Natural Sciences Study Abroad Programs in Netherlands

I studied abroad Spring 2024 in Maastricht, Netherlands. And I really did have the time of my life. Studying in Maastricht, I was very challenged with academics. UM’s problem based learning strategy encourages students to lead class discussions, take an active role in choosing what to focus on, and collaborate with other students. Maastricht’s location in the heart of Europe allowed me to travel to other European countries by train with ease, making weekend travel easy. CES’s group trips and orientation helped me make friends immediately, whom I cooked dinner with, traveled with, and studied with, and who I still keep up with. If you have one choice - study abroad at Maastricht through CES!!!

I had such a good experience in the Public Health and Medicine in Europe program at Maastricht. I mainly took psychology and genetics courses (plus a lab), and I really enjoyed how these classes were taught, especially at UCM. Through the pbl-style learning, I developed better independent study skills and was able to learn and engage with the content rather than memorize it for a test. One of my favorite parts of this program was also how I was able to learn with local students at UCM. Through group projects and our in-class discussions, I made some really good friends who not only helped me with my initial adjustment to the pbl-style, but also showed me around local spots in Maastricht. Additionally, the Berlin, Paris, and Dutch Day trips were so fun and culturally enriching. They had the perfect amount of structure and a good agenda while still offering a lot of free time and recommendations to explore the cities on your own with friends. Maastricht was the cutest city with such fun things to do, such as the market every Friday, and had some really good cafes/food places and bars. It was easy and affordable to travel from and filled with such kind people. I came back with such good lifetime friends, and miss Maastricht (and biking) every day.