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Arnold Kole has broad interests, so at secondary school he combined four profiles, yet still managed to graduate with an average grade of 8.6. He then found it difficult to choose between chemistry and physics, so he decided to enrol in the combined Bachelor’s study programme. He earned an average grade of 9 for all of the first-year courses, because the lab courses brought down his average from a perfect 10. Still, his average grade made him the best first-year chemistry student in Utrecht, and earned him the Young Talent Encouragement Prize worth 500 Euros.

Utrecht is the only place in the Netherlands where you have a special combined study programme in physics and chemistry.

“I couldn’t choose between chemistry and physics, because they both seemed interesting to me. When I heard that you could combine both studies at the Open Day event here in Utrecht, I decided to give it a try, because they said that you could switch to one or the other Bachelor’s programmes if it was too difficult.”

Appealing atmosphere

“Utrecht is the only place in the Netherlands where you have a special combined study programme in physics and chemistry, and the atmosphere here was more appealing than at the other universities. I didn’t think that the contrast with my university preparatory education was as big as they said during the try-out day. I was already used to studying hard at secondary school. The schedule here offers more free time. The material is more difficult, and you have less time with the lecturers, but you get used to it quickly enough.”

Combination really works

“I enjoyed almost all of the courses. So far, my favourite courses were Inorganic Chemistry, Quantum Mechanics and Particle Physics, and I found Biomolecular Science a bit less interesting. So the combination of chemistry and physics really works for me, and if everything goes well, I would definitely like to complete both Bachelor’s programmes.”

Love to do a PhD.

“At the end of the first year, I also enrolled in the Physics Honours programme. As part of the Honours programme, we visited several research groups at the ľ�ϸ���Ӱ�� of Copenhagen, which was really fun. I would love to do a PhD. as well, if possible.”

Room in Utrecht

“I come from Leeuwarden, so I had to find a room here in Utrecht. That took some getting used to. At the weekend, I went back to Leeuwarden because I had a job at the Albert Heijn supermarket. I also have a job giving tutoring lessons in Utrecht during the week. I just moved into a studio in the new student dormitory Johanna at the Uithof, so I might use some of the 500 Euros from the Young Talent Prize to furnish my new place.”