Hello, I study communication & multimedia design, in the Netherlands. For my study I’ve to design a game, where the city of Rotterdam will be the playing field. The game is meant for first year transfer students from universities. Thus, I’ve created some small questions, that will hopefully help to get to know my target group better.
Anyway, here they are!
*If you’d study in another country what kind of things would you like to know?
Would you enjoy studying in the Netherlands, if so, why?
What would be the top things, you’d like to do?
Would you like to try out the countries food?
Would you enjoy drinking beer?
Would you be interested in sightseeing, or would that bore you? For example, the architecture of that city?
Do I need to know the local language, or can I get by with English? If I do need to learn the local language, what are the best resources to do that?
What financial resources are there to help me fund my degree? May I work while studying? Is it possible (visa-wise) to pursue internships during school breaks? Can I get a work visa for a full-time job after college?
Is the degree I am getting recognized and useful in my home country?
Is it easy to arrange housing from abroad?
What’s the local transportation situation like?
What administrative things do I need to do after I arrive? (Is there a city bureau that I have to register with? How do I register for classes? What documents do I need to open a bank account as a foreigner?)
What clothes do I need to pack to get by in the first month or two?
If I get sick or injured, where do I seek care? What’s the phone number to call in the case of an emergency?
Is it safe to walk outside by myself at night? Are there areas to avoid?
I helped with the orientation for new international students at my college for a few years, and most students had concerns about legal, administrative, financial and organizational things. Nobody ever asked a question about culture. (There’s plenty of time to explore the local culture AFTER the important stuff is taken care of…)
