Checklist - Before your exchange
Essential
| ☐ | Make a financial plan and ensure you have sufficient funds |
| ☐ | Make sure your passport is valid for the time that you’ll be staying in the Netherlands and check with the authorities in your home country how many months your passport still needs to be valid for when you return there |
| ☐ | Prepare the necessary documents for your visa and/or residence permit (if applicable), and if you need a visa, obtain it before you travel |
| ☐ | Arrange your healthcare (and other) insurance |
| ☐ | Decide how and when to get to Rotterdam |
| ☐ | Arrange accommodation in Rotterdam, at least for your first few nights |
| ☐ | Register for your courses (you will receive an e-mail from the exchange coordinator about the registration procedure) |
Optional
| ☐ | Follow Erasmus School of Economics on social media channels ( Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) |
| ☐ | Subscribe to Erasmus University’s YouTube channel |
| ☐ | Sign up for the orientation programmes |
| ☐ | Register for a Dutch language course |
| ☐ | Appoint someone you trust to act as your representative. For instance, for your bank account: if you lose your bankcard, it will be easier if someone in your home country is authorised to arrange a new one for you. |
Essential things to pack before departure
| ☐ | Your passport |
| ☐ | Proof of your healthcare insurance |
| ☐ | Tickets and journey details |
| ☐ | Credit card |
| ☐ | Some money in the form of cash (euros) |
| ☐ | Clothing for temperatures between -5°C and 25°C (between 23°F and 77°F) |
| ☐ | Toiletries Bag |
| ☐ | Medications (if applicable) |
| Emergency phone numbers |
Optional things to pack before departure
| ☐ | Your (international) driver’s licence |
| ☐ | Passport photos (you will need a few during your first few days here) |
| ☐ | Camera |
| ☐ | Mobile phone |
| ☐ | Laptop / tablet |
| ☐ | Travel adapter |
| ☐ | Extra contact lenses or spare pair of glasses |
| ☐ | Umbrella (it rains quite often in the Netherlands) |
| ☐ | Towels |
| ☐ | Bed linen (some housing agencies offer linen) |
| ☐ | Travel guide |
| ☐ | International Student Identity Card |
| ☐ | First Aid kit |