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international student guide

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international student guide 3

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content 1 utrecht and the netherlands 1.1 welcome in the netherlands 1.2 welcome in utrecht 5 assistance 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 emergencies medical care student counselling disabled students 2 studying at hu university of applied sciences 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 welcome at the hu educational system english-taught programmes ects guide the international office the hu online 6 practical information 6.1 bikes 6.2 cultural activities 6.3 food and drinks 6.4 going out 6.5 international student identity card 6.6 media 6.7 practical addresses 6.8 public transport 6.9 shopping 6.10 sports 6.11 telephone 3 preparing your departure 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 residence permit visa tuberculosis examination insurance financing employment accommodation in utrecht 4 upon arrival 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 early arrivals international student introduction erasmus student network registration municipality bank account 7 dutch for beginners 7.1 dutch courses 7.2 dutch words to practice register 4 5

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1 utrecht and the netherlands utrecht and the netherlands welcome in the netherlands hu university of applied sciences utrecht hu welcomes you as our guest living abroad and studying at a different university can be an adventure and a challenge facing a new environment and a new culture is an experience that will enrich you embrace this new experience and open your mind to what it can teach you to enjoy your stay abroad as much as possible we developed the international student guide this guide answers questions that may arise during your stay in the netherlands and utrecht and the hu in particular it makes you aware of all practical issues that need to be taken care of on arrival during your stay and when you go back home again if you have questions regarding subjects that are not mentioned in this student guide you can always contact the international office welcome to utrecht and enjoy your stay the netherlands the netherlands also called holland is a small and politically stable country with a dense population of well over sixteen million people the dutch the national language is dutch most people in the netherlands also speak some english and german the netherlands is a very small country just 200 kilometres from east to west and 300 kilometres from north to south it is located in north-west europe with the north sea to the west germany to the east and belgium to the south the netherlands has a temperate marine climate with temperatures averaging 16°c 61°f in the summer and 3°c 37°f in the winter the capital of the netherlands is amsterdam while the seat of government is the hague den haag the netherlands is a constitutional monarchy at the head of the government is the prime minister minister president the official head of state is queen beatrix who does not take a direct role in government members of the dutch parliament are directly elected by the people good to know about the netherlands the netherlands manages to combine history and traditional culture tulips windmills and wooden shoes with innovation modern society and an international orientation modern wind turbines pioneering architecture and water management 6 7

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utrecht and the netherlands some examples of dutch tradition are · sinterklaas st nicholas the dutch celebrate sinterklaas equivalent to santa claus this bishop with mitre and staff hands out presents to all dutch children supported by his attendants the socalled black pete s zwarte pieten sinter klaas arrives in the country in november on the evening of 5 december presents are given pakjesavond · koninginnenacht queens night 29 april the night before queens day all major cities are full of concerts parties and unregulated street markets · koninginnedag queens day queens day 30 april is the celebration of the queen s mother s birthday and a national holiday lots of people are dressed in orange the national colour of the dutch the netherlands online the following links help you find your way in the netherlands the websites mentioned also have english versions international students · ufficthenetherlandsorganization n for international cooperation in higher education www.nuffic.nl/international-students events · iscoverthenetherlands d www.lekkerweg.nl · unicipalityofamsterdam m www.iamsterdam.com 8 · bevrijdingsdag independence day the 5th of may festivals are held in all major cities free of charge 1.2 welcome in utrecht utrecht is located in the heart of the netherlands and is the fourth largest city in the netherlands all rail road and water transport systems come together here this makes utrecht very attractive it s just half-an-hour by train from amsterdam and a flight to the major cities of paris london and berlin takes less than one hour utrecht is famous for its old city centre with its romantic canals its many museums and historic buildings one of its most impressive buildings is the dallas johnston canada what i like about living in the netherlands is that i m surrounded by history for once i can place myself in the textbooks and novels i ve reveled over all my life dom church you can see the tower from almost anywhere in the city it is also the highest church tower in the country one very unique thing about utrecht is the warehouse cellars along the canals once used as storage cellars by the local merchants they have been converted into restaurants and pubs where you can enjoy the sun on one of the many terraces and where you can try the famous dutch apple pie utrecht is well known for its institutions of higher education the population of 300,000 inhabitants is young and welleducated and with 70,000 students utrecht is a real student city hu university of applied sciences utrecht has over 35,000 students with more than 100 different nationalities the hu is located at the uithof a large campus where most students attend their classes there are also faculties located in the centre of utrecht and in the town of amersfoort hu amersfoort 25 km from utrecht public transport · utchnationalrail d www.ns.nl · ourneyplanner j journeyplanner.9292.nl · chipholairport s www.schiphol.nl general · istoryofthenetherlands h www.minbuza.nl · ellowpages y yellowpages.goudengids.nl good to know about utrecht there is no shortage of cultural activity in utrecht in fact of all country s cities utrecht holds second place in terms of the most cultural events some major events · eptember:dutchfilmfestival s www.filmfestival.nl · eptember:fortissingelrun10kmrun s www.fortissingellooputrecht.nl · ovember:smartlappenfestivalutrecht n music festival www.smartlappenfestival.nl · ay:huisenfestivalaandewerf m festival productions workshop and stages www.festivalaandewerf.nl · une:nightfeverfestivalutrecht j www.night-fever-utrecht.nl · une:midzomergrachtfestivalutrecht j meet the gay scene of utrecht www.midzomergracht.nl · uly:deparadetheatre,music j dance and movies in different parks www.deparade.nl 9

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2 studying at hu university of applied sciences utrecht studying at hu university of applied sciences utrecht 2.1 welcome at the hu hu university of applied sciences utrecht hogeschool utrecht was founded in 1995 the result of a merger of several independent institutions the hu is the third largest university of applied sciences in the netherlands and is funded by the state it has over 35,000 students with more than one hundred different nationalities we offer a wide range of courses spread within nine principal themes · uildingandenvironment b · ommunicationandjournalism c · ducationandpedagogics e · conomicsandmanagement e · nformationandcommunication i technology · ifesciences&chemistry l · ifestyleandhealth l · ocietyandlaw s · echnologyanddesign t most of our 80 programmes lead to a bachelor s degree and some lead to a master s degree the bachelor s programmes require a minimum of four years of study graduates are fully qualified to practise their profession without further study licensing or registration with a professional association in addition their diploma qualifies them for admission to several types of further study master s degree 2.2 educational system higher education in the netherlands is offered at two types of institutions research universities universiteiten and universities of applied sciences hoge scholen the hu is a university of applied sciences a bachelor s programme at a university of applied sciences requires the completion of 240 credits 4 years and graduates obtain a degree indicating the field of study for example bachelor of engineering b eng or bachelor of business administration bba hu university of applied sciences utrecht offers competency-based learning this is the new form of education based on the competencies of future professionals competencies include the knowledge skills and attitudes that professionals must have to tackle problems in their fields competency-based learning means that traditional lectures have decreased making room for more dynamic tutorials and exciting project work students work together on large integrated projects solving challenging problems using a multidisciplinary approach this is the way it works in real-life companies and institutes more information about the dutch educational system www.international.hu.nl study programmes education at hu you can also download the code of conduct at this page and our academic calendar holidays and celebrations are also mentioned on the calendar utrecht online the following links help you find your way in utrecht the websites mentioned also have english versions city of utrecht · unicipalityutrecht m www.utrecht.nl · ouristinformationutrecht t www.uit-in-utrecht.nl accommodation in utrecht find your own · ww.sfshousing.nl w · ww.sshu.nl w · ww.kamersinutrecht.nl w · amers.startpagina.nl k · l.tijdelijkekamer.nl n bed and breakfast · hehostelb&butrechtcitycentre t www.hostelutrecht.nl · &bkilimcentreinn b www.kilim-centre-inn.nl 10 · otelmitland h www.mitland.nl leisure · portcentreolympos s www.olympos.nl · ibraryutrechtuniversity l www.library.uu.nl · ubliclibraryofutrecht p www.bibliotheek-utrecht.nl · rasmusstudentnetwork e www.esn-utrecht.nl ·nternational&cultural i centre parnassos www.parnassos.uu.nl dutch courses · amesboswellinstitute j www.jbi.uu.nl · olksuniversiteitutrecht v www.vu-utrecht.nl 11

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studying at hu university of applied sciences utrecht the hu also offers a number of short programmes · on-degreeprogrammes n europeintheworld,journalism course and european culture europeanjournalism · inors m · xchangeprogrammes e · trechtsummerschool u the academic year at the hu is divided into 2 semesters fall september ­ januaryandspringfebruary­july each semester is divided into two blocks of ten weeks seven weeks of classes self study week and two weeks of exams please check the list of subjects on our website carefully to find out when a subject is offered for a complete and current overview of our short programmes please visit our website www.international.hu.nl study programmes 2.5 the international office the international office facilitates internationalisation at hu university of applied sciences utrecht the international office is in touch with nearly 200 educational institutions abroad it takes care of the preparations for your stay in the netherlands students from all over the world are in contact with the office before arriving in the netherlands the international office provides you with information on the educational programmes the visa you require accommodation grants and more 2.6 the hu online hu university of applied sciences utrecht has invested in modern facilities like it contact the international office tel +31 030 275 89 28 e-mail io@hu.nl website www.international.hu.nl intranet www.io.hu.nl opening hours mondays to fridays from 9.00 to 17.00 we advise you to make an appointment to check the availability of the staff visiting address f.c.dondersstraat65,3572jeutrecht mailing address p.o box 13272 3507 lg utrecht provisions media libraries audiovisual equipment and plenty of photocopiers wireless internet access is available thanks to the many wi-fi points most applications are accessible via the internet so you can read your e-mail enrol for courses or check your latest marks from home or on one of the many work stations at school email every student is allocated his or her own e-mail address on our domain firstname.lastname@student.hu.nl you can access your email from any location check your e-mail regularly and link it to the account you use most frequently two hu locations also have international office desks where you can just walk in for quick questions forms and information faculty of economics and management padualaan 101 room 0.111 the uithof tel +31 030 258 68 85 opening hours from mondays to thursdays from 9.00 to 17.00 fridays only by appointment amersfoort facility desk 6th floor berkenweg 11 tel +31 033 421 28 96 opening hours wednesday from 9:00 to 12:00 carlos palacios vargas curacao people are very open-minded here 2.3 english-taught programmes several of our programmes are in english · achelorentrepreneurshipfor b developing areas bachelor of business administration bba · achelorinternationalfinanceand b control bachelor of business economics bbe · achelorinternationalbusinessand b management studies bachelor of business administration bba · achelorinternationalmarketing b management bachelor of commerce bc · achelorinternationalcommunication b and media bachelor in communication for our master programmes please check our website www.international.hu.nl master degree 12 2.4 ects guide exchange students will receive an ects guide the ects guide includes information about the specific exchange programmes the contents of the courses the number of credits per courses and rules and regulations for exchange students the ects guide is also published on the international office sharepoint pages www.io.hu.nl 13

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studying at hu university of applied sciences utrecht sharepoint sharepoint is the intranet of the hu and can only be used after you have been officially registered as a student of the hu and given your login and student id number sharepoint also offers many possibilities to share information and to work together through www.sharepoint.hu.nl you go straight to the sharepoint portal where you can make your own personal sharepoint site to input share and exchange your own information to log in to the sharepoint network please use your student mail address firstname lastname@student.hu.nl and your login code see letter attached in your information package on arrival osiris all regular and some exchange hu students need to register for classes and exams through the online registration system osiris there you will also find 14 your schedule and your results and you can view and change your personal details it is a secure system as soon as you have a legal registration at the hu you will receive a student number and a password to log in www.osiris.hu.nl an english manual is available useful hu-sites · omepagesharepoint h www.sharepoint.hu.nl · harepointsiteinternationaloffice s www.io.hu.nl · ainwebsiteosiris m www.osiris.hu.nl · ourhuemailaccount y www.webmail.hu.nl ·ibraryhu l www.catalogus.hu.nl 15

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3 preparing your departure 3.1 residence permit visa if you want to study in the netherlands longer than three months and you are not a citizen of a country of the european economic area european union iceland liechtenstein or norway australia canada,japan,monaco,newzealand vaticancity,usa,southkoreaor switzerland you need to apply for a temporary permission to reside mvv available from the dutch embassy or consulate in the country of origin or residence eu/eea citizens if you are a citizen of one of the european union or european economic area countries a valid passport or identity card is required noneea citizens who do not require an entry visa machtiging voorlopig verblijf mvv for students from australia canada japan,monaco,newzealand,vatican state,southkoreaandtheunitedstates of america a residence permit without mvv entry is required for the immigration department temporary residence permit fee 433 you must bring · pplicationforresidencepermit a without mvv entry · opyofpassport c · assportphotocheckregulationson p application 16 · ompleteddeclarationofawareness c of study · roofofenrolmentatthehu p provided by the hu · roofofsufficientfinancialmeans p · roofofadequatehealthinsurance p see ind website students from all other countries noneea citizens all international students who will live in utrecht for more than three months need to apply for a mvv all students will be assisted in their visa application through the international office for more information please consult our visa officer mscarolynkleyn:carolyn.kleyn@hu.nl as the hu has arranged for your visa for study mvv we are obliged to assist you in completing your application for your residence permit vvr please do not do this yourself but contact the international office for more information on the procedure you must bring with you a copy of your passport detail pages including the very important current mvv sticker for study preparing your departure more information www.international.hu.nl students how to apply visa procedures 17

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in many eu countries the eu health card is available and replaces the so-called e-111 form write down all registration numbers and important emergency numbers before you leave you can also apply online before arriving in the netherlands for a complete insurance medical urgent dental liability legal assistance accidents loss of baggage special expenses and assistance for about 37 a month at one of the recommended insurance companies lippmann groep b.v or aon consulting 3.2 tuberculosis examination as part of your temporary residence application procedure vvr you are required by the dutch immigration to participate in a tuberculosis examination you should have indicated on your application form that you are willing to participate in this examination you must go to the utrecht health centre gg&gd promptly to arrange this you do not have to make an appointment it is very important you have the examination as early as possible as the immigration cannot complete your residence permit application without the result of your test utrechthealthcentre:jaarbeursplein19 utrecht behind the central station e-mail tbc@utrecht.nl permit application the health centre shall take this from you and send it on further to the immigration with the result of your test 3.3 insurance you are not allowed to reside in the netherlands not even temporarily if you are not properly insured against the costs of medical treatment the immigration service will check to make sure your insurance coverage meets dutch standards and that you are fully covered for the costs of medical and dental treatment you must take out a private insurance policy in your own country or in the netherlands so that you will be fully covered in the netherlands for the costs of medical and dental treatment you should inquire at your insurance company at home if you need to get an extra third person liability insurance and medical insurance in the netherlands some students may qualify for scholarships and/or grants exchange students from within the eu can study at the hu and obtain an erasmus scholarship provided the home university has a bilateral agreement with the hu go to www.international.hu.nl students scholarships and grants to find out the possibilities preparing your departure make sure you also have insurance to cover your possessions in case of theft or damage during your travel and stay in the netherlands 3.5 employment there are plenty of possibilities for you as a foreigner to find work in the netherlands eu citizens do not need a work permit however citizens from outside the eu do under certain conditions they can get a work permit which allows them to work for about ten hours per week before you consider working in the netherlands we highly advise you to check out whether your actions are legal or not read the following site carefully www.studyin.nl under living in the netherlands working while studying download the fact sheet information on job agencies can be found on www.esn-utrecht.nl 3.4 financing we estimate the monthly cost for living and studying in the netherlands to be around 800 a month this amount should cover rent food insurance and transport as well as books and study materials more information on finances and costs and our tuition fees please check www.international.hu.nl students finances and costs please take your passport with you and the completed page from the residence 18 19

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3.6 accommodation in utrecht students make up a considerable part of utrecht s population this means that the demand for student housing usually exceeds the supply and finding a place to stay in utrecht can be a real challenge prices for furnished accommodation vary from 350 to 600 a month rent is always due on the first of the month besides the rent you will have to pay a deposit up to the amount of one month s rent most rooms have small kitchens or a kitchen block meals are never included in the rent and room service is not available you are expected to clean your room by yourself hu university of applied sciences utrecht assists its international students as much as possible in finding suitable temporary accommodation therefore the hu has reserved accommodation for exchange students degree students from non-eea countries and master s students the application consists of several steps which you can find described on the website of ssh short stay solutions you should register online registration fee is 175 as a guest of the hu three months prior to the start of your studies the university approves your registration and two months prior to the start of your studies you can start looking for a place to stay in their online database applications are dealt with in the order they come in · pplicationswillbecomedefinite a as soon as they have been confirmed by short stay via e-mail after confirmation the rental period cannot be cancelled or reduced · llexchangestudentsarerequired a to inform the international office about their exact arrival date preparing your departure degree students from eea countries accommodation is limited for degree students from eea countries ssh short stay solutions offers accommodation that is not especially reserved for students from the hu but degree students from eea countries can register under the heading direct offer if you select accommodation from the direct offer you will be charged an administration fee and different terms and conditions apply ssh short stay solutions www.shortstaysolutions.nl degree students go to the direct offer tab for assistance www.international.hu.nl students housing 20 21

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4 upon arrival 4.1 early arrivals students arriving early should find accommodation on their own until their accommodation is ready usually on the 1st of the month every semester the international office blocks rooms for its students at the following b&b/hotels · &bkilimcentreinn b www.kilim-centre-inn.nl · otelmitland,www.mitland.nl h · hehostelb&butrechtcitycenter t www.hostelutrecht.nl b&b offers mixed dormitories only this b&b might therefore be more suitable for male students only students can also reserve a room at b&b strowis www.strowis.nl the b&b is open for all students but have limited capacity besides this general introduction the international offices of the hu organises an introduction especially organised for international students just before the start of your studies all students will receive a welcome letter before arriving and additional information about the introduction programme please read carefully the information on our website www.international.hu.nl students coming to the hu upon arrival 4.2 international student introduction every year in august utrecht university and hu university of applied sciences utrecht organise four days of activities for its newly enrolled students about 3,500 students participate in this general introduction of the city more information and registration please visit the website of utrechtse introductie tijd uit www.utrechtseintroductietijd.nl 22 4.3 erasmus student network the erasmus student network utrecht is an organisation of dutch students that volunteers to help international students integrate smoothly in the student life of utrecht they offer mentors to help students with practical problems and organise parties trips sporting events and excursions throughout the year esn also organises a special introduction for the visiting/exchange students of the hu more information www.esn-utrecht.nl 4.4 registration municipality registration at the utrecht municipality is compulsory for all students who will stay in utrecht for more than four months a meeting with the utrecht municipality will be organised together with the international office in order to register all exchange and mvv students at the municipality according to the guidelines 23

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5 of the city of utrecht it is expected that the registration shall take no longer than 15 minutes you must take with you · entalagreementsignedbyyour r landlord and yourself make sure you receive this from your landlord immediately upon arrival it must include the address where you shall be living · assportbringyouroriginalpassport p · eclarationthatyouareastudentat d the hu you have received a declaration from the international office in your information package look after this document as it is very important for you for those who have no declaration please arrange this with one of the international relations officers utrecht municipality the utrecht city hall gba administration building arthur van schendelstraat 500 utrecht opening hours 8.15 to 15.00 the available bus lines from the central station utrecht are 6 8 12 13 and 29 melody chikoti zambia i am very impressed with the overall organization buildings infrastructure and the structure in general so many things are detailed and the people are very friendly they smile always help on top everybody speaks english it is fantastic are a registered student of the hu your passport and your rental agreement you could go to the following banks in utrecht to open a bank account · bn­amrobank,radboutkwartier a 277 in the shopping centre hoog catharijne · rabobank,nachtegaalstraat32 · rabobank,twijnstraat62 · ingbank,daalsesingel1 opening hours see page 31 assistance 5.1 emergencies general emergency number ambulance police fire brigade 112 in case of emergencies please also contact the international office +31 030 257 89 28 police no emergency 0900 8844 · fficelocationpaardenveld o kroonstraat25,utrecht also immigration service · fficelocationtolsteeg o baden-powellweg 4 utrecht in the netherlands you are legally required to carry a photo id at all times please make sure you always carry your id card with you 5.2 medical care when you need a general practitioner gp dentist or physical therapist we recommend you to go to health centre galgenwaard the centre is located in the soccer stadium close to the uithof campus gezondheidscentrum galgenwaard stadion galgenwaard herculesplein 379 utrecht tel +31 030 880 90 00 e-mail galgenwaard@symphony.nl www.zorgingalgenwaard.nl if you want to find a doctor closer to your home address please find a complete overview of all gp s in utrecht at www.alarmnummers.com/huisartsen utrecht.html information in dutch only hospital utrecht medical centre heidelberglaan 100 utrecht tel +31 030 250 91 11 emergency medical assistance first aid eerste hulp +31 030 250 68 85 www.umcutrecht.nl pharmacy over-the-counter drugs like painkillers remedies for headache hay fever etc are available in drugstores drogist please ask the employee behind the counter to assist you prescription drugs are only available at pharmacies your doctor will write out a prescription and send you to the nearest pharmacy where you pick up your medicine assistance 4.5 bank account to open a bank account in the netherlands it is generally necessary to have a social security number sofinummer however it is only possible to acquire a social security number once you have a temporary residence permit to open a bank account you must present to the bank an official declaration that you 24 25

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5.3 student counselling student counselling at the hu is there for information advice and counselling every faculty has one or more student counsellors they are there to help answer your questions and deal with problems for instance on registration and deregistration troubles during your studies special circumstances or financial and material affairs the student counsellors can also refer you to others for example the campus doctor or psychologist everything you discuss with a student counsellor is kept in the strictest confidence please see the sharepoint site for the addresses of all student counsellors grouped by faculty www.studentendecanaat.hu.nl 5.4 disabled students if you have a disability studying like many things requires extra effort for this reason hu provides directed support for disabled students there are many possibilities · ndividualisedacademicplanning i · pecialstudyfacilitiessuchasextra s time to complete a given assignment project · acilitiestoaidaccessibilitytoteaching f locations · acilitiesforparticipatinginclasses f e.g.specialcoursematerials · upportandadviceinapplyingfor s modifiedaccommodation · elpinsubmittingapplicationsto h institutions such as the board of examiners e.g for extending an examinationperiod · upportwithobtainingtheuseof s required resources or obtaining assistance/financial aid in acquiring suchresources · upportinapplicationsforfinancial s aid with the information management group the student counsellor of your faculty can advise and assist you in organising your study contact your student counsellor for more information legal aid legal aid utrecht juridisch loket utrecht visiting address catharijnesingel 55 utrecht postal address po box 19307 3501 dh utrecht tel 0900 8020 www.hetjl.nl in dutch opening hours mondays to fridays from 9.00 to 17.00 assistance 26 27

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6 practical information 6.1 bikes there are 16 million bicycles in the netherlands which is about one for every inhabitant so you can imagine how useful it is to have a bike available during your stay in the netherlands in order to save some money it is wise to buy a secondhand bike you can find second-hand bikes at the following addresses · ietspuntb.v nobelstraat293 f approximately 60 per second-hand bike also rentals · heelsfietskoopjeshal w nobelstraat 3-5 · eibike,jansveld35 h please note that lots of bikes are stolen in the centre of utrecht so make sure you have heavy locks on your bike and always attach it to a bicycle stand or a fence also make sure you have visible lights on your bike during winter time the police inspect bikes for defects regularly 6.2 cultural activities cinema various cinemas are situated at the centre of utrecht most movies are english spoken and have dutch subtitles the cinemas in the city centre are · amera/studio,oudegracht156 c · atharijne,radboudkwartier19 c · ity/movies,voorstraat89 c · thoogt,hoogt4arthousemovies · embrandtpathé,oudegracht73 r · pringhaver,springweg50 s art house movies · ouishartloopercomplex l tolsteegbrug 1 art house movies for reservations and movie info www.belbios.nl or 0900 9363 cultural centres parnassos is the international and cultural centre where students can play games read magazines or watch television parnassos offers courses in english like photography drawing and yoga almost every work day at 18.00 they show movies free of charge · arnassoscitycentre,kruisstraat201 p · arnassosuithof,leuvenlaan19 p marinus ruppertgebouw www.parnassos.uu.nl rasa is a world-culture centre in utrecht which exhibits art from all corners of the world and each season organizes about 100 cultural events · asa,pauwstraat13a r more information about cultural events in utrecht please see page 7 practical information 28 29

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