u/SubstantialBasket709

Hi everyone,

I am seriously considering applying to the Econometrics BSc course at EUR or UvA for the 2027/28 academic year, but my particular circumstances might complicate the case, and I would like to have your insight on whether it is a good idea to continue with my application.

I am 25 years old and have already graduated from university with a BSc in Business Information Systems. Ever since graduation, I have worked as a freelance English tutor, and since the pay has been more than satisfactory, I haven't even tried to get a job in my field, with my indifference to my degree playing some role in it as well. Now, I feel like the time for a change has come, and I want something different and would like to retrain and potentially get into the finance/data science/data analysis field. I know that I am extremely interested in maths and have always been, so while casually looking through the available courses at EUR, I came across this field of Econometrics, and the course content and possible job prospects garnered my interest. I have done my research and come to understand that it is extremely hard to get through the course, with around 30–40% of students failing in the first year. The BSA also seems to be at 100%, so failing is not an option. However, with dedication, determination, and discipline, I think I might be able to do it.

Additionally, what makes my situation unique and pretty complicated is that I am married with 2 toddlers, which means if I do get accepted, I might have to move my family to the Netherlands as well. With the housing crisis being rampant nationwide, I guess it might be close to impossible to find accommodation for us to stay in, right? Or is there any chance to get lucky and be housed?

When it comes to finances, fortunately, I have enough financial resources for me and my family to be able to live in the Netherlands without working for a couple of years at least, as I have passive income from rentals in my country that can sustain us for the foreseeable future.

My main goal in studying in the Netherlands is to retrain in the field of finance/data analysis and get employed (if possible in the Netherlands) and stay here and integrate. I know this is not guaranteed and comes as a bonus, but still.

All in all, what do you think about this plan? Is it worth pursuing? Thank you.

Hi everyone. Do you have any tips for improving my chances of getting a multiple-entry Schengen visa?

I’m planning to apply through the Dutch embassy in December, with the Netherlands as my main destination. I previously had a Dutch Type D student visa in 2020 and a Belgian Type C tourist visa in June 2026, with Belgium as my main destination and the Netherlands as my secondary destination.

I’m self-employed with a stable income, pay taxes, own an apartment in my city that is currently rented out, and I’m married with two young children. I’ve also followed the conditions and itineraries of all my previous visas very carefully.

I’m hoping to visit the Netherlands regularly in the future, as I really love the country and would like to return more often.

Do you think my profile and visa history would give me a decent chance of getting a 6-month or 1-year multiple-entry visa? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Hi everyone,

I’m currently traveling in Belgium and something happened on the train that made me anxious.

I was traveling from Ghent to Antwerp. When the conductor came to check tickets, I accidentally showed her my EuroCity train ticket to the Netherlands, but that ticket was for a later trip, not for the Belgian train I was on at that moment. She scanned it, didn’t say anything, and simply moved on. Only later did I realize that I had shown the wrong ticket but when I wanted to let her know about the issue she has already disappeared. I did have a valid ticket for the Ghent to Antwerp journey as well, but I showed the wrong one by mistake. There was no discussion, no warning, no fine issued, and she didn’t ask for my passport or any other personal details.

Now I’m wondering: is there any chance I could still get fined later without knowing about it? Or is it safe to assume that if the conductor didn’t say anything and didn’t issue anything on the spot, then nothing happened?

I’m also a non-EU traveler with a valid Schengen visa, so I’m probably overthinking whether something like this could cause problems next time I enter the Schengen area.

Hi everyone,

My family and I are traveling from Antwerp-Berchem to Rotterdam on June 13. We originally planned to take a direct train to Rotterdam Centraal, but I have now found out that Rotterdam Centraal will be closed for train traffic on June 13 and 14 because of engineering works.

We will be traveling with a child and 3 pieces of luggage, so I am trying to avoid complicated replacement buses, too many transfers, or long walks between platforms.

I am considering canceling or changing our current ticket and instead booking a train from Antwerp-Berchem to another station closer to Rotterdam, then taking an uber from there directly to our hotel in Rotterdam.

From what I understand, Roosendaal may be the most practical option because trains from Belgium may still run there, and then we could take a taxi/private transfer to Rotterdam. But an uber ride might be much more expensive than the first option.

What would you recommend in this situation? Thanks.

I feel like this topic is often neglected in our society.

We are brought up to believe we owe our parents everything, even if they have abused us physically or emotionally. We grow up thinking we have to show our abusive or emotionally distant parents that we deserve unconditional love for the rest of our lives.

You get a job well done, pass an exam, or graduate from your university; instead of receiving praise and encouragement, you receive "you did it for yourself." The time and energy you put into achieving success is ignored. Your feelings are minimized. Your desire for warmth is seen as a weakness.

You may also have heard other examples of things that were said by your parents such as "o'qib olim bo'larmidi?" and so on. To me, these type of statements show how difficult it can be for some parents to recognize their child as a person with dreams, emotion, and self-worth. To many parents, their children are viewed mainly as future caregivers who will provide for them when they retire. And honestly, that's very selfish.

I am aware that not all parents act in this manner. Many give up so much for their children while loving and supporting them in beautiful ways. However, we must also acknowledge that being a parent does not inherently qualify someone to be kind, just or emotionally intelligent.