Guides
Getting started in Maastricht.
Short, practical guides for international students arriving in the Netherlands. Written by people who do this every week, and kept current because the rules change.
Eating well on a student budget in the Netherlands: where the cheap protein is
What is actually cheap in Dutch supermarkets, which shops to use for what, and a week of meals that costs less than you would think.
6 minute read →
15 August 2026Buying a bike in Maastricht: what to pay and how not to lose it
Where to buy, what a fair price looks like, which lock to get, and what to do if it is stolen anyway.
5 minute read →
14 August 2026Where to get furniture in Maastricht without spending a fortune
Second-hand markets, kringloop shops and the Facebook groups that actually work, plus what is worth buying new.
5 minute read →
13 August 2026Five things to sort out in your first week in the Netherlands
The short list that unblocks everything else, in the order that actually works.
5 minute read →
12 August 2026Huurtoeslag in 2026: can a student in Maastricht actually get it?
The rules changed on 1 January 2026. What that means for students, and the one condition that disqualifies most student rooms.
7 minute read →
11 August 2026How to register in Maastricht and get your BSN
What the gemeente needs, how long it takes, and the two things that catch international students out. A step-by-step for Maastricht.
6 minute read →