Welcoming Ceremony

At the beginning of each semester the university welcomes both new international Bachelor and Master students to Groningen and Leeuwarden. Distinguished speakers from the university, the city of Groningen and the Erasmus Student Network (ESN) open the official Welcoming Ceremony in a short plenary session, after which students can gather lots of useful information for a great start of their time with us.

Next ceremony

The next Welcoming Ceremony takes place on Thursday, February 1st at 10:30 at MartiniPlaza. Students will receive an invitation to attend this event in the 1.5 months running up to the event with details on the location and programme, as well as a link to register for attendance. In case you haven't received anything by Monday January 29th please let us know via prospectives@rug.nl so we can send you the appropriate information separately. If you already want to see the digital goodie bag with flyers from parties present during the information market, they will be available closer to the time of the event.

Movin' to the University of Groningen

If you arrive at Schiphol airport on January 31st come and say hello to our Movin' to the University of Groningen team who will welcome you and help you on your way to Groningen (or Leeuwarden, if you are a CF student)! Give us some details about your arrival so we can meet you at the right arrivals hall, or to send you some useful information in the event you arrive outside the alotted times we will be there.

ESN Introduction week

The ESN introduction week is another great way to start off your time in Groningen. Get to know your way around the city, find out where the best bars and clubs are, learn about Dutch history, watch a comedy act and learn everything about the transport (even how to ride a bike!).

Public transport in the Netherlands

Public transport card with discounts for international students

In the Netherlands, students mainly travel by public transport and bikes. Student Mobility, in cooperation with the University of Groningen, provides solutions for both.

Train, tram, metro and bus all use the same payment system, the OV-chipkaart. Getting a card and choosing a suitable subscription is a complicated process, especially for international students. That is why Student Mobility created the “Student Mobility Card”, a custom-made public transport card for international students.

Students from the RUG will receive, on top the standard 15% off-peak discount from the NS (National train), also 40% off-peak discount in local busses (Qbuzz) and trains (Arriva) for academic year 2023-2024.

Next to the OV-card, you can also arrange a bike and get your first discounted train ticket from the airport once you arrive in the Netherlands. Sign up or order now and we will inform you in time about the pick-up and delivery options!

Ben je een Nederlandse studiekiezer? Ga dan naar onze pagina's voor Nederlandse studenten.

Last modified:

21 November 2023 2.50 p.m.