r/UniversityofTwente

Like a lot of you I came to do my masters in Netherlands in 2024. I knew there was some housing shortage but man was I unprepared for the crunch in housing for international students. Im a Malaysian, and after crawling through the dirt for 4 weeks, (say what you may), it definitely felt like an invisible force field goes up with some landlords when youre non EU (but mostly when youre a student). But hey, I guess unfamiliarity breeds mistrust anywhere in the world.

I eventually had to use my software engineering background to build a bot which scanned the entire market every 20 seconds and sent me listings which allowed students for me to be the first one to apply. After 6 weeks managed to find a place.

What I did notice was some neighbourhoods have higher concentration of properties which allowed students so I focused on those which improved my odds.

Here are some free sector student housing stats for Enschede by neighbourhoods captured by the tool since 2026, which some of you eating glass right now in the market may find useful.

Not sharing the link to the tool here as it might be considered spam. If youd like to see the interactive tool DM me or comment.

Hi everyone :)

So, I created this app based on an idea I had during Erasmus from a real-life situation that is common for a lot of students when going away from home to study.

The idea is that when you arrive at your new house or campus, you will probably need a lot of things difficult to find or that simply you didn’t think of in the first place.

Similarly, when saying goodbye to your beloved room or house, you will find yourself with a looooot of things gathered during the last months or years which will eventually become not so easy to bring with you, or just not needed anymore.

And this could also happen during a random day of decluttering at home, as we are all aware of.

Soooo, why not have the possibility to let people gift what they don’t need anymore and give those objects a second life? Or, why not have a look here and there to see if there is something you need near you? Maybe something that other students had the necessity of before you?

And here CampusGive is born :)

Here are the main features behind the website/app:

• List things you don't need anymore (everything for free): Upload anything you don't use—it could be super useful to someone else! Just add a photo, title, description, and the item's condition, and you're good to go. You can upload curtains, cutlery, small tables, skis, clothes, books, or whatever comes to mind. Even food that might spoil because you're away. Alternatively, you can just write down what you need and let people reach out to you!
• Choose a meeting spot: Select whether you want the other person to pick up the item at your place, meet up in a common spot like a café or the university, or if you prefer to deliver it directly to them.
• Set time slots for pickup/handover: The app will generate a QR code (or an alphanumeric code) that the other person will scan to confirm the successful delivery.
• Confirm the meeting and leave a review: This will really help us build a solid and trustworthy community!

I also wanted to make the app as safe as possible for everyone when it comes to personal safety and interactions. Specifically:

• University email verification: Registration is only allowed via university email accounts to ensure everyone's identity. If your university email isn't recognized yet, your registration will be temporarily put on standby until the admin approves that specific domain (which will then be added to the database for future users).
• Hidden precise location: When an item is listed, only a generic nearby area is shown, not the exact address. If you choose the "pick up at my place" option, the precise location will be shared only after you accept the other user's request.
• In-app private messaging: You can chat with other users to coordinate details, but only after a request has been accepted.
• User reporting system: You can easily report profiles if needed.
• Content filtering: Built-in image and text filters during upload for titles and descriptions.
• No-show reporting: You can flag if a user doesn't show up without giving any notice.

Plus:

• Multi-language support: Switch between 5+ languages.
• Light/Dark theme for your viewing preference.
• Fun badges: Earn titles like "Helper" or "Super-Giver" based on your activity, whether you are gifting or receiving :)
• ...and plenty of other things to discover along the way!

That's pretty much it! I truly hope this can help as many people as possible and kickstart a great network, making it easier to share things and lightening the load at the beginning or end of these amazing adventures.

Any feedback or advice is deeply appreciated (especially bug reports). Let me know what you think!

Link: https://campusgive.lovable.app/