Founded in 1575, Leiden University is the Netherlands’ oldest
and one of its most outstanding universities, known internationally
for its academic distinction as well as its history and location.
About 15,000 students attend Leiden University, including roughly
1,500 international students. Leiden offers a variety of classes
taught in English at both the undergraduate and graduate level.
Location
Leiden, with 117,000 inhabitants, is situated in the western
part of the Netherlands near Amsterdam and the sea. The city center
is filled with boat-lined canals bordered by red brick roads. Walking
and cycling are the best modes of transportation within the town.
Bus and train transportation throughout the Netherlands is easily
available. The Hague is just 10 minutes away by train.
Areas of Study
Choose from courses in the arts (humanities in U.S. terminology),
archaeology, law, social sciences, philosophy, mathematics, medicine,
theology and natural sciences. Intensive Dutch language courses
are offered at all levels.
Activities
Activities range from dinner dances, film festivals, theater
and cabaret to climbing and gliding. More than 30 different sports
and clubs are offered at the university. They include football,
hockey, rugby, basketball, tennis and fencing. You can also sail,
row, canoe and windsurf on the Dutch lakes and the North Sea.
Accommodations
Applications for housing are handled on a first-come, first-served
basis, making early application essential. The university has numerous
rooms available in both student residences and private houses throughout
Leiden.
Academic Calendar
Fall semester: September–December
Spring semester: January–June
University of Maastricht: Center for European Studies
The Center for European Studies specializes in international studies
for non-European students. Classes have a special emphasis on the
European Union and the ongoing process of European integration. The
University of Maastricht is known for high academic standards and
is considered one of the most international universities in the European
Union.
Location
Founded in approximately 50 B.C., Maastricht is the oldest and
certainly one of the most attractive cities in the Netherlands.
The city is saturated with historic buildings, providing a mix
of both rural charm and cosmopolitan flair. Located on the river
Maas, Maastricht is filled with art galleries, jazz cafes, antique
shops, Gothic churches and restaurants. Belgium and Germany are
literally a bike ride away from the city center.
Areas of Study
Offerings in English include courses in economics and business
administration, history and art, international relations, law,
literature, political science, psychology and sociology.
Activities
The Erasmus Student Network (ESN-Maastricht), a student organization
dedicated to easing the visiting student’s transition into
the Dutch way of life, organizes sightseeing trips, parties and
pub tours. It also assists with practical matters. For more information
on student life, visit www.esn-maastricht.nl
Accommodations
Visiting students reside with other CES and European exchange
students in a self-catered international student dormitory located
in Maastricht. All rooms are furnished with a bed, desk, sink,
closet and shelf space. DU students may choose one of the double
room options.
Academic Calendar
Fall semester: August – December
Spring semester: January - June
Spring quarter: March - June
Graphic artist M.C. Escher, whose works are often admired by mathematicians
as visual representations of mathematical principles, had no formal
mathematics training after secondary school.
The Amsterdam coat of arms is anchored by a vertical display of three
St Andrew's crosses, possibly symbolizing the three dangers that have
faced the city: flood, fire and pestilence.
The Hague is host to several United Nations institutions, including
the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court.
Founded in the early 1600s, the Hortus Botanicus in Amsterdam is
one of the world’s oldest botanical gardens.
Scientist Anton van Leeuwenhoek (1632–1723) is celebrated for
his contributions to the refinement of the microscope and the establishment
of cell biology.
Cees Nooteboom, one of Holland's most frequently translated writers,
has been compared to Aldous Huxley, Milan Kundera, Gabriel Garcia Marquez,
and Umberto Eco.