Maasively Good Time in Maastricht

Right in the heart of Europe, this beautiful little city is located in the southern Limburg region of the Netherlands. It is a bicycle ride away from the Belgian border and a quick bus trip to the Germany. This largely student city combines Dutch culture with the surrounding European countries with delightful architecture, plenty of shopping, and a great food and bar scene.
If your goal is to travel around Europe during your time here (which you absolutely should), Maastricht is about 1.5 hours bus ride from Brussels Airport in Belgium and Cologne/Bönn Airport. Also nearby is Eindhoven Airport and not too much farther is Brussels Charleroi Airport. So you have plenty of options for cheap flights all around the continent.
However, Maastricht is the perfect city to explore as well. There are plenty of student events and clubs that you can get involved in, several museums, and charming parks. You'll probably quickly become friends with your hallmates at the UM Guesthouse who will be from all over the US, Europe and around the world. My hall was made up of Americans, Spanish, Portuguese and Northern Irish people and throughout the semester we became like a little family to come home to after weekend adventures.
You'll also have plenty of opportunities in class to meet full-time and other international students. The classes here tend to be a bit more challenging as much of the university runs on the Problem-Based Learning approach where much of the learning is done in small groups with a tutor present to help guide the discussions. The upside to this is the small class size, but the downside is that it generally requires more independent study and time dedicated to class. It may take sometime to get used to, but don't worry, the staff at the Center for European Studies (CES) are a big resource! They are all extremely kind and willing to help you with anything during your time in Maastricht. They also organize study trips to different cities around Europe, a traditional Thanksgiving dinner (Fall Semester), and so much more.
Maastricht became my second home during my time here and it was definitely the highlight of my university experience to study here through USAC. I hope it will be for you too!