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Now here's something in the Netherlands that is growing very fast, and I bet you will regret it if you missed out on it altogether! Studentify is an organisation in the Netherlands that was created at the beginning of 2011. Firstly, quoting from their own page 'Studentify creates solutions for students to make student life easier.' That speaks for a lot in itself actually, but I want to go a little deeper into what Studentify is all about.

The concept behind Studentify is quite simple. But some of the best ideas in life are simple ideas, aren't they? This could easily be one of those. There are about 80,000 international students studying all over the Netherlands. Sure, they may be the top crop from their respective high schools, but that doesn't mean they'll know what all to do when it comes to encountering those hurdles in the transition stage to their new city and university in the Netherlands. Now, you would think these are small problems that everyone faces, and the solutions would be easy to find, but sometimes they really aren't. This is where Studentify comes in. They aim to gather first-hand information from current foreign students in the Netherlands, and create guides for prospective and future internationals - assisting them with issues ranging from registering themselves at the City Hall to opening a local bank account - ready to be shared even before the student arrives. In fewer words, they are an information platform for international students, present to help out and aid them.

Another endeavor of Studentify, and personally speaking, the most interesting one, is that of StudentTutors. Tutoring is seen as an effective tool for knowledge sharing, a refresher course for your own mind, and an enhancement of your communication skills. All in all, a thoroughly satisfying experience for both parties! Now, why not get paid for your work? StudentTutors, under the organisation Studentify itself, creates jobs for foreign students and they in turn offer tutoring services to fellow students. No need to go around the city dropping your CV off at every restaurant, take-away place or bar you can find. No requirement for the Dutch language either. Basically, no more struggles. Only you and your motivation to help others. 'Help others to help yourself'. I spoke to Agnes Kovacs, an 'ambassador' working for Studentify in Groningen, and she told me that 'knowledge sharing' among international students as well the Dutch is an important objective that the Dutch government emphasizes upon, and Studentify hopes that their tutoring system will give an opportunity to these students to integrate further.

Studentify is still relatively new, and in the process of settling down and creating an impact in university cities all over the country. Presently, only students from within the EU region can get a part-time tutoring job with them, and it seems to be near impossible for those coming from outside the region, even Romanians and Bulgarians as of now, to bag a contract, and that is the unfortunate part. However, Studentify would like to hire a larger number of tutors, and offer a greater variety of subjects to those seeking help.
The city of talent would love to have a wide network of smart and intelligent students, wouldn't it? Studentify wants to help. Wants to make student life easier. This is your opportunity to become a part of the process.

The Studentify website is http://www.studentify.nl/ and their Facebook page is http://www.facebook.com/Studentify. Good luck!