Contents
Letter of welcome from the Rector Magnificus How to navigate through the booklet Introduction Program 1. The Netherlands I. Culture and people II. Dutch eating habits III. Eindhoven IV. Weather in the Netherlands 2. Student Life I. Study associations II. Departments Borrels III. Studium Generale IV. Students Sports Center & Student sports clubs V. Culture & other student organizations VI. Night life!!! 3. Food I. II. III. IV. On TU/e Campus Grocery shopping; supermarkets Grocery shopping; open markets & special shops Recipe corner; something fast & EASY 3 4 5 8 10 12 13 15 16 18 19 20 21 22 25 26 28 30 31 32 34 36 37 38 39 41 43 44 47 49 50 51 52
4. Accommodation I. Student Housing II. What can I expect in my room? And how to buy stuff I dont have? III. How can I find a room if I did not apply for housing through the TU/e? 5. Transportation I. Bikes and how to get one II. Dutch traffic rules and signs III. Public transportation 6. When you arrive I. Insurance and bank II. Getting mobile; Dutch phone number III. Working possibilities IV. IB-groep and other grants
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Contents
7. Campus I. Campus II. Education and Student Service-Center (STU) III. Library & ICTheek IV. Online Active Study Environment 8. Common Room I. What is Common Room? A piece of history II. Who are the volunteers? III. Events IV. How can I contribute? 9. Contacts 53 55 57 59 60 61 63 64 65 65 66
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How to navigate?
This booklet is divided into main chapters. Each chapter has several subtitles. Sometimes you will also be able to find textboxes; these are important aspects you should pay attention to. This booklet is interactive. Throughout the whole booklet we included hyperlinks to helpful websites or information sources. External links can be recognized easily, because they are red in comparison to the main text which is in blue. This means, that you can click on extern links to get to websites and click on intern links (for example contents) to get to different chapters. This makes reading and searching a lot easier. If you have any comments on the booklet, you can contact one of the writers: Indre Kalinauskaite i.kalinauskaite@student.tue.nl Tommy Barten t.barten@student.tue.nl Ruben Peeters r.h.j.peeters@student.tue.nl
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Introduction Program
The TU/e Introduction Program (TIP) for international degree students is divided into two weeks. These two weeks will have a different character and purpose. The first week will be mainly about practicalities and the start of the faculty programs. You will also get to know your fellow international students and the buddy that will guide you through the second week. This second week is more about having fun and will therefore partly overlap with the general introduction week of the TU/e. In this week the faculty programs will be completed as well as the workshop from STU about Dutch culture, corporations and other topics. Below you can find a short description of the most important elements of the introduction program. A complete schedule with timetables will be handed to you at the beginning of the introduction program. For all the activities in the introduction program it is very important that you are not late. Because of the large amount of new international students and the busy program it is very inconvenient when people show up late. For most parts of the program, especially the first week, its good to bring a pencil and something to take notes on.
Enrollment
You will be enrolled in your study program and will apply for the student card. You need to bring some important documents with you. These important documents are listed below. A passport photo. This photo must have a light-colored background, be taken square on (not from an angle) and showing mostly the head and only a small amount of upper body. 1 copy of your passport and the original passport The original of your bachelors and masters (if applicable) diploma Your final academic transcript(s) and an English translation of the transcript.
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STU Workshops
You will have 3 lectures or workshops with trainers from STU. You will get to know a lot of interesting things about the Netherlands and the people living there. You will get advice on how to cope with such things as homesickness or cultural shock. You will also learn how to work together and what skills are valued in Holland (such as assertiveness and giving and receiving feedback). As you are going to face a very busy schedule in the coming two years, and from the experience of previous students, we know that time management and planning are very important. We will provide you with tips and tricks on how to do this in an effective way. Some departments will organize project work. In that case the workshops will be connected to the projects.
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Sports Fair
TU/e is proud of its sport facilities. You can participate in over forty different sports at the university sports center. You can train in a group or in classes under the guidance of a trainer, or workout on your own. The sports accommodation consists of three sports halls, a gymnasium, a judo hall, a table tennis hall, two squash courts, a fitness center, eleven outdoor tennis courts, three soccer pitches, a baseball field, a lighted training field, a boat house, a rugby pitch, an artificial climbing wall, a surf board shed and a small sauna and indoor swimming pool. During the sports fair you will be introduced to everything the sports centre has to offer.
Visiting Bunker
The Bunker can be found to the west side of the university campus. It is a place where lots of students organizations are located. There is a variety of activities going on all year around. You can find more information about these students organizations in this TIP booklet. During this visit you will get to know the various ways to spend your study free time. The Bunker also houses the Common Room, a place to meet other international students. Moreover the Common can be found in this booklet so check it out.
Cantus
This is the very traditional closing of the second week of TIP. It is not obligatory, although most of the students would say: DONT MISS IT. Hopefully the day is nice and warm. Lots of students gathering together! Playing games with water and not only water and having loads of fun! Practical advice: Do not wear your best clothes!
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The Netherlands
Culture and People Dutch eating habits Eindhoven Weather in the Netherlands
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Preface
In this Chapter you will get to know a little bit about Dutch culture and people who live in the Netherlands. We will introduce you to Dutch weather and how the rain works here. You will also find a little intro to Dutch eating habits and finally some insight about the city which will be your home for the coming two years - Eindhoven
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Making friends
Many internationals find it hard to start making friends in a new country. On the other hand, it is not that difficult to get to know the Dutch and find some new friends. The Dutch are very open-minded people, especially in the south of the Netherlands! Join a community, group or club, such as your favorite sports club, a gaming club or a card club. Show interest in the country when you are talking to a Dutchman. Many neighborhoods have community centers where a lot of activities are organized for the neighborhoods residents. Do not only associate with other international students during meetings, but also try to get in touch with the Dutch actively. Learn a little bit of Dutch, this will help you a lot in finding new Dutch contacts.
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Some tips
The Dutch avoid superlatives. Compliments are offered sparingly, and to say that something is not bad is to praise it. You do not need to worry too much about expressing your opinion or feeling. The Dutch might argue with you, but seldom take offence. The Dutch speak directly and use a lot of eye contact. To you this might appear abrupt, but it is just their manner of communicating. Smoking is prohibited in many areas. Always ask before lighting up. Do not discuss money or prices or ask personal questions when you hardly know someone. The Dutch highly appreciate it that people arrive in time and it is even common to arrive a few minutes earlier. So always be on time! Also during the TIP program.
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Eindhoven
Eindhoven received its city privileges in 1232, though you will hardly find anything reminding you of those times in the city. Today Eindhoven is the 5th largest city in the Netherlands and is called the center of technology, innovation and design. This status is for a large part due to establishment of Philips in Eindhoven in the 1890s. Since then the city quickly expanded and the region became of great interest for other technological companies. Eindhoven has a population of slightly over 200,000 inhabitants, of which almost 13.000 are students from Eindhoven University of Technology and Fontys university of applied sciences. Eindhoven covers an area of 88 square kilometers. Eindhoven has a small airport that is mainly used by the charter companies such as Ryanair and Wizzair. These companies offer cheap tickets to all the major cities in Europe. Eindhoven Airport therefore is an excellent way to explore the rest of Europe during your stay in the Netherlands. When looking for the best prices, bear in mind that youll always have to pay taxes on top of the ticket price. There are a number of things what you, as a student can do in this city. Since it has a university and several other higher education institutions, lots of activities and bars are oriented towards students. Most bars are located at Stratumseind, the largest bar filled street in the Netherlands. On the peak nights, Thursday through Saturday, you can meet approximately 20,000 people in that street. For larger concerts and music events Eindhoven has the Frits Philips Music hall, Beursgebouw and the Effenaar. More information about Eindhoven and studentsnight life can be found in the next chapter, page 25 There are also plenty of other choices if you want to go out in Eindhoven. Whether you want to blow off some steam in the dancing scene, go on a daily trip or visit a festival, exhibition or concert, in Eindhoven all tastes are catered for. For more information about events in Eindhoven Region please look at the event calendar of Eindhoven. In addition check this website, you will find a map here, which can guide you through the most interesting places in Eindhoven, show you most popular places to eat, spots which you have to visit, etc.
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inner city, where about twenty light designers and light artists have illuminated typical spaces and buildings in a fascinating way. Participants are selected by the organization based on their artistic originality and innovative use of lighting technologies, which include computers, sensors, animation and projection. GLOW is a platform for creative talent that uses light in all its applications as a tool to let the local architecture come to life. For more information visit the website of GLOW. Marathon: The Eindhoven marathon takes place around the first week of October. It is known to be amongst the fastest and most enjoyable marathons in the world. The event has about 17,000 participants and is attended by 160,000 spectators. Around the course, there are lots of concerts and entertainment. Christmas period and New Year celebration: The city of lights looks just wonderful during the Christmas period. Most of the city is decorated with lights and other Christmas decorations. In the city center, Market Square, you will find the open air iceskating arena and lots of people enjoying it or resting while drinking a cup of hot chocolate. For the New Year celebrations you also have a lot of choices. First of all, most of the bars and cafes are open and usually have special parties. Most of the times you choose the place where you want to go and, after paying an entrance fee, enjoy New Years Eve. Sometimes you can attend a private student party, which is also a good way to meet New Year. Carnival: Carnival is a huge and colorful celebration in the southern regions of the Netherlands. Eindhoven can be proud of its parades and events in the city during this four day event. Officially Carnival is held from Sunday until Ash Wednesday, 40 days before Easter, but in fact the city starts its celebrations on Friday evening and continues until late on Tuesday. Masks, costumes, loud music, beer and good moods are the main ingredients of this event but you have to see it yourself. Queens day: Koninginnedag or Queens day is celebrated on April 30 in the whole kingdom of the Netherlands. Queen's Day celebrates the birthday of the Queen of the Netherlands and is a day of national unity and "togetherness". Queen's Day is known for its "free market" all over the country, where everybody is allowed to sell things in the streets. Other activities during Queen's Day are children's games, individual musical performances, and music concerts. The whole nation dresses in orange and has a lot of fun.
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Student Life
Study associations Departments Borrels Studium Generale Students sports center & Students Sports clubs Culture & other student organizations Night life!!!
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Preface
University campus is not only the place to study, but also the place where you will find lots of things to do outside working hours. The following chapter is an overview of study associations and major leisure activities available on campus. In addition this chapter presents interesting events and places to see in Eindhoven!
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Study associations
Every department at TU/e has its own study association. These study association (SA) will present themselves during TIP and you will be invited to become a member of your SA. There are lots of good points why it is useful to become member of SA. You will get opportunity to know more Dutch students, to participate in certain workshops and visits, which can help you to gain experience for your future career, and, in some cases, you can receive discounts for the study material you will have to buy. Further information will be provided by each SA during TIP itself, but dont hesitate to check their websites before your arrival: Department Biomedical Engineering Architecture, Building & Planning Electrical Engineering Industrial Design Chemical Engineering & Chemistry Industrial Engineering Innovation Science Applied Physics Mechanical Engineering Mathematics and Computer Science Name & hyperlink
Protagoras Cheops Thor Lucid Japie Industria Intermate Van der Waals Simon Stevin Gewis
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Department Borrels
Each Thursday almost all study associations have a drink together (called borrels in Dutch). Where the students of the department gather together, meet each other, drink beer and have fun. Sometimes study associations organize borrels on a certain theme or for a particular occasion, so it becomes bigger event, for example Christmas borrels. It is nice way to relax, meet your classmates and colleagues and discuss interesting topics in a casual, stress-free atmosphere. For more information about borrels, check your departments study association website
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Studium Generale
Studium Generale
Besides the weekly borrels we mentioned before, we should definitely mention Studium Generale (SG) and its organized activities. Studium Generale organizes not only official ECTS (study points) lectures about most diverse subjects in which you definitely will be interested, they also organize concerts, parties, theater, films and interviews all year round. Although the majority of the scheduled events are Dutch-spoken, SG organization includes more and more English-spoken events. Most of these events take place in de building called GasLab. This building is located on the TU/e campus, with a hall large enough to host lots of guests. You can find out more about events and activities held by SG by checking their website (click on the picture above).
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TU/e Student Sport Center also hosts several students sports clubs. Many of those take part in national competitions. More information about the different sports clubs you can find on TU/e website by clicking here. Some of the information may still be only accessible in Dutch.
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If you want to find a complete list of all student associations linked to the TU/e please click here . In the section below you can find a short introduction to a few of these associations and some additional organizations which tend to be very popular with international student. Although some of the organizations websites provide information only in Dutch, or in their local language, do not hesitate to contact them in case you are interested to join, because they are willing to explain to you in person in more details about their program and possibilities to join. You will also have the opportunity to meet with these organizations during the TIP program (second week).
Indo/Dutch
The Indo/Dutch Association was established with the aim of promoting the friendship among the peoples of India and the Netherlands. To make the Dutch public aware of India and Indian culture they also give lectures and workshops etc. in schools and community centers. The Association organizes cultural programs, fashion shows and exhibitions. To reach their website click here.
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La Tunina
It is a society of female students, who enjoy playing Spanish Tuna music. They have regular performances and parties. They go to Spain and Portugal. If you liked to become member and learn to play this type of music, this is the right place for you. Website can be found here!
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T!NT
T!NT is a place for both Dutch and international students where they can meet, develop themselves and get inspired. To access their website click on the logo on the left.
Mosaic
Mosaic connects students from all around the world with the aim of bringing different cultures together. All students, no matter from which background or ethnicity, you are welcome to join Mosaic and participate in its events. To access their website click on the logo on the right.
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Night life!!!
Eindhoven is sometimes called Students Town and there are lots of places to go out. The most famous place in Eindhoven for its nightlife is the street called Stratumseind. It is the longest pub filled street in the Netherlands. On the peak nights (Thursday through Saturday) youll mingle with 20,000 people in that street! This is where youll find loud music in the bars, salsa dancing in Santiago de Cuba and a cheerful atmosphere. Though it is great fun and a nice experience to try Stratumseind with all its bars, some people are looking for something different. For those more interested in alternative music and specific types of parties, there are other places to go to, such as the Irish pub or bar Hoogste Tijd. These places differ from the pubs and bars at Stratumseind and have their own bohemian atmosphere and different kind of music. Sometimes you can find live performances and famous DJs playing there. But if you are looking for jazz you should definitely take a look at the bars and cafes at Wilhelminaplein, where Caf Wilhelmina or Caf De Groot hold weekly jazz or blues concerts or other similar events. For bigger concerts and cultural events you should always check the agenda of Philips music center and Effenaar or the event calendar of the Eindhoven region. Check the websites of some of the places mentioned above and some additional places we did not mention: Irish Pub Wilhelmina Cafe de Groot De Fabriek STRP festival Temporary Art Center Van Abbe Museum Central Library of Eindhoven Visual Culture / Now & Later
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Food
On TU/e Campus Grocery shopping; Supermarkets Grocery shopping; open markets & special shops Recipe corner; something fast & easy
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Preface
Usually there are two main groups of international students, which form after arrival to the Netherlands you either are bread person, or you are not. So... are you ready to eat some bread? Many people get the wrong impression: that bread is the only thing which you can eat when you are in NL. However, we have to say, that this is not true! There is so much more. There is great diversity in both the Dutch cuisine and the richness of other cuisines, which you can find here in Eindhoven. In this chapter we will shortly overview what the eating options on the TU/e campus, how to do grocery shopping and, guess what, well give you some tips for your first meal in Eindhoven (you are fully within your rights not to like it J).
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On TU/e Campus
TU/e campus will be the place where you spend most of your time. You will have classes here, find the library, study rooms, etc. so everything what is needed for you to do your study work. And, of course here, you will get hungry! So how do we find food on campus? There are two options and one extra: we call it escape to the Bunker building! Which will be explained later. First the two regular options!
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Center (Railway station). It is open only during lunch time (12.00 13.30 hours) and has variety of bread, salad, warm food. One of the coolest things is that there is a grand piano there and most of the times you have lunch with live music. Besides, if you are the one who can play, you can always do that completely for free its an open podium. So, to sum up: you can eat in one of the departments canteens, you can eat in the Auditorium and you can eat in Kennispoort all those canteens are on campus.
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Good to know:
All the shops in Eindhoven are closed on Sundays, except the first Sunday of the month, then some shops (except food shops) are open from 12pm to 4pm. On Sundays some supermarkets are open from 4pm to 8pm. You can find them with the website mentioned above. Koopavond every Dutch city has a so called shopping evening when one evening a week shops in the city center are open till 9pm. In Eindhoven koopavond is every Friday night!
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Process:
Preheat the oven (choose the temperature appropriately, because it might differ between the ovens, I choose 180C in the micro-combi oven) Take pizza out of the bag, put some tomato paste & maybe basil. Cut tomatoes, zucchini, onions into thin slices and start laying them on the pizza, in between you can spice them up and moister them with oil (especially onions and zucchini). At the end if you eat meat, put the slices of sausage and cover everything with mozzarella. Put in the oven and let it bake, grill for about half an hour. However, again, take care, that it wouldnt burn and/or if half an hour is enough for it to be prepared. It should look yummy, cheese should melt, veggies and sausage on top should be crispy.
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Process:
Dice cucumber and egg in small pieces, chop the spring onions & dill. Put it all in the bowl. Fill it up with tomato juice and magere yogurt. Add some salt and pepper. Mix it. The soup is ready, but put it in the fridge while you will boil potatoes. Peel the potatoes (you can also wash them well and eat with skin). And boil them. When potatoes are done put some salt and a piece of butter on. Serve the cold soup an warm potatoes together!
More recipes can be found on the internet, just use key words: traditional Dutch food, or easy Dutch recipes. Here is one website: easy Dutch food.
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Accommodation
Student housing What can I expect in my room? And how to buy the stuff I dont have? How can I find a room if I did not apply for housing through the TU/e?
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Preface
So what do you need to know about student accommodation in the Netherlands? Dont expect cheap accommodation, especially if you are renting a furnished room. You can also find a room yourself, which might be cheaper, because it wont be furnished, but bear in mind you will have to buy your own furniture and equipment, and most importantly you will FIRST HAVE TO FIND THE room! When you arrive in Eindhoven and meet with your landlord to sign the contract you will have to pay a deposit. So in your first days here your will be paying your first months rent + deposit. IMPORTANT: According to Dutch law the rental agreement that you actually sign will be in Dutch. The landlord must also and will present you with an English translation of the agreement. Make sure you understand what you are signing. Dont sign what you dont understand!
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Student housing
Facts:
Most students in the Netherlands live in student houses. These houses usually have around 4 to 6 bedrooms, 1-2 kitchens, 1-2 bathrooms and toilets, which are shared among tenants. Each tenant has his/her private room and very frequently a sink in that room. Dutch students usually furnish their rooms themselves. International students, most of the time, tend to rent furnished rooms (due to many reasons: its harder to get furniture, when you just came to a new country; due to shortage of time, language barrier etc.). Furnished room is always more expensive than not furnished, however, then you dont have to take care of the stuff, at least for the very begging of your stay in Eindhoven. In my opinion to it is always more convenient for the beginning of your stay to get the room via university, especially if you come here from far away. How and where you want to live later is of course your choice, but I think its easier to decide that, when you are already here had some sniffing around, contacts with other students, some impression about the town and where you want to live, etc.
TU/e offers to arrange accommodation for all guests coming from abroad who stay in Eindhoven for longer than one month. Bachelors and Masters students are accommodated in single furnished bedrooms in student houses mentioned above. Student accommodation in the Netherlands is quite small and relatively expensive, particularly in the major student cities. Prices start at around 275 euro a month, although they can be as high as 500 euro. Here we say price is most likely to be 400 euro. This is because of the housing shortage.
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What can I expect in my room? And how to get the stuff I dont have!?
In your room you can expect there to be a (single) bed, table & chair, lamp, wardrobe, basic kitchen utensils, such as pots, pans, cups, plates and cutlery, and use of a washing machine. If you already received information who your landlord will be you could contact him before your arrival to find out what you would need to bring with you. Otherwise expect mentioned things. If you need other household equipment or furniture there are several shops where you can buy things for your room. Popularity rating say, that internationals use IKEA a lot also there are second hand furniture shops and markets (the list of those you can find at the end of the booklet in the Google maps site) and several websites, where you can get the things you need much more cheap. Below we present the table with hyperlinks to the most common websites and shops. On the popular website Marktplaats.nl you can buy anything, from old bike to table, desk, chairs, used TV and sound system.
Marktplaats.nl
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Transportation
Bikes and how to get one Dutch traffic rules and signs Public transportation
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Preface
This chapter will introduce you to your possible best friend or at least definitely best and easily accessible transportation bike. We will present you with the most important traffic rules and regulations and finally tell you a little bit how public transportation works here in the Netherlands.
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Walking
When you are walking in a city in the Netherlands, you have to walk on the pavement or footpaths. When you want to cross a road, you have to cross by traffic lights (if present). Traffic light for pedestrians consists of two colors. The colors signify as follows: - Green light: proceed. - Red light: stop. In some places, you have to push a button if you want to cross; otherwise the traffic light stays red.
Cycling
The bike is an easy way to move around in the Netherlands. However, there are important rules you have to follow. Drivers are required to keep as far over to the right as possible. Cyclists are required to use the mandatory cycle track or the cycle-motor track. Cyclists are not allowed on motorways. To change direction, clearly indicate this with your arm. Cycling side by side (max. 2 persons) is only allowed if other traffic is not inconvenienced. Lights are compulsory in the dark. If you are at an intersection, there are a few possibilities. First, traffic lights take precedence over any road signs. The colors in three-color traffic lights signify as follows: - Green light: proceed. - Amber light: stop, drivers who are so close to the traffic lights that they cannot reasonably be expected to stop safely should proceed. - Red light: stop. Another possibility is the priority road. All the traffic on the priority road has priority over the other traffic. When you are approaching a priority road you can recognize it by the sign and by triangles on the ground which are facing you by the points. The third option is an equal intersection. These are common in the living areas. At an equal section, all traffic from your right has priority. This picture shows the different signs of priority.
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Public Transportation
Bus
Within Eindhoven and from the city to surrounding towns and villages you can travel by bus. There are several bus lines across the city and they all meet at the central station. Here you can find the map of public transportation in Eindhoven and the schedules of trains and busses (available only in Dutch, but it is useful to check it out):
There is also a website on which you can plan your route. You are able to get all needed directions to reach set destination, also you will find information about bus/metro/tram tickets in the Netherlands (the price, the look, available discounts, etc): Click here for the site.
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Bus Tickets
To travel with public transport you need an OV-Chipcard. The 'OV-chipcard' is a new pricing system for the whole Dutch public transport and will replace the Strippen Card. This strippen Card is still valid in Eindhoven too. But in the near future the OV-Chipcard is the only valid system. Make sure you have one on time! Please visit the official website; if you want to order an OV-Chipcard click here. If the site appears in Dutch, click the UK sign on the top. It is important to know that you have to check in when youre travelling by bus and to check out when you get off the bus! The devices are to check in and out are inside the busses and are identified by the sign on the right of this page. The 'Strippen Card' is still valid in most of the country including Eindhoven, however, there are several cities, including Amsterdam, where the card is not valid anymore. The Strippen Card is used for travelling on a bus, tram and metro. Every city or region has been divided into transportation zones with set tariffs. To travel one zone you have to pay two 'strips'. You pay an extra 'strip' for each subsequent zone. Within the same zone you may change within a time limit mentioned on the back of the card. You can buy a 'Strippen Card' with 15 strips (+/- 6,50) or with 45 strips (+/- 19,20). You can buy 'Strippen Cards' at railway stations, in post offices, some super markets, department stores and tobacconists. You can also buy it on the tram or bus, but then the price is higher.
Trains NS
To travel between the cities in the Netherlands, you can go by train. Trains are a popular and easy way to travel. The schedules are frequent and as the Netherlands is not huge, the trips dont take long. The Dutch railways have a general website where you can plan your trips by train and get all the needed information about your journey. However if you dont have access to the web at the moment, you can always go to the station and get all the needed information at the information desk. It is important to mention, that the location of Eindhoven is very favorable and therefore it is easy to reach all parts of the country reasonably fast. For example, the train to Amsterdam leaves Eindhovens station every half an hour.
Train tickets
When travelling by train use your OV-Chipcard. Here it is also important to check in and out. These devices are on the platforms! So you have to check in before you go on the train! Dont forget to check out on the platform when you have left the train. Paper tickets are still valid and could be purchased before boarding the train. There are various places where these tickets can be bought:
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At every NS station you will find at least one NS self-service ticket machine, where tickets can be purchased for travelling in The Netherlands, 24 hours a day. At the NS ticket offices tickets as well as season tickets can be purchased, with the exception of the 'NS Jaartrajectabonnement' (Annual Route Pass), the 'NS Jaarabonnement (NS Annual Pass) and 'OV-Jaarabonnement' (Public Transport Annual Pass). At Wizzl, the NS convenience shop, tickets can be purchased seven days a week. When buying tickets there, you pay service cost 0.50 cents per ticket. Sometimes a NS kiosk can be found near a railway station or in town without a railway station where NS products can be purchased or information about travelling by train can be obtained.
Regularly, unlimited train tickets for one day are for sale in shops as Blokker, Kruidvat or Hema. With these tickets you can travel as much as you would like that day. It is a good opportunity to travel around the Netherlands and visit more cities!
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Preface
In this chapter we give you short answers to question, which have already popped into your head or soon will. How to get bank account, health insurance, telephone or just a phone number? What about a student job? Am I allowed to work? How do I find job? Are there any additional grants, financial aids I can get?
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Insurance
EU students: Students from the EU can apply for an EU Health Card at their own health care insurance company. For more information, visit the website from EU which tells everything about the benefits of having EU Health Card as well as how to obtain it. To reach the website click on the EU flag below this paragraph.
VERY IMPORTANT: as soon as you start to work in the Netherlands, you are legally obliged to get National Dutch Health Care insurance! If you dont, youll get into trouble and probably get a fine. Check this website and you will find out more, how to get your insurance and what kind of regulations apply to you: INSURANCE INFO FOR EXPACTS
Non-EU students: Students from outside the EU are advised to take out health and liability insurance from . You can take out this insurance before or after your arrival. It costs approx. 40 per month. Although if you choose not to take out AON and if your insurance from your home country also covers you in the Netherlands, then please send us a copy of your policy before your arrival, so the International Office can assess whether your insurance has sufficient coverage.
Bank account
The International Relations Office will open a bank account for you at a Dutch bank called Rabobank. Before your arrival you will be informed about the bank account and paying money into it. Before departure to the Netherlands, please check with your local bank office, if money can be transferred from the bank account in your home country to your new bank account at the Dutch Rabobank and what arrangements you need to make to pay money into your Dutch bank account. You should not worry too much about accessing to your back account, this will be arranged during the first week of TU/e Introduction Program. Otherwise, if you wont be able to be here during TIP, you will be explained how to do this when you come here to Eindhoven.
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One little remark: prepaid does not require you to sign any contract, but you will pay more for your phone calls than if you take out a contract for 1 or 2 years.
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Working possibilities
It might be hard to find a job as an international student in the Netherlands. There are several reasons for this: besides the fact that international non-EEA students need a work permit and are only allowed to work for a maximum of 10 hours per week, there is also language barrier and some other things. However it is not completely impossible. Before you start looking for a job you should know some very IMPORTANT THINGS: Working permits: Citizens of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Hungary, Finland, France, Greece, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Malta, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom DO NOT need working permit, their working hours are not limited. Citizens of other countries need working permit. They are also allowed to work no more than 10 hours per week during the year (part-time job) or seasonal job; June, July & August (full-time). To get work permit, your employer has to apply for it. You can NOT do it yourself. As soon as you start working you need to have basic Dutch healthcare insurance, even if you are EU citizen. However you can get some refund from what you pay. Please check this website. Your job, by means of working hours, may affect your studies, so think carefully, how much time you are able to work before signing the contract. Check Nuffic.nl for further information about finding a job, and what you need to do before you start working.
As mentioned above it is pretty hard to find job for international students. But you should always think positive. Also you should know that in the Netherlands there are several companies recruitment agencies which help students, who do not speak Dutch to find a job. Below we provide you with the links to their websites (just click on the company name in the table). You should definitely contact them, if you cannot find job yourself. Abroad Experience Adams Recruitment Blue Lynx Content English language jobs Kelly service Projob Undutchables Studie job
VERY IMPORTANT NOTICE: Students with scholarships are strongly discouraged from getting a job. If you are in paid employment taxes will not only be deducted from your paycheck but also from your scholarship payments. You will also have to pay higher health insurance when youre working. Having a job also reduces your opportunity to concentrate
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Campus
Campus Education and Student Service-Center STU Library & ICTheek Online Active Study Environment (OASE)
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Preface
This chapter will introduce you to TU/e campus and main building on it. Will tell a little about Education and student service center, provide basic information about library and give you the understanding how it all works. Besides you will get to know what is common room and how to use online active study environment, which is very important during your studies here in Eindhoven
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Campus
The TU/e campus is located in the northeast part of the city center. Its only a short walk from the central train station, about 5 minutes. All the TU/e facilities are located on this campus including the Student Sports Center. Besides TU/e facilities, also several other higher education institutes and technological companies are located on the campus. In this Booklet, a few important buildings will be highlighted. Below you can see a map of the TU/e campus, for complete description you can follow this link.
Auditorium
One of the most important buildings in terms of studying is the auditorium. In this building most of the lectures will be given. Besides lectures, major events like the opening of the academic year will also take place in this building. On the map it is indicated as AUD. In this building, you can also have lunch, because there is a nice Caf with warm and cold food and a coffee corner with delicious muffins.
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Main building
The Main building (in Dutch called Hoofdgebouw) is indicated as HG on the map. Its home to the departments of Industrial Design and Mathematics & Computer Science. It also houses the Education and Student Service Center (STU) which is located on the ground floor of the building. In this building you can find some practical stuff too. In the main hallway there is a small bookshop, a hairdresser, an ATM and the University Club restaurant. In the basement you will find the printing and copying service.
De Hal
De Hal is where the main Library of the TU/e is located and is indicated on the map as HAL. Here you can also find enough quiet space for studying. The Hal also houses the Notebook Service Center which is the place you need to go when you have problems with your TU/e notebook. For more information about the Libraries at the TU/e campus, please look at the library chapter of this Booklet.
Sportscenter
The TU/e sports centre is well known and offers the largest variety of sports within the Netherlands (compared to other Dutch universities). On the map it is indicated as SSC and is situated in the upper west corner of the campus. When you want to use the facilities of the sports centre you have buy sports card. This card will grant you access to almost all facilities and sports organizations for a full academic year. For more information, please visit the website of the SSC.
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Information Center
The Information Center of the Education and Student Service Center (STU) offers you a variety of information, e.g.: Documentation on various courses or professions; Information on the current situation on the labor market; Information about jobs and companies; Brochures from the DUO- Informatie Beheer Groep (student grants office); TU/e funding regulations, the graduation fund and the so-called bestuursbeurzen; Literature and video tapes on communication skills such as effective presentations and meetings. The Information Center is located in the Education and Student Service Center and has the same opening hours.
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Administration
The Education and Student Service Center (STU) also has an administrative function such as enrolment, deregistration, student ID card replacement and notebook administration, etc. For enrolment and deregistration you have to comply with Dutch law. Please read this information carefully. All information of the tasks of the Education and Student Service Center and the International Relations Office can be found on http://w3.tue.nl/en/services/stu/
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Information about library opening hours, librarys website and rules of borrowing books can be found in the library brochure Finding your way in the TU/e Library, which you can download. Additional information can be found on librarys website.
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OASE
What is OASE?
OASE is the Online Active Study Environment of TU/e. With this application you can access all the information you need about study programs, courses, exams and lecture schedules. Through OASE you can enroll for courses, groups and exams, create your personal lecture schedule and access course and group documents. In addition, you can consult your exam results, your email and agenda in this way.
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Common Room
What is Common Room? A piece of history Who are the volunteers? Events How can I contribute?
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Preface
Remember we introduced you to variety of student organizations in a previous chapter? Well, we deliberately left out the Common Room. Why.? Well, the TU/e Common Room is a totally unique place in the bunker building. Its most important quality, we believe, is that it is a meeting place for international students managed and run by international students. So this chapter tells the story of the Common Room and introduces you to the whole concept!
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Now there are fifteen volunteers, but we need more, so when you come here visit CR and let CR know if you are interested!
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Events
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Contacts
TU/e Eindhoven University of Technology Address: Den Dolech 2 5612 AZ Eindhoven Tel.: +31(0) 40 247 9111 Post address postbus 513 5600 MB Eindhoven STU Education and Student Service Center (STU) Location: Main building 0.72 Tel.: +31(0) 40 247 4747 E-mail: stu@tue.nl Opening hours: weekdays from 08:30 till 17:00 Important Contacts at the Education and Student Service Center: Student advisors: Mrs. Coby Doreleijers E-mail: Housing and insurance: Mrs. Peggy van de Voort E-mail: p.v.d.voort@tue.nl Visa and residence permit Mrs. Angie Vorstermans E-mail: a.vorstermans@tue.nl
j.h.m.doreleijers@tue.nl
E
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mergency For emergencies there is one general number to phone in the Netherlands, this number passes information on to the nearest police station, fire brigade or hospital. This phone number is 112. For non-urgent medical assistance please call the student doctor and make an appointment. Student doctor The student doctor (in Dutch: studentenhuisarts) gives full medical assistance according to the standards set for the practice of medicine by doctors in the Netherlands. It is strongly recommended that you register with this or any other doctor upon your arrival in the Netherlands. Consultations with a doctor are not for free and the same goes for the student doctor. The address and phone number of the student doctor can be found below. Dr. De Ruijter and Dr. Vogelzang: Address: Weverstraat 1 5612 CW Eindhoven Tel: +31(0) 40 2438215 Website: http://www.deruijtervogelzang.praktijkinfo.nl/ If, in case of an emergency, you need a general practitioner outside office hours, you have to contact the 'Centrale Huisartsenpost'. Many general practitioners in Eindhoven work together to guarantee medical care at night, the weekend, and on official holidays. When you want to contact the Centrale huisartsenpost you first have to call: 0900 8861. The address of the Centrale huisartsenpost is: Michelangelolaan 2, 5623 EJ Eindhoven. Pharmacies Medicines prescribed by a doctor can be picked up at one of Eindhovens pharmacies (in Dutch: apotheek). The pharmacies are open from 08.30 to 18.00 on working days. Details on out of hours pharmacies is available by telephoning your local pharmacy (usually a recorded message informs you which pharmacy in the area is open evenings and weekends). The chemist (in Dutch: drogist) also sells some lighter drugs for more common complaints, such as headaches, bad cold, toothaches, menstrual pains and diarrhea. Student dentist Eindhoven has a special dentist practice for students (in Dutch: studententandarts). You can make an appointment with the dentist (tandarts) by telephone between 09.00 and 12.30 hrs. Please check whether you are properly insured. The address and phone number of this dentist can be found below.
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Kliniek voor Mondzorg: Address: Botenlaan 82 5652 CB Eindhoven Tel.: +31(0) 40 2514527. Hospitals Eindhoven and the Eindhoven region have a number of hospitals (in Dutch: ziekenhuis): If you need a hospital emergency room, please go to the following address: Catharina ziekenhuis: Address: Michelangelolaan 2, 5623 EJ Eindhoven Tel.: +31(0) 40 2399111 Other hospitals in the Eindhoven region are the Maxima Medisch Centrum (Diaconessenhuis) in Eindhoven and the Maxima Medisch Centrum (Sint Joseph Ziekenhuis) in Veldhoven.
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Invitation
On behalf of the Executive Board of Eindhoven University of Technology, I cordially invite you to attend the festive opening of the 2011-2012 academic year on Monday 5 September 2011 at 4 p.m. in the Auditorium of the TU/e.
Program
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4.00 p.m. Start of the Opening Convocation The academic processions enter the Auditorium Welcome by Jeroen Ramakers, Secretary Federatie Studieverenigingen Eindhoven (FSE) Going abroad by Hans van Duijn, Rector Video message by Neelie Kroes, European Commissioner Crossing borders by Frans Greidanus, Head of Research and CTO Asia for Philips Musical Intermezzo 'Taking foreign cultures back home by Annemarie van Gaal, Entrepeneur and investor Presentation of the Educational Awards Official opening of the academic year 5.30 p.m Reception in the Hall of the Main Building and the marquee
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