Overseas university spotlight: Utrecht University (Netherlands)
Located in my favorite Dutch city, Utrecht University dates back to 1636 and is one of the oldest universities in the Netherlands.
It has three sites: the city centre of Utrecht, Science Park and the Utrecht University College -- all of which are within short tram rides of each other.
Utrecht itself could not be more charming though, with small streets lined with canals, cafes and cultural venues.
Here are some of the highlights from my visit to the city centre campus!
Utrecht city
Located just 30 minutes on the train from Amsterdam, Utrecht is the fourth largest city in the Netherlands (360,000 people).
It's a dynamic and fast-growing city with a rich cultural heritage.
In fact, Utrecht itself is the central hub of the Dutch railway network and is one of the greenest cities in the country.
Below the train station is actually the largest bike parking garage in the world, with 12,500 spaces!
I absolutely loved wandering the narrow, winding streets, following the canals and having a meal or two right by the water.
There is also some really amazing architecture to explore, such as the converted church that is now a Belgian bar called 'Olivier', the converted church that is now 'Bunk' and the converted post office that is now a library!
Found my favorite coffee spot, too.
Utrecht is also a UNESCO City of Literature.
It's home to Dick Bruna’s world-famous character Miffy and the Miffy Museum, celebrated by the below traffic light.
And since 1980, Utrecht has hosted the largest annual poetry event of the Netherlands, the Dutch Poetry Night.
I just love how there are two levels of bars and restaurants along the canals.
Campus and academics
For almost the last 15 years, Utrecht University has been ranked as the top Dutch research university and within the top 60 universities in the world (Academic Ranking of World Universities).
It has 38,000 students (5,800 international) with 12 Nobel Prize winners among its alumni and faculty.
It offers 13 English-taught bachelor's programs, from linguistics to history to PPE to life sciences, as well as an AVMA-accredited vet school (if you speak Dutch).
Most of the courses at taught at Science Park; however, the language, law, economics and business economics degrees are located in the old centre of Utrecht.
The university has done a great job preserving the historical elements of its buildings whist offering modern amenities inside.
Utrecht also has two honors colleges: University College Roosevelt (located in Middelburg) and University College Utrecht.
Summary: Utrecht University
Whether it was the city's unique architecture or its picturesque canals, this vibrant place really drew me in.
With lots of live music gigs, a number of museums and many ties to literature, Utrecht is bursting with culture.
I just loved the canal life -- as well as how close it is to Amsterdam (in case you wanted an even faster pace).
And Utrecht University's city centre campus fits in perfectly, with its beautiful, historic buildings from centuries past and highly-regarded degrees.
