Every semester ISN Amsterdam has a Buddy Program. In this program we match local students up with international students. It is a wonderful way to connect students from different backgrounds, and to encourage a global mindset and an openness towards each other’s cultures. Every year we help over 1000 international students in this program, with a rising trend.
Applications for the second semester are closed. Check back here in June for the applications for the first semester of 2019-2020!
Would you like someone to take you to that one cute coffee house, or recommend you the best club in town? Would you like someone who can answer your questions concerning university, housing or buying your (first) bike? Why not get a friend at the same time?! Join our Buddy Program and meet a local student who can show you around Amsterdam!
Our Buddy Program matches approximately five international students to one local student in order to introduce those newly arrived to the Amsterdam student life and the city, and to stimulate intercultural interactions between international and local or Dutch students.
We will match you up with a local student at the end of January 2019 and provide you with their contact information. ISN Amsterdam will then organize a meet-up with all students joining the Buddy Program at the start of the semester in February 2019 and host two or three other Buddy Activities that you and your buddies can join, these will be announced at the start of the semester so you can mark the dates in your planners!
We try to match you up to the best of our abilities, however, it might also happen that there is not necessarily a ‘click’ with your buddy or that they are not responsive. This is one of the reasons why we make buddy groups, you will be able to meet other international students. However, do let us know if your local buddy does not respond at all. And, no worries, you can be part of the program even if your buddies are not as responsive as you’d like and are welcome at all of our Buddy Activities and other events and borrels where you will definitely be able to meet local students and other international students!
Looking for a great start to your exchange? Sign up for our Buddy Program! You can apply until the 20th of January at midnight. After signing up you will get a confirmation message send to your email address. Please make sure you receive this confirmation message (also check your spam folder). In that case please e-mail integration@isn-amsterdam.nl. We will send you your local buddy and other international buddies’ contact details before or on the 30th of January. Sometimes students receive our emails in their spam folder, so please make sure to check this as well if you find that you haven’t received anything after the 30th of January.
*Applications for the second semester are now closed. Please check back here in June for applications for the first semester of 2019-2020!
Feel free to contact our Integration Coordinator at integration@isn-amsterdam.nl for questions and further information. Stay updated by following us on Facebook and sign up for our newsletter!
Every semester ISN Amsterdam has a Buddy Program. In this program we match local students up with international students. This is a great way to become part of an international environment and generally does not take up that much of your time! As a local student, you get a maximum of five international students to take under your wing. Don’t let this number scare you though, from experience we know that the international students are not demanding or, what we could call, “high maintenance”. So, don’t worry about your studies or busy social lives suffering under this commitment!
Most international students that come to study in Amsterdam do not know much about the city except for the typical touristy stereotypes. You could help them buy their (in some cases: very first) bike, share your knowledge on studying at your university and take them to discover the hidden treasures of Amsterdam. What type of buddy you want to be is completely up to you. You could meet up for coffee or drinks, have dinners or go for a stroll around town with your buddies. Who knows, you might get a good friendship out of the experience!
We will match you up with the international students at the end of January and provide you with their contact information. ISN Amsterdam will then organize a meet-up with all students joining the Buddy Program at the start of the semester in February and host two or three other Buddy Activities that you and your buddies can join, these will be announced at the start of the semester so you can mark the dates in your planners!
We try to match you up to the best of our abilities, however, it might also happen that there is not necessarily a ‘click’ or that one of your buddies is not responsive. This is one of the reasons why we give you a group of buddies instead of only one. However, do let us know if one of your buddies does not respond at all. And, no worries, you can be part of the program even if your buddies are not as responsive as you’d like and are still welcome at all of our Buddy Activities and borrels where you will definitely be able to meet other international students!
Please note: you don’t have to be Dutch to become a local buddy!
Want to help out international students and make great friends at the same time? You can apply to be a local buddy until the 20th of January at midnight. After signing up you will get a confirmation message send to your email address. Please make sure you receive this confirmation message (also check your spam folder). If you didn’t receive a confirmation something could have gone wrong in your application. In that case please e-mail integration@isn-amsterdam.nl. We will send you your buddies’ contact details before or on the 30th of January. Sometimes students receive our emails in their spam folder, so please make sure to check this as well if you find that you haven’t received anything after the 30th of January.
*Applications for the second semester are now closed. Please check back here in June for applications for the first semester of 2019-2020!
Feel free to contact our Integration Coordinator at at integration@isn-amsterdam.nl for questions and further information. Stay updated by following us on Facebook and sign up for our newsletter