Key facts
- Holland Expat Center South hosts a free monthly Welcome Evening with a city walk for people who recently moved to the Eindhoven area. Registration is required.
- TU/e and Fontys students, staff and alumni can buy a sports card for the Student Sports Centre, with 70 sports and 36 student sports associations, from €130 per academic year.
- The Expats Eindhoven Meetup group has thousands of members and is active in 2026, though many listed events are paid Dutch lessons.
- Bibliotheek Eindhoven's free language cafés and international playgroup are easy ways to meet people regularly.
- Eindhoven Doet lists volunteer jobs, including some for people who do not speak Dutch.
What to do
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Sign up for a Holland Expat Center South Welcome Evening, or your university's introduction activities if you are a student. Everyone there is new too.
Friendships here grow from seeing the same people regularly. Choose one thing that repeats every week: a sports team, a language café, a choir or a volunteer shift.
A Dutch sports club (vereniging) has teams, training nights, matches and a club bar. Ask if you can join a few trial trainings before you become a member.
In many clubs the social part happens after training or a match. That is where you get to know people.
Dutch people often plan social time days or weeks ahead in their agenda. Suggest a specific date rather than waiting for a spontaneous invitation.
How Dutch clubs (verenigingen) work
Most sport in the Netherlands happens in clubs run by members. You pay a yearly membership fee (contributie), and many clubs expect members to help out now and then, for example with bar shifts, refereeing or coaching young players. Competitive seasons usually follow the school year.
This volunteer side is a good way to meet people. Clubs are often in Dutch, but many welcome internationals and switch to English when needed. Eindhoven Sport links to a club finder for sports providers in the city.
Places and groups to meet people
These groups and activities are confirmed as active in Eindhoven in 2026.
- Holland Expat Center South: monthly Welcome Evening for newcomers, plus other events during the year such as the Brabant International Expo and a Rotary Speeddate event with Rotary Club Eindhoven International.
- Student Sports Centre Eindhoven (TU/e campus): sports card for TU/e and Fontys students, staff and alumni, with 36 student sports associations represented by the student sport federation ESSF.
- Expats Eindhoven on Meetup: a large English-speaking group with regular events.
- Bibliotheek Eindhoven: free Taalcafé (language café) at De Witte Dame and in local branches, a Mums & Toddlers International Playgroup on Tuesdays, and children's activities in English.
- Expat Spouses Initiative (ESI): professional community for internationals and partners in the Brainport region, with career programmes, networking and social events.
- Radio 4 Brainport: English-language community radio that works with volunteers.
Volunteering
Volunteering gives you a team, a routine and local contacts. Holland Expat Center South lists several options for internationals.
- Eindhoven Doet: volunteer vacancies across the city, including some for non-Dutch speakers.
- Maatje040: buddy projects helping residents with shopping, paperwork or company.
- WIJeindhoven: neighbourhood volunteering matched to your skills and location.
- Eindhoven Navigators: weekend volunteers who welcome visitors in the city centre.
- Holland Expat Center South: volunteers for the welcome desk and the annual Winter Market.
Mistakes to avoid
- Going to one big event and expecting friendships to follow; regular contact matters more.
- Only joining international groups; a local club also helps your Dutch and your network.
- Joining a club and skipping everything except training.
- Waiting for colleagues to invite you; it is normal to suggest a date yourself.
- Paying for membership before trying a few trainings.
Useful links
See 8 more links
Other useful links
Providers and community groups we found useful. We don't get paid for these links.
Sources we checked
Coming up
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Thu 15 Oct · 19:30-23:00
Eindhoven International Quiz Night
Grandcafé Centraal
A pub quiz in English on the Markt. Easy way to meet other internationals.
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Thu 15 Oct · 17:30-19:30
Innovation Café
Kazerne
Free talks and debates on tech and design in English, with drinks and a chance to meet the speakers.
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Thu 15 Oct · 19:30-23:00
Mix & Mingle
Changes weekly (posted on Meetup)
A relaxed drinks evening where people from all over the world meet. Good if you are new in town.
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Wed 21 Oct · 13:00-17:30
Anchored, Drifting: kite-making workshop for migrants
CKE Eindhoven
A free creative afternoon where people who moved to the Netherlands make and fly kites while sharing stories about migration and belonging.
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We checked this guide against its sources on 10 October 2026. Rules change: the official source always wins. Spotted something out of date? DM @gone.with.us or email contact@gonewithus.nl.