Practical preparations

When you start university this will come with much more independence from your parents or gaurdians, but if you will be under 18 during your first year then you will technically still be a minor. Therefore, special accomodations will have to be made in relation to several practical preparations, which we have highlighted below.

Bank account

You need a Dutch bank account for the following situations:

  • If you want to activate automatic monthly payments of your tuition fee;

  • If you want to get an phone plan where you fulfill the payment per month;

  • Or if you want your living-expenses immigration deposit to get reimbursed.

Opening a Dutch bank account when your under 18 can be done at a couple banks (click the button below for a comprehensive list including information for those under 18).

Recommended: BUNQ - Minors can easily open their own account as long as they have the approval of their parent or legal guardian. The parent or legal guardian has to have a Bunq personal account. This way we can verify his/her identity and confirm that he/she is the legal guardian of the minor. While completing your profile, you will be reminded that the minor needs approval from a legal guardian at the end of the registration process.

Please note that we strongly advise students to bring enough money with you to sustain yourself in the first two months after arrival, since it can take some time to receive your living-expenses immigration deposit refund because you need a Dutch bank account or another EU bank account.

Housing

Neither RSM nor Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) own or operate any student accommodations. Housing is therefore not guaranteed and is the responsibility of the student, but to help you find housing, RSM and EUR do reserve rooms in student housing accomodations operated by third parties.

If you will be under 18 during your first year AND hold a non-EEA/EU nationality, we will try to proritize* your registration for the rooms that RSM reserves with the ‘Short Stay Accommodations' SSH Student Housing (SSH).

For all students coming from outside the Netherlands and who will be under 18 during the first year, the EUR housing office will try to prioritize* your registration for the rooms that EUR reserves in the Xior builinding (on campus) and several other housing options provided by EUR. If you have any questions about this you can email the EUR housing office.

*Please note that the demand for the limited amount of rooms reserved by RSM and EUR is extremely high, so placement cannot be garanteed.

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More information

Back to preparing for IBA

Take another look at what you need to prepare for when starting IBA.

Housing

Finding housing in Rotterdam can be tricky. Make sure to start on time!

Immigration & visas

Entry visas & residence permits for non-EU or EEA students.