International student Daniel Bultrini explains why he was never in any doubt about studying abroad, and why he’s chosen the Netherlands as his destination.
Daniel Bultrini has previous when it comes to moving to new countries. Italian by birth, he has spent around half of his life in Thailand – an extreme change of cultures that has, it seems, stoked a passion for seeing more of the world.
“I have always wanted to see the world, pick up as many cultures as I could and perhaps learn another language or two. Studying abroad has always been a certainty in my mind."
So having experienced southern Europe, and Southeast Asia, Daniel has now decided that his future – the next three years of it at least – lies in the Netherlands, a nation by which he seems to have been rather quickly won over.
Low stress, high culture
“Though I cannot pinpoint one reason, I can say that the first time I visited the Netherlands I was quickly beguiled by the country,” he recalls.
“Apart from the plentiful student discounts that exist, I saw that the public transportation system worked almost flawlessly and the bicycles, well, those explain themselves; clean, cheap and they give every Dutch city a wonderful charm. The entire atmosphere of the Netherlands was one of low stress but of high culture and responsibility.”
These factors proved to be decisive, as the Netherlands was not the only country on his shortlist: “I had considered quite a few other countries such as Thailand, England, Australia and even America, but in the end I felt that I should be close to my birthplace and in a country that was pleasant to live in. England does not accomplish that for me, and so the Netherlands it was.”
Another factor in his decision, aside from being won over by the country, is the university at which he will be studying. TU Delft is particularly strong in aerospace engineering, Daniel’s discipline.
“I was particularly taken in by the huge number of facilities available and the emphasis on practical group work, which I think will prepare me for work outside of university,” he explains.
“On the side, I also saw that TU Delft offered some excellent courses in the culture center which I wanted to try out or, in the case of the piano lessons offered, continue. The sports center was also a decisive point; after all a fit body leads to an even fitter mind.”
Application and funding
Daniel first found out about the university through an agency, with the testimonies of some friends who had happened to attend the university augmenting further research done online.
He did not, however, go through the agency to lodge his application. “The application itself was very simple and straightforward; I simply had to send in the required documents and papers and register through the website, nothing could be simpler as far as applications go,” he states.
By way of advice he adds, “For other students, I recommend carefully looking at every requirement, every document that has to be prepared, and any application fees that may apply.”
On the subject of fees, we wondered how Daniel would be funding his stay in the Netherlands. “I will meet every expense I can by renting out an apartment in Rome, the income from that will allow me to live with little worry as a student in the Netherlands,” he replies. “The yearly university fees will be paid for by my parents, as well as the initial ‘settling in’ costs.”
Though not the decisive factor, the low fees in the Netherlands, he suggests, were a major draw, appealing not just to his sense of financial prudence, but also to his sense of fairness.
“What I appreciated most was that the cost to non-EU students was not prohibitive; this is not so in many other countries. I think that that fair fee, which did not apply to me, actually influenced me more than what I would have had to pay.”
Exciting times ahead
So, what is he most excited about? “The question should be what am I not excited about! Meeting new people, studying a topic which fascinates me, living alone, the freedom, the responsibility; the list is endless.
"Off the top of my head the things I’ll be looking forward to are winters, actual changing seasons, which I have not seen in a decade, adding to that a possible test run on the SIMONA (TU Delft’s flight simulator), the museums, music festivals in and around the Netherlands; everything that’s a little difficult to come across in Thailand.”
That said, as with most exciting experiences, there is an element of anxiety too. Having yet to experience the university lifestyle, Daniel is concerned about whether he will be left with time to pursue his non-academic interests and to relax.
He also has some concerns about leaving behind his friends and family. “But thanks to the internet I guess that the distance will not be felt as much as it would have been even 20 years ago.”
At present, Daniel is unsure about what path he will pursue following his degree, though is inclined towards doing pursuing a master’s degree, after which he will either seek to enter the world of work or continue to follow the academic path.
“Maybe I’ll take a year or two to work on another passion of mine: music, if only to learn my instrument and its rules at a deeper level. But if anything could be called certain,” he concludes, “it is that whatever happens I will never stop learning.”