Until now I’ve posted two articles with tips that you can put to good use as a professional. In this article I wanted to do something different, by focusing more on the student life. However, to make the article interesting, I’ve tried to capture the perspective of two international students that are currently studying at Tilburg University.
After giving it some thought I came to the conclusion that it would be most interesting to interview a South-African student because these students must have rather different experiences than other international students. What makes these student so special from other international students at Tilburg University is that they can understand, and to a great extend speak the Dutch language as we speak it here. Hence, there is not such a language barrier as other students might experience. Because of this they might feel more at home because they can understand all conversations around them. The reason South-African students speak the Dutch language is due to the Dutch colonization of South-Africa in the 17th and 18th century. Hence, even though South-Africa is a world away, I wanted to know if studying here is similar to studying in South-Africa or not, and what were the most striking differences for these students.
Thus, I reached out to a South-African friend of mine and he agreed to be interviewed for this article. He also brought a friend that is also from South-Africa so I ended up interviewing them both. Here is what they said:
Question 1: How did you come to the conclusion that you wanted to study at Tilburg University in the Netherlands?
Jessica
I wanted to study in the Netherlands because of the Orientation Year ‘Visa’ that you can qualify for when you graduate with a Bachelor’s degree. I also presumed it would be easier to integrate as I would be able to understand a bit of Dutch, and it is the most English-speaking European country. I had to make a choice between Erasmus University and Tilburg University, and I chose Tilburg University as it was a shorter study period plus the university gave me a partial bursary.
Junior
I wanted to do a master’s program, but in South-Africa, Master’s in business management are mostly two year research masters- with no lectures. Not being interested in two years of research- I looked abroad. Western Europe and the Netherlands have a good reputation for studying and business, so I found the course at Tilburg University a good fit, hence I ended up here.
Question 2: When you first came here, what were your first impressions?
Jessica
When I first arrived I thought the Netherlands was very well organized, neat and tidy. Unfortunately, my initial impression of Dutch people from my age was that they were not very warm and open to foreigners, this has changed since though.
Junior
I was pleasantly surprised with Tilburg- I find it to be a nice sized student city with a nice vibe from the people here.
Question 3: what do you think about Tilburg University? Is it similar to the University where you did your Bachelor’s?
Jessica
Tilburg University is very different from my previous university, UCT, physically as well as how the courses are structured. I have found that if you work hard at Tilburg University it is easier to get good grades, and I find the courses’ focus more on practical application than theoretical background.
Junior
It’s difficult to compare bachelors and masters, but one difference is that universities here are much smaller in size and course offerings, however the courses here are also very unique, making them really interesting if u want to specialize in something non-mainstream.
4 ) How is daily student life here different from South-Africa?
Jessica
I think the student life is very similar to that in South Africa
Junior
Well I don’t agree with her, student life in South-Africa, especially in Stellenbosch, cape town is extremely active if you do a full-program. Don’t expect this as an exchange student though. The concept is similar to “verenigings” except we have dorms where you stay for three to five years. In those dorms we have clubs/pubs, and more than that- we have inter-dorm leagues that are super competitive. This goes for sports leagues such as rugby, cricket, football, ping pong, boxing, hockey etc. Then on a more social note we have leagues for fifa, counterstrike, beer downing, fast smoke etc. There is a massive amount of pride each student has for its dorm, and thus makes the competition and support even stronger. Each dorm (about 12 male and 12 female dorms of average 300 students each) hosts its own festival every year that is open for all campus and thus always keen for a good time year round.
5 ) Is there also a difference in studying here compared to South-Africa in terms of course contents, lectures, or number of classes?
Jessica
Yes there is. In South Africa we have 5 month long semesters (the year is split in 2), not 2 month long (split in 4). Thus we have a lot longer to master a subject and dive deeper into the content. There are also fewer classes per course each week here at Tilburg University.
Junior
I was surprised with how chilled and informal the lecturers are. No need to call someone doctor or professor, but you can call them by their first name. I would not say I see a difference in quality of lectures between the two countries. However I enjoy the efforts of the University to really link students and employers with each other here. Something that is not a priority in South-African universities from what I’ve experienced.
So there you have it. Though these two countries share a long history together, education is still quite different. A lot of international students come from countries that are more distant (culturally and geographically) from the Netherlands than South-Africa is. Can you imagine how different these international students will experience their education here at Tilburg University from what they were used to?
I hope this article peaked your interest yet again, and I wish all of you, especially our international students a very good study experience at Tilburg University!
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