Next to your faculty's orientation programme (your faculty will invite you!), the Eureka Week - the official introduction week of Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) - and ESN's Introduction Days, we offer orientation activities that will help you settle in as a new international student in Rotterdam with a jump start!
Would you like to take care of practical matters before classes start? Such as registering at the City Hall? Then you are in luck! Every year, One Stop Shops* are organised where you will be able to take care of this. The following parties will be present during all this year’s One Stop Shop: City Hall, Erasmus Student Network (ESN), Aon Insurance, Erasmus Language & Training Centre, Flytz Mobility, ISIC, General Practitioner, and Wellbeing Team.
*not applicable to ISS students. You’ll be informed by ISS staff on this matter.
Dates and location
- Monday 28 August
- Tuesday 29 August
- Wednesday 30 August
- Wednesday 13 September
- Wednesday 20 September
Registrations will open end June
Location: Erasmus Sport Centre, main entrance.
Please scroll down and see “Make an appointment” to sign up for the One Stop Shop
Location of Erasmus Sport Centre
For some of the things you can arrange at the One Stop Shop, you'll need personal documents. Please check which documents are required to bring along with you to the One Stop Shop.
- Original and a printed copy of your valid passport or identity card;
- Completed and undersigned registration form from City Hall;
- Original and a printed copy of a filled in and undersigned (can be a digital signature as well) tenancy agreement or rental contract (provided by your landlord);
- Only in case you are subletting: the original and a printed copy of a filled in and undersigned (can be a digital signature as well) declaration by the main occupant + a copy of his/her ID/Passport.
- Please note: additional for German, Belgium, Greek and Italian students: If you have a new ID card (where your sex is not mentioned) you should also bring a birth certificate and/or passport.
- Original and a printed copy of your valid passport;
- Completed and undersigned registration form from City Hall;
- Original and a printed copy of a filled in and undersigned (can be a digital signature as well) tenancy agreement or rental contract (provided by your landlord);
- Only in case you are a tenant: the original and a printed copy of a filled in and undersigned (can be a digital signature as well) declaration by the main occupant + a copy of his/her ID/Passport;
- Original and a printed copy of your Dutch residence permit and/or the entry visa sticker in your passport;
- If you are allowed to travel to the Netherlands without an entry sticker in your passport and your Dutch residence permit cannot be picked up yet, you can print the IND approval letter we sent you in Osiris, and bring a printed copy of that to the One Stop Shop instead.
- Original and a printed copy of your valid passport or identity card;
- Completed and undersigned registration form from City Hall;
- Original and a printed copy of a filled in and undersigned (can be a digital signature as well) tenancy agreement or rental contract (provided by your landlord);
- Only in case you are a tenant: the original and a printed copy of a filled in and undersigned (can be a digital signature as well) declaration by the main occupant;
- Proof of deregistration from the Municipal Personal Records Database.
Do you need to get some final things for your room? Then join us on the bus to Ikea! During this 2 hour shopping trip you'll be able to buy some stuff to finish off your new room.
- Friday 1 September
- Shift 1: 09.30
- Shift 2: 13.00
- Tuesday 12 September
- Shift 1: 09.30
- Shift 2: 13.00
Registrations will open end June
International Day Eurekaweek Sunday August 20th 2023
On this day we will host the International Day from 1PM till 4PM!
This event is a warm welcome to all the international participants starting their time at Erasmus University Rotterdam.
You begin this day with everyone in one of the lecture rooms where you will get a presentation on what to expect as an international student in the Netherlands.
Also, you will be put in a group with who you will follow this specific day.
After the opening, you will have the opportunity to ask all your practical questions at the market.
International Day is an extra event for international students who have bought a Eurekaweek ticket. Therefore there is no separate ticket sale everything is included within the Eurekaweek ticket. Ticket Sale Opens Soon.
We understand it can be overwhelming, exciting, and brand new to move and study in a new country. The International Office of EUR wants to help you make a smooth transition and answer any questions you may have about living in Rotterdam.
- Date: Late August 2023
Time: to be announced
- Registrations will open end June
Have you already planned your arrival to Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam? The best way to get from Schiphol airport to Rotterdam is using the NS train!
In collaboration with Student Mobility we are providing free train tickets that will take you from Amsterdam to Rotterdam Centraal.
This is a limited quantity for first year (bachelors or masters) international students. Sign up now using your EUR e-mail address!
*Important Notes:
- Sign up for your ticket at least 5 days before arrival!
- Double check the email you put in – if there are typos your ticket may not show up in your email. Your EUR email is for example 123456ab@student.eur.nl
- Double check your spam inbox when receiving your ticket
Registrations will open end June
In the Netherlands it is highly recommended to travel in public transport using an OV-chipkaart (more info here). Basically, this is your wallet with which you will pay for all your means of transportation, instead of paying too much for separate tickets you simply check-in and out with your card and only pay for the stops travelled. There different types available are:
- An anonymous card without any discount
- A personal card, allows you to purchase subscriptions from travel companies, but you need a Dutch debit card and the buying process is written in Dutch
Student Mobility Card (with discount)
Erasmus University collaborates with Student Mobility to provide international students easy access to all forms of transport in the Netherlands. With Student Mobility you are able to receive a customized public transport card (+ an ISIC Student-ID) with special discounts for international students! You can use this card for train, tram, metro and bus.
Next to the card you can also arrange a bike and get your first train ticket from the airport once you arrive in the Netherlands. Sign up or order now and we will inform you in time about the pick-up during the one-stop-shop or (bike) delivery options!
The EUR Buddy Programme aims to help new students set up their own social network from the day they arrive in Rotterdam. Would you like some help with practicalities or integration? Don't hesitate to request an EUR Buddy!
Your EUR Buddy will help you to start your (student) life in Rotterdam. You could, for example, get assistance with finding supermarkets, doctors, registration at the city hall and many other practical matters. Your EUR Buddy can also help you on a more social level, introducing you to new people and activities organised all over Rotterdam.
Erasmus Student Network
The EUR Buddy Programme is linked to Erasmus Student Network (ESN). ESN creates an international community in Rotterdam of cultures from all over the world and promotes the integration into the Dutch culture.
You can request an EUR Buddy on the EUR Buddy Programme website.
Getting around town by bike is the cheapest, healthiest, greenest and most Dutch means of transport. However, to most internationals cycling is far from second nature. International Office EUR offers crash-courses cycling to introduce you to the basic cycling techniques and traffic rules. An experienced teacher guides you through the do’s and don’ts of cycling during a 1 hour group lesson. The aim is to make you ride away into Rotterdam all by yourself.
Register for the waiting list via the tool below! If you join the waiting list, still prepare and meet at the location provided. If spots become available due to no-shows, you’re in!
The bicycle lessons will take place late August 2023.
Please check the time slots carefully before signing up:
Absolute beginners:
- 10.00-11.00
- 11.15-12.15
Some experience:
- 13.15-14.15
- 14.30-15.30
In need of refreshment:
- 15.45-16.45
For the lesson, you do not have to bring your own bike. We will use special tutorial bikes during the courses. To prepare for your crash-course participation, you are only requested to read a guidebook prior your lesson. The literature provides visually supported information on traffic rules in Dutch, English and Arabic. You receive the guidebook together with the confirmation of your registration.
You will gather at Zwaan Bikes Campus where tutorial bikes will be standing. An instructor from the Dutch Cyclists' Union provides a small group of 10 students an intensive training of 1 hour. Afterwards, you will return the bikes to Zwaan Bikes for the following group.
Make sure you attend at the time slot that was communicated in the confirmation email.
Curious to see how you will be riding away soon? Watch this video to get an idea of what a cycling lesson looks like.
Location of Zwaan Bikes Campus
Welcome to the Netherlands! During this fun and highly interactive
workshop you will learn a lot about Dutch culture, provide you with
the common do’s and don’ts for typical communications situations
and inform your about Dutch customs, social occasions, public holidays
and celebrations.
- Date: Friday 1 september 2023
- Time: to be announced
- Location to be announced
- Registrations will open end June
Ho ho ho! Hold your reindeers! Staying home for the holidays? Good, because Christmas is coming EURly this year!
The elves from the International Office EUR want to celebrate a special EURly Christmas with all our international (and Dutch) friends! Have dinner with other students who are staying in Rotterdam for the holidays. Whether you are from the other side of the ocean or from the Netherlands, we want to welcome you to an EURly Christmas dinner. We will enjoy an evening of nice food, drinks, and games.
Event: EURly Christmas dinner
Date: mid-December 2023
Time: to be announced
*Nothing to see? Then we're probably well on our way into the semester and you're hopefully all settled in and enjoying your time. Not the case? Feel free to reach out to us!
These activities are arranged at the beginning of every semester, just upon your first arrival in Rotterdam. When signing up, please keep in mind that you have to sign up for every event individually.
Contact International Office EUR
We're here to help you out!
Frequently asked questions
Questions about housing?