Dottie, an international student from China

The University of Antwerp was the only university in Belgium I applied to, and looking back, I truly believe it was meant to be! My experience here as a student has been nothing short of amazing.

Well-designed and flexible curriculum

One of the main reasons I chose this program was its flexibility. We have the freedom to select majors based on our personal interests, and I love how this program allows me to explore the technical side of the business world. Since I come from a business background, my professors provided preparatory course materials during the summer before enrollment, which helped me build a solid foundation. This was crucial, as it gave me relevant prior knowledge of the system design mindset, which many courses—like Software Engineering—are built upon.

My favorite course so far has been Machine Learning for Business, where we participated in a Data Science Challenge with over 100 students. This experience allowed us to apply data mining theories, from data cleaning to model evaluation, to real-world cases in the banking industry.

A diverse and vibrant student community

At the University of Antwerp, you’ll meet like-minded peers from all over the world. The diverse student body makes every interaction enriching, and you’ll experience different perspectives—sometimes even a bit of mindset conflict, which is always fun! I’m also proud to serve as a cultural bridge, sharing Chinese culture with those who are curious about it.

Enriching student activities

Student life here is anything but boring! There’s always something happening, from student parties like StuDay (the academic year kickoff event) to career networking sessions organized by student groups such as Wikings and IMBIT. As a Business & IT student, I’ve personally benefited from many career events hosted by IMBIT, which connect students with relevant companies and provides valuable job-hunting insights.

Supporting myself as an international student

As a 27-year-old student, I fully sponsor my studies in Antwerp. My average monthly expenses, including rent and daily costs, are around 900 euros (for reference). To maintain a comfortable lifestyle and travel, I found a student job at a food market with good pay—despite only speaking English. While it’s true that finding a student job without Dutch skills can be challenging, I know several friends who managed to secure one. It all comes down to persistence (and maybe a little luck). If you’re determined, go for it—opportunities are out there!