Sharp increase in internationals

A significantly higher number of international students are expected to start at the RUG in September of 2015.

Based on projections from the University faculties, 1,651 new internationals will either be studying or working at the RUG as of September 2015. That number includes 132 University College Groningen students and 202 PhD candidates.

‘The total number is a sharp increase compared to the number in September 2014’, according to a memo about the prognosis.

Housing Office

There will also be 540 exchange students, 642 bachelor or master students, 110 staff members, and 25 ultra short stay students among the new arrivals. Each group has different housing needs and the duration of their rental contract also depends on their status.

In September 2014, 1,182 international RUG students or staff were accommodated by the Housing Office – 1,486 students requested housing in total, but 141 cancelled their requests. An additional 163 were not processed.

The projections are intended for use by the Housing Office to begin arranging accommodations for the coming academic year. SSH took over from De Huismeesters as the company in control of the Housing Office in Groningen in January. SSH is also responsible for housing for Hanzehogeschool students. The majority of new international students rely on the Housing Office for a room in the city.

Overestimate

However, not all students who enrol show up in Groningen in the end. Jan Wolthuis, staff official for Education & Students, says, ‘The sum of the prognoses of the faculties is usually higher, but at this time of year, the faculties tend to overestimate the actual number of arrivals.’

‘The faculties give an estimate of the expected number far before the actual registration and admissions of students at the University’, he adds.

19-03-2015