Not sure if my two cents are worth much here since I haven’t looked into the specifics of the Netherlands yet, but I would look at their student visa requirements to see how soon before the course starts you’re allowed to enter the country. In the UK, you can arrive up to a month before the course starts, if the course lasts 6 months or more. Using that as an example, I would go 2-4 weeks ahead of time, and do my apartment shopping in person.

Hi Tara, there are some helpful threads from parents in our Facebook group on this specific topic, and you may want to glean from that group too. Housing in the Netherlands, even at some of the UCs (which historically all UCs offered guaranteed housing for the duration) no longer offer a housing guarantee. I encourage you to go directly to the international admissions/student office at the university with questions on housing resources, realities, and timelines. In general though, beyond finding housing, international students typically arrive about 3 weeks ahead of courses starting. This gives time to acclimate, and participate in orientation activities. The Dutch UCs most certainly have an orientation for incoming students – again, you should inquire with the school regarding details on that. Best of luck!