Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences - HRO vs Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam - VU Amsterdam vs Delft University of Technology - TU Delft vs ONCAMPUS Global vs Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences

Studying International Business we moved to a new building in my third year of University. The new building is amazing and has an encouraging atmosphere. I am constantly surrounded by different cultures and encouraged to meet new people. I was able to design my own learning path, choose topics I was interested in, and study abroad. The course could be a little more structured and I think the university could work on its communication sometimes, but overall I am really satisfied with my decision.

As a computer science student at the Vrije Universitet in Amsterdam, I have been thoroughly impressed with the quality of education and the level of expertise of the professors at this esteemed institution. The faculty members are passionate about their subjects and are always willing to provide guidance and support to students. The curriculum is rigorous, and the coursework is designed to challenge students and prepare them for the ever-evolving world of technology. The courses cover a broad range of topics, from programming languages and algorithms to artificial intelligence and machine learning. The faculty also encourages students to take part in research projects and internships, providing valuable opportunities to apply what we have learned in the classroom to real-world scenarios. The campus facilities are excellent, with state-of-the-art labs and equipment available for students to use. The university's location in Amsterdam also offers plenty of opportunities for students to engage in cultural and recreational activities outside of their studies. One of the things that stand out to me is the diverse student body. Being exposed to different perspectives and backgrounds has enriched my learning experience and expanded my understanding of computer science as a field. Overall, I would highly recommend the Vrije Universitet to any computer science student looking for a challenging and rewarding academic experience, excellent faculty, and a diverse and inclusive community.

Hello, [Skip to "Conclusion" for a brief summary] In this post, I’ll share my experience with the TU Delft Industrial Design Engineering bachelor's program as a graduate, so that future students can make a more informed decision. I chose this bachelor’s program because I expected it to involve a lot of engineering and technical content, which would help me understand how most products are made, think production techniques, appropriate material use, product manufacturing, and the integration of technology and mathematics that’s common in modern products. However, I ended up learning very little about these topics during my time in the program. The study mainly consisted of filling out Miro (an online platform) templates, coming up with systems, and focusing on sustainability (which, to be fair, isn't necessarily a bad thing). But I never felt like I was learning anything new; I was just repeatedly filling in the same kinds of templates for the DP/PO (Design Project/Project Organisatie) courses throughout the full three years. Each year, you follow two DP/PO courses. The only courses I personally found useful in terms of learning product design were the drawing classes and a first-year SolidWorks course (3D modeling). Normally, I find math courses boring and difficult, but thanks to this bachelor’s, I actually really enjoyed the two math/physics courses (Product Dynamics and Product Statics). For the first time in a while, I felt like I was doing something meaningful, had to put in effort, and was actually learning something new. Another thing I really disliked about this program is how “school-like” it’s structured. You're required to be on campus every day from 8:45 AM to 5:30 PM, working in a so-called “studio” (classroom) with your fellow students, supposedly to learn from each other. This might work for some people, but for me (and I think for others too), it didn’t. I can’t focus well in noisy, crowded spaces, and I rarely connected with my fellow students. The social atmosphere was always centered around the typical student lifestyle (like student associations), and I wasn’t involved in that kind of life at all. The strict scheduling was probably the worst part. It made me feel like I was still in high school, instead of being a responsible adult who should be allowed to structure their own time. In many courses, you’re also penalized if you’re absent or not actively participating in class. Your final grade often drops as a result, especially since there’s always a rubric item about “communication and presence” of the student. Now on to a very different, but important point I want to share. I’m a guy with a Turkish background/ethnicity. This has, in my experience, had a significant impact on how I was treated and assessed during my studies. Because of my appearance, I stood out a lot in this predominantly Dutch/white bachelor’s program. I was one of the very few students with a migration background (I could count them on one hand, out of 300+ students in my year). In group projects and reports, I often felt like I wasn’t taken seriously by the lecturers. I never really felt welcome at the faculty or in the studios, I often felt like an outsider. The assessments for reports/projects were always subjective. Yes, there’s a so-called “rubric,” but it’s completely vague and can be interpreted in many ways, so you never know whether you’ve actually met the expectations. In my opinion, grading was purely based on the teacher’s personal opinion, and this was even confirmed by one of the teachers, who admitted the rubrics were “kind of nonsense” and that they just decide the grade based on how they feel about you and your work. As a result, I rarely received high marks for assignments, even though I consistently scored 8s on exams, which are graded objectively. I even went to the study advisor once because I had been unfairly graded. But even the study advisor couldn’t care less. He flat-out said “NO” to my face when I expressed my concerns emotionally. I didn’t even get a fake “that’s unfortunate” or a polite smile. That showed me that basic empathy is not standard for everyone. In my view, these are the bare minimum responses you’d expect when a student is struggling. That’s why I want to clearly state in this post that, in my experience, there’s a significant amount of racism within the IDE bachelor’s program at TU Delft. You might be wondering, after reading all this, “Why didn’t you just quit the program?” I started this program during the COVID outbreak, which meant my entire first year was online (with mandatory Zoom attendance from 8:45 AM to 5:30 PM). So at first, I thought my negative experience was due to the pandemic. When I finally got to campus in my second year, I realized too late that this program just wasn’t the right fit for me. But I’m someone who always sees things through and doesn’t quit halfway. Since I had already completed more than a year, I was determined to finish. Conclusion All in all, I strongly advise against choosing this bachelor’s program if your goal is to pursue a real engineering-focused, challenging, and educational degree, because IDE at TU Delft is certainly not that. To future students with a migrant background: only consider this program if you’re planning to do it with a friend. You’re unlikely to make many friends here, and you’ll probably end up feeling lonely and like an outsider, especially if your values or cultural background differ from the average “IDE” student. I’m now studying something else at a different university, and I’m much happier. I’m achieving great results and feel appreciated. Just to be clear: my review is not about TU Delft as a whole, it is specifically about the Industrial Design Engineering bachelor’s program. If you have any questions after reading my “mini-book,” feel free to send me a private message on Reddit or leave a comment under this post. I’m happy to help you make a better-informed study decision, something I, unfortunately, didn’t have.

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Saxion - CMGT - Creative Media and Game Technologies - 2.5/5 TLDR: I only recommend the CMGT course to someone who is already disciplined to REALLY study the gaming topic they are interested in outside the dedicated time for the university. If you are looking for a course that makes you "game industry ready" look elsewhere. I finished the CMGT (Creative Media and Game Technologies) course as an artist in 2022. I went to Saxion (Enschede) with the dream of becoming a concept artist for video games (as advertised on the official website), after 4 years and €10000 dept I can say that I would have gotten the same knowledge out of top €1000 in relevant courses. A lot of the topics we went through are just "oh that's interesting to know, so when can I learn to draw concept art?". There was a lack of focus for artist in general (2D and 3D), you never get deep into any topic and most things except the bare basics are for you to learn in your own time. In addition, the amount of actual gaming projects is laughable for a course that advertises itself as gaming focused. But there were good things, even great things. The fellow students were very great partners and the teachers are knowledgeable and easy going. There is a very low focus on "memorize this and write it down" type test. 95% of the (art) grades are project based, meaning you create something (concepts, prototypes etc.) with other CMGT students (Other branches of CMGT are programmer and designer). Enschede itself is a great city to life in, with more than enough places to visit to fill the years with activities. In the last 2 years the students focus on larger projects, and for me, it was the case that the actual document that will be uploaded is much, much more important than the actual product we create. This was very frustrating because as an artist, I want to make things, not write documents all day. I would only recommend the CMGT to someone that is: 1) In need of a guided education about the basics of game making (equivalent of easy to get courses online) but more expensive of course 2) Interested in living in the Netherlands and experiencing the culture 3) Looking for an "easy" bachelor that can be obtained if you put in a bit of effort 4) A hardworking individual that does the bachelor on the side while advancing in their own domain of interest. Afterword: At the end of my study, I was so removed from what I actually wanted to learn that I could not advance professionally in the field I wanted to work in (concept art). Instead, I learned some things about UI design, which to be honest is a topic I really don't care about. **Important Note: The last 2 years of my studies were impacted by the covid pandemic.

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