Int. Hotel Management at NHTV Breda University of Applied Sciences

Esther Spellmeyer who studies International hotel management at NHTV Breda University of Applied Sciences , shares her experiences in this interview.

What was the reason for choosing and applying for this course of studies at NHTV Breda University of Applied Sciences?
Studying Hotel Management at NHTV means I am not studying at the main building but at the smaller building in the south of the city. The building is small and therefore the atmosphere is very personal, which I regard as an advantage compared to other Hotel Management schools in Holland. In addition the school is very young and not as formal and strict as others. I also like the program a lot. It is much diversified with field trips, theme assignments which refer to real-life situations in the Hotel industry and placements in the Netherlands as well as abroad. The learning environment is very nice, especially for international students because being an international school with students from all over the world is of major importance for NHTV and a huge advantage for foreign students.



Where and how did you get informed about study possibilities?
I have always been interested in studying Hotel Management. Germany has some universities which offer this kind of studies, but they were either too expensive or did not offer the course of studies I was looking for. Talking to course guidance they suggested having a look at the program of some Hotel Management schools in Holland. I clicked through a lot of websites and liked NHTV best. For that reason I visited the open day and everybody was very pleased and helpful to answer all my questions and gave me good insight in the course of study.

How did you acquire the required language skills?
The official language at our school is English and therefore a sufficient level of English is required. I had “Englisch Leistungskurs” in Germany and spent one year in the United States after I finished school in order to improve my English and to live in a different culture.

Where and how did you apply?
I filled out the application form for International Hotel Management and after a few weeks I received an invitation for an interview. I had the choice between a phone interview and a face-to-face interview. I decided to meet the teacher who interviewed me in person. After the interview I received another E-mail, which included that I was accepted to study at NHTV and got an official letter from the international office as well.


In case you moved to the Netherlands: How did you find accommodation?
I live three hours from Breda away and therefore had to find a room here. I started to look for accommodation very late and did not get a very nice room, because finding a room in Breda is a little difficult - especially in the summer. In order to find a nicer and bigger room I went to an agent, but I did not like their service and it is very expensive especially for students. I found my new rooms through a website which is called www.kamernet.nl. If I would have to find a room in Breda again I would start my search earlier and sign up at “WonenBreburg”.


What were your first experiences/impressions (e.g. of the language, the scenery, etc …)?
In the first weeks it was very difficult, because I lived in a country I did not speak the language of… Moreover I had to do a lot of organizational things, but when this was done I started to feel comfortable here.

What are, in your opinion, the advantages of studying in the Netherlands?
I like the way how teachers/tutors and students communicate. I remember having a very reserved relationship to my teachers in Germany. It is completely different here. The interaction between students is very personal.
Universities in the Netherlands are more practice-orientated, which is great, especially for studying hotel management. It is a different system than in Germany, but it is not difficult to adapt to it.
Dutch students are open- minded and fun. You can have a great student life Holland!


What are, in your opinion, the disadvantages in studying in the Netherlands?
Dutch students are easy going when it comes to grades. They are totally satisfied with getting a “sufficient” grade (= 5.5), so it is sometimes difficult to work on a theme assignment with them when you want to score higher than 5.5. I had to get used to it but now I can handle this.
Sometimes the workload is just huge. It depends how much effort you put in it, but if you want to get a good mark you will spend a lot of time for school and working on your assignment.
You can get financial help from the Dutch Ministry of Education, but a requirement for that is that you have to work 32 hours a month. I could not find the time to work, because of school, so I did not get financial help every month but got a refund of my tuition fee.


What do you suggest to international school-leavers who are interested in such a course of studies?
I would recommend to get information and to think if you want to live and study abroad.
If you decide that you want to make a new experience and try something different, studying in Holland is the perfect choice!



What are your positive and negative experiences of study that you have gained till now?
When I started my studies, living and studying in Breda was a challenge. Everything was new and I did not feel comfortable in my room and was not satisfied with the overall situation. I got used to everything and feel comfortable in Breda and with my studies now. The workload in the past months was huge and therefore it was sometimes not possible to go home on the weekends.
Overall I gained more positive than negative experiences, but there is something every international student has to get used to. The Dutch people (and the same goes for the organization of the school) are very relaxed and easy going, so it was not always as strict and perfectly organized like I was used to from Germany, but it not hard to get used to it.


What are your plans for the future?
After I finished my studies I would like to work in the hospitality industry.


Other comments...


If you would have to make a choice again, would you choose NHTV again?
Yes, it was a good choice, I would choose NHTV again!

We thank Esther Spellmeyer for sharing her experiences.

[zurück]

[Druckversion]