Get to know your fellow international students

The Welcome Day kicks off with an introduction from our staff, followed by presentations on the things you need to know about settling into Maastricht and the support services we offer to new students. Throughout the day, you will have plenty of opportunities to meet and connect with your fellow international students.

Location: the event will take place at one of the most unique locations in Maastricht: Ipanema, inside the Bonnefanten Museum.

Presentations on behalf of: International Student Service Desk, Personal & Professional Development, MyMaastricht.

Activities organised by: UM Sport, Wellbeing Department and the Language Centre.

Fee: there is a registration fee of €17 which will cover lunch, late afternoon bites, drinks, and all activities. 
 

Register for the International Student Welcome Day

For new students starting in September 2025, registrations are open! (in case this link does not work for you, you can also use https://www.aanmelder.nl/167162/subscribe).

Deadline to register is 30 July. If spots are filled before this date, registrations will close earlier.

You’re not required to attend the International Student Welcome Day, but you’ll be missing out if you don’t. Please note, this event is separate from the INKOM introduction activities as well as the ISAP Programme.

Starting your studies in February?

Are you starting your study programme in February and want to be part of an international student community? You can get a buddy before arriving and participate in activities around the city with other new international students once you get to Maastricht. Visit the International Student Ambassadors Programme webpage for more information. 

We offer the following text-to-speech (read aloud) software for students who qualify: 

• ReadSpeaker TextAid: This online text-to-speech program helps you with reading and understanding text by providing an audible version of your documents as well as features such as text highlighting and a reading ruler for additional auditory and visual support.
• ReadSpeaker for TestVision This add-on assists in reading aloud exam questions and documents during digital exams.

Support may be available to you from Hoger Onderwijs Toegankelijk or the Dutch municipality where you reside. If you live in the Maastricht region and your disability or chronic illness prevents you from working, you may qualify for a study allowance, or 'studietoeslag' (in Dutch). See the ECIO factsheet (in Dutch) for more information.

If your studies are delayed due to your disability or chronic condition, you might be eligible for financial support from the UM 'Profileringsfonds' to help cover the extra costs. 

  Read more about the general possibilities for financial support during your studies 

If you have special housing requirements (e.g. wheelchair accessibility or a lift) due to a physical disability or chronic illness, please contact Disability Support well in advance to notify us of your needs. Please provide a medical statement and a detailed description of any housing modifications you require. Disability Support will submit your request to Maastricht Housing.

Students with autism (ASD) may be eligible for a student room at a Jados facility (link in Dutch) in the city centre.

The Patient as a Person Foundation (Mens Achter de Patient) invites students with a disability or chronic illness to share their stories with future healthcare professionals, promoting empathy in patient care. If you would like to contribute, email info@mensachterdepatient.nl

Since Rianne Letschert signed the ‘Declaration of intent of Dutch institutions for higher education’ regarding the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2020, UM has actively been improving the inclusivity of our education.  

You can also read about conversations between Rector Magnificus Pamela Habibovic, Disability Officer Sigrid Péters and students Carolina, John and Sjoerd regarding the progress made and what opportunities still exist (in Dutch). And check out the results of 2023 student survey. 

Please take the following steps to withdraw your application in Studielink:

• Go to Studielink.

• Log in.

• Go to ‘My Studielink’.

• Go to ‘My courses’.

• Go to ‘Course details’.

• Click on ‘Cancel’.

• Confirm your choice.

To confirm that your application has been withdrawn:

• Go to ‘My Studielink’.

• Go to ‘My courses’.

• Go to ‘Information on registration (request)’.

• Under ‘Status’, you should be able to see your updated status.

If UM receives your request to withdraw your application after 1 September, you might already be enrolled in a study programme. This means you will have to 'quit’ your study programme, even though you have not started your classes yet.

If you live and study in Maastricht, you can apply for a residents parking permit from Gemeente Maastricht. This permit entitles you to park your car in the zone in which you live. Prices depend on how far away from Maastricht’s city centre you live. 

If you drive from your home abroad to Maastricht several days a week for your studies, you can buy a parking permit for foreign students from Gemeente Maastricht.  
 
The foreign student parking permit entitles you to park in one of the following parking zones:  

• Brusselsepoort 
• Villapark-St.Pieter-Jekerdal 
• Mariaberg 

For 2024, the cost is €6.60 per month (plus a one-time administration fee of €21.95). 

There are many ways to travel to and within Maastricht safely and sustainably. Almost everything is within reach by walking, cycling or public transport, and Maastricht Bereikbaar can help you plan your trips.

If this is your first registration in the Netherlands, the municipality will provide you with a citizen service number (BSN). You will need this number for your health insurance, opening a bank account and accessing all kinds of government services. It can take up to five weeks to be issued your BSN number, so it is best if you register as soon as possible.

As a student, you need the following documents to register at your municipality in the Netherlands:

• valid passport 
• proof of residence in the Netherlands: a rental agreement signed by your landlord and yourself
• a legalised or apostilled copy (not older than six months) of your birth certificate. If your birth certificate is in a language other than English, Dutch, German or French, it must be translated into one of these languages by a sworn translator. The legalisation or apostille is usually done in your country of origin. Contact your local Dutch embassy or consulate for more information on sworn translations. If you don’t have this document in time for your registration appointment, you may submit it later.

If you’re living in Maastricht, find out more information about your first registration with Gemeente Maastricht.