Spring Study Abroad Programs in Netherlands

Studying in Maastricht with CES truly could not have been a more humbling experience. Through miraculous highs and lows, the CES staff were kind, friendly, accessible, and made life in Maastricht a dream. They helped me navigate difficult yet rewarding coursework, mental health, cultural immersion and adjustment to Dutch university life as an international student, and most importantly, helped me navigate a significant injury I endured at the end of my semester. The staff members who were there for me during that challenging time are still my close friends and confidants to this day. There has truly not been anything in my life that left an impression the way CES did, and continues to have on my life. I am still connected with staff and alumni. Not only did I make American friends within the CES program, the UM Guesthouse introduced me to a vibrant international friend group that I get to travel the world (and back to the Netherlands) to spend time with. Ultimately, the most meaningful and significant chapter of my life occurred while studying at CES Maastricht, and I am grateful every day.

I studied abroad at UM Maastricht in spring 2026, and I wish I never had to leave. Maastricht Netherlands is a municipality within the Netherlands and I originally chose this location based on the country of the Netherlands itself as it was my number one option from the day, I knew I wanted to study abroad. The country of the Netherlands seemed very beautiful, it seemed to have nature included in daily aspects, and the Netherlands seemed like a place where people could be themselves and be weird. When I arrived, that is exactly what I experienced. I was immersed within the university and country from the first day that I arrived. The university itself is spread out through this small but beautiful city, and is integrated with history, art, and nature across the whole campus. Which means that the city itself was also immersed and full of art, history, nature, culture, and a lively lifestyle. I learned a lot about Dutch culture, but studying abroad here also allowed me to continuously learn about at least 13 other cultures. It allowed me to be immersed within different language, and it allowed me to professionally and personally develop on every corner that I turned. UM was designed in the Dutch Way, and as accommodating for all cultures. The university had a message to understand and educate all and for me that applies to my day-to-day as I am a fourth year student about to graduate and become a teacher. As a teacher, it is important to understand all of my students, individualities and characteristics that set them apart or together within the students around them. A part of this requires to have minimal biases, which is how you create a positive environment within the classroom. I believe that the courses I took here enabled me to learn more about the psychology of learning and being around others. I took social psychology. Esther Slits was hands-down the best professor I had within the university, this course connected to previous courses I had taken within child development. Her course stuck with me the most and I have been able to apply what I learned in her class to my current classrooms. So far I have been in the four different classrooms and since coming home, I have been in one. So I am able to see the different mechanisms of application from before I learned more in her class compared to after I gained a full understanding of connections within social psychology. I had many ah ha moments within this class that have led me to encourage the education department within my university to encourage our studying educators to study abroad to gain a wider knowledge, and understanding of our classroom mechanisms, as well as as the students themselves. I found that studying in a university that required English within all courses was infatuating as almost every student and each tutorial or lecture spoke a different language. Which led me to gain a water understanding about how students feel within the classroom in elementary, middle, or high school, who don’t speak the same language as everyone else, and I learned how my students feel when they don’t understand what is being said because of a language barrier, and how to incorporate those student students into the classroom environment. All of my professors made it apparent that everyone could understand any language being spoken during instruction, however, when we had downtime or group work, everyone around me would speak in their own language. Or in Dutch. Which I definitely loved and would never prevent, I learned Dutch for a few months before attending, but in reality I still could not speak full sentences. My professors would always chime me in and ask the students around us in free time to speak in English, because even if a student is not involved in a conversation with a language, they don’t speak. It is still important that that student is not left out or feels unseen, or unheard. And that is my largest Takeaway within my study abroad, and I’m so thankful that I was able to continue and travel throughout my experience as the Netherlands country is in the middle of the European continent itself. I believe that I will encourage more educators to travel abroad and that I would always recommend them to go to Maastricht Netherlands to visit, because living there is not for everybody. But it was for me, I miss it every single day, and I cannot stop thinking about it. The nature, the people, the jokes, and the environment of the country has a whole. It’s stuck to me and I wish I could say that a part of me is Netherlandish but I can’t. One day I plan on coming back, as it truly was an impeccable lifetime experience, that you can’t only experience once.

My experience studying abroad in Barcelona with CEA CAPA was one of the best experiences I have had in college. I chose Barcelona because I have always loved Spain and wanted the opportunity to experience Spanish culture, travel, try new foods, and explore a new city. From the beginning, CEA CAPA made me feel welcomed and supported. Moving to a new country can definitely feel overwhelming, especially at first, but the CEA CAPA staff were always there to help and made me feel much more comfortable throughout my experience. One of the things I appreciated most about CEA CAPA was how safe and supported I felt while abroad. The staff were welcoming, approachable, and made it easy to ask questions or get help whenever I needed it. Knowing that I had people there who cared about my experience made being so far from home feel much less intimidating. I also loved that CEA CAPA helped create a community where I could meet other students and feel like I was not alone in a new country. I was able to become more independent while still knowing I had a support system if I needed one. Overall, studying abroad in Barcelona was an experience I will never forget. CEA CAPA gave me the opportunity to experience a new culture, meet amazing people, travel, and grow as a person while also making me feel safe and welcomed. I would definitely recommend CEA CAPA to anyone considering studying abroad, especially students who may be nervous about living in another country for the first time. It made the entire experience feel more comfortable, supported, and exciting.

My experience studying abroad in Barcelona with CEA CAPA was one of the best experiences I have had in college. I chose Barcelona because I have always loved Spain and wanted the opportunity to experience Spanish culture, travel, try new foods, and explore a new city. From the beginning, CEA CAPA made me feel welcomed and supported. Moving to a new country can definitely feel overwhelming, especially at first, but the CEA CAPA staff were always there to help and made me feel much more comfortable throughout my experience. One of the things I appreciated most about CEA CAPA was how safe and supported I felt while abroad. The staff were welcoming, approachable, and made it easy to ask questions or get help whenever I needed it. Knowing that I had people there who cared about my experience made being so far from home feel much less intimidating. I also loved that CEA CAPA helped create a community where I could meet other students and feel like I was not alone in a new country. I was able to become more independent while still knowing I had a support system if I needed one. Overall, studying abroad in Barcelona was an experience I will never forget. CEA CAPA gave me the opportunity to experience a new culture, meet amazing people, travel, and grow as a person while also making me feel safe and welcomed. I would definitely recommend CEA CAPA to anyone considering studying abroad, especially students who may be nervous about living in another country for the first time. It made the entire experience feel more comfortable, supported, and exciting.

I graduated from high school a semester early, and the only way I wanted to spend my semester was by being abroad. I've known about Semester at Sea for around 6 years and I wanted to take advantage of this opportunity. I searched up the requirements to be accepted and luckily fit all the requirements most importantly being 18, so immediately I applied. I then got an email back the next morning saying I got accepted into the program and that email brought me to tears in the middle of one of my classes. I couldn't wait to board the MV World Odyssey and embark on this journey of a lifetime. On the ship, I gained so much knowledge about different cultures and I was able to be fully immersed in them, not just sticking to the touristy things offered. Semester at Sea does an amazing job keeping the students' safety in country as a priority with having mandatory “Pre-Port meetings” the night before arriving in a country, and offering field programs which are ship run excursions with ship faculty leading them. The community on the ship was nothing I have ever experienced before. We were so close knit and it felt like I was truly in a connected, caring, and welcoming environment. I met the people I never imagined I'd connect with, and they ended up becoming the best connections I've ever made with people. Semester at Sea also helped me get out of my comfort zone which led me to have experiences I would have never imagined I'd have, best example being running a half marathon in Vigo, Spain even though I'm not a runner and have never been a runner. Semester at Sea has given me the world and the opportunity to appreciate it to its fullest. I left the ship with my passport full, but my heart is even fuller with people, memories, and connections I will forever cherish. Semester at Sea was truly the best experience I have ever had and would recommend it to anyone as it was life changing.

One of the most underrated aspect of semester at sea is the ship campus itself. Being able to live so close to your friends and just walking a few flight of stairs to your classroom and being able to sit down with your professors for lunch is such an amazing experience. It's eternal sunsets, it's endless travel stories from your friends, it's lifetime of memories. Highly recommend. One of the best decisions I made. And still day dream about this experience, still talk and travel to meet my SAS friends 4 years later.

I have not experienced anything like semester at sea before, therefore giving me a whole lot of different lenses to look at the world with. I completely enjoyed my experience and understand the importance of understanding others concerns, communication, communities, and countries. A overall wonderful experience that has changed my views as well as the way I live and who I am as a person.

My special and memorable experience abroad at Maastricht University has been greatly shaped by the support and care the Center of European Studies (CES) team has provided for us. The team went above and beyond in ensuring we were accompanied by help in every way possible, and in every step of the way. I felt comfortable in approaching all of the advisors as they made efforts to establish that friendly and warm relationship with us students since day 1. Our cohort all became very close and appreciated the every activity, event and trip that the CES team had so kindly organized for us. This has been an incredible experience, beyond anything we could’ve ever expected and imagined. The people we’ve met here in Maastricht will never be forgotten! Thank you to the CES team for being the wonderful people they are, and I couldn’t imagine going abroad through any other program :)

I would recommend CIEE Study Abroad to a friend easily. I had such a great time, with my peers and teachers throughout these three months. I was always able to ask a CIEE staff member any questions and they would help me immediately. I felt straight at home when arriving, and I believe many people I recommend will feel the same.

My semester with SIT was one of the best of my life. My class on queer and feminist theory grew my comfort and knowledge within the subject, both academically and practically. The hands-on experiential learning component is central to the SIT curriculum and allowed us to continuously apply what we learned in the classroom to the real world. I've learned so much about the Netherlands and its history, peoples, and politics. From classes to my homestay to the people I met when I explored the city, I have grown significantly in my understanding of myself, the Netherlands, and the world at large. The homestay was absolutely a highlight of my time with SIT. I felt loved, cared for, and greatly supported. I was able to continuously work on my Dutch language skills with my homestay, too. Overall, I could not recommend this program enough.

My program experience was great. The program was set up so that half of my classes were only with students from my home university -- relatively small classes with 6-8 others--- and the other half were regular classes at the local university (which was more immersive and I preferred those classes). We had scheduled weekend trips to visit other countries and local areas around the host country, which accounted for about 1/4 of the total weekends. My favorite experience was visiting the shops and doing interviews with the local students for my cultural awareness final project. I was able to meet really cool people, which led me to dinners with strangers, book recommendations, free drinks, great conversations, artworks, and lifelong friends.

From a very young age I've always enjoyed new experiences, and as I grew up I knew I wanted to go far for school. However, due to familial situations I decided to stay close to my family for my undergraduate experience. As my family situation calmed down, CES Maastricht allowed me the opportunity of a lifetime to go and live not just in the Netherlands, but in the province my family originates from. With CES Maastricht, every step of the process was easy and help was readily available from the application stage to arrival and travel whilst on the program. The CES Program also offered a wide variety of classes to help students immerse into the culture of both the city and the Netherlands. One of my favorite parts of this program was the built-in travel that took students to Berlin Germany, Paris France, and a trip around several Dutch cities. I cannot recommend CES enough to friends curious about Europe, and I truly think that it is a perfect fit for anyone; whether you're focused on cultural immersion like I was with the Netherlands, or if you're curious about Europe in a broader sense. I was able to travel so much of Europe and even get to Africa on this program, and the experiences I had were downright life-changing.

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!!!

The Psychology and Neuroscience program stood out to me because I knew I wanted to study abroad in western Europe and Maastricht had a perfect central location and the tailored coursework fit seamlessly with my major at UC San Diego as a Cognitive Neuroscience student. I knew all the classes would transfer and be relevant for my career goals. I can't even a choose a favorite memory from study abroad! Was it biking with my friends across town, rain or shine? Hiking down to the scenic Howth cliffs or trying to blend in with the kids at the Miffy museum or celebrating Halloween at Thuis with Riya in our horrendously bad costume? My study abroad experience was definitely the highlight of my college career and I recommend everyone to step out of their comfort zone and immerse themselves in a new culture and lifestyle for a few months when anything is possible at our age!

I did the CES program in Fall 2022. I was nervous because I was coming there all on my own but everyone, from the program administrators to the students, made me feel so welcome. I had the opportunity to immersive myself in the Dutch culture through the program, and travel to many neighboring cities and countries. I met some of my closest friends through this program and for that, I’ll always be grateful!

IES Abroad Amsterdam has friendly staff that were always kind and responsive. All my questions were answered and we had multiple pre-departure sessions. I really recommend Amsterdam to anyone who is a history buff! With IES Abroad, you can access almost any museum you want for free. It was so fun to explore the city using museums as my guide. For any travelers, Amsterdam has a big airport, that flies direct to most places. While the prices aren't as low as London, planning your trips in advance or being flexible to different spots or cities will give you so many options for cool weekend trips. For people who love night-life, there is an amazing scene in Amsterdam! Intimate bars, crazy clubs, Amsterdam definitely has options, and I had so much fun exploring the different scenes. If you love a cozy rainy day, Amsterdam will provide! Amsterdam is often rainy and cloudy. I got very lucky my semester; it was sunny and beautiful almost the entire time! Compared to my home college in Minnesota, the weather was wonderful even in February. Keep in mind your preferences while choosing a location. Safety wise, I would say being smart is the most important thing. Amsterdam felt super safe, even when I was exploring the city alone. Pickpocketing is not a large issue here. Be smart, and you will have a wonderful time!

Studying in Maastricht is the best decision I have made. This experience was immersive and I met so many amazing people and made so many wonderful friends. I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to explore Europe without this experience and to learn about the culture.

I just studied abroad with SAS in spring of 2025. To say this experience changed my life would be an understatement. I cannot recommend this enough. The learning opportunities are amazing, the staff and faculty do everything they can to make this your home away from home, and the traveling experiences are ONCE IN A LIFETIME!

When I completed Semester At Sea in the fall of 2024, it was my first time traveling over seas. Growing up going on cruise’s I was super excited to start this new journey on the floating campus. Going in knowing no one else I was nervous but soon felt so welcomed, the community on the ship is amazing. Getting to travel the world with other college kids that have the same interest as you is such a wonderful experience. The professors and other staff members are there to make your learning come to life and it was magical to watch that happen, exploring your learning in each country was eye opening. Not only getting to explore a country but 10 countries allowed for a broad variety of cultures that we get to dive into and explore was so rewarding. I would 1000% go on Semester At Sea again and would recommend it to everyone if you’re deciding to study abroad.

I don’t even know where to begin! Semester at Sea was truly a life-changing experience. There’s no other program where you can see so many different places in a single semester. For example, I visited 10 countries across Asia, Africa, and Europe, experiencing diverse cultures and meeting people from all over the world. Semester at Sea also gives you incredible freedom: while docked, you can join field programs or explore each country independently. Through this journey, I not only learned about the world but also about myself. I became more independent, more confident, and gained a global perspective that has completely changed the way I see the world.