University of Amsterdam

History

The University of Amsterdam was established all the way back in the year 1632, making it one of the oldest institutions in the country.  Originally meant as a medical teaching institution first and foremost, it’s fame was held back by it’s inability to confer degrees. By the year 1877 things changed notoriously for it however, the institution became a municipal university, and finally could grant degrees; this coupled with the new funding from the city itself meant the institution could finally start to see a notorious growth.

This would escalate again during the 60s, when the government elevated the institution to a national one, the increase in funds and resources granted it a large growth, leading ti  to be considered one of the best 100 universities in the world, and getting a notorious boost in the areas of media and communication.

Programs Offered

Across it’s 7 faculties, the University of Amsterdam currently offers 20 undergraduate or bachelor programs in English, and another 74 taught in Dutch.

Due to the large number of courses available at the institution, the following list is only a small sample of the complete catalog available at the University of Amsterdam:

  • Actuarial Science
  • Ancient Studies
  • Business Administration
  • Communication Science
  • Cultural Anthropology
  • Economics and Business Economics
  • English Language and Culture
  • European Studies
  • Liberal Arts and Sciences
  • Literary and Cultural Analysis
  • Media and Culture
  • Media and Information
  • Psychology, Law and Economics
  • Sign Language Linguistics
  • Sociology

Admission requirements

Prospective students require a Dutch VWO Diploma or equivalent for application at the university, other than that the process is notoriously simple, as courses with a selection process are the exception more than the rule, and are properly listed in the official website, so timely application at Studielink is really the main factor.

Student Life

The University of Amsterdam counts with a wide selection of student associations in the arts, culture and athletic areas, as well as a dedicated code of conduct to guarantee the wellbeing of their enrolled students.

Part-time work

Through it’s Students Career Centre the University of Amsterdam counts with various ways to support it’s students to pursue a job, the institution counts with a job board, workshops and events and a dedicated work portal in the form UvA StudiJob, however this last option is available exclusively in Dutch.

Fees

Tuition Fees at the University of Amsterdam vary a lot more than one would expect at first glance, locals and EU students have to pay what the institution calls a Statutory Fee, but even that has different costs based on the nature of a student’s chosen course, International students on the other hand pay a fixed tuition fee based on the faculty they will study on.

The following list covers the average cost of tuition at the University of Amsterdam:

  • Full-time: €2,143
  • Part-time: €1,826
  • Dual: €2,143
  • AUC: €4,435
  • PPLE: €4,286
  • International: €10,000
  • International Medicine and Dentistry: €20,000

Ranking

The University of Amsterdam is currently ranked as the 66th best college level institution in the world, making it the overall second best university in it’s home country of the Netherlands.

University Contact

Address:  Spui 21, 1012 WX Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Phone: +31 (0)20 525 1400

Email: [email protected]

Summary

The University of Amsterdam offers quality courses with a simple application method, and fees that are considerably less expensive on average than other EU institutions, for local students the institution proves to be on e of the best, and the healthy selection of English courses might just end up convincing international students too.