Student case study · Netherlands
Ishita, from Kathmandu to Amsterdam
BBA International Business, September 2024 intake
First in her family to study abroad. Her mother called almost every week, and every time, someone could tell her exactly where the file was.
- After +2
- First in family
- Housing secured
- Starting point
- +2 management, GPA 3.42
- English
- IELTS Academic 6.5
- Study gap
- None
- Paid for by
- Parents' income and savings, and an education loan
- First call to visa
- 166 days
Where Ishita started
Ishita wanted an international business degree straight after +2. Nobody in her family had studied abroad, and her mother had heard enough stories about consultancies that disappear after the fee to be scared of all of them.
What we found
The academic side was simple: a university of applied sciences in Amsterdam accepts a strong +2 with IELTS 6.5. The hard parts were housing and trust.
For housing, we applied for the university's room allocation the day she accepted her offer. For trust, we gave her mother the counsellor's direct number and the file's next date at every step.
Step by step, with dates
18 Jan 2024
First counselling, with both parents.
1 Mar 2024
Studielink and university application.
2 Apr 2024
Offer received; university housing application the same day.
3 May 2024
NOC; tuition and living funds paid to the university.
8 May 2024
University submits the IND application.
20 Jun 2024
IND approves; room in university housing confirmed.
2 Jul 2024
MVV collected, 166 days after the first call.
25 Aug 2024
Flies to Amsterdam.
The result
Ishita is in her third year, doing an internship in Rotterdam with a logistics company. Her mother still calls the office sometimes, mostly now to tell us how Ishita is doing.
In Ishita's words
I'm the first in my family to study abroad. My mum called the office almost every week. Every time, someone picked up and told her exactly where my file was.
I didn't understand the process. I understood the person who picked up the phone.
If your profile looks like this
- 1
Apply for university housing the day you accept your offer in the Netherlands. See Netherlands living costs.
- 2
Give your parents the counsellor's number. A family that understands the file worries less, and so do you.
- 3
After +2, universities of applied sciences are the usual route. See Netherlands entry rules.
Everything about studying in the Netherlands: cost, process and fees