Expat Guide

Welcome to the Netherlands, and specifically to Twente. At IST, we understand that moving to another country can be an overwhelming experience and proper organisation is necessary to make it a smooth process. Below are some helpful considerations when settling in the region. More detailed information can be found on the website of the Expat Center East Netherlands and in this Welcome Guide to the region they released.

Formalities

Shortly upon arrival, please make sure to at a minimum:

  • Register with the local municipality where you are going to live and apply for a BSN (social security number)
  • Open a Dutch bank account
  • Apply for a DigiD to access governmental sites
  • Apply for Dutch health insurance
  • Register with a family doctor (general practitioner)

Dutch language and Twents

Most people in the country speak or understand English. However, some public and governmental information is still published in Dutch only, which makes it a good idea to invest some time learning the language. Many regions in the Netherlands have their own dialects and accents. Twente is a large region in the province of Overijssel. In Twente, there are many different dialects that belong to the West Low German (‘Nedersaksisch’) dialects, of which Twents is the most frequently used. In Twente, all inhabitants will know standard Dutch, but the Twents dialect is also actively spoken by many, with almost every village using slightly different local variants.

If you are gathering information online or you receive letters in Dutch and you need help translating, feel free to contact the team of Expat Center East Netherlands.

Getting around the region

By car

Overijssel is well-connected to the rest of the country by some highways, of which the A1 and A28 are used most frequently. The A1 connects the east to the west and leads you from the German border via Oldenzaal and Deventer all the way to Amsterdam. The A28 connects the north (Groningen) to the central part (Utrecht) of the Netherlands. Departing from Zwolle to one of these directions, you will take this highway.

Within the region of Twente, the A35 connects the three cities: from Enschede, through Hengelo to Almelo.

Public transport

You can use the website 9292.nl to plan your trip, finding the best route for you with all available types of public transport, considering delays and maintenance. For all types of public transport, you can use an OV chip card, a public transport pass. This is an easy electronic payment method for public transportation in the whole country. In Overijssel, there is no metro or tram, but bus and train services are extensive.

Bicycles

Cycling is the most common way to travel short distances in the Netherlands and move around cities and villages. Wonderful bike paths all over the country and flat lands make biking a popular way to get around or spend leisure time. Many IST students travel to school by bike.

National holidays

Dutch national holidays mostly follow the Christian calendar. National days off are 1 January, King’s day (27 April), Easter Monday, Ascension Day, Pentecost Monday and Christmas (25 and 26 December). Other important national days are 4 and 5 May (Commemoration Day and Freedom Day) and Sinterklaas, on 5 December.

Leisure and sport

Twente has plenty of cultural events and bustling city life as well as beautiful nature in its extensive countryside. Lots of villages, cities and nature areas in the entire region are easily explored on foot or by bike and villages and cities are well connected by public transport. The main cities close to IST (Enschede, Hengelo, Almelo, Oldenzaal, Zwolle, Deventer) all have theatres, and pop festivals are organised regularly across the province of Overijssel.

There are sporting facilities in every city and village. You can find fitness gyms in almost every town. If you want to join a team you can become a member at one of the many sport clubs in Overijssel, where you pay a monthly or annual fee to join a team. The most popular sport is football (soccer), with clubs even in the smallest villages. Other sports you can join are volleyball, hockey, rowing, handball, rugby, baseball, water polo, golf, tennis, ice skating and many more.