Welcome to UES weblog!

Welcome to UES weblog! Hope you'll enjoy reading these posts about our studies and student days in Utrecht. Utrecht Excellence Scholarship played an essential role in my decision of coming to Utrecht, so I'm looking forward to write here and contribute to this project.

Thanks to UES, I’m a MERM student:

Last April when I received a mail informing that I was awarded double the amount of regular UES, I was really flattered and happy to receive financial support. It would be impossible for me to come to Utrecht without this scholarship, since the tuition fees are extremely high for the non-European international students compared to the fees that the European students have to pay. Thanks to UES, at the moment, I'm doing the prestige research master program on international migration, ethnic relations and multiculturalism (MERM). This program is a part of the Graduate School of Social and Behavioral Sciences and one of the few programs, which is particularly on migration. I find it very unique that the program is multidisciplinary, letting people from different backgrounds work on a single subject together. In the next posts, I’m planning to write more in detail about the program, but for now I just want to keep it simple by saying that I’m very satisfied with its content and organization.


Being an International Student in Utrecht:

Different than most of the international students who arrive in September, I came to Utrecht in the middle of August to do a summer school course on applied multivariate analysis. It was a good start for me because the course was very well organized and useful but also because the two weeks turned out to be a nice period of adaptation to Utrecht University and my new life in Holland. Since it was my first time in Holland and that I would be away from home for such a long time, it was really important for me to have a smooth transition period. The unexpected problems may be very de-motivating when you are alone and starting a new period in your life. Luckily, when I think about it, I realize that I didn’t have a single problem. I was actually amazed by the fact that everything was so well organized, and including International Office and my department, everyone was exceptionally supportive. As a result, I felt ready and very motivated in the beginning of September when the courses began. Since then, I have a regular student life in Utrecht, which I like a lot! I enjoy experiencing the international student life, MERM program and all the opportunities coming along with studying in a good university. In the following posts, I will try to give you a better insight of being an international student in Utrecht, but for now I want to again keep it simple by saying that it’s a life time experience!

Well, I guess that’s all from me for now. I’m looking forward to write again by treating one of the themes that I mentioned above (MERM program, Being an international student in Utrecht). Please feel free to make comments, ask questions or tell subjects that you would like me to write about.

All the best,
Ozge