TOP Week is the introduction week for all new students who start their studies at Tilburg University, Fontys or Avans in September and will take place from 18 August to 22 August 2025. During this week you will get to know your fellow students, the city of Tilburg and the life of a student. TOP Week is the best start to your student life in Tilburg!
During TOP Week you will be placed in a group of approximately 20 students. The groups are divided by study so that you can immediately get to know your fellow students. The groups are supervised by TOP Mentors, these are students who have been studying in Tilburg for a longer period of time. They ensure that you get to know Tilburg and everything it has to offer during the week. Every year at the end of August, Tilburg is taken over by the approximately 4.500 students who participate in TOP Week.
Want to know more about TOP Week? Read the answers to frequently asked questions below or contact us.
Please note: TOP Week is not a hazing week!
General
What is TOP Week?
TOP Week is the introduction week for all new students who will start their studies at Tilburg University, Fontys or Avans in September. All new bachelor, (pre-)master and exchange students can participate. During TOP Week, everything is focused on getting to know your fellow students, the city of Tilburg and the active student life in Tilburg. This ensures that you can make a flying start.
What is the program of TOP Week?
The program of TOP Week 2025 can be found above! Also keep an eye on our Instagram-page for more information about all TOP Activities!
Who organizes TOP (Winter) Week?
TOP (Winter) Week is organized by and for students. The organization consists of a seven-member board that works all year to organize two introduction weeks (in January and August). In addition, the board is supported in the period from March to August by 13 committee members who work hard to organize a great introduction week. Do you want to know more about us? Look under the heading “Organization”!
Do I have to participate in the entire program?
Nothing is required and everything is allowed this week, because there are no mandatory components. Of course it is more fun to participate in as much as possible and to learn as much as possible about your new student city.
Where can I go in case of intimidation or sexual violence?
If a situation arises in which sexual violence is used, make sure you contact the following authorities as soon as possible:
Tilburg University Confidential Advisor
Police: 112 for emergencies, 0900-8844 if there is no emergency
Center for Sexual Violence: 0800-0188 (anonymous and free to call)
These phone numbers are available 24/7!
How is the group division made?
All students who participate in TOP Week are divided into groups. These groups consist of approximately 20 students and are divided based on study. This means that you are divided into a group with students who are following the same study as you. Exceptions to this are some (pre-)master’s programmes, where it is not always possible to fill one group with the same study. In these cases, you will be placed in a group with (pre-)master’s students from related programmes.
It is not possible to register yourself together with a friend, because the group division is automatic, and therefore random. Moreover, it is fun to get to know new people!
Who is TOP Week for?
TOP Week is for all new bachelor, (pre-)master and exchange students who start their studies at Tilburg University, Fontys or Avans in September.
When is TOP Week?
TOP Week will take place from August 18 to August 22, 2025.
What is a (Study) Program Introduction?
The (Study) Program Introductions are organized by the faculties of Tilburg University. Here you will receive all information about studying and the educational program of your program. For example, you will receive practical information about the digital learning environment, the facilities that are available at the university and where you can go with questions or problems. The (Study) Program Introductions are mandatory for students who are going to study at Tilburg University and are therefore not organized by TOP. For questions about the (Study) Program Introductions, you can contact your faculty.
Do I have to arrange my own place to sleep during TOP Week?
If you don’t have a room in Tilburg yet, that’s no problem. Your mentors will help you find a place to sleep. Once your mentors have received your contact details and created a group chat, they will work with you to arrange sleeping places for everyone in the mentor’s house or in that of another group member. Do you have a full bag of stuff with you on Monday morning and still have to go to your Study Program Introduction? No worries. You can leave your luggage in a luggage storage room at the Tilburg University Sports Center after you have registered. You can pick up your luggage afterwards.
What alcohol and drug policy does TOP apply?
TOP’s alcohol and drug policy is fully in line with the rules of the Dutch government. This means that alcoholic beverages will not and may not be sold to students under the age of 18. In addition, drugs are strictly prohibited. If you are caught using drugs, you will be excluded from all events and we will report this to the police. In the event of medically threatening situations due to drug use, we will apply the above rules and call 112. You will not be arrested because drug use is not completely prohibited in the Netherlands.
Tactile and the TOP App
Note: The TOP App is not live yet! Follow our Instagram page for updates on the launch date.
How do I pay for my food and drinks during TOP Week?
During TOP Week you pay for your food and drinks with your Tactile wristband. You will receive this wristband at the start of the event and has a chip that you can use at bars and food trucks. This wristband is your key to the event and also your digital wallet. You can charge your wristband via the app before or during the event. The TOP App can be downloaded here for Android and here for iOS.
Paying at the bar is simple: place your wristband on the payment terminall. Say what you want to order. Ready! You will see your new balance on the payment terminal.
How can I TOP up?
You can add money to your account via the link in your email. Do you have money left over after the event? Don’t worry, unused credit will be automatically refunded to your account.
How do I check my balance?
You can easily check your balance during TOP Week via the TOP App. If your balance is low, you will also receive a message with a direct link to top up.
Why can’t I just pay by card during TOP Week?
TOP Week has opted for Tactile’s cashless payment system. There are a number of advantages to this payment system over debit card payments: it is faster, continues to work during internet outages and is well integrated with Tactile’s other services. More information can be found on the website of Tactile.
Why do I receive an email from support@tactile.events?
It is possible that you receive emails with information about TOP Week from the email address support@tactile.events. These emails are sent by us via Tactile, a cooperation partner of TOP Week that helps us send emails to you.
Why haven’t I received an email?
Didn’t receive an email? Check to see if it ended up in your spam. This happens especially often with iCloud email addresses. If that has happened, put it back in your inbox so you don’t lose it.
What if my phone is dead and I can’t TOP up via my mobile?
Don’t worry if your phone runs out of battery during TOP Week. We have thought of this situation! There are special charging points on the event site where you can check and top up your balance. In addition, you can often also contact the payment helpdesk or the organization on site who will be happy to help you top up your wristband. This way we make sure that you are always able to pay for your drinks, even if your phone is empty.
What happens if I lose my wristband?
First off, don’t worry! Your balance is in your account and will therefore be retained if you have lost your wristband. If you’ve lost your band, it’s smart to block it as soon as possible. You can do this via the TOP App.
Then you go to the Headquarters where you can get a new wristband.
What happens if I have balance left at the end of TOP Week?
Your account will be used for multiple purposes during TOP Week. This way you use your account for access control and for communication around the event by email or via the app. We also store your transactions for the financial administration of the event and to be able to automatically refund your credit.
Why do I need to create an account for TOP Week?
Your account will be used for multiple purposes during TOP Week. This way you use your account for access control and for communication around the event by email or via the app. We also store your transactions for the financial administration of the event and to be able to automatically refund your credit.
What is Tactile?
Tactile is a cooperation partner of TOP Week that provides the cashless payment system. They also help us communicate with you via Tactile CRM & Insights. More information can be found on the website of Tactile. Do you have questions about the payment system? Mail to: support@tactile.events.
In addition to a cashless payment system and communication and insight tools, Tactile also provides ticketing, access control and an event app.
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