Freshmen site
Welcome to this site, dedicated especially to first-year students at Tilburg University. You will quickly notice that as a student you are expected to take care of things on time and on your own. At Tilburg University you will be treated as an adult. Here you no longer are at school where a teacher might correct you for doing something wrong, call your attention to items of interest, or inquire how things are going.
Because everything is new to you, things will not always be as easy as you might expect. However, one thing you will need to know for sure is which pre-requisites you need to meet and where you can obtain the relevant information.
Tilburg University's website is a rich source of information. We have created this site especially for first-year students, as an introduction to the whole site so that you will easily be able to find the answers to the most important questions you might have. Should that not be the case, or if you feel there are important questions and answers missing, please contact us.
We hope that you will not need this site for very long and that you will quickly switch over to the students' website instead. Tip: make that page your home page, so that you remain up to date on all news items.
Please click on the underlined headings below, for answers to the questions.
Introduction/Welcome Week
What is the Welcome Week all about? Where can I find more information? What do I need to take with me? Where can I find accomodation? Will I miss something if I do not take part? Will I be ragged or hazed?
Preparations
Where can I buy my books and what will they cost? Can I buy them secondhand, too? Will I need other things, such as a computer?
Lecture Information
Where can I find my schedule? What can I expect from a lecture? When do the lectures start? How long does a lecture last and what can I do during the break? Must I do anything specific to prepare for a lecture? What if I cannot attend a lecture?
Studying at Tilburg University
What do other first-year students have to say? What will be expected of me as a student? What does studying at university level actually mean? What are BaMa, BSA and ects? How can I approach my studies effectively? Can I take two degree programs at the same time? What do I need to do in case I want to switch to another program or stop altogether?
Examinations
When do examinations take place? How must I prepare for an examination? I heard that you need to register for examinations in advance. How does that work? What if I fail all? Or if I oversleep?
Study Counselling
I study very hard, but still I can't manage to pass my exams. What should I do? What should I do if I fall ill? What if I can't keep up because I have a physical disabality or because I participate in high-performance sports? I think I chose the wrong program, what can I do now? What do I need to do if I decide to switch to another program or to quit studying altogether? I might not pass the BSA threshold...what now?
Computer Facilities
How can I get an e-mail address? I forgot my password! What now? Can I also burn CD-ROMs? Are there computer courses available? How can I get a student workstation and what can I do with there? Can I work with a group on one computer? Can I get a connection to Tilburg University's network from home? Can I only register for exams electronically and how does that work exactly? What is Blackboard?
Other Facilities
Where can I make photocopies? Where can I get my readers and my student card? Where can I get a bite to eat? Can I also get involved in sports, theatre or music at Tilburg University? And if I need to give a presentation, what do I have to do to rent a projector or reserve a room? Where is the lost and found? Where can I file a complaint?
University Organization
How is the University organized? I hear and read about faculties, services, institutes and so on. It totally bewilders me. How can I put my two cents in, is there a student council for instance?
Living in Tilburg
When deciding where to study, university life and the cost of living play a major role. But then there are also concerns about living quarters. Where will you live while in Tilburg? How do you go about securing housing? What kind of insurances do you need?
Dutch students: see Zakelijk en zelfstandig 
Study abroad
When do I need to start making preparations if I decide I want to spend some time studying abroad? Where can I go and what can I do? Are there also any scholarships available? Where should I go to take care of all of this?
Traineeship and Graduation
Are internships or traineeships compulsory? When do I have to do a traineership? Must I find a traineeship myself? How do I go about doing that? And what do I need to know about graduation?
Legal position
As a student you have certain rights and obligations. Are you entitled to any grants or loans? Are you eligible to participate in the management of the university? What are the rules of behaviour?
See also
Reader's suggestions are incorporated into this site regularly.