Bizzymum

45 minutes ago, Birdy said:

Housing is really tough in Amsterdam. The school has a couple of apartments that sometimes have a room available for the kids, but they usually use those for kids in the highest level of the regular school. I know of one 16-year-old who is staying with a Dutch woman, but I’m not sure how they found/arranged that situation. Perhaps that student will move into an apartment next year and the woman would take on a new student. AD students generally rent an apartment with a fellow student. There is a weird new rule in Amsterdam where only two unrelated people can register in an apartment, so you can’t get a bigger place and have three students share. Also, apartments are allowed to list as “no sharing” and only rent to couples and not students. There is a place called The Social Hub (used to be The Student Hotel) with two locations in Amsterdam. The City location is the most convenient for the school. It is basically a hotel room with a shared kitchen down the hall. About 12 students share each kitchen. Laundry is free, there is a small gym, and it includes a bike. It is shockingly expensive (a bit over €50/night) compared to sharing an apartment and rooms get booked within a couple of hours of registration opening for the semester. 

 

I don’t mean any of this to sound discouraging. The school is very international, has great training, and is a very positive place. The kids all do fine living on their own. They socialize together and support one another—perhaps not all living together eases some of the pressure students feel in a boarding school situation. The city feels really safe and manageable. I am about 5500 miles away from my daughter as we speak and have absolutely no regrets about sending her there. 

Thank you so much, this is really helpful 

Sorry to jump on your post but my 16 year old DS has been offered a place at the Dutch National Ballet Academy on the associate degree course. Can anyone give me more information about accommodation?