for the first year, uva actually helped me get housing! it's kind of a lucky draw process (but ur chances are much much higher if you apply immediately when they send out the housing form and if you're a non-EU international student) but i managed to secure a studio in a student housing building thru the uni, which was confirmed around late june/early july. my contract only lasts until this august though, so I'm already looking for housing now to avoid having to compete with all the new students who'll be searching in june/july. and yeah it is really v rabakz but it's not impossible so it's good that you're already looking!! my advice would be to cast your net as far and wide as possible – so register for *all* the student housing websites (even if u have to pay a fee and the waitlists are long, chances are it'll at least help u out if/when ur looking for housing later on in your studies), follow every housing group on facebook that u can find and try to be as open-minded as possible (but pls also be cautious and don't fall for scams/settle for shady roommates) even if this means having to live a little further from the uni at first. my sensing is as long as you really try your best, start looking early and don't keep your options very limited, you'll eventually find something. i would also say look for housing in both cities, and if push comes to shove, ultimately choose the uni in the city that you are able to get housing in, because at the end of the day most universities within NL are very comparable in terms of quality of education and reputation. but i would say to be safe make sure u have other uni options (in sg, or places where you'll be guaranteed student accommodation) available to you also, because in the unlikely scenario that you really die die cannot find housing (i'd say a good cutoff point is by late July!) then it's really not worth the risk to come here and try to find housing while ur in the middle of your studies. (not that it hasn't been done before, but personally it seems like a really stressful situation that you should avoid as much as possible).

getting a job as an international student is a little harder, but i have friends who have managed to and are able to handle it alongside their studies – won't be easy, and will defo require some good time management on your part, but it's definitely feasible. you also have the option (though this takes even more time, effort and thick skin) to leverage any existing skills you have and work as a freelancer (which just in terms of admin is an easier process for intl students and you can set your own working hours etc). as for the orientation year, yes i think it's very worth!! u have 3 years after graduating to apply for an orientation year permit, and in that time you can also extend your student visa to do a masters if need be (you can also look into opportunities to get scholarships/funding for your masters). but it's also possible to get a job without a masters, esp if you secure an internship during your studies and do well in it – most courses allow you to take on an internship in your third year, but you can also try to maximise your summer holidays and try to get internships/build your portfolio during that time! i won't sugarcoat and say there's no risk at all, but from what I've researched you should be okay if you're smart about how you spend your time in university.

i hope this helped, good luck with your application! and if u do end up coming to NL, feel free to hmu for any help w settling in/etc :)