Undergraduate Current Students | University of Amsterdam

About University of Amsterdam (UvA)

Studying at the Universiteit van Amsterdam (UvA) provides students with a double challenge: the intellectual challenge of a comprehensive academic curriculum and Amsterdam's exciting urban environment. The UvA is a large university, but a small scale has been preserved in how it is organized. The University is housed in both classic and modern buildings, most of which are located in the historic city centre. The combination of attractive buildings—situated along a canal, in a courtyard or surrounded by water—at the same time offering state-of-the-art facilities, is what makes the UvA so unique. The city itself is a popular cultural and media centre and an international junction of commercial firms—an attractive spot from which to view future career.

Quick facts:

• Founded in 1632, UvA is the Netherlands’ largest university.
• UvA is a top-100 university globally and one of Europe's 15 best universities.
• UvA’s Economics and Business program has the prestigious triple crown accreditation by AMBA, EQUIS, and AACSB.
• Internationalization is a keyword at UvA Economics and Business. The staff, student body, degree programs, and research all have a strong international focus.
• Courses at UvA Economics and Business are aligned to meet the demands of today’s professional careers, and strong ties are maintained with Amsterdam’s corporate sector.

Term Dates

UvA offers IBEX opportunities in the fall and spring semesters.

• Fall semester: late-August to late-December. Block 1 is eight weeks long and Block 2 is another eight weeks. There is also a Block 3 that students can stay to complete. It is approximately four weeks long and takes place in January. *See additional information below.
• Spring semester: early-February to early-June: Block 1 is eight weeks long and Block 2 is another eight weeks. There is also a Block 3 that students can stay to complete. It is approximately four weeks long and takes place in June. *See additional information below.
  *Additional information on Block 3: If you finish a full time course load (minimum 24 – 30 Amsterdam credits/minimum 4 – 5 classes) in the first two blocks of the semester, you are allowed to return home earlier and not take courses in Block 3. However housing lease contracts cannot be shortened and cover (almost) the entire semester, including Block 3.

Dates are approximate and may be subject to change.

Housing and Living Costs

• Housing: since the housing market of Amsterdam is extremely competitive, it can become very difficult to find student accommodations on the private market. For this reason, the Global Exchange office of International Student Affairs arranges and guarantees housing for all students. Rental prices range is approximately €975 – €1500/month.
• Living expenses: approximately € 400-500/month.
• Books and necessary class materials: approximately €50-100/month.
• Local transportation: approximately €70 – 100/month maximum. Most students travel by bicycle and second-hand bikes vary from €100 – 200. A decent lock costs approximately €50.

€ = Euro

Find out more about IBEX tuition, housing, and other logistics.

Language of Instruction

English

Student Services

The student services available to exchange students include:

• Introduction Week
• Career Weeks
• International student trips
• Weekly parties
• Internship information sessions

Academic Information

If you are accepted to IBEX, you will attend two individual advising meetings to plan and revise your schedule: one with NYU Stern Academic Advising and one with the NYU Stern Global Experiences team. As you build your academic schedule for your semester abroad, carefully review and consider the following course information. Please note that UvA requires a minimum 3.0 GPA for all exchange students.

IBEX Course Information

• You may take a full semester of business classes while abroad on IBEX.
• At the University of Amsterdam, students can complete up to 6 credits (2 classes) of their concentration. The remaining half of your concentration must be completed in residence at Stern.  There are no exceptions to this policy. Students with concentrations that have more than a 12 credit and 4 class minimum, please contact your Advisor for specific guidance
• Leave room for at least two general electives in your schedule. This allows you to:
  • Take interesting, location-specific courses not offered at Stern, and
  • Have more flexibility during the course registration process.
• Reference the IBEX Course Guide: What you can or cannot take.
  • You can take a maximum of two classes per concentration.
  • Accounting courses cannot be taken for credit toward the Accounting or CPA majors/concentrations.
  • All IBEX grades will transfer back to NYU Stern as Pass/Fail.

UvA Pre-Approved Courses

• Review the list of UvA Pre-Approved courses via the link below. The courses listed on this sheet were taken previously by Stern IBEX students and have already been approved for a specific NYU equivalent.
• There is no guarantee that the courses listed here will be offered during the specific semester you study abroad. It is important to be flexible. Have a Plan A and Plan B and the space to take some electives.
• If a course is already on this pre-approved list, it does not need to be reviewed again - unless you want to see if it will count towards a new requirement.