May 19, 2021

Financial expenses in the first year of studying: what can you expect?

You may be aware of the tuition fees you will have to pay for studying at HZ, but besides these costs, there are some additional expenses that you might not have considered for now. In this blog, you can find all necessary information considering supplementary costs at HZ University of Applied Sciences. I will also share with you some tips on how to save some money. So, be prepared and know what financial expenses you can expect in the first year!

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Introduction week

During an introduction week, a lot of fun and interesting activities are happening. Some teambuilding activities, sports event, BBQ at the beach and dinner together. Of course, all of these require some costs. For this reason, you will be asked to pay an amount of approximately 40 €. However, I must assure you that these costs are worth it! I should also mention there that you do not have to pay this amount immediately. You will have a few months to compensate if you can’t do it right after introduction week. Now you must be thinking: "Do I still have to pay if I will not be able to participate in the introduction week?" Of course not! HZ will not charge you any money in this case.

Books

We all know books are required at universities to get more insight into the course and understand the topic better. No matter what study programme you choose, it will be necessary to buy some required books for particular courses. Learning books are quite expensive and the cost for a new book can get up to 80 €. I would like to calm you down and offer two alternatives so that you could save this money for something else. Firstly, some of the required books are available at HZ library. You can use it while studying at university and it is free of charge! If you want to have your own book and use it anytime, as a second alternative, you can purchase second-hand books from previous students who are willing to sell their books at lower prices. To do this, there is a Facebook group called “Get rid of it in Vlissingen” where students sell second-hand stuff as well as books they do not need anymore.

Accommodation

Of course, you already have in mind how much money you can spend on accommodation. The price definitely depends on size, facilities, location, and organization. I can tell you that the price may differ dramatically. You can find a room for 250€ or it can cost up to 450€. It all depends on your preference and abilities. I can give you a small tip, the earlier you start searching for accommodation, the cheaper alternative you will be able to find. The deposit you will have to pay must also be considered before the arrival to Vlissingen. The amount of deposit is usually equal to monthly costs for chosen accommodation. Always remember that you will get this amount back as soon as you will move out (if you not damage anything of course).

Excursions

Since HZ University of Applied Sciences involves a lot of practical work and projects, there are some projects organized in collaboration with real companies. Depending on your chosen program, a trip might be held at the beginning of a study year in order to help you to get an insight into the organization, for which you will do the project. So, some costs for transportation might be involved, but I can assure that the amount will not exceed more than 30 € for the whole trip. These costs may also vary depending on the program that you will apply for. For example, an organization can be located in Vlissingen, so you don’t have to pay any amount in this case. It can differ in every program, but just keep in mind that these costs might be involved in the beginning of the year as well.

After reading this blog, you now know what is the approximate amount required during the first year of studying at our university. I hope that this information was useful and you will not be confused upon your arrival at HZ! Good luck!

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