Prepare for your Master or Premaster

What you can find on this page

Starting your studies: introduction events, academic calendar and more
Preparing for your arrival in Rotterdam: medical insurance, bank account, city hall registration, and more
Student life: connecting with fellow students, student organizations, the campus, and more

Finding housing webinar

Register for this session hosted by two current students that have lots of experience finding housing and can help guide you through all the options.

Prepare for your studies

Introduction events

General Master Kick-Off

On 26 August will be a general master (MSc) kick-off event, which you are STRONGLY encouraged to attend.

During this event you will learn essential information about the university, such as how to use the various systems critical to students, how to sign up for upcoming courses, the campus facilities, etc.

Master Specific Kick-Offs

It is HIGHLY recommended to also join the programme specific kick-off events which will take place between 27-31 August to get to know your fellow classmates, to learn more about the course organisation of your master programme, etc.

Other recommended introduction events

Get your student life started with the following events. Especially the Eurekaweek is very popular and recommended to all students!

Eurekaweek 19-22 August

Eurekaweek is the official introduction week for all new students of the Erasmus University Rotterdam! Together with a group of around 15 students and two guides you will explore student life in Rotterdam. In this week, we will show you the campus, you will discover the city of Rotterdam and, above all, you will meet many fellow students. You will also get to know the student, sport, study, multicultural and cultural associations. In short, this is the flying start to your time in Rotterdam.

For all international students there is a whole day specially organized to get acquainted with the Dutch habits and a warm welcome to your new city. Furthermore, you can go island hopping between various convenient organizations and businesses which help you get started with Rotterdam’s student life. For example, you will get the opportunity to arrange health insurance or a bike and to open a student bank account.

For more information you can visit the website of the Eurekaweek or follow the Facebook page and Instagram page for the latest updates.

EUR welcome & orientation programmes

For an overview of all of the welcome activities specially organized for new students at the Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) and also lots of helpful information about student life, university facilities, and life in Rotterdam please check out the Erasmus University Rotterdam’s official welcome page.

For a helpful guide with everything you need to prepare before starting IBA, check out the Arrival & Orientation fact sheet.

Prep programmes

Below are two programmes which have essential information about starting your studies at RSM and potentially your programme as well.

Onboarding module (all MSc students)

We have developed an online MSc Student Onboarding Module (for reference only, will be updated in April 2024) to provide new and current RSM students with all the essential information you need before you start your MSc programme. The course is composed of 7 steps and each step should take no more than 5 minutes to complete. You can complete the entire module in one go or in several times.

After completion of the Student Onboarding online course you will know everything you need to do before your first course and have a chance to win a prize!

Prep programmes (AFM, BAM, MiM, PMiM, MM)

MSc students starting the following programmes in September need to complete a preparation course (prep-course) before the start of the programme:

MScBA Accounting and Financial Management
MScBA Business Analytics and Management
MScBA Master in Management
MScBA Parttime Master in Management
MScBA Marketing Management

These prep-courses will be fully-fledged online courses (including assignments and tests) in order to ensure that you have necessary baseline subject knowledge in order to successfully complete your master programme (such as statistics, R programming, etc.).

DO NOT underestimate the effort required in completing these courses. They consist of 8 weeks of material, which you can study at your own pace but will require significant time and dedication.

Academic calendar

Click here for the Master Academic Calendar. Please note that this calendar is just to give you a general overview of the blocks and holidays. It is still due to change.

The MSc programmes at RSM are INTENSIVE full-time programmes (except the Parttime Master in Management).

To excel academically in most programmes, expect coursework to require a significant time commitment. Balancing other activities like extracurriculars or side jobs may be challenging. Prepare your schedule accordingly, especially initially.

NOTE ABOUT ELECTIVES!

Please be aware that elective courses, which typically take place during the spring semester, are determined in October of each academic year. This means that changes may occur, and certain electives may not be available during your year of study at RSM.

The elective courses listed on our website are provided as examples and may not reflect the final offerings. We CANNOT guarantee placement in your desired electives or in popular ones due to high demand.

Academic calendar

Learning environments

All the different platforms, applications and websites can be quite intruiging as a new student. Below you will find some links to the most important platforms to help you get started.

The most important study environment is MyEUR, which connects you to the university's educational information systems. From here you can access all applications and services such as the library, timetable, Canvas, student mail, OSIRIS, the service desk, and course guides. You can edit the top pane of the page using the green toggle in the bottom-right corner.

If you want to know which books you might need, please consult the course guides that you can find in Canvas. The course coordinators will indicate what material you need during the first class or through email. So please keep an eye on your inbox.

Below we have listed the most important links that you might need now or during the first weeks of your study. No need to worry about things like elective registration or the thesis trajectory at this point.

Timetable

You can access your academic timetable here once it has been published. Make sure to log in with your ERNA ID.

See your timetable

Canvas

Via Canvas you have access to all your courses, online lectures, study material, and grades.

Go to Canvas

OSIRIS

Here you find your course registrations and progress. You can also access all of the course guides when they are not on Canvas.

Go to OSIRIS

Computer and IT

Although most classes are in-person, a few of the courses are offered online and you need the following minimum computer configuration to participate properly in the programme.

Operating system

Mac OS X or Mac OS 10.10 or later
Windows 7 or higher
Linux: Mint 17.1, Ubuntu 12.04, OpenSUSE 13.2 and above

Processor or CPU | Minimum requirement is Intel i3 or similar (eg AMD Ryzen 3); i5 or higher is recommended, especially if you will be working with video conferencing applications like Zoom.

Work Memory (RAM) | 4 GB or more

Disk space | 256 Gb or more, SSD is recommended (is faster), but not required.

Video Out | HDMI (useful, not mandatory)

Network connection | Wired or wireless 600 kbps is minimum, 1.5 Mbps or more is recommended for video-based online interaction and collaboration (802.11 G). For mobile: 3G or 4G minimum.

Internet browser | In general, recent versions of Chrome, Firefox, or Safari will suffice. Note: Internet Explorer 11 and Edge do not work on all applications. If you run into a problem, try using a different browser first.

Other hardware | A webcam, either built into your computer or one that connects via USB, and speakers and a microphone, either built-in, USB plug-in or wireless Bluetooth.

Minimum Configurations for Key Applications

If you don't have the required configuration, try purchasing it. If you do not have sufficient financial resources for this, you can turn to the Erasmus Trust Fund for financial support: https://www.eur.nl/en/education/practical-matters/financial-matters/scholarships-grants/financial-aid/exceptional-family-circumstances

More about University software and IT

Study support

Student advisor team

RSM has a dedicated student adviser team which serves as a point of contact where you can access professional help, advice and guidance during your studies.

Students are free to make a confidential appoinment with the study advisors for any of the circumstances below and more:

If you have questions regarding studying in general: study planning, study methods, time-management, taking exams etc.
If personal circumstances may affect your study progress (illness, family matters etc.)
If you need help in case of specific situations: studying whilst having a professional sports career, studying with a functional impairment, study delays in general, special arrangements for taking exams etc.
If you are a prospective student and if you want more information about our programmes.
If you need advice about possible exemptions.

Prepare for your arrival in Rotterdam

Below we have listed some of the most important things that you need to do either before or soon after you arrive in the Netherlands. If you're not an international student, just scroll down for information about student life. Make sure to check out the Orientation page of the Erasmus University where you can find information about the One-Stop-Shops, an IKEA service, and a Webinar.

✈️ If you're an international student arriving at Schiphol Airport, you can get one free public transport voucher here! ✈️

Pre-arrival: Medical insurance & healthcare

You are by Dutch law obliged to be properly insured during your time in the Netherlands. Also go here for other information regarding health such as contact details of a GP or "huisarts" in Dutch.
Get medical insurance
Pre-arrival non-EU: Pick up entry visa (MVV)

After IND’s approval regarding your immigration application, you will receive a letter and a notification with instructions via email about how to contact the appropiate embassy to schedule an appointment to collect your MVV (entry visa) sticker. Once you have obtained your MVV, the EUR International Office will send an email about making an appointment at the IND to collect your residence permit.
More information
Post-arrival: Register with City Hall/Municipality

If you will be in the Netherlands for more than 4 months, you are obliged to register at the municipality in the town or city in which you are living. This how you receive your BSN number (citizen service number) which you will need to open a bank account, get a job or internship, DigiD, etc. Best way to register is via the EUR One Stop Shops.
More information
Post arrival: Bank account & financial matters

Information on the tuition fee, living costs, opening a bank account, and more on the EUR website. Make use of the navigation menu in the right-side pane. Please note that we strongly advise students to bring enough money with you to sustain yourself in the first two months after arrival, while you are setting everything up.
Student Finances

Prepare for your student life

Last but not least on the to-do list to get ready for studies is student life. Nothing might be as important for your mental health as a stable and enjoyable social life during your studies at RSM.

Below are a variety of ways for you to connect with fellow classmates and life on campus.

Student organisations

As part of your student journey, beyond your studies, there are many ways to actively engage with and become part of the RSM and EUR community.

A lot of students choose to join study or student associations to connect with classmates, take part in social events, establish important connections with potential employers, and put their classroom knowledge into real-life situations.

Being a part of these various groups not only enriches your overall experience at RSM, both socially and professionally, but also adds valuable qualifications to your CV.

Student organisations

Connect to your fellow classmates

You don't have to wait until August to meet your new classmates. Check out the Goin app and the STAR study association below to start connecting today!

Goin' app

Instead of WhatsApp groups this year, RSM is working with the app Goin'.

Goin' is an app that helps connect you with other incoming students. You can join different groups based on similar interests, background or programme. Connect with others to create new friendships and share new ideas. Also in the app, you can read onboarding tips to prepare for your arrival and studies as well as stay up-to-date with important events.

The Goin' app is not live yet for the September 2024 intake.

STAR study association

RSM's study assciation STAR’s mission is to enrich RSM students' life.

This mission is facilitated by the great number of activities that are organized by numerous Bachelor committees and Master Study Clubs. The Active Members form a base which is underpinned with three pillars: Career start support, development and academic support, social Interaction.

You can find ways to connect to your fellow classmates on their website below.

STAR

Student wellbeing

As part of Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR), RSM students can take full advantage of the EUR Student Wellbeing programme which aims to help students grow and thrive during their time at the university.

Check out what this programme has to offer via the button below; from workshops, events, and courses, to empathetic ears and personalised professional help.

As part of the student wellbeing programme, in the new sustainable Langeveld building there is a social space dedicated for students to relax called The Living Room.

Student wellbeing programme

Campus map & facilities

Did you know that the buildings on our campus where only given names in 2012? Before that, each building only had a letter. That's why Mandeville building is indicated with a T and Theil building with a C.

As the different building names and the non-matching letters can be quite confusing, the Eramus Magazine created a nice map to help you get around the Woudestein Campus. Find out more about the available study spaces, food & drinks, and more by clicking on the button below!

Sports

Erasmus Sports has a brand new state-of-the-art facility on campus!

Get active during your stay in Rotterdam by taking a subscription at the Erasmus Sports centre where you can find classes and equipment for over 50 different sports. Students can also join one of the 26 sports associations or clubs.

Check it out by clicking on the button below.