Frequently Asked Questions
Studying in Breda
Are you about to start your studies in Breda? That’s great! Breda is a cozy city with an open student life. However, we can imagine you have quite a few questions as well. What is this student life about?
Well, you can start by taking a look around in the Breda Student App, the website www.breda.nl/en and the websites of several educational institutions in Breda:
Avans
BUas
Curio
De Rooi Pannen
Nederlandse Defensie Academie (NLDA)
What kind of student association are there?
There are a lot of student associations in Breda. You can find most of them here, where they introduce themselves and give you some information about their association. International students can also join student association Xenia or join Breda Internationals, a community for internationals living in Breda.
What is a student association and what do they do?
Students associations are there for you as a student, you can join them. This is a way for you to find new friends and easily get to know the student life in Breda. They organise events and help to enjoy your student life.
Why would you join one?
Joining a student association is of course your own choice, you do not have to do it. But living in Breda and getting to know new people is a big step in your life. By joining an association you meet new people, get to know the city and the night life in Breda. You make friendships that last forever.
What does student city Breda have to offer?
Breda has quite a lot to offer to students. Look around in the Breda Student App and find more the information about restaurants, bars, shops, and events in Breda. You can find a lot in the cultural and sports area too.
Discover Breda and walk one of the many routes past some of the nicest places in Breda. You can collect points by checking in on the special locations in these walking routes and also by spinning the wheel of fortune. You can exchange the points you collected for goodies or discounts in the Breda Student App. Click here to check out all the routes.
Where can you do sports in Breda?
You can find an overview of all the sports in Breda here (in Dutch). You can register at www.bress.nl for a membership for BRESS Breda Students Sports for only €8.33 per month.
Studying in Breda during the pandemic
The current situation makes it harder to start your study and student life in Breda. We are not allowed to meet in big groups and you probably get a lot of lectures online. Difficult times, especially for students because they want to be social, meet new people, and start a life in a new city. Maybe you prefer to not live in Breda because there is less to do due to the pandemic. Yet, we advise you to come to live here and join a student association. Becoming a member of an association means meeting new people, not in big groups (at the moment), but you will definitely get the chance to meet new people! Or take a look into what the educational institutions BUas or Avans have to offer to new students.
Good luck and have fun while studying and (hopefully) living in this beautiful city!
LIVING IN BREDA
How to find a room in Breda?
Finding a place to stay can be quite challenging. The demand is high, so make sure to start looking for a place months in advance. Here is some advice to find a place to live.
One of the best sources to use is Facebook. In the following Facebook groups people post messages about available rooms or studios:
Find a room(mate) or house in Breda
Living Arrangements Breda
Find a room in Breda (International students friendly)
Breda Rooms
Kamers, studio's en appartementen in Breda
You can also join an association to meet new people and create a network. Within associations there is a lot of help to find a room. You can find all the associations here!
You can also sign up at the following websites. Please note the rooms will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.
Klikvoorkamers
Kamernet
Studentroomsbreda
Or for studios you can look at:
T63
Xior
Study Studio Park
Camelot Europe
As an international both BUas and Avans offer several options for housing. For students at BUas check here. If you plan on studying at Avans and need housing, check here for tips.
What is rent allowance and when are you eligible for it?
It is an allowance for the rent of your accommodation. Wondering if you are eligible for this? Check it out here!
WORK
Where can you find a nice side job in Breda?
There are different kinds of side jobs in Breda. You can find many vacancies via these websites:
www.studentjob.nl
www.indeed.nl
www.nationalevacaturebank.nl
If you are looking for a job in the hospitality industry, you can contact one of the following employment agencies. Or you can also visit the many cafés, bars and restaurants in town. Make sure to take your CV with you.
A La Carte
JMW Horeca
Bartenders
Chiefz
Besides that you can find several vacancies on the Breda Student App.
Do you want to be socially involved?
Then you can think about doing some volunteer work in Breda, check out the options at www.mooiwerkbreda.nl! Volunteering helps to get you to connect with locals, and if you do something you are interested in, you even get in touch with like-minded people. It is definitely a good way to make friends here in Breda. If you really want to make impact for others while developing yourself, then the program named Fiks might be a good option for you. In this program you will invest a maximum of 20 hours a week for a period of 6 months in your future. Take a look at www.ikwilfiks.nl for more information.
Settling into Breda; practical matters
How do you arrange the healthcare related matters in your new student city?
When you come to live in Breda, it is useful to find a General practitioner
here. Via www.zorgkaartnederland.nl you will find a clear overview of all healthcare providers in Breda. For international student it is somewhat different, check the FAQ for international student to find out more.
How do you register at the municipality of Breda ?
You can register online https://www.breda.nl/en/moving-register-non-residents
Where to buy a bike?
There are several options for buying a bicycle in Breda. Via Swapfiets you are assured of service and a working bicycle. For students this costs €13.50 per month. If you prefer a second-hand bike, you can go to a bike shop in Breda. You can find them here, have a look at www.marktplaats.nl or browse through the Facebook marketplace.
Special second-hand bicycle shops in Breda:
Fiets van Bas (Stek Breda)
Cycling Breda Peter van den Broek
You can park your bike for free in several places in the city, an overview can be found here. Make sure you put your bike in places where you are allowed to stall them, especially at the station. If your bike is stalled incorrectly, it probably will be brought to the depot. If your bike has been removed, then check if your bike is at the bicycle depot www.breda.nl/fietsdepot. If this is the case, you can pick up your bike at the Liniestraat 25, behind the station. It costs €25 to pick it up, this is a fine because you parked your bike incorrectly.
Want to take driving lessons in Breda?
If you want to take driving lessons in Breda you can find all the driving schools here and you can compare them with each other.
International students
Practical information
Both Avans and BUas provide a lot of practical information to start your student life in Breda. To check the information provided by Avans click here. Information provided by BUas you can find here. Both provide information about all of the following subjects and even more:
Registration at city hall
Health and liability insurance
Getting a Dutch bank account
General practitioner
Working while studying
Public transport
Visa
Housing
International Student Guide from Holland Expat Center South:
Besides the practical information provided by Avans and BUas, the international student guide might provide some extra information. Here you can find everything about moving to Brabant. But also about living, working and studying! Read this and a lot more here.
Learn Dutch
Do you want to learn Dutch, but don’t know where to start, where to look or which course suits you best? Here is some advice! Make use of the ‘Taalspreekuur’, a free consultation provided by Taalhuis Breda at Nieuwe Veste Breda.
Opening hours: every Tuesday and Thursday from 10:00 to 12:00.
How to reach them?
Address: Molenstraat 6, 4811 GS Breda
Phone: +31 (0)6 50873193
E-mail: taalspreekuur@nieuweveste.nl
Fill in this online form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdG54YH3PWtAKMcDr3ZSSGo7vu12C6r0jk0UIZ_PIiw0l5haQ/viewform?fbclid=IwAR07PhvfqC9d-RwL-kZPDaogBr02fZ63B9YLPiqkEdk9kn0i0j7OCCOOoZM
Or visit the library during the ‘Taalspreekuur’ opening hours.
Do you want to meet other internationals in the city?
Join the breda international community here. Tip: make sure to answer the questions when requesting to become a member, otherwise you will not be added.