Maastricht University: Summer Programme in European Studies

Amazing summer in Maastricht

Submitted by Oti - United States Penn State University | August 08, 2017

Coming to Maastricht, I had no idea what to expect. I travel a lot with my family but I had never been to the Netherlands. Maastricht is a beautiful city that, in my opinion, appeals to everyone. It has a nice city vibe but is also not as intense as larger cities.
When we first got here, the CES staff was so helpful, we had tours of the city and of places we may need to go to get things that we needed. They even help you with navigating the transportation system in case you wanted to explore other European cities. I took a leadership and management class, and our academic programme was very enlightening and engaging. We discuss with our professor and our peers about various management and leadership topics in class that genuinely changed my view of leadership for the better. My experience was truly an amazing one!

Summer near the Maas

Submitted by Brittney Johsnon - United States UC Santa Barbara | August 08, 2017

This academic program was a life changing experience because it has opened new friends who challenged he way i thought about many political topics. it was also wonderful because it allowed me to have time and support to find the pathway i wanted to take inline, and now i am applying to law school in fall.

CES staff was incredible because they were always willing to help, whether that be answering many of my Facebook messages to help me get around!

I would not rate this experience for the world; it has not only changed my outlook on issues I care most about but it has allowed me to come into contact with people, who are now lifelong friends, that challenge me to think greater and be better. Traveling on the weekends opened up my world as well because immersing myself into the cultures of other countries has allowed me to look back at my country and want to make it a greater place.

Home sweet Maastricht

Submitted by Sonja Thrasher - Irvine, California United States University of California, Irvine | August 08, 2017

I had an amazing summer in Maastricht!! Not only did I fulfill my travel dreams, but I learned so much and made great friends. My academic programme gave me the unique opportunity to learn about the EU and its people, while sitting in class alongside EU citizens as fellow students. I felt truly immersed in the material and learned so much more than I could have in an American University about the topics I studied.

The CES staff has been so kind, friendly, and welcoming. Any question of help I needed was easy to obtain! I have truly felt valued as a student here during my time in Maastricht.

Studying in Maastricht has made me feel totally immersed in my experience abroad, especially while studying the European Union amongst EU citizens. It has been an amazing experience to not only travel throughout Europe this summer, but be able to return to Maastricht as a home base. Great place not only to travel from, but to live.

Summer in Maastricht

Submitted by Chanda - United States Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis | August 03, 2017

You gain an international understanding of things that would only be touched on at home, even in such a short time. My professors were knowledgeable on the subjects and thoroughly enjoyed teaching-which has made learning so much fun.

Getting in contact with the CES staff was always easy and helpful when questions arose and my home university was unable to answer. They genuinely care about your well being while you're here, and it's a good feeling having people watch out for you while you're thousands miles from home.

The best thing about my study abroad experience was developing friendships that helped me become a better me in such a short amount of time. I'll forever be grateful for the people I met and the experience I was able to have in Maastricht.

Unforgettable experience at Maastricht University

Submitted by Megan Ritsema - Maastricht Netherlands Maastricht University | August 03, 2017

The academic program at Maastricht University is a great one that cultivates independence and creative ideas. It provides a new learning style that really makes you a better all-around student. The CES staff are extremely open, friendly, and knowledgable. They are here to make the experience as problem-free and enjoyable as possible. Study abroad allows you to make amazing friendships and experience the world in a brand new way. It is the most rewarding experience I’ve ever had.

Mission become a global citizen

Submitted by Brian Gregory - United States University of Arkansas at Little Rock | August 03, 2017

My experience at Maastricht was a challenging and emotional experience. I learned about the world, how different political and economic institutions interact with one another, and about the people of these places live their lives on a historical and modern level.

The CES staff were an awesome group of people who challenged us to leave our own cultural ideas behind to embrace a new culture. They were challenging and demanding; in the end I became a better student, thinker, and citizen because of it.

The best part of my study abroad experience was learning about the people who live in these places, and how they interact with the world. It is easy to disregard the stories of everyday people learning about their history, seeing how they lived their lives through pictures, and watching people everyday made this experience one I will never forget.

Unbelievable experience

Submitted by Erin Walsh - Maastricht Netherlands Maastricht University | August 03, 2017

Studying abroad at Maastricht university gives you the chance to experience a totally new way of learning. Not only do you get to experience problem-based learning and how that can affect and benefit your learning in the future, you get to interact and discuss specific topics with people from around the world. International input and opinions of people from cultures other than your own is an extremely beneficial and enlightening way to learn. To return home with these skills is an unbelievable experience.

Studying abroad allows you the freedom to experience the world in completely different ways and forge international friendships. Exposure and contact to various people, cultures, and learning/communication styles ultimately makes you a better student, person, and global citizen.

The CES staff is the most welcoming, friendly, helpful staff that I have encountered in an academic setting. I came into this program feeling a little overwhelmed, and within the first two days I felt right at home, and I knew that if there was anything I needed, CES would help me find it.

I think that overall, the experience of studying abroad has made me a more independent, confident person, and has allowed me to build incredible friendships with people I probably never would have met otherwise. I feel like this experience allowed me to embrace myself and my love for travel, and gave me the confidence to continue traveling and exploring the world in the future.

Experience of a Lifetime!

Submitted by Richard Fam - San diego, California University of California, San Diego | September 30, 2015

Deciding to study abroad at Maastricht University as a part of their CES program was one of the best decisions I have ever made. The people in Maastricht are some of the nicest and most welcoming people that I ever had the pleasure of meeting.The CES staff, alongside the International Student Network at Maastricht (ISN), gave us all sorts of helpful advice, ranging from how to succeed in our classes, to tips for the best places to enjoy the night life at Maastricht.


The following are a few key aspects of my experience in the program:

Class sizes were smaller facilitating a better relationship with the instructors.

The rhythm of life in Maastricht contrasts my life in California in the sense that things were very slowed down. I wasn’t in such a rush to do everything like I am living at home. While it was different at first, I grew to appreciate it very much and to appreciate giving everything its proper time.

Maastricht being next to Belgium and Germany afforded us to be able to travel around and visit both those countries. 



This amazing adventure taught me a lot more than I anticipated. Even though I learned about business in my classes, I learned about a lot more outside of my classes. I learned about dutch culture, and many other european cultures. This trip enriched me in ways I cannot put in words. It was definitely an experience of a lifetime!

Loved It!

Submitted by Halle Gavrielidis - Storrs, CT University of Connecticut | September 02, 2015

Maastricht University’s Summer Program for European Studies was an absolutely amazing experience. Maastricht is a great location - at the southern tip of The Netherlands between Belgium and Germany - making it easy for travel around Europe. The city itself is gorgeous. The streets are full of character, there are cute little shops everywhere, and by the river is the perfect spot to enjoy all the city offers. I got to truly experience Dutch life there, from riding bikes around the city, eating traditional food, shopping at farmer’s and flea markets, and exploring all the beautiful streets to everything in between. The people there, especially the CES staff, are wonderful, as is the food and the beer. I felt right at home during the program and really didn’t want to leave when my time was over. I took two classes, a study tour and a media class, both of which were very interesting, fun, interactive, and very informational. My professors were awesome people and I learned a lot from them. The other students were just as excited about the whole program as I was which made it easy to make friends and have a lot of fun bar and club hopping (everyone in our program spent a lot of time at the Shamrock, St. Peter’s Irish Pub, Cliniq, and de Alla so check those out). There are also a whole bunch of cute cafes and smaller bars like Cafe Forum which has great live jazz nights. The Guesthouse was a nice place to live in during the program and offered a bunch of different living arrangements - though not much time was really spent inside while I was in such a great city. This program is well suited for all kinds of people, I definitely recommend it! I can’t wait to go back!