Going on exchange as part of your master’s degree is an exciting opportunity that will not only enhance your RSM experience but will greatly benefit your career prospects. You get to travel, meet new people, study in a different country, experience a new culture, and develop new academic and personal skills.
With a selection of over 100 partner universities spanning the globe, the options for exchange are vast. However, it's important to approach your research with careful consideration. To make the most of your exchange possibilities, it's advisable to initiate your planning as early as your first bachelor year.
When considering going on exchange and to prepare for your exchange application, there is a lot to consider and to think about like, personal goals, professional goals, language(s) (of instruction), the location and environment of the partner school, course offerings, housing preferences, financial aspects, academic calendars, and more. Additionally, you must ascertain your eligibility for the exchange program, ensuring you fulfill the requirements of both RSM and your chosen partner school(s).
Imagine being among the approximately 350 students selected for an enriching experience spanning blocks 9, 10, and potentially 11 of your third year, spent at one of our esteemed partner universities in Europe, North America, Latin America, Oceania, Asia, the Middle East, or Africa, all under the umbrella of the Master Exchange Programme!
Will you take up the challenge? Apply for our Master Exchange Programme! For the latest factsheets, study reports and updates, we recommend you to sign up for the RSM Master Exchange page on Canvas.
There are more than 100 exchange destinations available to you. These business schools and universities are seen as some of the best in their countries and are renowned worldwide. You have to list 6 preferred destinations in your application.
The RSM partner schools’s website provides you with information, such as its programmes, accreditations and rankings, location, and accommodation possibilities for international students.
All information about partner schools: fact sheets, requirements, and study reports can be found in Canvas.
There are several mandatory requirements which you must fulfil in order to be considered eligible for an exchange abroad via RSM, on top of that, sometimes even more requirements are needed for specific destinations in particular. We will mention the basic requirements set by RSM in order to be able to apply for the exchange programme:
- Study Progress
- Grade Point Average (GPA)
- English language certificate
For further information, please refer to our Canvas page.
A study experience abroad always involves additional costs such as language course fees, visas, insurance, airfare and other travel expenses. The total amount of additional costs depends on the destination and your personal expenses.
Please do make sure that you make a realistic budget overview for yourself before deciding where you would like to go. Do not calculate receiving possible scholarships or grants within this budget overview as you can never be sure if you will actually receive them. If you do, see it as extra spending money.
Please read the study reports of your predecessors on Canvas, as all students mentioned their budget spent. In the factsheets of our partner universities (to be found on Canvas as well) and/or on their webpages, most universities mention the approximate costs for an exchange at their school. Always look for extra costs involved, some might be mentioned in their application requirements.
For example:
Some universities in countries such as the USA or Australia need proof that you have enough funds to support yourself during your stay at the host university. Selected students for these universities need to show evidence at the time of application (around February) at the host university that they have the equivalent of approximately $ 5000-7000 or more on their or their parents’ bank account. In some cases, grants and scholarships are available.
As an exchange student selected by RSM’s Exchange Office, you don’t have to pay any tuition fee at the host university, however you need to be enrolled at RSM. An exchange always involves at least half a year RSM tuition fee.
Small administration fees for e.g. facilities might be charged by the partner school, these costs are your responsibility.
The following information may also help to you to reduce your extra costs.
Subletting your room during your exchange
Subletting your room during your exchange period can reduce exchange costs, and using your room will help us to accommodate our incoming exchange students.
There is always a shortage of rooms for exchange students studying in Rotterdam. If you want to rent out your room temporarily you can use the housing webpage: www.HousingAnywhere.com. This webpage was developed to bring student accommodation supply and demand together; and it operates student-to-student, without using intermediaries.
Grants & scholarships
Information about grants and scholarships can be found in our Canvas page.
To apply for an exchange term abroad, students need to complete:
- Part I: application form (focus on general information, study progress and the requirements):
- your personal details
- your bachelor studies done at RSM or elsewhere (for the latter, proof (grade list) of your non-RSM bachelor or HBO studies needs to be uploaded)
- your bachelor GPA
- your preferred exchange destinations (up to 6 destinations)
- carefully consider whether or not you are open for alternative destinations if not selected for your 6 preferred destinations
- your language skills (uploads requested: IELTS or TOEFL iBT certificate and, if applicable, additional language certificate(s)
- extra curricular activities
- C.V.
- Part II: Interview Stream (focus on your motivation):
- questions to be answered in written form and video pitches
Further information about application and selection process can be found in our Canvas page.
Rafal Nowicki
“I am so happy to tell you about my exchange semester at UNC, Chapel Hill. It was one of the best experiences in my life - I have broadened my horizons thanks to practical courses, wonderful lecturers, and challenging projects done in collaborative study environment. Also, I had a pleasure to meet Patricia Collins, the Associate Director MBA Global Programs, who was a second mom to us - she is a very kind person! I would like to thank you once more for granting me this unique opportunity that helped me develop both personally and professionally.”
Jeroen Bravenboer
"A master's exchange to the Smith School of Business, Queen’s University is something I would totally recommend to every student. It is a very warm and welcoming, yet professional and progressive university. The MBA program itself offers numerous challenging courses for you to develop yourself even further. This in combination with the diverse backgrounds of the full-time MBA classmates and exchange students, as well as the great quality of teaching from the committed and experienced instructors made this program a highly rewarding experience. Your input will be acknowledged and appreciated by the entire class. They really want to make sure that you develop yourself, and moreover feel a part of the Queen’s family. Also the city of Kingston is a pretty pleasant place to live. This student capital offers great places to go out, and provides the perfect backdrop for legendary events, such as homecoming. Whatever you are looking for in an exchange, I can guarantee you that you will find it at Smith School of Business, Queen’s University. Do not hesitate any longer, and go through the Queen’s experience yourself."
Kelly Lowinski
"Going on exchange to the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania has been one of the best times of my life. Being part of the academic and social community there was an amazing and unique experience. Be it the incredibly vibrant American student culture; with its large variety of student clubs, events, and fraternities; or going on regular lunches with your professors to talk about all matters of life. Every moment is memorable."
Michele Tarawneh
“My exchange at Tsinghua University in Beijing has been an exceptional experience that I will never forget. China stimulated my intellectual curiosity and Tsinghua provided me with the tools, in terms of academics and social immersion, to have an in-depth understanding of a remarkably kind population in a rapidly changing country. I will never forget the friendliness of my fellow Chinese students, the beautiful campus and the fascination for China’s ancient history. Tsinghua has been a privileged point of view on something so different from what I have been used to.”
Michel Strooij
"Studying at the National University of Singapore and living in a community with students from all over the world, combined with all the on-campus facilities the university offers, was an amazing experience for me. Singapore is a city where everything works accordingly, making it extremely easy to adapt to it, and a great multi-national place to live. Another aspect of Singapore is the amazing variety of great food available, from Japanese to Italian, and from Mexican to French, they serve it all, prime quality, while not extremely expensive. In addition, it’s prime geographic location provides you with the opportunity to travel all over Asia, and see all the wonders it has to offer. Beautiful islands, sandy beaches, tropical rainforests and centuries old cities, are all a short plane ride away. Combine that with a top-notch university, and you will start to imagine how great an exchange to the National University of Singapore is."
Kasia Siwicka
"I couldn’t have made a better choice for my exchange than pick Ivey Business School in Canada. The school has a unique approach built on a case study method that yields students used to theoretical techniques with an altered viewpoint on business. It also allowed me to immerse in the North American culture, take part in real-life projects and meet inspirational, passionate people. This experience will always have a very special place in my memories."
Coen Nieuwpoort
"Some impressions of my exchange at NHH Bergen, Norway"
"I choose to apply for an exchange semester for two main reasons. The first one was that my Master in Business Administration (The master in Management) is very broad and I wanted to specialize in one specific area. The second reason was that I wanted to experience the adventure of living abroad. I think applying for an exchange semester was one of the best decisions of my life. The finance courses I follow at the Norwegian School of Economics, one of RSM's partner universities, are very demanding and good, I learned a lot in this semester. Maybe even more valuable is the experience of living abroad. Meeting lots of new people, living in an unknown city (Bergen, Norway) and being away from friends and family meant that I had to step out of my comfort zone in the beginning. It was totally worth it. I loved almost everyday in this beautiful city and I am sure I will later look back on this period as the most exciting time of my student life."
Céline Cnossen
“With the end in sight of my exchange, I would like to thank the whole international office team for the opportunity to have been exchanged to Schulich School of Business (York University). I experienced a wonderful time in Toronto where I met a lot of new people, where I learned a lot, and where I enjoyed this whole new experience.
It has not only enriched me both personally and academically, but I have also grown in a professional way. For one of my courses, I and teammates have even published an article on ‘Red Bull’ on the website of the American Marketing Association. We were a trending story and the contents was most visited for a whole month.”
The RSM Exchange Office is responsible for initiating, organising and co-ordinating international exchange and joint / double degree programmes with international business schools and universities at bachelor and master levels.
Location and opening hours
- Location: Woudestein campus, Mandeville (T) Building, 5th floor, rooms 5-14, 5-18,
- General email address: exchange@rsm.nl
- Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 9:00 - 17:00
- Appointments are recommended as all staff members work parttime. Please see contact information.
Student Advisors
Who Mr. Menno van der Hoorn, Ms Maaike Troost and Irèn Galama
Room T5-17 & T5-21
Email msc.studyadvice@rsm.nl
Website https://www.rsm.nl/study-advice
Erasmus Student Services Centre (ESSC)
The ESSC can help with: renewing your OV student card; registering for a language test or course, information on any practical matters for an academic period abroad, such as visa and insurance; statements of enrolment and other documents.
Room Sanders building
Tel. +31 - (0)10 - 408 88 80 (option 1)
Website https://www.eur.nl/en/education/practical-matters/contact
Open daily, 9:30 to 16:00 h.
Information from Nuffic
The Netherlands Organisation for International Co-operation in Higher Education (Nuffic) is the Dutch organisation for international co-operation in higher education. They provide useful information about studying abroad, grants, etc. The Dutch website provides more information compared to their pages in English as it mainly focuses on Dutch students but it can be of some help for international students as well: www.wilweg.nl