Finalise Your Enrolment 

To enroll and begin your studies at UCU in Fall 2025, you need to be unconditionally admitted and arrange payment of your tuition and campus fees.  

For unconditional admission, we need to receive your diploma results/documents as stated in your offer letter. We will always confirm your unconditional admission by email.  

The payment of the tuition fees happens differently depending on your nationality. If you applied for a visa and/or residence permit, you (should) have already completed payment of the tuition fees. If you are an EU/EEA citizen (or you already had a Dutch residence permit), you will receive information and instructions about payment from Central Student Administration (CSA) of Utrecht University.  

Set Up Your Student Account 

At the start of July, you will receive an email from our IT department with instructions on setting up your student account and email address. Your existing student number will be used to create your Solis-ID, which you will use for most university services. Be sure to upload a photo to your OSIRIS Student account once you’ve set everything up. You can read more about IT facilities at UCU on our website. 

Pre – course enrollment

Beginning July, you’ll receive your SolisID, which gives you access to your UU email and Osiris Student. There, you’ll find your course pre-enrolment, with some courses already marked as "guaranteed”. Please note that final allocations will be completed just before introweek, so changes are still possible. Do not make any changes to your course preferences - this process is managed by tutors. Making changes yourself can lead to issues that we won’t be able to resolve. 

You’ll have the opportunity to review and discuss your final course allocations with your tutor during introweek! 

Arrange Health Insurance 

By Dutch law, everyone living in the Netherlands is required to have health insurance. This is very important because the costs of medical treatment can be very high. All students coming from outside the Netherlands should arrange for adequate health insurance before travelling to Utrecht.  

If you had to apply for a visa and/or residence permit, you have already had to arrange for health insurance, and your policy was checked by the Visa Office to make sure it meets the requirements of the IND.  

If you are an EU/EEA student, we recommend applying for a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) in your home country. This card gives you access to medically necessary, state-provided healthcare during a temporary stay in the Netherlands. Learn more about the EHIC here and here. Should you need additional insurance, Aon Student Insurance (official partner of Utrecht University) offers complete student policies as well additional packages you can combine with your EHIC.  

Arrange Financing or Loans 

If you're applying for student financing, now is the time to gather the necessary information and submit your application. Dutch students are eligible for DUO Student Financing and can apply via MyDUO. EU/EEA students may also be eligible for a tuition fee loan and possibly an additional grant—find out more on the Utrecht University website here. 

Are you an international student considering working while studying? Take a look at the website of Utrecht University for the conditions/requirements and some useful tips on where to start.  

After Your Arrival on Campus 

Register at Utrecht Municipality 

Once you’ve arrived at UCU, it’s important to register your new address at the municipality of Utrecht. This is also when you’ll receive your Dutch social security number, known as your BSN (Burgerservicenummer). You’ll need this for government-related matters and to open a bank account. 

The registration procedure depends on whether you currently live in the Netherlands or not. If you live in the Netherlands, you can register your new address online after you move to campus. If you are moving to Utrecht from another country, you will need to book an appointment and register in person at the municipality of Utrecht, located next to Utrecht Central Station. Regardless of the manner, you will need to book an appointment to register your new address within 5 days after moving in. Please note that you do not need to register your new address within 5 days after moving in, but you are required to book the appointment.  

If you are coming from outside of the Netherlands, you can book your appointment for city registration in advance (we recommend you do this as soon as you know when you will arrive on campus as slots can fill up quickly). You can make an appointment and read more about the procedure on the Utrecht municipality website.

For the appointment, you will need to take a rental contract with you. We will provide you with a document for this purpose, which you will receive by email at the end of the day you arrive on campus. Please note that we cannot provide you with your rental contract earlier than your arrival day. You will have to print and sign this document yourself before taking it to the municipality. Printing facilities are available on campus. 

Open a bank account  

From getting a mobile phone subscription to being able to easily shop in stores and online, there are many reasons why it is practical to have a Dutch bank account. The Netherlands is an increasingly cashless society, where the preferred payment method in most places is pinnen or paying by debit card.  

If you are moving to the Netherlands for the first time, you will only be able to open a Dutch bank account after registering at the municipality and receiving your BSN number. Credit cards and non-Dutch debit cards are widely accepted at many stores and restaurants, but not in all supermarkets, so make sure you have sufficient cash upon arrival as backup. In the first few weeks on campus, you can expect to spend money on groceries, books, and some small items for your room. You can use a foreign debit/credit card to take out money from ATMs, but additional fees may apply.  

Sign up with a general practitioner  

After registering at the municipality (and receiving your BSN), you should find and sign up with a general practitioner, or huisarts in Dutch. Your GP is your first point-of-contact for all non-emergency medical issues, and they also give referrals to specialists or diagnostic tests. When you visit the GP (or any other medical professional), it is important to take your health insurance card with you. If you do not have Dutch public health insurance, you may also be asked to pay for care on the spot. In that case you will receive an invoice or bill that you can use to claim the costs with your insurance company later.  

You do not have to begin searching for a GP now. However, if you are coming from another country and you have medical conditions that your Dutch GP should know about, you may begin preparations by arranging for English-language documentation from your current doctor(s). You can read more about how health care in the Netherlands works here.  

Get a travel card and/or bike  

The Netherlands has a very good public transport system, and the personal OV-chipkaart provides a means of payment for the system across the whole country (bus, train, tramway, subway, and bicycle hire). Instead of buying individual tickets, you load credit in euros or a travel product on your OV-chipkaart. You can read more about the OV-chipkaart and how to get one here. You can now also pay for public transport using a debit or credit card. If you are eligible for DUO Student Finance, you can also travel for free or with a discount with your OV-chipkaart.  

Next to public transport, the most common way of getting around in Utrecht and in the Netherlands in general is by bike. Designated bike paths and parking areas, as well as specific traffic laws aimed at protecting cyclists make the Netherlands a great place to travel by bike. Many students buy second-hand bikes (often from other students who are leaving Utrecht), but you can also buy them new from a shop or even rent one. It is estimated that there are over 1 million bikes in Utrecht (a city of 300,000 people), so there is definitely no shortage!  

Attend Introtime! 

What phone subscription should I get? Where can I buy things for my room? Which bank is best? Where do I go for fun (cinema, museums, parks, concerts) in Utrecht? How do I find a good bike? Right after arrival, UCSA and your Intro time family will be there to help you with tips and recommendations about all these matters, and more.