My name is Camilla Martelletti and I come from the north of Italy, right in the middle of the Alps. I’m currently in my second year of the Food Technology programme at Van Hall Larenstein University of Applied Sciences in Velp, and I expect to graduate in 2027 if everything goes according to plan. I am very happy with my choice so far and I’d love to share my experience to help future students make the best decision for themselves.

Why I chose this programme

I’ve always had an interest in nutrition, but I didn’t want my studies to focus only on that. So I looked for a programme that was broader but still related to food. VHL was the first option I found, and when I looked into it more, I realised the programme really matched my interests, especially because it’s both scientific and covers the industry side, like marketing, finance and so on.

The applied sciences part was what really locked the deal for me. I didn’t want to just study from books; I wanted to actually apply and practise what I was learning. VHL promised that, and now that I’m here, I can say they are definitely keeping that promise.

What stood out for me

What I really value about VHL is all the practical experience we get and the school environment. I think the main strength of this programme is exactly that: all the hands-on experience we have during the four years. There are lots of guest lectures and excursions, which are super interesting and give us great insight into the professional world. We’re often in the lab and the kitchen, putting into practice what we’ve learned in class, and we work on many different projects.

We also get plenty of chances to step into the real work field, like two internships and opportunities to go abroad, which for me is really important.

I also love the fact that my class is small, which means we have personal connections with all the teachers. If you need help, they’re really willing to organise extra sessions to answer all your questions. The lectures are also less formal than what I was used to in my previous education, and they can be adjusted to what we need at that moment, which I really like.

One of the best experiences for me so far was developing a food product to present at a business fair. We worked in groups with students from the business programme and had to follow every single step: the idea, production, safety and quality checks in the lab, marketing, packaging... nothing was left out. We even had to make the product and present it to students, teachers and visitors at the fair. It was quite difficult, but super insightful, it gave me a real look at what my future job could be like.

Looking ahead

I’m still in the middle of my studies, but I’ve already learned so much and gained a lot of skills in my field. I’m sure that my six-month internship and minor later on will help me grow even more, and I’m really confident that VHL is preparing me well for my future career.

My advice for future students

If you’re passionate about food and curious about how it’s made, I’d say apply, you won’t regret it. The programme covers everything: from scientific subjects like chemistry, physics and microbiology to the more industry-related ones like processing, logistics, marketing, finance and business planning.

It’s a really interesting programme with lots of real-world applications, so you’ll be able to figure out what path suits you best for the future. And also, the Netherlands is amazing (as long as you have an umbrella 😉).