The University of Amsterdam (UvA) has a long history. It evolved from the Athenaeum Illustre (1632) and now ranks among the largest comprehensive universities in Europe. At the UvA, education and research are conducted in the seven faculties: the Humanities, the Social and Behavioural Sciences, Economics and Business, Law, the Natural Sciences, Medicine and Dentistry.
The UvA aims to offer an inspiring, broadly-oriented international academic environment where both staff and students can develop their capacities optimally. The UvA is characterised by a critical, creative and international atmosphere, and is open-minded and strongly engaged with society. Because the UvA is located in both historic and modern buildings spread throughout Amsterdam, the University forms an integral part of the city.
UVA's exchange with the University of Amsterdam will not accept applications for the fall 2024 term. If you are interested in studying at UvA for the fall, you can apply through the outside program provider IES. Contact Annia Dowell-Wiltshire at lsd9v@virginia.edu with questions.
Location
The city of Amsterdam features as one of the world's 15 best places to live in Mercers 2018 "Quality of Living Survey". In the 2008 pan-European "International Student Barometer", 96% of UvA students polled were 'very satisfied' about safety, and 96% said it was 'the place to be'.
Amsterdam is well connected for travel to the rest of Europe with excellent links to the rest of world.
The city has long been a cultural and commercial crossroads and gives students access to all the arts, entertainment and social possibilities of a capital city.
Academics
Curriculum:
The Global Exchange Programme offers over 100 international study programs with English-taught courses in Humanities, Social Sciences, Economics and Business, Psychology, Child Development and Education, Law, Science, and Liberal arts and Sciences.
Because students can only be registered in one academic department, you will have to select courses from that department only. For this reason, UvA is not the best option for students wishing to take coursework in, for example, both Economics and Psychology--you would have to choose one or the other.
Students must have a relevant academic background in their proposed field of study. The guidelines to determine if you have the relevant academic background are explained in the document Course and Faculty Criteria, linked on the Entry Requirements and Course Selection page.
Terms:
- Fall Semester: September - late January
- Each semester at UvA has three blocks. Students studying in Amsterdam for the fall should only choose courses occurring in the first two blocks, to ensure that they can return to Charlottesville to start the spring semester on time. The semester block schedule can be found via the Course Information link below.
- Spring Semester: early February - late June
- Review specific dates on the UvA Academic Calendar.
Finding Courses:
- Visit UvA's Global Exchange Courses page.
- Coursework is listed by faculty or academic department.
- Remember that you may only register for coursework in one faculty or academic department.
- To review coursework in a specific faculty, follow the appropriate link on the Global Exchange Courses page.
- On the faculty's page, you will be able to see a list of academic departments housed within that faculty.
- On the left-hand side of your screen, you will see links to coursework in each faculty and/or department. It may require some clicking around to arrive at the list of classes for the academic area that you're looking for.
- When you arrive at the list of classes offered by a specific department, you will see:
- The title of the course, which will link you to the syllabus you needed for transfer credit approvals.
- Which semester the course is offered in, and which blocks of the semester it is scheduled for. (Reminder: Students studying in Amsterdam for the fall should only choose courses occurring in the first two blocks.)
- The number of credits, in the European Credit Transfer System. To get from ECTS credits to US credits, divide by 2. For example, a 12-ECTS course at the University of Amsterdam will generally transfer back to the University of Virginia as a 6-credit course. (Note that the University of Virginia will determine final credit equivalencies as part of the transfer credit approval process.)
Dutch Language Courses:
Each semester the university's Institute for Dutch as a Second Language (INTT) offers extensive courses for international students at all levels (absolute beginners, beginners, intermediate, advanced). The costs for the course must be paid in advance, but students will receive a full refund of the costs upon successful completion of the course. Intensive Dutch summer courses are offered before the beginning of the academic year, but this pre-exchange language program has to be financed by the student. More information can be found on the INTT website.
Accommodation
To assist exchange students in finding accommodation, the university has signed an agreement with a housing corporation. Various types of housing are available: shared accommodations, private accommodations with shared facilities and private accommodations. Student housing is scattered throughout the city and sometimes even outside of Amsterdam in neighboring towns such as Diemen and Amstelveen. Students will indicate their housing preferences through an online housing form. However, housing is not guaranteed and you should be prepared to locate housing on the private market. Rent can vary between 375 and 650 Euros per month. Students should also budget an additional 400 to 500 Euros per month for living expenses. Find more information about university-managed housing as well as navigating the private housing market on the University of Amsterdam's Housing page.
UVA Student Experience
“While at the University of Amsterdam, I took classes in EU law which was very interesting to me especially because I hope to one day go into international law. I lived in a dorm and everyone on my floor was from a different country, so not only did I learn more about Dutch culture while studying abroad, but I also learned more about the cultures of my flatmates. I loved my experience living in Amsterdam. I made so many lifelong friends from all over the world, learned both inside and outside of the classroom, and honed in on my biking skills in the bike capital of the world.”
-Anh-Thu Vo, Global Security and Justice and African and African-American Studies major
This program is open to students from any major, but below is a list of the top five majors at UVA who choose to study on exchange at UvA.
- Environmental Sciences
- Global Studies
- Media Studies
- Psychology
- Urban & Environmental Planning
Would you like to contact a UVA student who has studied on this program? See our list of study abroad returnees who want to help you!
CostS AND EXPECTED EXPENSES
There are a variety of associated costs and expenses when studying abroad. The information provided below is a guide to help you plan and budget. Additional resources are available on the University of Amsterdam's Living Expenses page and the Fact Sheet linked above.
Tuition and Fees: You will pay your regular tuition rate and fees to UVA for the term you are on a UVA Exchange Program. Tuition and fees will be billed to your SIS account and can be paid as normal.
Housing and Meals: You are responsible to pay for accommodation and any required or preferred meal plan. You will pay the host institution or make your own arrangements for accommodations. Check the University of Amsterdam's Housing page for accommodation and meal plan choices, cost, and application procedures.
Travel and Travel Documents: You are responsible for booking and paying for your own international airfare, as well as researching and obtaining any required visa(s) or residency permits. You should also budget for in-country transportation costs.
Insurance: UVA students are required to purchase CISI emergency medical and accident insurance. More information can be found on our insurance page.
Additional Expenses: You should be prepared to purchase required books and supplies. Also budget for additional personal expenses, including laundry, phone costs, personal travel, meals out, etc.
Education Abroad Expense Form
If you are required to complete an Education Abroad Expense Form, you can use the links above to identify costs and expected expenses to complete the form. If you are studying abroad for a semester, to calculate costs, divide annual costs in half.
If you are not able to find cost information you need in order to prepare for your study abroad program, please contact your Education Abroad Advisor.
Financial Aid
You can find detailed information regarding financial aid and study abroad on the following websites:
Accessibility
The University of Virginia believes in providing reasonable accommodations for students with documented disabilities on an individual and flexible basis. If you believe that you would require adjustments in order to fully participate in this program, please contact the Student Disability Access Center at 434-243-5180 as early as possible in order to begin this dialogue.
Passport and Visa
All participants will need a valid passport in order to participate in the program. Students must ensure that their passport is valid at least six months past the program return date. US Passport processing can take a few months once your passport application is received. If you are a US citizen interested in participating in education abroad, apply for your passport now. See the State Department for details and to apply. Consult the University of Amsterdam's visa webpage for information about entry requirements. U.S. passport holders will need a residence permit. International students should meet with their International Student Advisor in the International Studies Office as part of the application process.
Health and Safety Information
All students considering Education Abroad should consult the Students Abroad section of the U.S. Department of State’s web-based travel resources and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Traveler’s Health web resources to research health, safety, and security conditions; visa requirements; immunization requirements; and recommendations on staying healthy and safe in their target destination(s). Students should also carefully review the UVA Education Abroad Health & Safety Abroad web page. Parents and guardians are strongly advised to review all of these resources, as well. UVA students and visiting students enrolled in UVA Education Abroad programs are subject to the University of Virginia’s Policy on Student International Travel.
