International Student Affairs
Global Exchange Programme
Factsheet 2024 - 2025
www.uva.nl/globalexchange
Contact information
General contact
Website www.uva.nl/exchange
Email [email protected]
Telephone +31 20 525 1401
Postal address
Valckenierstraat 59| 1018 XE Amsterdam | The Netherlands
Visiting address
REC J/K Valckenierstraat 65-67
International Student Affairs
Head Bertine van Hoof
Partnerships [email protected]
Manager Global Partnerships Willeke Jeeninga
Senior Liaison Officer Global Partnerships Ingeborg de Brieder
Global Exchange Programme
Manager Student Experience & Engagement Guido de Wilde
Inbound Mobility - Global Exchange Programme [email protected]
Senior Liaison Officer Global Exchange Programme Maarten Terpstra
Liaison Officer Global Exchange Programme Jurgen Rood
Outbound Mobility - Global Exchange Programme [email protected]
Senior Liaison Officer Global Exchange Programme Abigail Tjhay
Liaison Officer Global Exchange Programme Evi Rongen
Liaison Officer Global Exchange Programme Julia Brandsteder
Emergency information
UvA Emergency website https://student.uva.nl/en/topics/emergencies-at-the-uva
UvA’s Central Control Room +31 (0)20 525 2222.
Crisis at home https://student.uva.nl/en/topics/help-in-a-crisis
About UvA
World-class education
Founded on a tradition of highly integrated academics, the University of Amsterdam enjoys a global reputation
for cutting-edge research, high- quality teaching and a broad range of degree programmes. Our open, tolerant,
and international academic tradition dates back to 1632, and continues to be strong today, thanks to our thriving
community of independent thinkers. Now, with more than 31.000 students, we are considered one of the best
research universities in the world. We strive for excellence in teaching and research and are proud to offer you
one of the largest selections of English-taught programmes in continental Europe.
Studying in Amsterdam
Amsterdam provides an ideal environment for academic studies. As the capital city, with a population over
900.000 inhabitants, Amsterdam is the financial, creative, and cultural heart of the Netherlands. It is also home
to numerous (international) companies, institutions, and museums. The city boasts beautiful architecture and
more than 150 canals, lending Amsterdam its unique and charming historical ambience. The people of
Amsterdam are easy-going and welcoming to foreigners and English is the city’s second language. Getting around
is easy using the extensive public transportation system. Alternatively, you can explore the city by bike,
discovering places where cars, buses, or trams cannot take you.
Academic tradition Academic Climate
Nomination & Application
Nomination Deadline (by host university)
Nomination period and deadline Semester 1: 15 March - 1 April
Nomination period and deadline Semester 2: 1 September - 15 September
Application Deadline (by student)
Application period and deadline Semester 1: 1 April - 15 April
Application period and deadline Semester 2: 15 September - 1 October
Nomination procedure
Official nomination from the home university is a strict requirement to be eligible to apply for the Global
Exchange Programme. A link to the nomination portal will be emailed to partner universities before the start of
the nomination period. For more information take a look at the Application and Admission page.
Application procedure .
A link to the application portal will be sent directly to the student’s email address during the application period.
Required documents (Soft copy /digital scans)
• Certified copies of academic transcripts of all universities attended, including a list of pending courses.
• Motivation Letter & CV (only applicable for AUC and PPLE)
• Copy of valid passport
• Copy of certified English language test results.
Entry Requirements
• Students must have completed at least 120 ECTS (or the equivalent in local credits) at the time of departure
for study abroad. Students should have a grade point average of 3.0 (US system), and a relevant academic
background in the proposed field of study.
• Requirement for students wishing to take courses on Master’s level: completed Bachelor’s degree in the
proposed field of study (except for the Amsterdam Law School, see programme information).
• Each host faculty might have additional requirements. Please review additional requirements per faculty to see
if further conditions apply. Requirements are explained in the document for courses and faculty criteria. For
more information see the Entry Requirements page.
Language requirements
International exchange students must provide proof of their proficiency in the English language by means of a
TOEFL, an IELTS, or a CAE test report. Check the English language scorecard requirements stated in the
Course and Faculty Criteria.
Exemption: Students do not need to submit an English proficiency test if either they are a national of, or if they have completed their
secondary or higher education in: Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, UK, or USA.
Programme information
Language of instruction:
English
Levels:
Most exchange courses are on bachelor (undergraduate) level. The possibility to take master (graduate) courses
differs per department. A full year exchange on master level is not possible. Master level students can only stay
for one semester.
Students holding a degree comparable to a Dutch bachelor’s degree can apply for master level courses. The
international officer will evaluate on individual basis if the student has the required study background.
An exception applies for the Amsterdam Law School (ALS). Exchange students do not need to possess a
completed bachelor’s degree and can only take master courses at the Amsterdam Law School. However, students
do need to have at least two full years of academic background in law.
Faculties, colleges, and schools open for Global exchange students:
• Faculty of Economics and Business
• Faculty of Humanities
• Amsterdam Law School (ALS)
• Faculty of Science, incl. Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies (IIS)
• Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences – College of Child Development and Education
• Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences – College of Communication Science
• Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences – College of Psychology
• Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences – College of Social Sciences
• Amsterdam University College (AUC) - Liberal Arts & Sciences
• College of Politics, Psychology, Law and Economics (PPLE)
Faculties not open for Exchange
Faculty of Medicine (Amsterdam UMC-AMC), Faculty of Dentistry (ACTA), Graduate School of Social Sciences
(except Research Master Urban Studies), MSc. Business Studies (Amsterdam Business School)
Academic calendar
Semester system
Two semesters, comprised of 3 blocks of two times 8 and one time 4 weeks
Semester 1 End of August 2024 – End of January 2025
Exams: end of each block
Semester 2 End of January 2025 – End of June 2025
Exams: end of each block
AUC Semester system
Two semesters, comprised of a 16-week period and a 4-week period
You can more information about the Academic calendar, exam periods & national holidays on this
Academic Calendar website.
Course information
You can find the course catalogue per faculty under Entry Requirements and Course Selection.
Course placement
All incoming students are advised to be as flexible as possible with their course selection. We aim to register
students for preferred courses, but we cannot guarantee course placement. Placement is generally not confirmed
until right before the start of the semester.
Course selection
Students must take most of their courses at their preferred faculty, college, or school. In some cases, it is possible
to take one or two courses at a different faculty, college, or school. However, this can only be arranged on a case-
by-case basis by the international officer of your accepting faculty and is dependent on availability of courses and
specific course requirements.
Amsterdam University College (AUC) courses are only available for exchange students accepted by AUC and
AUC students can only select courses from AUC due to a different semester system.
Limited enrolment
Due to high demand and space constraints, Amsterdam University College (Liberal Arts & Sciences) and PPLE
College have limited access and therefore reserve the right to review applications on motivation, CV, background,
study progress and GPA.
Dutch Studies courses
The following Dutch Studies courses* are open for students without a Humanities background:
• The Netherlands in the Seventeenth Century: History, Literature, and Art (6 ECTS)
• All-time bestsellers from Amsterdam (6 ECTS)
• Reading the City: Amsterdam Literary Classics (6 ECTS) **
• Rembrandt’s Amsterdam (6 ECTS)
• The Netherlands in the World (6 ECTS)
(* This is a preliminary list, based on the courses offered last year and subject to change.)
(**This course is not to be taken by students who have already taken the course All-Time
Bestsellers from Amsterdam.)
Dutch language courses
Each semester, the Institute for Dutch Language Education (INTT) of the UvA offers extensive Dutch
courses (non-credit bearing) for international students at all levels: (absolute) beginners, intermediate and
advance.
The costs for the semi-intensive Dutch language course at INTT is €365 (reduced fee for UvA students) and
needs to be paid in advance. All Global Exchange students may apply for a one-time reimbursement of €365*
upon successful completion of the course. The Intensive Dutch summer courses are not covered by this
scholarship and must be financed by the student him/herself. Students can apply for this course by going to the
INTT website.
(*Price is based on last year’s costs and is subject to change.)
Exchange extension procedure
To extend your stay at the UvA, there are several steps to undertake and practical matters to take into
consideration:
• Required approval of the International Office of your home university for extending your stay at
the University of Amsterdam.
• UvA’s selection committee will discuss the possibilities.
• With regards to housing: the possibility of finding accommodation or extending your contract
depends on the availability.
• With regards to visa: Extending your stay has consequences for the validity of your residence permit
and could mean that you will have to follow extension procedures. Please find more information on
Residence Permit Extension.
Please note: The Global Exchange Programme has a maximum of one year in total. Extension cannot be
guaranteed and does not apply to graduate students, and to students of the Amsterdam Law School.
Credit system, examination & transcripts
Full time course load
A full-time workload for UvA students is 30 EC (European Credits) per semester. Exchange students generally
take between 24 EC and 30 EC. If students wish to take less than 24 EC, permission is needed from the home
university and their UvA academic advisor.
According to Dutch immigration guidelines, students need to be enrolled in at least 18 EC per semester to be
eligible for a student residence permit.
Grading
Our website shows a clear overview of teaching & the grading system in the Netherlands.
Attendance
Please note that attendance is mandatory for the first class.
Early leave
If students finish a full-time course load before the end of the semester (e.g. in the first two blocks of the
semester), they are allowed to return home earlier. However, the housing contract cannot be shortened and
covers (almost) the entire semester. Consequently, you will have to pay rent up until the last day stipulated in
your contract. In addition, leaving early could also affect your possibilities to attend a resit exam.
Credits per course
For most courses that cover one block this is 6 ECTS. For most courses covering two (or three) blocks this is
12 ECTS.
Re-sits
All students at the UvA are allowed to re-sit exams if the initial grade is not sufficient to pass the course. Re-
sitting an exam to improve a grade that already counts as a pass (5.5 or higher) is not possible. For more
information about rules and regulations please consult the host faculty at the UvA.
Transcripts
Official certified transcripts are automatically sent to the exchange office of the home university approximately
six weeks after the end of the semester. As soon as the first results are registered in SIS, the student
administration system, it is possible to obtain a transcript of records until that moment. You can download the
results yourself by signing into SIS.
Examination facilities
Disability, dyslexia or chronic illness
Examination facilities for exchange students that have a disability or a chronic illness, can be arranged via the
regular procedure for UvA students. Facilities at the UvA may deviate from the facilities recommended by
experts or other educational institutions. This means that the UvA won’t automatically offer the same facilities
as the ones students enjoyed at their home university. We recommend students to start the request in time,
after acceptance and preferably four weeks before the start of the exchange programme.
Student counsellors
Students can contact the student counsellors for support and examination facilities. For general questions, the
student counsellors can be reached Monday-Friday 09:00-10:00 AM. When students want to arrange
examination facilities, they can schedule an appointment with a student counsellor.
Immigration (visa and/or residence permit application)
Assistance
UvA Student Services assists all students with immigration procedures. EU/EEA students will not need a
visa/residence permit to enter or stay in The Netherlands. All other students will need a entry visa and/or a
residence permit application to legally reside and study in the Netherlands for a semester or for a full year. The
online application will start around 2-3 months before the beginning of each semester. For more information
about the procedure, take a look at the webpage of Visas and Permits.
As part of the visa / residence permit application, students will also need to submit proof of financial means.
Students will need to submit proof of at least €1,225 a month (i.e. 5 months x €1,225) for one semester, and
€12,250 (i.e. 10 months x €1,225) for a full year. Please have a look on this website for more information;
Proof of Financial Means. minimum amount is €6,125 (i.e. 5 months x €1,225) for one semester, and €12,250
(i.e. 10 months x €1,225) for a full year.
Visa types
MVV students are students that have a nationality that requires them to have an entry visa before arrival that
allows them to enter the Netherlands, which they will be able to change to a residence permit within 3 months
after arrival in the Netherlands.
VVR students are students that have a nationality which does not require an entry visa, but they do need to
submit a residence permit application.
Students who hold an Argentinean, Australian, Canadian, Hong Kong, Japanese, New Zealand, Taiwanese,
Uruguayan or South Korean passport may also apply for the Working Holiday Scheme permit (WHS permit)
instead of the regular residence permit.
Accommodation
University Housing
To make the allocation of housing as fair as possible for all students, we work with a lottery system. Each
semester, there is a small window during which students can apply for housing.
After acceptance at their preferred faculty, students will receive an invitation to start the online housing
procedure. All applicants will be assigned a random place on the waiting list if they meet the housing
requirements and deadline.
Due to the ongoing housing crisis in the Netherlands, there are fewer rooms available than incoming students.
Accommodation is therefore not guaranteed, and we advise all incoming students to also search for housing
independently. It is vital that every student can start the academic year without the stress of possibly being
homeless. That is why we urge students to change their plans to study in Amsterdam accordingly if they have
not found a residence before the start of the academic year.
For the past few years, students had a higher chance to receive a room offer when applying for an exchange
programme for the second semester. The UvA expects this trend to continue during the upcoming year. For
more information, take a look at the Housing page.
Room types
Each year, we reserve a range of furnished accommodation in Amsterdam for our international students. We
work with different housing corporations that offer various types of rooms, including shared rooms, private
rooms with shared facilities and private rooms with private facilities. Students have the option to submit a
budget preference during their application.
Housing prices in Amsterdam are not based on location. Instead, they are based on a so-called ‘point system.’
This system measures the general quality of the room. For instance, the condition of the room, type of
kitchen and sanitary facilities (shared or private), room surface area, as well as the proximity of public
transportation.
Contract period
Housing contract periods are fixed for the duration of the signed lease agreement and run for almost the
entire semester. Please note that it is not possible to shorten the contract if a student decides to arrive late or
leave before the end of the semester.
Housing application & costs
The UvA uses an online application portal to process all applications for student accommodation. Once
admitted to the Global Exchange Programme at the UvA, students will receive an email with a link to the
online application portal.
As part of the application, students will need to pay a housing application fee directly to UvA.
One semester €235*
Two semesters €470*
* To be paid in advance. Fee becomes non-refundable as soon as student receives a room offer. Prices are based on last year’s costs and are subject to change.
Once students are linked to a housing provider, they will usually also need to pay an application fee of up to
€230 directly to the housing provider (as part of the first payment).
The rental prices of university housing range from approximately €400 to €1000 per month, depending on the
room type.
Alternative accommodation
Students will also be able to search for alternative accommodation on the private market. Every summer the
UvA Housing office will assist students with webinars on finding housing on the private market. Also, on our
website you can find tips on finding housing on the private market.
Insurance
The UvA does not have a mandatory health insurance plan, but it is required by law to have appropriate health
insurance for the duration of your stay in the Netherlands. Students should have a valid health insurance upon
arrival in the Netherlands. The UvA has special agreements for exchange students with certain insurance
companies. For more information take a look at the Insurance page.
Having sufficient liability insurance is mandatory in the Netherlands, in case of damage to other people or
property.
Arrival & Orientation
Recommended arrival dates Semester 1: Mid-August
Semester 2: Last week of January
Upon arrival
Services upon arrival are provided to help students with matters such as registering with the municipality,
opening a bank account, etc. For example, students can check the extensive Upon Arrival page for a webinar,
step-by-step guide, and for the latest updates.
Introduction days
The Introduction Days take place right after the recommended arrival dates. For more information see ESN
Amsterdam.
Faculty introduction
This takes place one week before the start of the semester. For more information, check the Introduction Days
page. After this week the classes will start. Please note there is mandatory attendance for the first class.
Living expenses
Provided numbers are rough estimates, and based upon the previous academic year
Residence permit € 210
(including visa)
Housing € 400 – € 1000 per month
Application fee € 235 (one semester) € 470 (full year)
Administration fee € 100 to € 230 (housing corporation)
Refundable room deposit Generally equal to monthly rent (ranges from € 300 to € 850)
Personal expenses € 400 – € 600 per month
(including food)
Books € 50-75 per month
Public Transport / Travel € 70 – 100 per month (if not using a bike and when living in Amsterdam)
Bicycle € 150 (Second-hand, including lock)
Health insurance € 80 per month
Updated February 2024 University of Amsterdam
No rights can be derived from the contents of this brochure.
