness and acceptance of alternative sexual orientations and gender identities. 

Postal address: 

Student Service Center 

Kaleidoscope 

P.O. Box 616 


www.kaleidoscope-maastricht.nl 

kaleidoscope@ssc.unimaas.nl 

Languages 

UM Talencentrum 

The UM Talencentrum (Language Centre) offers courses for beginners and advanced students 

in many languages. For more information or a course catalogue please go to their 

main office at 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 

www.kumulus.nl / info@kumulus.nl 

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University Orchestra Maastricht 

The UM has an orchestra of string, woodwind and brass instruments. For more information 

call Ms Fransje Muysken: +31 (0)43-343 19 97 

TUNA 

The UM also has a student association for traditional Spanish music. 

www.tunademaastricht.com/ 

Political Organisations 

Amnesty International 

Amnesty International Maastricht Students (AIMS) is an active group of students who 

organise 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 of stimulating 

the development of political thinking and exchanging different views on political 

matters. As such, Alert aims to provide a platform for political discussions about controversial 

topics within the university, such as globalisation versus democracy, G8, corporate 

responsibility and human rights, AIDS. 

For more information contact 

Jan Joseph Stok: 

J.Stok@alumni.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 societies, to very tightly focused 

groups specialising in a single activity. Some of the largest and most popular social associations 

are: 

AIESEC 

Claiming to be the world’s largest international student association. For more information 

go to www.aiesec.nl/maastricht or email address aiesec@studver.unimaas.nl 

AIESEC Maastricht 

Tongersestraat 43 

6211 LS Maastricht 

Room 0.014/ 2.011 

AEGEE – International Student Association 

www.aegee-maastricht.org 

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Social Guide 


Koko – Large local student association 

www.svkoko.nl 

SV Circumflex – Large local student association 

www.circumflex.nl 

M.S.V. Tragos – Large local student association 

www.tragos.nl 

MDF – a federation of smaller student associations 

www.studver.unimaas.nl/mdf 

OSM – Independent Student platform Maastricht 

StichtingOSM@gmail.com 

www.OSM1995.nl 

Saurus – Social Rowing Association 

www.msrvsaurus.nl 

Theatre 

Alles Is Drama 

Alles is Drama is a student association that offers performance courses of many varieties. 

Alles is Drama 

Postbus 616 6200 MD Maastricht 

Phone +31 (0)43-388 53 58 

www.allesisdrama.com 

allesisdrama@hotmail.com 

Studium Generale 

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

science and society, in addition to regular study programmes. 

Please check their website www.sg.unimaas.nl for more information. 

Writing 

Eloquent Magazine 

Eloquent is the independent Faculty magazine of the Faculty of Economics and Business 

Administration. 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. 

Website: www.eloquent.nl 

Email: eloquent.board@gmail.com 

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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. 

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Social Guide 


7 On the move 

7.1 The bicycle 

If you really want to sample Dutch life and get around quickly and easily make sure you 

buy a bicycle. Get one just like the Dutch use as a serious form of transport: a sturdy, nononsense 

bicycle, 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 bicycle to an immovable object, in order 

to discourage bicycle-thieves. In fact, most Dutch students spend more money on the 

locks than on the bicycle itself. 

7.1.1 Buying a second hand bicycle 

Most students buy second hand bicycles; prices vary greatly. Although second hand bicycles 

are not easy to get, you can try one of these addresses in Maastricht: 

Courtens Bike Sports 

Quaaden Rijwiel- en Bromfietsenhandel 

Calvariestraat 16, Maastricht 

Akersteenweg 22, Maastricht 

T: +31 (0)43- 321 38 20 T: +31 (0)43-361 39 25 

www.courtensbikesports.nl 

Aon de Stasie Tweewielerspecialist 

Rijwielhandel George Walstock 

Stationsplein 26, Maastricht 

Ruttensingel 59, Maastricht 

T: +31 (0)43-321 11 00 T: +31 (0)43-325 06 62 

You can also ask your fellow students if they happen to have any spare bicycles standing 

around at home, which is not uncommon. 

A word of advice: if you have to leave your bicycle at the station overnight do not park it 

on the premises, since this is the most common place for it to get stolen. Instead, park 

it indoors at the bicycle garage “Aon de Stasie Tweewielerspecialist”, which is near the 

station, and simply pick up your bicycle upon return. Leaving your bicycle at the garage 

costs € 1.10 per day. If you park your bicycle overnight, you have to pay for two days. For 

example: if you bring in your bicycle on Monday and you pick it up on Tuesday, you are 

charged € 2.20. 

7.1.2 Bicycle theft 

If your bicycle gets stolen, you should report it to the police. Once you have the official 

police report you can visit the police station every last Saturday of the month to see if 

they have found your bicycle. If the police do not retrieve your bicycle, you have the opportunity 

to buy one of the other bicycles that were stolen, retrieved by the police but not 

picked up by the owner. These bicycles can be bought at a very low price. 

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7.2 Bicycle laws 

7.2.1 General bicycle 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 nevertheless 

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 bicycle will be removed and brought to a bicycle parking on 

Kesselskade; scooters are moved to Het Bat. The owner can pick it up there. 

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. 

This ticket is called a strippenkaart, or stripcard. You can buy those with two or three strips 

from the bus or tram driver, but the cards with 15 or 45 strips that you buy in advance are 

much cheaper. These more economical cards can be bought at all railway stations and 

post offices, as well as in many bookstores and cigarette shops. A stamp on a strip cancels 

that strip and all those above it. If you buy a strippenkaart on the bus you pay in cash; note 

that on an increasing number of buses you can also pay with your Chipknip. 

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, and is also prohibited in the station and on the platforms (although 

there are special zones on the platform where smoking is permitted; these zones are 

indicated by a tall pillar, containing ash trays and the words “rookzone”. Anyone caught 

smoking outside these zones will get a heavy fine). 

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. 

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Social Guide 


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 www.holland.com/global/ you can find tips for interesting places to go in the 

Netherlands. 

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 in to 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 bank card, either by using your PIN or Chipknip. If you only 

have cash at hand, you can buy your ticket at the ticket window (which is slightly more 

expensive). Note that not all stations have a ticket window. If you find yourself on a station 

without a ticket window and no bank card, make sure you alert the ticket collector on 

the train upon embarking to avoid getting fined for not having a ticket. 

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 plan to 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 19:00 hrs and make sure you arrive before 04:00 hrs on 

Monday. 

If you want to travel extensively within the Netherlands, it is advisable to buy a so-called 

voordeelurenkaart. This railway pass gives you 40% reduction on your train tickets, if you 

travel on weekdays after 09:00 hrs 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 OVstudentenkaart. 

As exchange student you are not eligible 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 or via www.ns.nl. 

S29


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 € 46.00 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. 

Since 28 March 2007 it is also possible to purchase a TGV-Thalys high speed train ticket 

directly from Maastricht to Paris at the cost of € 130 for the return fare (one way € 85.20). 

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, 

Luxemburg, Greece, France, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Austria, Italy, Denmark, Finland, 

Iceland, Norway and Sweden). 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) 

Brussels Airlines (http://www.brusselsairlines.com) 

Easyjet (www.easyjet.com) 

Transavia (www.transavia.com) 

German Wings (www.germanwings.com) 

Air Berlin (www.airberlin.com) 

Tuifly (www.tuifly.com) 

ISIC Card 

If you travel outside of the Netherlands and want to be eligible for certain student 

discounts your UM card will often not be enough to identify you as a student, and an International 

Student Identity Card is often required. For more information on how to apply 

for an ISIC card go to www.isiccard.com 

7.3.4 Rent a car 

When travelling through Europe it is also possible to rent a car. Some car rentals in Maastricht: 

Adrem 

Hertz 

Heerderweg 33, Maastricht 

Maastricht Aachen Airport, Beek 

T: +31 (0)43-352 11 00 T: +31 (0)46 475 00 07 

Avis 

Sixt 

Parallelweg 38, Maastricht 

Spoorweglaan 18, Maastricht 

T: +31 (0)43-325 23 77 T: +31 (0)43-310 17 37 

7.3.5 Taxis and train-taxis 

All regular Dutch taxis use meters and all charge roughly the same rate. When you get 

into the taxi to start your journey, the meter 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 meter indicates. It is custom- 

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Social Guide 


ary to give taxi drivers a tip, by rounding up the amount payable. If you need a taxi you 

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 or the train station in 

Maastricht. 

Taxis in Maastricht: 

Taxi Centrale Frenske 

Automotive Group Zuid 

T: +31 (0)43-363 63 62 www.taximaastricht.nl 

T: +31 (0)43-343 00 00 

If you are travelling by train, and part of your journey needs to be done by taxi, you can 

save money by using a train-taxi. These special taxis are available at more than half of 

the country’s railway stations. You buy train-taxi tickets when you buy your train-ticket. 

One trip costs € 4.40 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 hands-free. 

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 Bicycle 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: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, 

Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, 

Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, 

Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and United Kingdom. 

Car insurance and service can be arranged through: 

ANWB 

Wycker Brugstraat 24, Maastricht (Wijck) 

T: +31 (0)70 – 314 64 43 

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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 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. 

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Social Guide 


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, Maastricht 

Voltastraat 30, Maastricht 

Phone: +31 (0)43-321 63 00 Phone: +31 (0)43- 363 74 33 

(Near the University) 

(Near Guesthouse Annadal) 

Huisartsenpraktijk 

Huisartsenpraktijk De Poort 

Annadal Becanusstraat 15, Maastricht Becanusstraat 15, Maastricht 

Phone: +31 (0)43-343 66 85 Phone: +31 (0)43-347 55 50 

(Near Guesthouse Heugemerweg) 

Dr. Bastiaens and Dr. van de Berg 

Clermontlunet 3A, Maastricht 

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 17:00 and 08:00 hrs (when the family doctors can no longer be 

reached) please call +31 (0)43-387 77 77. You are required to make an appointment and go 

to the Emergency Room 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! 

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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. In addition, pharmacies also sell over the 

counter (non-prescription) drugs, vitamins, medical supplies etc. 

Pharmacies situated near the Guesthouse 

Apotheek Martens 

Sijstermans/ Lloyd Apotheek 

Koningin Emmaplein, Maastricht 

19 Dokter van Kleefstraat 2/4, Maastricht 

Phone: +31 (0)43-321 24 66 Phone: +31 (0)43-343 26 30 

Mon-Fri: 8:00 -18:00 hrs 

Mon-Fri: 8:30 -18:00 hrs 

Sat-Sun: closed 

Sat-Sun: closed 

Apotheek Wyck 

Apotheek Straver 

(near Heugemerweg) 

(near Majellastraat) 

Wyckerbrugstraat 10, Maastricht 

Akersteenweg 88, Maastricht 

Phone: +31 (0)43-321 36 25 Phone:+31 (0)43-361 28 29 

Mon-Fri: 8:30-18:00 hrs, 

24 hours/7 days a week 

Sat: 10:00 -16:00 hrs 

8.2.2 Drugstore (drogisterij) 

A 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 to the right department. 

If you need the police but it is NOT an emergency, please call 0900 8844. 

EMERGENCY NUMBER: 1 1 2 

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Social Guide 


8.4 Dentist (tandarts) 

If you have dental problems, you can contact one of the following dentists, or look in the 

phone book for other suggestions: 

Tandartspraktijk van Nouhuys 

Menger O.T 

(near the Faculty of Economics 

(near the Central Station) 

and Business Administration) 

Hertogsingel 89B Stationsstraat 46 

Maastricht 

Maastricht 

Phone: +31 (0)43-321 17 36 Phone: +31 (0)43-321 34 76 

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 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. 

You do not need a referral from a huisarts, you can just call for an appointment. Please 

check with your insurance if they reimburse the costs, which you pay in cash and for 

which you need to ask a receipt. You can find a list of physiotherapists in Maastricht in the 

Yellow Pages. 

Always nice to know: “Schiffelers Fysiotherapie” is the only physiotherapist in Maastricht 

that has a swimming pool. You have to make an appointment via: 

Schiffelers Fysiotherapie 

Mr Maarten Schiffelers 

Boschcour 50, 6221 JR Maastricht 

Tel: +31 (0)43-351 05 01 Fax: +31 (0)43-351 05 42 

Email: info@schiffelersfysiotherapie.nl 

Website: www.schiffelersfysiotherapie.nl 

8.6 Student Psychologists and Deans 

Student Psychologists may be consulted in case of personal problems. Examples of complaints 

and problems include: 

• Study related problems like study stress and fear of failure 

• Psychological complaints such as anxiety, depression, eating disorders, stress-related 

complaints, lack of confidence, dealing with traumatic experiences. 

It need not be obvious beforehand what the problem is before an appointment can be 

made with one of the student psychologists. You can make an appointment by phone, 

+31 (0)43 388 53 88 

Student Deans help you when you have questions about: 

• Your rights in case of a study delay because of illness, pregnancy, family circumstances 

or practising top sports 

S35


• Student grants 

• Studying with a functional impairment 

• Membership of council, board, committee or membership of the board of a student 

organisation 

• Other questions concerning your rights as a student 

You can make an appointment by phone, +31(0)43 388 53 88 

It is important to know that the conversations with all the UM counsellors are confidential. 

For more information visit: www.ssc.unimaas.nl/student 

8.7 Others 

CAD (Centre for Alcohol and other Drugs) 

Offers help to addicted people. 

Address: 

Wilhelminasingel 68a, Maastricht 

Phone: +31 (0)43 325 40 81 

RIAGG Maastricht 

Regional Institute for Ambulatory Mental Health 

Care Address: 

Parallelweg 45-47, Maastricht 

Phone: +31 (0) 43 329 96 99 Open: Monday/Wednesday & Friday: 08:30-17:30 hrs 

Tuesday & Thursday 08:30 – 20:00 hrs 

8.8 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 harassment, 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. 

Confidential advisor on undesirable behaviour: 

Marloes Rikhof 

Tel: +31(0)43 388 25 13 

Fax: +31(0)43 388 48 63 

e-mail: m.rikhof@bu.unimaas.nl 

8.9 Studying with a disability, chronic illness or dyslexia 

It is important to Universiteit Maastricht that students with a functional impairment can 

successfully complete their studies without too much delay. Therefore, the Service Desk 

DisAbility Management was set up to coordinate a structural approach and to develop 

permanent facilities. The Service Desk DisAbility Management also offers individual 

advice to students and their professional counsellors. 

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Social Guide 


By functional impairment UM means all disorders that are of a permanent or temporarily 

character and that often lead to study delay. Amongst these are all (visible) motor, sensory 

or psychological disorders, but also non-visible disorders, such as dyslexia, RSI, chronic 

fatigue, depression, chronic illness, etc 

The service desk is available to anyone who has questions about study obstacles, laws 

and regulations or relevant organisations. The quickest way is via the digital service desk, 

which offers the most important – also practical – information. 

The service desk also offers individual advice and counselling, for example by a student 

buddy. Moreover, you can address the service desk to report complaints or difficult situations. 

There are no complicated procedures. 

The Service Desk DisAbility Management forms part of Student Services and is located at 

Bonnefantenstraat 2, room B0.21. Opening hours are Tuesdays through Fridays between 

9:30 and 12:30 hours (appointment not necessary, though practical). 

The digital service desk is available at www.unimaas.nl/steunpuntdm 

The brochure ‘Volwaardig studeren’ (‘Fully-fledged studying’) describes the main regulations 

and facilities. It also provides a practical list of contact persons at UM, relevant 

organisations and sources of information. 

You can download the brochure from the UM website. You can also order the brochure by 

telephone or e-mail from the Service Desk DisAbility Management. 

Service Desk DisAbility Management 

Visiting address: Bonnefantenstraat 2, Maastricht 

Tel. +31 (0) 43 388 52 72 

e-mail handicap@ssc.unimaas.nl 

ww.unimaas.nl/steunpuntdm 

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Social Guide 


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 an 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. 

9.3 Smoking Ban 

Although not an actual drug it is good to know that smoking tobacco (cigarettes, cigars 

and pipes) in bars and restaurants is prohibited as per 1 July 2008. 

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Carnival monument at the Vrijthof. 

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Social Guide 


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 Carnaval 

Carnaval: the Dutch either love it or hate it. Those who live in the southern provinces (especially 

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 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 in Maastricht) for your own dazzling carnaval outfit. 

This academic year Carnaval will take place from 22 – 24 February 2009. Carnaval is the 

biggest event of the year in Maastricht and as an exchange student you cannot miss this! 

10.2 30 April - 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 30 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 actually travel from Eindhoven to Maastricht 

first to obtain a seat) so make sure you go early. The night before, called koninginnenacht 

(night of the Queen), 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 Queens Birthday, so if you really want to mingle with the Dutch 

you know what to do. 

10.3 4 May - Dutch Memorial Day 

Though this is not exactly to be considered a festivity, it is a day of national significance. 

4 May 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 concentration camps in 

Europe as well as in Indonesia. The radios are silent between 20:00 and 20:01 hrs, and 

people sit in silence to remember those who did not make it through the war. 

10.4 5 May - Liberation Day 

Following the melancholy day of 4 May is 5 May, the day on which the Dutch celebrate 

their total liberation from the occupying forces in 1945 (some parts of the Netherlands 

were already liberated in November 1944). On this day, flags are flown 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. 

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10.5 Preuvenemint 

Preuvenemint is a four-day culinary event on the Vrijthof in Maastricht. It is held annually 

during the last weekend of August (28-31 August 2008 and 27-30 August 2009). The 

Vrijthof 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. For further information visit: www.preuvenemint.nl 

10.6 5 December - 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 

(hence elf steden or eleven cities) and is almost 200 kilometers long. The life of the winners 

of this event will never be the same again – 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, Germany) 

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. Feel free to 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 20 September, 2008 and lasts until 05 October, 

2008. For more information visit www.oktoberfest.de. 

10.9 Other events 

Winter 

• Christmas market (mid November-Christmas) – Valkenburg, Heerlen, Maastricht. 

• Winterland (from 29 November 2008 until 04 January 2009): a winter wonderland at 

the Vrijthof in Maastricht with an ice-skating rink, Ferris wheel and other attractions. 

See www.winterland.nl 

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Social Guide 


Spring 

• TEFAF (The European Fine Art Fair) (13-22 March 2009): 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. See www.tefaf.com 

• Easter in Maastricht (12-13 April 2009): 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 

• Lowlands Festival: Another huge yearly music festival, which also features art, theatre, 

film, comedy and much more! 15-16-17 August 2008. www.lowlands.nl 

• Pinkpop (Whitsun): three-day pop festival (one of the largest in The Netherlands) in 

Landgraaf, 30-31 May – 1 June 2009. www.pinkpop.nl 

• Rock Werchter (Belgium): 1- 2- 3-4 July 2009. www.rockwerchter.be 

Fall 

• Jumping Indoor Maastricht (20-23 November 2008): International horse show jumping 

contest. www.jumpingindoormaastricht.nl 

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Social Guide 


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 make some money. 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 EEA States 

(Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, 

Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, 

Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, 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 a residence permit or a work permit. 

However, you do need to obtain a BSN (Burger Service Number). You first register with City 

Hall where you will get a sticker in your passport; after this you can apply for a BSN number. 

Citizens from Bulgaria and Romania 

These citizens still need to obtain a work permit; see below. 

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, and has to demonstrate that s/he has 

searched unsuccessfully for workers within the EEA who possess the necessary skills 

for the job. 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. 

11.2 Work Permits 

Non-EU citizens require a work permit in order to work legally in the Netherlands. Work 

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. 

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Only an employer can apply for a work permit on behalf of its employees. 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 work permit. The unfortunate reality is that getting 

a work 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 work 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 work 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, which is available to 

Canadians, Americans, Australians and New Zealanders only, and which allows them a 

one-time full-time work permit for one year. 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 www.nuffic. 

net/immigration for more information. 

Insurance 

A new health insurance system for curative healthcare for all residents of the 

Netherlands came 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 Basic (health)Insurance under the Health Insurance 

Act depends on the residence purpose and/or employment situation. The flow chart 

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 

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Social Guide 


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)20 798 55 55. 

What type of healthcare insurance do I need? 

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 

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Social Guide 


11.3 BSN 

For tax reasons, everybody working in the Netherlands must have a BSN (Burger Service 

Number). Once you have received 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 (job agency) before 

you can apply for a BSN number. Once you have the required paperwork, getting your 

number only takes about half an hour. 

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 (job agency). 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 Markt. 

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 www.expatica.com.It might also be a 

good idea to visit the University Career advisor or the Student Dean, who specialise in 

these matters. 

11.5 Contact Information 

InterUM BV 

Randstad Callflex 

University employment agency Specialised in temporary jobs in native languages. 

Tongersestraat 22A, Maastricht Wycker Brugstraat 28, Maastricht 

+31 (0)43- 388 26 88 +31 (0)43-329 17 80 

Career Advisor 

Student Dean 

Student Services 


Bonnefantenstraat 2, Maastricht Bonnefantenstraat 2, Maastricht 

+31 (0)43-388 53 18 +31 (0)43-388 53 88/52 63 

Creyf’s Uitzendbureau 

Mise en Place 

Keizer Karelplein 28, Maastricht Akerstraat 20a, Maastricht 

+31 (0)43-325 66 27 +31 (0)43-350 03 50 

Job agency for students working in the service industry. 

At least minimal knowledge of Dutch required. 

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12 Student Life 

Despite the fact that Maastricht does not have a very long history as a university town, it 

does have a very vibrant student life. 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, whatever that may be. 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 (or whatever night you want), spending lots of money in the beginning 

of each month (when Dutch students get their studiefinanciering or study grant) and 

considerably less in the end. It also stands for going out for a meal in one of the many 

student-cafés and sitting on the Vrijthof enjoying the sun(in the Netherlands you have 

to enjoy the sun while you can). At the end of each block, however, many students lock 

themselves up in the University Library and drink as much coffee as they can handle and 

try to prepare themselves for the exams as best they can. 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 and everything else. In short: your guide through student life in 

Maastricht. 

Make sure you have a look at these sites: 

www.maastricht.nl 

www.maastrichtrestaurants.nl 

For interesting articles or news on Maastricht (and the Netherlands), you may want to go 

to this website for foreigners in Maastricht: www.ejc.nl/crossroads 

12.1 Relaxing 

Blanche Dael Coffee Lovers 

Corner Ruiterij/Plein 1992 

If you consider yourself a coffee connoisseur, you should visit Coffee Lovers in the 

Céramique area. They serve a large variety of very good coffees and they have an excellent 

lunch menu. Coffee Lovers also has two other branches in Maastricht: one in the Visitor’s 

Centre at Bonnefantenstraat 2, and one in the Selexys Bookstore, which is situated in a 

beautifully renovated building that used to be a church. 

Café Ipanema 

Avenue Ceramique 250 

Ipenama is a relatively new and trendy café, beautifully situated on the riverside of the 

river Maas on the ground floor of the Bonnefanten Museum. In addition to 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 and other dishes. During the summer 

months you can also sit outside on the terrace located across the street from the restaurant. 

For more information about Café Sjiek please go to: www.maastrichtrestaurants.nl/sjiek 

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Social Guide 


Café Twee 

Kommel 8 

This is a nice café 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. 

Café Zuid 

Plein 1992-15 

This bar is situated in the Céramique area, near the Public Library. Here you can have nice 

drinks and tapas, but note that they are quite expensive. During the summer months it is 

a perfect place to relax and have a drink, as they have a nice terrace facing the Maas. 

Café Zondag 

Wycker Brugstraat 42 

This popular, trendy bar is situated in Wyck, right across the Sint Servaas Bridge. This place 

features a superb atmosphere, great parties, and many people during the weekends. 

www.cafezondag.nl 

Deli Belge 


On the front doorstep of the Faculty of Economics & Business Administration, this typically 

Belgian lunch bar has been serving students’ lunch needs for nearly 13 years. The 

menu includes over 80 sandwiches and other homemade specialties. 

Something Good 


This is also a lunch bar that offers a great variety of sandwiches for reasonable prices. It is 

also located opposite 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 

Derlon Hotel Bar 

Onze Lieve Vrouweplein 6 

Located in the foyer of the Derlon Hotel, this bar is popular on weekends, especially on Friday 

when it sports a DJ. It creates a wonderfully relaxed atmosphere. As this place closes 

early this is an ideal place to get the evening started. 

EDDs 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. They have a jazz session each Tuesday at 22:15 hrs 

(open stage). www.edds-cafe.nl 

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• 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 the Netherlands. 

• Over half of all 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 fresch 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. 

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Social Guide 


De Falstaff 

St. Amorsplein 6 

In the summer this is a great place to be whether you want to sit outside or inside. De 

Falstaff has a relaxed atmosphere and is ideal 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/home.htm 

The Highlander 

Hertogsingel 58c 

This is the number one bar for most 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 02:00 hrs, this bar has something 

to offer to everyone. 

John Mullins Irish Pub 

Wycker Brugstraat 50A 

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 have a craving for typical Irish stew. Be 

sure to join the popular quiz night; form a team and compete on a diverse range of subjects. 

There is live music on Thursday or Friday. www.johnmullins.nl 

Ramblassin 

Bassinkade 6 

The Ramblassin is situated in the basin of the small marina of Maastricht. As it is built in 

a tiny yard cellar it is easy to overlook the place if it wasn’t for the beautiful terrace by the 

waterfront. Ramblassin is a stylish place with good cocktails, perfect for relaxing, lounging 

and dancing. 

The Shamrock 

Brusselsestraat 49 

Another café with an Irish touch. Here you also have the possibility to play pool and arts. 

The Shamrock is often positively crawling with international students. 

Take Five 

Bredestraat 14 

The Take Five is the typical 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: each Monday from 22:00 hrs ). 

De Twee Heeren 

Platielstraat 17-19 

Funky music abounds, and Tuesday nights signal the overflow by international students: 

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. 

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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! 

12.3 Restaurants 

Café Charlemagne 

Onze Lieve Vrouweplein 24 

This place is something totally different. Good dishes, such as the Greek Salad and the 

Satéhtje Marcus, set it apart from the rest. 

Gadjah Mas 

Rechtstraat 42 

One of the best places for Indonesian food, with an excellent price/quality ratio. 

Check www.gadjahmas.nl 

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. We leave it up to you to decide. 

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 


This is a very affordable restaurant in a student setting. 

Preuverij 

Kakeberg 6 

Well-known place among students: reasonable dishes for around € 7.- 

Reitz 

Markt 75 

Reitz once won the “best fries in Europe” award and continues to serve fresh, cheap, 

delicious and undeniably Belgian fries at the marketplace on a daily basis. Be prepared to 

wait in line on warm days, but rest assured that the wait will be definitely worth it. 

Tabkeaw 


Tabkeaw is a top class Thai restaurant, serving dishes that are the best in its kind. Be sure 

to bring enough money since this place is not cheap. 

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Social Guide 


Tapas y Mas 


¡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 

inMaastricht. 

Witloof 

St. Bernardusstraat 12 

An 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. 

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 

guy strying 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, 

mayonnaise with little flavorless flecks in it, and mayonnaise. 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. 

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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 22:00 to 5:00 hrs, 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 5:00 

hrs, 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/dance house is located behind the marketplace and is open until 5:00 

hrs. 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 

unbelievable. For more information go to www.versuz.be 

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. 

Pone: +31 (0) 43 – 325 48 02 

St Pietersberg (St Peter hill) 

Situated behind the police station near the UM inner-city library and between the 

Tongerseweg and the Maas. Whether you like walking all afternoon, taking a guided tour 

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Social Guide 


through the Maastricht caves, or going on a mysterious night hike, the St Pietersberg is a 

small piece of wilderness for all nature 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. Whatever you do it is guaranteed to be a great day of fun. 

Opening hours in the summer are from 9:00 to 23:00 hrs. Check the webpage for opening 

hours. 

Getting to Landgraaf by public transport is easy: take a train from Maastricht to Heerlen. 

When you leave Heerlen station, take bus 25, direction Gracht. 

Ice Skating Rink 

Kummenaedestraat 45, Geleen 

Skating is one of the most popular sports in the Netherlands and any exchange student 

should have tried it least once while in this country. Located in Geleen (around 15minutes 

by train from Maastricht) the sports centre Glanerbrook hosts SouthLimburg’s 400 metre 

ice skating rink. Phone: +31 (0)46-474 69 88 

Swimming Pools 

Swimming is not only exercise. Grab some friends and head to the pool for a nice day 

out. Opening hours and locations are available in the section on Sports earlier in 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 über beginner, they have a programme fit for you. www.neoliet.nl 

Thermae 2000 

Health spa; Cauberg 27, Valkenburg aan de Geul 

Not far from Maastricht is a natural spa, flowing with natural spring water. Take a couple 

of hours and relax, swim around, get a massage or simply relax! Reasonably priced 

programmes are available. Check under www.thermae.nl 

Holland Casino 

Kuurpark Cauberg 28, Valkenburg aan de Geul 

Tel: +31 (0)43-609 96 00 

Next to Thermae 2000 is Limburgs state-owned Casino, a great place for an entertaining 

evening at the gambling tables. You find further information under www.hollandcasino. 

nl/valkenburg 

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 off and indulge in some Belgian culture or enjoy lower 

taxes while shopping for the things you need? 

See also www.liege.be/cadreslg/cadwelco.htm 

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Bonnefanten Museum 

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Social Guide 


Mountain Bicycle Rentals 

At Courtens, Calvariestraat 16, you can rent mountain bicycles 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 bicycles for € 17.50 per day (and demand a deposit 

of € 100). It is worth buying a map at the VVV (see appendix 1) with eight good mountain 

bicycle 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 65 

Minerva is Maastrichts main cinema showing all the major movie productions. 

Check out the Sneak Preview (see below) every Wednesday for € 5.00 

(www.sneakpoint.nl). 

Filmtheater Lumière 

Bogaardenstraat 40b 

Phone: +31 (0)43-321 40 80 

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! 

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 56 

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 

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Stokstraat 

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Social Guide 


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 € 3,75 you will get access to the Bonnefantenmuseum until the end of this 

calendar 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 apply for the PIM pass: 

go to www.passinmaastricht.nl or check with SSC. 

Open Tuesday- Sunday : 11:00 -17:00 hrs. 

Natural History Museum (www.nhmmaastricht.nl) 

De Bosquetplein 7 

Phone: +31 (0)43-350 54 90 

The museum outlines the natural history of South Limburg. Modern displays offer an 

insight into both the recent and distant past. Among the museums highlights are the 

remains of enormous Mosasaurs and Giant Turtles found in marlstone at the St Pietersberg 

caverns. Open: Monday-Friday 10:00 -17:00 hrs., Saturday-Sundays 14:00 -17:00 hrs. 

For more information about activities in Maastricht check the following sites: 

www.maastrichtnet.nl 

www.maastrichtweb.com 

www.vvvmaastricht.nl 

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13 Shopping 

Generally, all stores have the following opening hours: 

Monday : 13:00-18:00 hrs 

Tuesday : 9:00-18:00 hrs 

Wednesday : 9:00-18:00 hrs 

Thursday : 9:00-21:00 hrs 

Friday : 9:00-18:00 hrs 

Saturday : 9:00-17:00 hrs. 

Sunday : CLOSED 

Koopzondag (Shopping Sunday) 

Generally, the shops are closed on Sundays. However, on Koopzondag the shops will be 

open on Sundays from 12:00 -17:00 hrs. 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 

Most supermarkets are open Monday through Saturday from 8:00/8:30 – 20:00 hrs, 

some (such as ALDI) close at 18:00 hrs. There are usually extended hours on Thursdays and 

limited hours on Saturdays. Supermarkets are closed on Sunday, although some supermarkets 

are open on koopzondag. Needless to say that alternative opening hours apply on 

holidays. Always check the notice on the entrance of your local supermarket. 

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. 

AH is located in the shopping mall “Brusselse Poort” (near the main Guesthouse). 

There is also a branch in Helmstraat, near the Vrijthof, on Plein 1992 (near Centre 

Céramique), and there is a small “to-go” shop in the station. 

C1000 

Same as AH this supermarket is situated in Brusselse Poort. It has a large assortment of 

products but is cheaper than Albert Heijn. 

Jan Linders 

Jan Linders is another supermarket, in price and product comparable to C1000. You can 

find Jan Linders at Tongerseweg 57. 

ALDI 

Situated near the main guesthouse (Volksplein 34), Aldi is one of the cheapest supermarkets 

with a small assortment. You will also find an Aldi on Plein 1992 (near Centre 

Céramique). 

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Social Guide 


Jumbo 

This store is located in the basement of the newly constructed “Mosae Forum” shopping 

area. Its assortment and prices are comparable to C1000. 

In addition, look out for authentic international food stores, selling Chinese, Indian, and 

Middle-Eastern ingredients. You can find these stores on the Markt and near the station. 

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/wholemeal/multiple grains) 

Sugar 

Butter 

Sugar 

Eggs 

Milk 

Potatoes 

Hamburger meat/ minced meat 

Carrot 

Pineapple 

Orange 

Strawberry 

Endive 

Cheese 

Peanut butter 

Beans 

Cookies (American)/ Biscuits (British) 

Dutch 

Zout 

Peper 

Brood 

(wit/bruin/volkoren/meergranen) 

Suiker 

Boter 

Suiker 

Eieren 

Melk 

Aardappelen 

Gehakt (rund/varken) 

Wortel 

Ananas 

Sinaasappel 

Aardbei 

Andijvie 

Kaas 

Pindakaas (no, this is not peanutcheese! 

Note that the Dutch peanutbutter is thicker 

than the American version) 

Bonen 

Koekjes 

See also www.smartphrase.com/Dutch/dutch.shml 

13.3 Market day 

On Wednesday and Friday mornings, the market 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. 

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 

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found and the more you buy, the cheaper it gets. The market is only open from 08:00 to 

13:00 hrs, 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 and Achter het Vleeshuis). 

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 

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, 

Plein 1992 and 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 first floor of 

shopping centre “Entre Deux”. 

Media Markt 

This is a large electronics store where you can buy nearly everything from DVDs to 

refrigerators. It is located in Wijck near the Maas (Franciscus Romanusweg). 

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 branches in Maastricht: Grote Staat, Markt, Mosae Forum shoppingcenter 

and Wyckerbrugstraat. 

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Social Guide 


Etos 

Drugstore where you can buy everything you need for personal hygiene, such as shampoos 

and deodorants, but also cosmetics and over the counter drugs such as painkillers 

etc. ETOS can be found in the Spilstraat (city centre) and Brusselse Poort. 

13.5 Shopping Centres 

In addition to the many shops in the city centre of Maastricht you will also find two 

shopping centres, Entre Deux and Mosae Forum. Both are newly established structures, 

and most of the shops opened at the end of 2006. Although you will find a Kruidvat there 

most shops are part of a wide range of stores that are not readily found anywhere else in 

the area. 

13.6 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. 

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. 

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Social Guide 


14 Communication 

14.1 Dutch Language 

Dutch, the language of the Netherlands, belongs to the West Germanic branch of the 

Indo-European family and is 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 Eén, 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 

Bushalte 

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! 

See also www.smartphrase.com/Dutch/dutch.shml 

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14.2 Phones 

Making a phone call in or to the Netherlands is quite simple. Here are the basic rules for 

recognising phone numbers. 

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 43 324 58 63 

These rules are the same for mobile phones, where a number would read: 

+31 (0)6 - 24 35 86 36 

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, news agents 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 advise you to buy a so called prepaid 

mobile phone. There are several shops in the city centrum where you can by prepaid phones. 

14.4 Fax 

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

send your faxes at the central Post Office, Statenstraat 4 (near the Vrijthof Square). 

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Social Guide 


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 your International Relations Office. 

14.5 E-mail 

You can check your email at the university, but you can also go to Centre Céramique (the 

public library located on Avenue Céramique 50). Centre Céramique 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. 

Opening hours 

Statenstraat 4, 6211 TB Maastricht 

(Near the Vrijthof Square) 

Monday 10:00 - 18:00 hrs. 

Tuesday 09:00 - 18:00 hrs. 

Wednesday 09:00 - 18:00 hrs. 

Thursday 09:00 - 18:00 hrs. 

Friday 09:00 - 18:00 hrs 

Saturday 10:00 - 13:30 hrs. 

Sunday CLOSED 

Stationstraat 60, 6221 BR Maastricht 

(Near the Central Station) 

Monday 12:00 - 17:30 hrs. 

Tuesday 09:00 - 17:30 hrs. 


Thursday 09:00 - 17:30 hrs. 

Friday 09:00 - 17:30 hrs. 

Saturday 10:00 - 16:00 hrs. 

Sunday CLOSED 

Brusselsepoort 5, 6216 CE Maastricht 

(Near the main guesthouse) 

Monday 11:00 - 17:30 hrs. 

Tuesday 09:00 - 17:30 hrs. 


Thursday 09:00 - 17:30 hrs. 

Friday 09:00 - 17:30 hrs. 

Saturday 10:00 - 13:30 hrs. 

Sunday CLOSED 

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. 

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Packages within Europe 

As long as the package is below 2kg the prices of the “Internationaal Pakket Basis” apply: 

Europe 2008 Priority Standard 

0-500 gr € 5.25 € 4.20 

500-2000 gr € 11.25 € 9.10 

Packages outside Europe 

The costs for packages that need to be sent outside Europe and that weigh less 

than 2kg can be found in the tariff called ‘Internationaal Pakket Basis’. 

Outside Europe 2008 Priority Standard 

0-500 gr € 9.00 € 7.00 

500-2000 gr € 19.50 € 17.50 

For all other tariffs please check : www.tntpost.nl 

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Social Guide 


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 

1888 Directory Enquiry 

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)43-388 44 44 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. 

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The ‘Hoeg Brögk’ 

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Social Guide 


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 work 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, you must go to the Gemeente Maastricht 

City Hall Maastricht at Mosae Forum 10 

6211 DW Maastricht 

For residence permit issues please check UM’s visa office via visa@ssc.unimaas.nl 

ANWB 

ANWB is a nationwide organisation that offers technical assistance to car drivers. If you 

plan to drive in The Netherlands 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 (city hall Maastricht). 

Address ANWB: 

Wycker Brugstraat 24, Maastricht 

Belastingdienst 

The Dutch tax office distributes Burger Service Numbers, which are required to work and 

paytaxes in the Netherlands. Tax information can be found at the Maastricht office, but to 

get a BSN-number, all students must go to Heerlen to the central office Phone: 0800-0543 

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 

Burger Service Numbers. This is done at the Belastingdienst (Tax Office). 

Address CWI: Het Bat 12A Phone: +31 (0)43 – 750 61 40 

Gemeente Maastricht 

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 and driver’s 

licenses. They do not issue residence permits! 

Address: Mosae Forum 10 

6211 DW Maastricht (at the market). 

Phone: +31 (0)43 – 350 40 00 

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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. 

Address: 

Kleine staat 1 (Het Dinghuis) and 

Wycker Brugstraat 24, Maastricht 

www.vvvmaastricht.nl 

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Onze Lieve Vrouwe Plein

Social Guide 


APPENDIX 2 

Information Sources 

If 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 Studyguide/ 

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 


The Student Services is the central organising 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 53 88 

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 with in 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 desk and make an 

appointment. 

Student Deans Office: Bonnefantenstraat 2 – ask at the information desk. 

Office Hours are Tuesday: 14:00 -16:00 hrs. 

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APPENDIX 3 


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! 

31 October Halloween (not a day off) 

5 December Sinterklaas (not a day off) 

22 December 2008 - 

2 January 2009 Christmas holidays 

25 - 26 December Christmas 

1 January New Year’s Day 

13 April Easter Monday 

22-24 February Carnaval 

30 April Koninginnedag (Queen’s Day) 

4 May Memorial Day (not a day off) 

5 May Liberation Day 

1 June Whit Monday 

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Social Guide 



August 

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 31 

Low-lands 

‘Inkom 

UM’ 

Preuvenemint 

September 

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 27 28 

October 

Oktoberfest München 

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 25 26 

Oktoberfest München 

November 

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 22 23 

JIM 

December 

24 25 26 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 

Winterland Vrijthof 

December 

January 

22 23 24 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 

X-mas Holiday 

Winterland Vrijthof 

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January 

February 

19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 

February 

March 

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

Carnaval 

TEFAF 

March 

April 

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 11 12 

TEFAF 

April 

May 

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 9 10 

May 

June 

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 5 6 7 

Pinkpop 

June 

July 

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 4 5 

Rock 

Werchter 

July 

Aug 

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 2 

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Social Guide 


Notes 

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Notes 

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Notes 

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Notes 

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