HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht

Campus setting	Urban
Living cost	USD 1,009 per month
Student population	Large (More than 10,000)
International students	60%
Institution type	Public

About HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht

HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht is one of the largest further education colleges in the state. It has over 37,000 students with more than one hundred different nationalities. And yet, our students still experience our educational environment as small-scale and personal.

One of the missions of the HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht is to contribute to a sustainable knowledge society with people as the starting point; a place where students and staff have the opportunity to broaden their horizons and feel at home.

Creative Business

“I was seriously impressed with how the Creative Business programme is preparing students to manage uncertainty and how they are thriving in a constantly changing business environment.”

Sam Ellis, Head of Innovation MSC Saatchi London (2017)

Are you wondering how to prepare for careers of the future? Do you have a pioneering mindset? Do you like to work and study in an international environment in one of the oldest university cities in the Netherlands?

Check out our state of the art international BA programme Creative Business at the Utrecht University of Applied Sciences. Our curriculum trains you for international careers at organizations with a creative core, from vintage to start-up to scale-up. These businesses are looking for bright, innovative, enthusiastic and well-organised people to join their team and to propel their commercial potential.

We focus on the latest developments in international marketing, media and communication. We equip you with a blend of professional skills highly desired by employers in the creative industries, such as advertising, media and entertainment, design, music, publishing, gaming, fashion and IT. Our graduates end up in a wide range of organisations from commercial to non-profit and from global innovators to disruptive scale-ups. Along the way you learn how to manage the commercial power of creativity, to think strategically and conceptually, and to find innovative ways to solve the challenges of today’s international creative businesses.

Our integrative and multidisciplinary approach is oriented towards the needs of future or current jobs in the Creative Business field: creative strategist, growth hacker, online and social media marketer, brand strategist, (sub)culture researcher, data storyteller, content manager, (eco)system thinker, design thinker, consumer insights manager, experience officer, human centered bot developer and global marketer.

Successful Creative Business graduates display exceptional skills to optimize experiences in the broadest sense. They demonstrate high-quality work, are passionate about their area of specialization and demonstrate a clear point-of-view relating to their work. They are team-oriented and can be part of a collaborative culture. Successful Creative Business students can work well with others while being self-directed and they thrive in ambiguity.

Campus information

Located in the city of Utrecht, HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht is one of the largest educational institutions in the Netherlands. It also has buildings in Amersfoort, which is 25 km from Utrecht.

Living cost breakdown:

Accommodation: between 350EUR (living with other people and sharing spaces such as kitchen and bathroom) all the way to 750EUR (living in a studio, on your own);
Food: 200EUR;
Transport: 50EUR (within the city all you need is a bike!);
Others (such as school supplies, parties, treats): 100EUR

Accommodation

HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht offers accommodation through SSH Short Stay. Whether you are an international student, staff member, or guest researcher, the SSH has different types of accommodation on offer. The different housing options consist of:

Short stay - this accommodation is available from the start of the student's study period in the Netherlands. The accommodation is fitted and furnished. Students will need to sign a rental agreement for a fixed rental period, usually the duration of the study programme (with a maximum of twelve months).

Regular Accommodation - this accommodation is offered to the person with the 'oldest' registration number. Some of the accommodation is available immediately, for others, students will need to be registered for a longer period (between 4-18 months). This accommodation is usually not furnished. The type of rental agreement depends on the accommodation.

For more information on accommodation, make sure to visit the Creative Business blog: https://husite.nl/creativebusinesshu/housing-3-things-to-know-before-moving-to-utrecht/

Additional info

Four Key Highlights

1. Innovative / future proof

You acquire the skills needed to become a flexible and creative forward thinker with an entrepreneurial attitude, analytical abilities and collaborative competences. Creative Business prepares you for jobs of the future, not of last decade.

2. International

We prepare and train you for global flexibility in creative business. From day one you will work in cross-cultural international teams, on cross-border projects. For example, you might learn to write a marketing plan, bring an American disruptive product or brand to the European market or introduce a European innovation to Africa and the Middle East. Not only do your fellow students come from all over the world, but your tutors represent at least fifteen different nationalities. You can spend at least one semester of the programme working or studying abroad.

3. Networked

Our international team consist of top-quality researchers with a PhD and experienced lecturers from the international Creative Business field. The clients you will work for come from all parts of the world including Europe, Australia, South-Africa, the Middle-East and North-Africa. You will become part of a truly global network.

4. Personal

Creative Business allows you to build your own professional profile and personal brand by creating your own learning paths and goals based on your particular needs, interests and background. On top of that our most talented students get the opportunity to excel even more in the honours programme.

Reasons to choose HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht

A unique programme

Opt for the future and learn how communication, marketing and media are changing businesses and the world. Taking our Bachelor’s degree in Creative Business, not only are you trained for a career in the creative industries but you learn a lot about yourself and grow as an individual as you expand and develop your knowledge and skills in the fields of entrepreneurship, creativity, globalisation and technology.

International network

HU supports your ambitions. Our lecturers will tutor and assist you in making the most of this international study. Through it, you gain access to a wide international network.

The city of Utrecht

Beautiful Utrecht is a university city with plenty of young people and excellent facilities for student life. It has a mediaeval city centre which is small enough to explore on foot. Or by bicycle, as most of the locals do. A genuine Dutch city with an international vibe, Utrecht is the beating heart of the Netherlands and home to world-class music and film festivals, modern architecture, trendy shops and interesting museums. And an easy base from which to discover the rest of the country by train. Or stay in town and enjoy a drink on a terrace along one of the Utrecht’s many scenic canals – you will love it.

Modern campus

Utrecht Science Park is a modern university campus located close to the heart of the city. Restaurants and cafés are concentrated in the central area around the university library, which is about five minutes’ walk from the HU buildings. All kinds of drinks and snacks are available, as well as facilities to access the internet, produce and edit video material and copy and print documents.

Students with disabilities

The facilities for students with disabilities at HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht comply fully with the standards laid down by the Dutch Council for the Disabled. All floors can be reached using accessible lifts, there are adapted toilets on every floor and underneath the university building are six parking spaces reserved for people with disabilities. We also have two computers adapted for students with dyslexia. Inside the building, all signage is designed to accommodate those with a visual impairment. There is an emergency response plan.

Testimonials

"Since my childhood I have always been a really communicative person. However, I never really knew which profession I should follow. I always had three options in my mind, communication, marketing or working with the media. It was a really nice surprise when I found this programme, because in my country such a study programme is not easy to find. At HU, I learned that it’s possible to be passionate about the field you work in and this can make your life a lot easier."

“I like this study programme because the courses are very practical and comprehensive, it covers fields all the way from creativity and humanities to business. The reading lists are very interesting and helpful. The professors are amazing, very enthusiastic and supportive. Living in Utrecht, in the Netherlands is very peaceful and people are very friendly. Also, the environment is super fresh and beautiful, especially in the spring. It truly leaves me speechless! My advice to new students is to always say yes to every opportunity that comes your way, always be open to everyone you meet, even at school or outside school, and definitely explore and try new things each day.” Le Ho Thien Minh (Molly), Vietnam lehothienminh@gmail.com

"In Creative Business, you learn a variety of skills from different sectors, such as media, communication and marketing. These are all supposed to directly prepare you for the working environment and what’s to come in the future. Other skills that are taught are cultural understanding and project management. These teach us how to work well with people from different cultures and within a group, to make the best out of a project. For that, a lot of creative thinking is also required, which is another main skill taught in the Creative Business programme."

**Sam Ellis, Head of Innovation MSC Saatchi London**

“I was seriously impressed with how the Creative Business University team is preparing students to manage uncertainty and how they are thriving in a constantly changing business environment.”