Change

your world Getting Started

Prospectus for Bachelor’s
and Master’s students
 You are considering starting a new adventure at
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (‘VU Amsterdam’),
one that is part of your own personal voyage of
discovery and learning. The university’s ambition
is to provide an academic environment in which
our students can excel and develop themselves
into well-rounded academic professionals who can
make a meaningful contribution to the challenges
facing our society. We welcome motivated young
people irrespective of their social, ethnic, cultural,
or religious background who wish to contribute to
our community.

Welcome to VU Amsterdam stands for three core values:

responsibility, openness, and personal
engagement. What do we mean by this? We want

VU Amsterdam
our students to take the responsibility to think
independently and critically, to engage in open
discussions with respect for the other’s position,
to be accountable for their words and deeds, and
to engage in the academic community and the
broader world. Our institution and faculties are
committed to providing you a challenging and
fruitful academic experience.

Should our ambitions and values speak to you,

we heartily welcome you to become part of
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam’s community.
International students enrich the vibrancy and
diversity of our university - we are happy to have
you here!

Mirjam van Praag

President of the Executive Board

2 Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Pathfinder
When you stay in the Netherlands for the purpose
of study you need to be aware of some rules and
regulations. The Pathfinder is a useful wizard,
when you fill out the wizard you will find all
relevant information applicable for your situation.
Fill out the Pathfinder here.

Getting Started 3
4 Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Edition 2023-2024

Contents
1. Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam 6
University facts & figures 7
Studying at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam 8
International Office 9

2. Practical information 10
The application process for Bachelor’s and Master’s programmes 10
How to apply for a visa and/or residence permit? 11
Accomodation 12
Options to find a room 12
Bank affairs 12
Insurance 13
Working while you study 13
Health matters 13
Wellbeing 13

3. Financial information 14
Tuition fees 14
Scholarships and financial support 14
Student finance 14

4. The VU experience 15
Practical Matters Days and orientation 15
Student services 15
Study facilities 16
Language courses 17
Uilenstede student campus 17
Art and culture 17
VU Griffioen 17
VU Sports Centre 17
Food and drinks 18
ESN VU Amsterdam 18
The city of Amsterdam 18
Public transport 18
Did you know that... 19
Before you go back home 20

5. Calendar 22

6. VU Campus + Uilenstede Maps 24

VU Amsterdam campus 24
Uilenstede student campus 25

7. Useful Adresses and Links 26

Getting Started 5
1. Vrije VU Amsterdam offers a wide range of English-taught
programmes at three levels: Bachelor’s (BA, BSc, LLB),
Master’s (MA, MSc, LLM) and doctoral (PhD). Nine faculties

Universiteit
share a single campus and cover a wide spectrum of arts,
sciences, business and medicine.

Bachelor’s, Master’s and PhD programmes:

Amsterdam
• 16 interdisciplinary research institutes
• Over 170 programmes taught in English
• Only single-campus university in Amsterdam

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam:

• is consistently listed among the world’s top universities
in various rankings;
• is located in one of the most dynamic and fast-growing
business districts in the Netherlands;
• is a modern campus university with student housing just
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (‘VU a five-minute bike ride away;
Amsterdam’) is a leading European • helps you with housing, visa and the administrative side
of studying in the Netherlands;
research university established in 1880. • offers an international environment. A quarter of the
With more than 31,000 students, we are a students in our English-taught programmes come from
abroad;
modern organisation at the cutting edge • provides high-quality education in small and highly
of academic higher education. interactive classes;
• is located in lively and multicultural Amsterdam, the
Our students are challenged to ask city with the largest concentration of students in the
critical questions, tackle problems Netherlands, where English is widely spoken;
• is open to all cultures, nationalities and religions.
and place what they learn in a wider
philosophical, ethical and social context.

Rankings 2022

globe-americas Worldwide cow The Netherlands

Scientific Impact – Leiden Ranking 68 4

Times Higher Education (THE) 115 8

ARWU – Shanghai Ranking 131 7

Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) 214 10

6 Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

University facts & figures

31,704
Students in total
20
International Student
Advisors

133
Different nationalities

132
International Student
Ambassadors

9
Faculties

5,190
International students

Getting Started 7
User-graduate Studying at Vrije Universiteit Grading culture
Grading practice in the Netherlands can differ from how
Amsterdam grades are awarded in other countries in as much as the
top grades (10 and 9) are rarely awarded, regardless of the
Education actual achievements of a given group of students. This is
The quality of Dutch higher education is amongst the best in part of the grading culture in the Netherlands. When the 1
the world. Education at VU Amsterdam is structured according through to 10 scale was officially introduced back to the late
to the Bachelor’s and Master’s system. In general, 19th century, it was decided that a 10 should only be awarded
the teaching style can be described as student-centred; we in cases of absolute perfection. Furthermore, as at the time
stimulate students to develop their own opinion through it was felt to be almost blasphemous for mere mortals to
independent and creative thinking. This means that teaching be judging what constituted absolute perfection, a 10 was
is conducted in small seminars where interaction is the norm hardly ever awarded. A 9 was considered to be only a slightly
rather than the exception. At VU Amsterdam students are less impossible goal to reach. With the advent of multiple
encouraged to engage their professors in a discussion. choice testing and yes/ no answers to questions, 10’s and
9’s actually came within reach of ambitious students. To this
Academic year day, however, these grades are still very rarely awarded in
The academic year starts in the first week of September and oral examinations or open question testing, such as essays,
is divided into two semesters. Each semester consists of presentations, project reports or dissertations. More about
three periods of 8+8+4 weeks. Examinations are held at the the Dutch grading system and how grades are distributed?
end of each semester (January and June), or at the end of the Make sure to visit the Nuffic website.
eight- or four- week period. You are registered as a student
from September 1st until August 31st.

Credits
At VU Amsterdam, credits are listed according to the European
Credit Transfer System (ECTS). The ECTS credit system is
based on study workload, which includes contact hours, time
spent completing papers, assignments and preparing for
examinations. In this system, 1 ECTS credit point represents
28 hours of study (including class attendance). A full-time
student is expected to earn 60 ECTS credits in one academic
year, and 30 credits in one semester.
AWARD Grades Ects % Bachelor’s Ects % Master’s
Dutch grading system 10 0,4 0,5
When you come to Holland to study you will probably expect
that many things are different than in your home country. 9,5 1,1 1,1
The grading system may also not be the same as what you
9 3,7 4,9
are used to. There are many different grading systems in the
world, such as (from lowest to highest grade) 1 to 5, 1 to 10, 1 8,5 14,4 8,2
to 20, 1 to 100, 5 to 1, F to A.
8 14,4 19,2

In the Netherlands, the traditional grading scale is from 1 7,5 16,3 17,4
through to 10, where 1 is the lowest and 10 the highest grade.
7 20,0 20,4
The pass mark for a single subject is 6. Grades 1 through to
4 are very rarely given, and the same is true for grades 9 and 6,5 16,1 12,4
10. The most common grades in both secondary and higher
6 21,2 16,0
education are 6 and 7.

8 Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

GLOBE-AMERICAS International Office
When you apply
Your faculty’s International Student Advisors
(ISAs) will help you with the application proce-
dure, admissions process, and any other infor-
mation you may need related to your studies.

If you are (conditionally) admitted

The Services team of the International Office
will assist you with finding accommodation and
applying for a visa and/or residence permit (if
applicable).

When you arrive

VU International Office will organise an introduc-
tion week for international students in August
consisting of Practical Matters Days, in which you
can arrange all kinds of practical matters, and can
participate in social events and an intercultural
programme.

During your studies

Career Services will organise various events
such as the annual career event and CV work-
shops, interview training sessions and meet &
greets with companies. There are Q&A sessions
throughout the academic year, and we have
student counsellors and a student desk that you
can approach with any specific questions you
may have. Guidance and support are offered to
students with a disability.

Getting Started 9
2. Practical information
The application process for The certified photocopy needs to bear the original stamp and
the signature of the authorised person of the educational
Bachelor’s and Master’s institution or public notary.

programmes Additionally, we also need to receive your sufficient English

language test score. Please check the minimum required
scores on your programme website.
To apply for a Bachelor’s or Master’s programme at VU Amster-
dam, go to Studielink and apply online. Then go to your personal After you have been admitted we ask you to confirm your
dashboard on vu.nl with your VUnet-ID (which you will have participation in your personal dashboard on vu.nl within two
received by e-mail). We ask you to pay a non-refundable €100 weeks and select the services you may need. Please note that
application fee if you are applying with a diploma obtained out- all students with a non-EU/EEA nationality need to apply for a
side of the Netherland, and to upload all required documents. visa and/or residence permit. In certain cases you may need to
The application deadline for international students who need eliminate specific subject deficiencies before you can confirm
services from the International Office (housing/visa) is set to 1 participation.
April. For EU/EEA students who do not need housing/visa the
deadline is 1 May for Bachelor’s and 1 June for all Master’s. Read the online admission, accommodation and visa (if
Programmes with a Numerus Fixus have a deadline mid- applicable) pages in your personal dashboard on vu.nl
January. If you want to apply for the VUFP scholarship (only for carefully to see if you need to send us any additional
non-EU/EEA students), the advised deadline for your pro- documents. If you need to apply for a visa and/or residence
gramme application is mid-December 2022. permit, you will have to upload all required documentation
before 1 June. After this date, your application for services
Once your application is complete (all required documents may be delayed, which means we cannot guarantee your
are present and correct) and we have received the start date at VU Amsterdam.
application fee, your file will be taken into consideration.
The Admission Board will decide within 6 weeks. After you arrive at VU Amsterdam, the International
Your International Student Advisor at the International Office Office will help you arrange all practical matters in the
may contact you for additional information. Netherlands. You will also begin receiving invitations for
(career) activities for International Students.
The International Office will inform you about the admission
by e-mail as soon as a decision has been taken. After you have fulfilled all admission requirements and paid
your tuition fees you will be officially enrolled.
A copy of your diploma You will have to pay the tuition fees before the start of the
Before you can be accepted unconditionally to our university, programme, August 31st. There are different payment
we need to receive a certified photocopy of your diploma OR a methods available.
statement of graduation issued by the educational institution.

10 Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

How to apply for a visa and/or Residence permit (VVR)
All non-EU/EEA students who will stay in the Netherlands
residence permit? for more than 3 months need a residence permit (VVR). This
permit allows you to reside legally in the Netherlands for the
Confirm your participation duration of your study programme.
After you have been (conditionally) admitted to VU Amster- Students who do not need an entry visa (MVV) first need to have
dam you can confirm your participation in your personal their biometrics (electronic photo and fingerprint) taken after arriv-
dashboard on vu.nl. Here you can also indicate whether you ing in the Netherlands. You will be informed by the Services team
need a visa and/or residence permit and if you wish to apply how you can make an appointment to provide your biometrics at
for accommodation through VU Amsterdam. There are four the IND. It takes approximately 2 to 4 weeks before your resdence
steps you need to be aware of (if applicable): permit is ready after you have given your biometrics. VU Amster-
1. Confirm your participation in your personal dashboard dam will inform you when you can collect your residence permit.
on vu.nl. In certain cases you may need to eliminate
specific subject deficiencies before you can confirm Proof of financial means
participation. When you are not from an EU/EEA country you must
2. Apply for a visa and/or residence permit in your personal prove that you are able to finance the costs of living in the
dashboard on vu.nl, if you have a non-EU/EEA nationali- Netherlands. The Dutch Immigration Service determines the
ty*. The application deadline is 1 June 2023. amount per month/year. For 2023-2024 you need to be able to
3. Transfer your visa fee and/or housing fee via the online prove that you have at least €1,000** per month for the total
payment tool in your personal dashboard on vu.nl. Hous- duration of your study programme enrolment.
ing is assigned on a first paid, first served basis.
Additionally, you also need to prove that you can pay your
Entry visa (MVV) and residence permit (VVR) tuition fees. So the proof of financial means consists of proof
Whether you need an entry visa (MVV) and/or residence permit that you can pay the tuition fees and your living expenses. In
(VVR) depends on your nationality (please see figure below). VU VisaCare you can upload the required documents. There are
Amsterdam will apply on your behalf. From 1 April you need to different options to prove you have sufficient financial means.
submit your application as part of your immigration procedure.
Once the visa section in your personal dashboard on vu.nl is Tuberculosis test
open, you first need to answer a short questionnaire. Shortly A tuberculosis test may be part of your application for a residence
after that you will receive an instruction e-mail for our immi- permit after arrival in the Netherlands. VU Amsterdam will
gration portal called ‘VisaCare’, where you need to submit the inform you when and where to go, depending on your nationality.
required documents. You should then pay the visa fee through You need to pay the cost of the TB test yourself.
the online payment tool in your personal dashboard on vu.nl.
Your contact person of the Services team will inform you once Satisfactory Academic Progress
the residence permit and/or visa has been approved by the The Dutch Immigration Service (IND) requires that all students
Dutch Immigration Service (IND). Also, you will be notified when with a residence permit for study purposes achieve Satisfactory
and where you can collect the visa and/or residence permit. Academic Progress. This means that students need to obtain at
least 50% of the credits of their study programme each year in
Entry visa (MVV) order to keep their residence permit for the next academic year.
An entry visa (MVV) is a sticker in your passport issued by the VU Amsterdam will check each year whether you meet these
Dutch Embassy or Consulate in your home country (or the requirements. When students do not meet the requirements
country in which you legally reside). This sticker is needed and there is no excusable reason for not passing enough cours-
to enter the Netherlands. An MVV is valid for three months es, the International Office is obliged to inform the IND. Conse-
after you have collected the entry visa at the Dutch Embassy/ quently your residence permit will be withdrawn regardless of
Consulate. Please note that your passport has to be valid for the expiry date listed on the actual permit. This law applies to
at least six months after you have collected your MVV. You will all students with a residence permit for study purposes. Please
receive your residence permit after arrival in the Netherlands. be aware that it is not possible to register for another study
programme at VU Amsterdam if you do not meet the criteria for
Satisfactory Academic Progress.

GLOBE-AMERICAS Nationality Entry visa Residence permit Costs

* Norway, Switzerland)
EU/EEA countries (Iceland, Liechtenstein, No No € 0

Australia, Canada, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, South Korea, Yes

No Yes
Yes € 275
United States of America, Vatican City, United Kingdom*
Yes Yes
Israel, San Marino Yes Yes € 0

Other countries Yes Yes € 275

* Please note that exchange students from Canada, Australia and New Hong Kong SAR and South Africa have to check with the Dutch Embassy first if
Zealand are advised to apply for the residence permit of the Working they can use this option.
Holiday Programme/Scheme (WHP/WHS). Exchange students from Argentina, ** This amount is valid as of 1 January 2023 and is subject to change.

Getting Started 11
 home Accommodation
If you plan to study at VU Amsterdam, it is
essential to think of a place to live. Unfortunately,
finding a room in Amsterdam is difficult and
stressful. The housing market is extremely tight.
We advise everyone to start looking for housing
early and not limit your search to Amsterdam but
also check the options in neighbouring cities and
villages.
The rental contract is limited to only 1 academic year. After
In case you do not have a permanent room one the first year, students need to find housing by themselves,
month before the start of your study programme, even if the study programme is 2 or 3 years.
we recommend not to come to Amsterdam and
defer for example your study plans to the next Be aware, that we can only accommodate max. 50% of all
academic year. incoming 1st year students. Also, VU Accommodation is
assigned on a first paid, first served basis. Students can
apply for housing starting from October in the previous
academic year.
Options to find a room
Please check our website www.vu.nl/accommodation for in-
1. Register on student housing platforms formation about how to apply for housing via VU Amsterdam.
As soon as you decide to study in Amsterdam, we strongly To confirm your application, a housing fee of €500 needs to
advise you to immediately register on student housing plat- be paid which is refundable until 1 July.
forms because they work with registration time. Rooms are
offered to the highest ranked student on the waiting list.
Bank affairs
2. Housing on the private market
Another option is to look independently for housing on the You will need a current bank account to manage your day-to-
private market. This is very time consuming; we advise day finances. There are several options available to you. In
students to start their search early in the year. order to get your bank account, you can make an appointment
Private market rentals begin from €750. You should also at one of their offices once you have arrived in the Nether-
search outside of Amsterdam. While searching, be aware of lands.
scams; if it seems too good to be true, it probably is!
Paying with your student card
3. Housing via VU Amsterdam You can use your student card to borrow books at the
VU Amsterdam has a limited number of housing options University library or as an ID during exams. Your card can
available for 1st year international Bachelor’s and Master’s also be used to pay for the use of the multi-functional print-
students. We offer a variety of housing at different locations ers (printing, scanning and copying). The student card can be
varying in price from €400 to €1,150. The average rental charged by means of the Digital IT Wallet. You can top it up
price is €650. on this page and at IT Top-up points.

12 Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Insurance wish to work alongside their studies have the same rights as
Dutch students. You do not need a work permit and the hours
Health insurance that you are allowed to work per week are not restricted.
Valid health insurance is compulsory in the Netherlands. If However, in most cases you will have to be able to speak a
you have not arranged valid insurance yet, make sure that reasonable amount of Dutch.
you arrange this as soon as possible. There are three options
to insure your medical costs for your period of stay in the Non-EU/EEA students and Croatians require a work permit.
Netherlands. With a work permit you are only allowed to work a maximum
of 16 hours per week OR fulltime during the summer months.
• If you are and EU/EEA student and not plan on working Read more about working in the Netherlands while studying.
in the Netherlands, you are most likely covered for
a temporary stay in the Netherlands by the health
insurance policy in your home country. Please verify Health matters
this before you arrive and remember to request your EU
health insurance card (E111). The General Practitioner
The General Practitioner/Family doctor plays a key role in
• If you are a non-EU/EEA student obliged to take out the Dutch health care system. You should consult your GP
Dutch public healthcare insurance (zorgverzekering), when you become ill, need a prescription or suffer from
you are free to buy insurance from any Dutch insurance mental problems. The GP will either refer you to a specialist
company. We recommend to opt for the Aon ICS+ or treat you himself/herself.
Complete package for extensive coverage at a good
price. Please note this is a student insurance, which As a student at VU Amsterdam living in Amsterdam or in
means it’s not sufficient if you also work in the the surrounding areas such as Amstelveen/Uilenstede, you
Netherlands. will be able to register with the GP at the University General
Practice (located in the VU Medical Centre on our campus)
• If you are already privately insured in your home once you have a valid health insurance. More information can
country, you need to check with your insurance company be found on their website. If you live outside of Amsterdam,
which health care services they cover during your you can look for a GP close to your home.
studies. If coverage is not sufficient, you need to take
out a new or special insurance policy for your stay in the More extensive information on health care providers in the
Netherlands. Netherlands can be found on this information sheet.

• Working while studying? If you get a job during The dentist

your studies or undertake a paid internship, student All students of VU Amsterdam who stay for more than one
insurance is not sufficient. You will need to purchase year can register with ACTA (the Faculty of Dentistry) for
Dutch “basis” health insurance. For more information dental care. Students who stay for less than one year can
please visit the Nuffic website. contact the Tandartsbemiddelingsbureau. They will assist
you in finding a dentist who can help you at short notice.
More extensive information on health care and health in-
surance in the Netherlands can be found on this information ACTA (Dentists) Dentistry intermediary agency
sheet. T : +31 (0)20 598 0380 T : +31 (0)20 506 3841
I : ACTA
Liability insurance T : [email protected]
You are liable for all associated costs when you cause an
accident involving injury to others or damage to property.
The resulting claim for damages could be very expensive. Wellbeing
Therefore, we would strongly urge you to take out adequate
liability insurance. Read more about insurance. Student Wellbeing Point
The Student Wellbeing Point is a no-cost, peer-to-peer
Insurance package support service available to all students at VU Amsterdam.
VU Amsterdam has assisted Aon Student Insurance with the The Point is staffed by VU students who have been trained to
development of a tailor-made ICS Complete+insurance for handle common concerns and problems that students might
international students. This insurance package covers health experience. The Point itself is located in the Main Building
and non-medical costs worldwide. The package includes but Point Peers can also be reached via an online chat box
home contents, baggage, accidents, liability and legal costs. and Zoom. The Point Peers are happy to help, whether by
The complete insurance policy information and quote about listening, offering advice, or referring you to other services
this insurance can be found on their website. provided by VU Amsterdam, like Academic Advisors and
Student Psychologists.

Working while you study Wellbeing platform

During your time at VU Amsterdam you might need some
If you want to work in the Netherlands alongside your stud- extra support, on an academic or personal level.
ies, it is important to know the rules and regulations. Stu- All information about wellbeing and safety can be found on:
dents from the EU/EEA (except students from Croatia) who vu.nl/wellbeing.
Getting Started 13
3. Financial information
Tuition fees VU Fellowship Programme (VUFP)
VU Amsterdam has established a fund to offer financial sup-
Students from the European Union (EU) or the European port to talented international non-EU/EEA Master’s students.
Economic Area (EEA) pay the same tuition fees as Dutch stu- The VU Fellowship Programme (VUFP) is a highly selective
dents. The tuition fees for most programmes are determined scholarship for students who have obtained excellent study
by the Dutch government on an annual basis. Tuition fees for results and who are strongly motivated. You can find the
non-EU/EEA students vary depending on the programme. requirements for the VU Fellowship Programme online.
Please check the website for up-to-date information on tui-
tion fees for Bachelor’s students or Master’s students. Holland Scholarship Programme (HSP)
The HSP scholarship is meant for Master’s degree students
from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) who want
Scholarships and financial to follow a Master’s programme at VU Amsterdam. You can
apply for VUFP and HSP in one go. Holland Scholarship Pro-
support gramme.

As an international Master’s student at VU Amsterdam, you

can apply for a number of grants and scholarships. Please Student finance
check the website for detailed information about scholar-
ships and deadlines. You are only eligible to apply for Student Finance if you are
a Dutch national or have the same rights based on your
residence permit or your nationality. Please note that this
concerns a loan and not a gift. For more up-to-date informa-
tion on Student Finance please check the website of DUO.

€ 1,000 to 1,500
Monthly living costs
While living as a student in Amsterdam you
should expect to spend between €900 and €1,700
per month (not including tuition fees).
By way of indication:

Accommodation €400 - €850 per month

Food etc. €325 - €400 per month
Public transport €60 per month
Insurance €75 per month
Books and printing €30 per month
Other costs: clothing etc. €100 per month

14 Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

4. The VU experience
Practical Matters Days and Students-4-Students@VU
Students-4-Students@VU offers various programmes to stu-
orientation dents who find it difficult to settle in at VU Amsterdam or for
when things aren’t working out as planned. The programmes
VU Amsterdam offers an introduction programme at the begin- offered are:
ning of each semester. During your first days VU Amsterdam will • Studying Together: join the Peer Support Canvas group to
arrange several activities in order to help you become acquaint- find other students who you can meet to study together.
ed with the city of Amsterdam and the university campus, as • Peer Support: brings you into contact with a study partner
well as to get to know your fellow students. All kinds of activities - a fellow student who can support you if you are finding it
will be organised, such as social, cultural and sports events. hard to acclimatise to VU Amsterdam.
In addition you can arrange practical matters regarding your You can find more information on your personal dashboard
registration at VU Amsterdam, meet your International Student on vu.nl.
Advisor, register with the municipality, open a bank account and
much more. You will meet the board of our international student Psychological counsellors / University psychologists
association ESN VU. Read more about the Introduction pro- If you experience study-related problems such as fear of fail-
gramme for Bachelor’s Students or Master’s Students. ure, lack of motivation, procrastination, examination stress or
personal problems such as loneliness, home sickness, adjust-
ment problems, grief, feeling depressed, anger, anxiety, and
Student services lack of self-esteem you can ask the VU psychologists for help.
VU psychologists can help students who would benefit from
Student Desk more intensive or specialised care and can help with finding
For general questions, for example on tuition fee payments, the the necessary care outside VU Amsterdam. For a referral it
student desk in the main building of VU Amsterdam is open. is important to have an insurance policy that covers mental
health care in the Netherlands, and to have approval from your
General Practioner.

Consultations are strictly confidential. You can make an ap-

pointment through your personal dashboard on vu.nl. Besides
individual sessions, our psychologists offer a course called
Back-on-track-studygroup for international students. Please
visit your personal dashboard on vu.nl as well for tips on how
to handle or prevent psychological problems yourself.
Contact a VU psychologist or send an e-mail to psycholo-
[email protected].

Confidential counsellors
The Executive Board is keen to ensure that VU Amsterdam
offers a safe and pleasant environment for all staff and
Academic Advisors students. Sexual harassment and other forms of undesirable
Each faculty has at least one academic advisor who can help conduct (violence, intimidation, aggression, bullying) will not
you plan your studies, choose any extra courses that may be be tolerated under any circumstances. Special ‘confidential
useful, discuss personal matters which may affect your stud- counsellors’ have been appointed and they can help you when
ies and who can advise you on career choices. The academic you feel intimidated in any way.
advisor can also offer help to students with a disability or Contact a confidential counsellor.
chronic illness. It is advised to discuss the possibilities be-
fore your arrival. Read more about studying with a disability Examination Committees
here. In some cases, the academic advisor may refer you to The Examination Committees are tasked with assessing the
someone else if he/she thinks they are better suited to help study programmes and upholding the quality of the examina-
you. Contact an academic advisor in your personal dashboard tions. The Teaching and Examination Regulations (TER) of your
on vu.nl. study programme can be found on the website of your faculty.

Student general counsellors

Student general counsellors offer advice and are able to
help you address various matters. These may include study
progress issues, financial matters and personal matters.
Meetings with academic advisors and general counsellors
are confidential and free of charge. You can make an appoint-
ment to meet one of the student general counsellors online.
Contact the Student General Counselling Service.

Getting Started 15
You can send a request to the committee for matters regarding Your personal dashboard on vu.nl
your study programme (exemptions, results, exams, intern- All VU students receive a VUnet-ID. This is a personal combi-
ships) in your personal dashboard on vu.nl. If you disagree with nation of a username and password which gives you access
the outcome of the Committee you can lodge an appeal with the to your personal dashboard on vu.nl and other ICT services.
Examinations Appeal Board. VUnet is your personalised internet start page, where you
can find everything you need for your studies. You can read
Student Ombudsman the latest Canvas messages at a glance, access your e-mail
The Student Ombudsman helps students with problems or and find your examination results.
complaints that cannot be resolved by any other body within You can also use your VUnet-ID to buy software at a bargain
the university. For example, if you feel that the faculty has price via Surfspot.
treated you unreasonably or if your rights as a student have
been infringed upon. They act independently, are impartial, Student e-mail
and will deal with all complaints in the strictest confidence. All VU students will be provided with an e-mail address upon
Contact the Ombudsman. registration. We urge you to start using your VU student mail
account as soon as possible as VU Amsterdam will use this
Course and career information centre account to communicate with you. You do not want to miss
VU International Office organises various events and activi- out on important information and deadlines!
ties throughout the year such as the annual VU International
Day or the Career Event for those international students who Campus-wide wireless network
wish to work in the Netherlands after their study. You will be A wireless network is available throughout the whole VU
informed of these events through the International Student campus with high bandwidth, including hotspots with extra
Newsletter and you can also check our website and the Face- high bandwidth. You can access this wireless network with
book groups we created for prospective students. your own notebook free of charge.

International student Chaplaincy Wifi VU Amsterdam has three wireless internet networks
VU Amsterdam offers students a range of religious facilities
VU-Campusnet For students and employees with
and services. These include the Student Chaplaincy, a medi-
a VUnet-ID
tation room and an Islamic prayer room.
Religion and identity at VU Amsterdam Guest-network To access this network you need
for visitors a temporary visitors account

Study facilities Eduroam VU employees and students can

use the eduroam network which is
also available at other educational
University Library
institutions affiliated with eduroam
Our University Library is a relatively large and wellstocked
academic library. This means you can consult a vast range of
resources, either on paper or in digital form, to help you with When you want to install WIFI on your laptop please visit the
your coursework and research. The library’s collection is IT service desk in the VU Amsterdam main building. If you
distributed among several locations. All VU students are auto- already have 3G or 4G on your mobile phone you can install
matically a member of the University Library and may borrow WIFI on your mobile phone via www.vu.nl/wireless.
materials upon showing their student card. The University Li-
brary does more than just lending out textbooks. For example, Computer rooms
it organises various courses and workshops. Most products There are several computer rooms and internet work spaces
and services are free for VU Amsterdam students. available, as well as a notebook study room. Students
Website Vrije Universiteit Library. wishing to study using a notebook or laptop should go to the
study room in the main building (ground floor, room 0B-06).
VU Audivisual Centre (AVC) It has sixty workspaces, each equipped with a notebook
VU Audiovisual Centre (AVC) is a state-of-the-art study and holder, plug-in keyboard, power outlet and adjustable chair.
research environment on the first floor of the main building. The room is divided into two sections: the ‘silent area’
VU Audiovisual Centre offers students, teaching staff and for private study, and a ‘working area’ in which you can
researchers the opportunity to experiment with the latest talk with other students and work together on your joint
technologies and educational applications. All facilities are assignment. There are also a number of places reserved for
made available free of charge. It is also a perfect place for wheelchair users.
you to work together on joint assignments.
Copy centre
Media library The Copy centre’s services include photocopying (black and
The media library is part of the university’s Audiovisual white or colour), printing, lamination, thermal binding and
Centre (AVC). It has over four thousand videos on various aca- data processing.
demic and scientific subjects, all of which can be viewed on the There are also self-service multifunctional copying machines
premises. Current affairs programmes, documentaries, news available that you can use to print, copy or scan. They can
bulletins and (relevant) feature films are recorded every day. be found throughout the campus and can be accessed using
You can view any of them upon showing your student card. your student card.

16 Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

 VU Griffioen
Visit VU Griffioen to see professional theatrical perfor-
mances or to join a creative course or workshop. Every year,
Griffioen puts on over 150 performances. In our theatre you
will find anything from comedy to drama, music and dance,
performed by both established artists and upcoming talent.

You can also join over 70 types of courses and workshops

that include everything from dance to music, mindfulness,
drama, writing, photography, painting, and more.
Website Griffioen

Movie theatre Rialto VU

Movie theatre Rialto has opened a new location on campus.
They now have 4 state-of-the-art screening rooms in the
New University building where you can see quality films from
VU Bookstore all over the world.
The VU Bookstore in the main building stocks a wide Website Rialto VU
range of academic and scientific textbooks. It specialises
in Economics, Finance, Law, Theology and Medicine, but VU Choirs and Orchestras
also offers books on other subjects as well as general VU Amsterdam has four music groups: the VU Orchestra,
reading material. You can buy all compulsory literature the VU Choir, the VU Chamber Orchestra, and the VU
for your classes at this bookstore. The VU Bookstore Chamber Choir.
now incorporates a general stationery department which Website VU Choirs Orchestras
sells magazines, greetings cards, postage stamps, public
transport tickets, pre-paid smartcards, etc. VU ART SCIENCE gallery
Website VU bookstore. The VU ART SCIENCE gallery focuses on the interaction
between art and science. VU Amsterdam initiated the
gallery, as it encourages the exchange of multidisciplinary
Language courses knowledge.
Website VU ART SCIENCE Gallery
VU-NT2 Academy
The Dutch as a Second Language Department offers various
courses in Dutch. Whether you are new to our language or
speak it reasonably well, they can help you with learning
Dutch fast and effectively. Website VU-NT2. dumbbell VU Sports Centre
VU Taalloket (language centre) The VU Sports Centre is a sports facility offered
VU Taalloket is an independent translation and language- by the university. It offers a very wide range of
training agency affiliated with VU Amsterdam. They provide opportunities to play sports and keep fit. There
translations, language and communication training courses is a special offer available for international
and text editing services. They also organise the VU Amster- students.
dam institutional TOEFL test. This test is much cheaper than Website VU Sports Centre.
the official TOEFL test, although it is only recognised at VU
Amsterdam.

Uilenstede student campus

A part of the student accommodation is located at Uilenstede.
Here you can find a café/ bar and the main location of our
sports centre. It is easy to reach, located only five minutes
by bicycle from the university.

Art and culture

Learning and personal development should go beyond the set
course curriculum. VU Amsterdam therefore actively pro-
motes arts and culture and is the only Dutch university that
has its own theatre, course centre, cinema , and art gallery.

Getting Started 17
Food and drinks ESN VU Amsterdam
There are a supermarket and three restaurants on campus ESN VU Amsterdam is an organisation for all international
where you can enjoy a light lunch. The restaurant in the main and Dutch students at VU Amsterdam. It brings together
building also provides hot meals at lunchtime and in the late Dutch and international students from a variety of disciplines
afternoon/early evening. There are also a number of coffee to introduce them to the university and to Amsterdam, and
bars throughout the campus, as well as the campus cafe the to make them feel at home. ESN VU Amsterdam organises a
Basket and Spar supermarket. variety of activities, including cocktail parties, weekly get-to-
gethers (borrels) and social gatherings every two weeks, as
well as a larger social event once a month. As ESN VU Am-
Theatre Café Bar Boele sterdam is an organisation for students, it is also possible to
become an active member, for example as a member of the
Bar Boele is a new theatre café, run by Rialto and Griffioen. PR committee, activities committee or mentor committee.
It’s an international living room on campus - a place to get Website ESN VU Amsterdam.
inspired, to meet new people, to hang out with friends, or
to have a drink after a film or theatre performance. You can
order drinks and bar food. A full menu will be available soon. The city of Amsterdam
Bar Boele also has its own event stage, for open mics, pub
quizzes and more. You can find Bar Boele next to the Amsterdam is one of the most multicultural cities in the
entrance of the NU-building. world and home to around 180 different nationalities. English
is widely spoken. At VU Amsterdam, some 84 nationalities
UTENSILS Places to eat and drink at VU Amsterdam work and study closely together creating a vibrant interna-
tional academic community.
Restaurants Three restaurants on campus with
Read more about Amsterdam.
light lunch opportunities

Mainstreet and You can pick up a coffee ‘to go’ at

coffee bars Mainstreet in the entrance hall of
the Main Building. Pastries and light
snacks are also available train Public transport
The Basket Grand café with terrace
You will need a public transport chip card
(OV-chipkaart) to make use of the public trans-
port in Amsterdam. These cards are sold at
GVB Tickets & Info points and at ticket vending
machines. It is important that you always check
in and check out of each vehicle with your card,
including when transferring.
Website GVB.
Plan your journey.

18 Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Did you know that....
165
873,338 Amsterdam has 165
canals and 1,281
Amsterdam has ap- bridges, even more
proximately 873,338 than Venice?
inhabitants?

219.3 km2
Amsterdam is the
largest city in the
Netherlands?

4th 92,000
Amsterdam is one of With almost 92,000
the safest cities in the students, Amsterdam
world? is a great and lively
place to study?

11th
According to Mercer’s
2019 Quality of Living

75 Survey, Amsterdam is
ranked 11th worldwide.
Amsterdam has 75
museums?

40
Amsterdam has 40
parks to relax or
work out in?

Getting Started 19
 Clipboard-list-check Before you go back home Read more about the deregistration process in
Amsterdam.
Before you leave Amsterdam and go back home, there
are some matters that need to be settled. Check these Read more about the deregistration process in
prerequisites first, so that you can leave the country Amstelveen.
with peace of mind.
Read more about the deregistration process in Diemen
If applicable: hand in your residence permit (in Dutch).
Your residence document is the property of the Dutch
government. You must, therefore, return your resi- Close your Dutch bank account
dence document before you leave the Netherlands. You It is very important to close your Dutch bank account
can hand in your residence document at the IND desk in before you leave. You should visit the nearest bank
your region or you can send your document to: office and they will help you close the bank account.
When you do not close your bank account, you will con-
IND Bureau Documenten tinue to be charged for the use of it, which could result
P.O. Box 7025 in an unexpected bill when visiting the Netherlands in
8007 HA Zwolle the future.

Kindly make the document invalid before mailing it. You Hand in the keys of your accommodation
can do this by making a cut in the document or perfo- Towards the end of your tenancy, a caretaker will
rate it. Please do not cut the document in half. contact you to provide you with more information
regarding the departure procedures. Please make sure
Deregister from the Municipality that you leave your room clean and tidy. If you rented
Deregistering from the Municipal Personal Records from DUWO and you depart outside of office hours, for
Database (Gemeentelijke Basisadministratie, BRP) is instance in the evening or during the weekend, you can
necessary. The municipality removes your personal de- put your keys in an envelope (with name, address and
tails from the database and informs other government room number) and put them in the mailbox outside of
authorities of your departure. the DUWO office.

20 Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Getting Started 21
 5. Calendar
Throughout the year Amsterdam offers a variety of cultural
events and festivals, many of them are organised with an
English-speaking public in mind.

21-29 August 2023 Introduction week Master’s students

22-23 August 2023 Practical Matters Days
23-29 August 2023 Introduction week Bachelor’s students

4 September 2023 - 4 February 2024 Semester 1

4 September 2023 Opening Academic Year
23-27 October 2023 Exam period I
18-22 December 2023 Exam period II
23 December 2023 - 7 January 2024 University is closed
25-26 December 2023 Christmas
31 December 2023 New Year’s Eve
1 January 2024 New Year’s Day
29 January - 2 February 2024 Exam period III

5 February - 28 June 2024 Semester 2

22 March - 28 March 2024 Exam period IV
29 March 2024 Good Friday
31 March - 1 April 2024 Easter
27 April 2024 King’s Day (Koningsdag)
4 May 2024 Memorial Day (Nationale
Dodenherdenking)
5 May 2024 Liberation Day (Bevrijdingsdag)
9 May 2024 Ascension Day
19-20 May 2024 Pentecost
27 May - 31 May 2024 Exam period V
24-28 June 2024 Exam period VI

For a complete overview check your your personal dashboard on vu.nl and
the Amsterdam event guide.

22 Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

August 2023 September 2023 October 2023
ma di wo do vr za zo ma di wo do vr za zo ma di wo do vr za zo

1 2 3 4 5 6 Opening Academic Year 1 2 3 1

7 8 9 10 11 12 13 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

14 Practical
15 16 Matters
17 Days
18 19 20 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

21 22 23 24 25 26 27 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 16
Exam 17
Period 18
I 19 20 21 22

28 29 30 31 25 26 27 28 29 30 23 24 25 26 27 28 29

Introduction week 30 31

November 2023 December 2023 January 2024

ma di wo do vr za zo ma di wo do vr za zo ma di wo do vr za zo

1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

6 7 8 9 10 11 12 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 8 Year’s
New 9 Day10 11 12 13 14

13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Exam Period
11 12 II
13 14 15 16 17 15 16 17 18 19 20 21

20 21 22 23 24 25 26 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Exam
22 Period
23 III24 25 26 27 28

27 28 29 30 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 29 30 31

Christmas New Year’s Eve

February 2024 March 2024 April 2024

ma di wo do vr za zo ma di wo do vr za zo ma di wo do vr za zo

1 2 3 4 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

5 6 7 8 Period
Exam 9 III10 11 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Easter
8 9 10 11 12 13 14

12 13 14 15 16 17 18 11 12 13 14 Exam
15 Period
16 IV17 15 16 17 18 19 20 21

19 20 21 22 23 24 25 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 22 23 24 25 26 27 28

26 27 28 29 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 29 30 King’s Day

Good Friday Easter

May 2024 June 2024 July 2024

ma di wo doMemorial
vr Dayza zo ma di wo do vr za zo ma di wo do vr za zo

Ascension
1 Day2 3 4 5 1 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

6 7 8 9 10Liberation
11 Day12 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

13 14 15 16 17 18 19 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 15 16 17 18 19 20 21

20 21 22 23 24 Pentecost
25 26 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 22 23 24 25 26 27 28

27 28 29 30 31 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 29 30 31

Exam Period V Exam Period VI

Getting Started 23
6. VU Campus +
Uilenstede Maps
phone-laptop See also campustour.vu.nl

VU Amsterdam Campus Map

MAP VU CAMPUS AND AMSTERDAM UMC

METRO, TRAIN
WTC ZUID
GUSTAV MAHLERLAAN
A10 CCA P2 VUmc

ACTA
TAXI

Out-Patients 04
Building
1118
O|2 Construction
site SWT
Lab Building
1108

Tram: 24 Bus: 62, 242, 246, 341, 346, 348, 358, 465
Tram: 24 Bus: 62, 242, 246, 341, 346, 348, 358 DE BOELELAAN

BUITENVELDERTSELAAN Tram 5 en 6 Bus 55

Main entrance
Transitorium

Amsterdam UMC New

AMSTELVEENSEWEG

(Location VUmc) 1 University 1109 1105 1101

Building OZW Main building
1117
P1 VUmc 3-5 P3 VU Campus
Energy Centre
Waste
depot Basket
VD BOECHORSTSTRAAT

BelleVUe
Imaging 1091
Initium
Center 7-9 1077
PP P  3D 1091a
TenT

MF building 1085 Mathematics 1081

Botanical Garden Zuidas 8 and Science building
13
Childcare

A.J. ERNSTSTRAAT
UILENSTEDE
P Ernst AMSTELVEEN
(private)

24 Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

 Uilenstede student campus
Tram 5 Hslte Uilenstede

P UILENSTEDE
UILENSTEDE

P
UILENSTEDE

‘t Hol
DHL
Servicepunt
P Il café

LAAN VAN KRONENBURG

BENELUXBAAN

TEDE
UILENSTEDE UILENSTEDE UILENS

Cultuur- UILENSTEDE
centrum
P DUWO
UILENSTEDE

Griffioen
UILENSTEDE

P
Sportcentrum VU
P
EDE
NST

P
UIL E

DE
TE
NS UILENSTEDE UILENSTEDE
UI
LE
P
IL
EDE
PROF. J.H. BAVINCKLAAN

EN
S T EDE
NST
UIL E

Getting Started 25
7. Useful Adresses and Links
Student Accommodation Matters Municipality Office Amsterdam VU-NT2 Academy
Student Accommodation team Amstel 1 De Boelelaan 1105, Room 8A-40
T : +31 (0)20 598 1813 1011 PN Amsterdam 1081 HV Amsterdam
E : [email protected] T : +31 (0)20 552 4433 T : +31 (0)20 598 6398
I : Municipality Office Amsterdam E : [email protected]
Student Immigration Matters I : VU-NT 2 Academy
Student Immigration Team Municipality Office Amstelveen
T : + 31 (0)20 598 3078 Laan Nieuwer-Amstel 1 VU Taalloket (language centre)
E : [email protected] 1182 JR Amstelveen Metropolitan Building, 4th floor
T : +31 (0)20 540 4263 Buitenveldertselaan 3-7
Housing Corporation DUWO I : Municipality Office Amstelveen 1082 VA Amsterdam
Uilenstede 108 T : +31 (0)20 598 6420
1183 AM AmsTveen GG&GD (TBC test) E : [email protected]
T : +31 (0)20 543 1100 Nieuwe Achtergracht 100 I : VU Taalloket
Opening hours: Monday: 8:30 a.m. T : +31 (0)20 555 5240
-5:00 p.m. Monday to Friday: 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Nuffic
Tuesday to Friday: 12:00 - 5:00 p.m. I : GGD European Platform - the Netherlands
I : DUWO Organisation for International
VU Amsterdam Sports Centre (ASVU) Cooperation in Higher Education
General Practice Uilenstede 100 P.O. Box 29777
University General Practice 1183 AM Amstelveen 2502 LT The Hague
I : registering for a doctor T : +31 (0)20 598 5090 T : +31 (0)70 426 0260
I : VU Sports Centre I : NUFFIC
ACTA Amsterdam (Dentist)
Gustav Mahlerlaan 3004 Griffioen Cultural Centre IND
1081 LA Amsterdam De Boelelaan 1111 Immigration Services
T : +31 (0)20 598 0380 1081 HV Amsterdam Stadhouderskade 85
I : ACTA T : +31 (0)20 598 5100 1073 AT Amsterdam
E : [email protected] Reservations: +31 (0)20 598 5033 T : +31 (0)900 123 4561
I : Griffioen Opening hours: Monday to Friday:
Tandartsbemiddelingsbureau 09:00 a.m. - 04:00 p.m.
(Dentists, urgent matters) ESN VU Amsterdam I : IND
T : +31 (0)20 506 3841 De Boelelaan 1083a, Room N044
T : +31 (0)20 598 5344
E : [email protected]
I : ESN VU Amsterdam

26 Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

The International Student Advisor
is your point of contact until you are
completely enrolled.

International Student Advisors

Every faculty has its own International Student Advisor(s), also
called ISAs, who are happy to help you during the application
nd admission process.

The Bachelor’s ISAs can be found here.

For the Master’s ISAs, see here.

Getting Started 27
THUMBS-UP Social Media

Facebook-Square facebook.com/vuamsterdam
(International students)

Twitter-square twitter.com/VUamsterdam
(Dutch only)

LINKEDIN linkedin.com/company/
vrije-universiteit-amsterdam

YOUTUBE youtube.com/vrijeuniversiteit

凌 instagram.com/vuamsterdam

DESKTOP amsterdamstudents.com
(Student blog)

User-headset Contact

International Office
De Boelelaan 1105
1081 HV Amsterdam

T : +31 (0)20 598 2788

E : [email protected]
I : www.vuamsterdam.com