University of Amsterdam

The University of Amsterdam traces its origins to the Athenaeum Illustre of 1632 and is one of the largest research universities in the Netherlands. Its faculties are distributed across four sites in the city rather than gathered on one campus.

It teaches a wide range of subjects including economics and business, law, social sciences, humanities, science and medicine, and offers a substantial number of English-taught master's programmes along with a smaller set of English-taught bachelor's degrees.

Teaching follows the Dutch pattern of seminars, project groups and continuous assessment rather than a single end-of-year examination, and students are expected to contribute in class rather than listen quietly.

Requirements are published per programme and applied consistently.

• A recognised secondary qualification for bachelor's entry, with subject prerequisites for economics, science and psychology programmes.
• A bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline for master's entry, with specific prior coursework required for many programmes.
• English proficiency at the published minimum, with per-section requirements for several programmes.
• A motivation letter, CV and academic references, which carry real weight in selection.
• Selective admission procedures with earlier deadlines for programmes with a capped intake.

The same two-band Dutch structure, with the institutional rate applying to non-EEA students and set by faculty.

• Statutory fee for EU/EEA students, set nationally.
• Institutional fee for non-EEA students, set by the university and substantially higher.
• Faculty-level variation — economics and business, science, and humanities are priced differently.
• An application handling fee for non-EU applicants.
• Amsterdam living costs are the highest in the Netherlands, and accommodation is the dominant part of that.

Dutch institutional fees for non-EEA students are generally more moderate than in the UK, Ireland or the United States. Accommodation is the harder problem here, not the fee. Work from the University of Amsterdam's tuition fee pages for your programme for your specific programme and year of entry — it is the only figure that will be correct for you, and it is republished every year. We will confirm the current cost and what it includes before you commit to an application.

Amsterdam runs an excellence scholarship programme for master's students from outside the European Economic Area, alongside faculty-level awards and participation in the national scheme. Awards are decided on academic record and are competitive.

• Excellence scholarships — for master's applicants from outside the EEA.
• National scheme participation — for first-year students from outside the EEA.
• Faculty awards — published with the individual programme.
• Doctoral positions — normally salaried research employment.

Dutch scholarship deadlines fall ahead of course deadlines and are enforced strictly. Treat the scholarship date as your real one.

Faculties spread across the city rather than one campus, so student life is Amsterdam itself rather than an enclosed community.

• Several city locations — the humanities in the centre, science at Amsterdam Science Park, economics and business at Roeterseiland.
• The city is the campus. There is no single student quarter; you live in Amsterdam and travel to your faculty.
• Study associations and a broad society range, plus student sport through a shared city facility.
• A very international student body, with English widely spoken across the city.
• Cycling is the default way to get anywhere.
• Housing is the serious constraint — Amsterdam has an acute shortage and high rents, and the university offers only limited accommodation.

Do not underestimate the housing problem. Amsterdam is the hardest Dutch city to find a room in, and students who arrive without one sometimes spend weeks in temporary accommodation.