Spouse support

Students on campus Erasmus University Rotterdam

Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) is proud to be an excellent university and host to many international academic talents. We offer various support services to make internationals feel at home. That includes services to family members as well, as moving to another country, culture, and a new societal setting can be both exciting and challenging.

Assistance in finding a job in the Netherlands

EUR  offers the Dual Career Programme (DCP) to assist spouses of our international employees in their search for a job on the Dutch labour market. The programme is executed in close cooperation with nearby universities of Leiden and Delft. Our ultimate goal is for both the international employee and his/her spouse to have an exciting and eventful time in Rotterdam. We aim to achieve this goal together through the different services we offer within the DCP.

Content of the programme

We offer a three-step programme with a personalised approach that will suit each individual's unique needs by providing support, training and hopefully creating excitement around your job search. The program offers no guarantee as the participant is and will remain responsible for his/her own career path.

When are you eligible for this Dual Career Programme?

You may qualify for participating in this DCP if:

  • you are an international yourself (i.e. non-Dutch)
  • your partner holds a payroll position at EUR*

*For spouses of international employees with an appointment less than one year, participation in DCP will be considered in accordance with the faculty.

The three steps

In this orientation phase you will start getting acquainted with your career counselor. Our career counselors are professionals, who have had extensive training and are specialized in career development areas.  In exceptional cases we could offer support over phone and via Skype if you are unable to meet with us in person. We prefer, however, to meet you in person.

At the start of the first meeting in person, the career counselor will have read your request to participate and your curriculum vitae. The DCP steps will be explained to you and you will be asked to sign your participation agreement. 

You will have some (confidential) meetings in which you then together explore who you are, what you want, what blind spots you may have with regard to the Dutch labour market and/or necessary competencies, and draft a plan how to proceed. And do not forget to explore if your entrepreneurial spirit would allow for starting up your own business.  In that case the Dutch Chamber of Commerce can provide information on how to get a good grasp of the local laws and regulations before getting started. Recently a very instructive webinar was published about starting your own business, in four parts of some 15 minutes each.

The following activities take place:

  • Intake and follow-up interview with career counselor, including a personal action plan.
  • Draw up a personal profile

In the second phase you will participate in trainings that enhance your knowledge and confidence to enter the Dutch job market. They may range from taking a course in Dutch (advisable!) or English, to special video-aided trainings in doing job interviews. You can get feedback on your cover letter and CV, as well as your LinkedIn profile. You can learn which different elements to highlight when applying for a job in the academic area, public sector or private field. And the power of networking is never to be underestimated. 

In short: learn to highlight why you are a perfect match for the job, whether it is advertised or not.

Erasmus University together with TU Delft and Leiden University aims to bridge the gap to the Dutch labour market. By networking, offering lectures, creating work experience places and internships we try to interest companies in the region for partners of our international staff. 

The program offers guidance in finding a job, but offers no guarantee. The participant is and will remain responsible for his/her own career path.

Need more information on working in The Netherlands?

Please find some links to other websites: 

And some job sites:

The Dual Career Programme of Erasmus University Rotterdam greatly helped me in settling and finding a job in the Netherlands. They registered me with a Dutch language course, assisted me in updating my application materials and align it with expectations of the Dutch labour market, and, most importantly, supported me in building up a local network. Thanks to the university's network, I got a nicely fitting job as a data scientist at Allianz Benelux through one of these contacts.

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