Do you have a particular question about our admissions requirements, application procedure, grades needed or the process of enrolling at AUC? Feel free to contact our admissions officers directly by using the link below and selecting "Admissions/application" as the subject of your question. This will ensure that our Admissions Officers have the time to carefully consider your enquiry and give you a complete and personalised answer.

If you'd like to speak directly with our Admissions Office, you can join the weekly Zoom Office Hour on Tuesdays from 13.00 to 14.00. Visit the page below to access the Zoom link. 

Students who receive an offer to study at AUC will also be invited to a webinar with our Admissions Office. These webinars will explain details about your offer, discuss what steps you need to take to confirm your offer and how to start your enrolment at AUC. They'll also cover what you can expect in the coming months in terms of communications, deadlines and practical things you may need to arrange such as entry visas and how to select your room. 

Webinars for students with an offer of admission to AUC

• 22 February 2023: Webinar for early-bird applicants
• 19 April 2023: Webinar for regular deadline applicants

On 21 April, AUC will host a Welcome Day on campus for students who have accepted their offer to study at AUC, and on 26 May, AUC will host a Welcome Day for regular applicants. In addition to meeting your fellow classmates, you'll be able to visit the student residences to view various types of rooms before the housing selection procedure begins. The programmes can be found below: 

• 21 April: Welcome Day for early-birds
• 26 May: Welcome Day for regular applicants

Housing information webinars

In April (early birds) and May (regular applicants), there will be webinars hosted by the Services and Communications team responsible for housing to explain the in's and out's of the room selection procedure, what you should prepare, how to confirm your room and what to know before moving in. 

• 25 April: Housing webinar for early-birds
• 31 May: Housing webinar for regular applicants

Room selection

In May (Early birds) and June (Regular applicants)

Early bird applicants who have accepted their offer by March will select their room in May. Regular deadline applicants who have accepted their offer by April will select their room in early June. 

Early-bird applicants: 23 to 26 May
Early-bird applicants will be able to log in to room.nl and view available rooms from 23 May, and can then select a room from 24 to 26 May 2023. 

Regular applicants: 13 to 19 June
Regular applicants will be invited to log in to room.nl and view available rooms from 13 June, and can then select a room from 14 to 19 June 2023. 

Room selection will take place using an online portal called ‘room.nl’. Students will automatically receive an invitation by email to activate their account in the portal, and once their account is complete, there will be time to view the details of all available rooms before the selection begins.

Room selection starts at 12.00 (noon, CEST) for the given periods and rooms will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Depending on when you applied, you will be assigned a date on which you can make your selection from the available rooms in the AUC residences. These dates will be published below.

Confirming your room

Early birds: sign contract, upload documents and pay by 9 June

For early-bird applicants, all housing contracts offered will need to be signed, the appropriate documents uploaded and the first month of rent paid by 9 June 2023. Should you receive an offer of a room and not confirm (by signing, uploading your documents and paying) before 9 June 2023, the reserved room will be allocated to another student. Please note that if you do not sign the contract, upload the required documents and pay for the first month by the stated date (9 June 2023), you will be placed on a wait-list for housing which means that a room can no longer be guaranteed.

Regular applicants: sign contract, upload documents and pay by 3 July

For early-bird applicants, all housing contracts offered will need to be signed, the appropriate documents uploaded and the first month of rent paid by 3 July 2023. Should you receive an offer of a room and not confirm (by signing, uploading your documents and paying) before 3 July 2023, the reserved room will be allocated to another student. Please note that if you do not sign the contract, upload the required documents and pay for the first month by the stated date (3 July 2023), you will be placed on a wait-list for housing which means that a room can no longer be guaranteed.

Please note that not all students will be able to immediately select their first choice of room. However, all students are allowed to change rooms at the end of their first year if they wish to do so. 

Furnished and unfurnished rooms

While there are a limited amount of furnished rooms available, the majority will be unfurnished (meaning the room is empty upon arrival and you’ll need to purchase all furniture and appliances). It is indicated in the room.nl selection system whether a room is delivered furnished or unfurnished.

Furnished shared rooms
If you select one of the fully furnished shared rooms, there will be a single bed, a wardrobe, arm chair, desk, chair and basic kitchen appliances (fridge, hot plates) for both you and your roommate. Each room will also include two basic kitchenware kits and for each roommate a set of sheets, pillow and bedding. Please keep in mind that if you select a furnished room, you will need to move to another room in the student residences at the end of your first year as this room type is meant for short-stay occupancy (maximum of 1 year).

Unfurnished rooms
If you select an unfurnished room (whether 2- or 4-person shared, or a single room) you will have to arrange furniture and appliances for your room upon arrival. You may be offered to get in touch with the tenant who is leaving the room to discuss which (if any) items you may want to keep or purchase. However, this is not guaranteed and you may need to find furniture and your kitchen appliances elsewhere. There are also student Facebook groups and furniture sales that take place during the summer with items from current AUC students who are moving out. You will receive more information about these via email closer to the move-in date. 

Living off-campus is not possible

Please keep in mind that it is not possible to live off-campus during the first three years of your degree. In some extreme circumstances, such as a severe housing shortage, AUC might ask students to volunteer to live off-campus. Should this be the case, this request would be shared with all students through the official AUC student newsletter. No individual requests to live off-campus are taken into consideration as rooms are reserved for each student for three years of guaranteed housing. 

Your contract with DUWO will begin on 1 August 2023. Once you have signed your contract and paid your deposit, DUWO will arrange dates and times when you can pick up your keys. If necessary, it's also possible to pick up your keys on an alternative date or time by making an individual appointment with DUWO. We recommend that all students move in at least a few weeks before the start of the Introduction Week (28 August - 2 September 2023) in order to have time to buy furniture and focus on getting settled.

• Earliest date to pick up keys: Tuesday 1 August 2023

Most rooms are unfurnished

Please keep in mind that most rooms in the AUC student residences are unfurnished. This means you will need to bring or buy all of your furniture and appliances upon arrival after moving into your room. This can sometimes take more time than you expect, so be sure to leave yourself enough time between moving into your room and the start of the Introduction Week (28 August to 2 September) to collect and buy furniture, decorate your room and get settled. 

Contacting the former tenant of your room

You may be interested in checking if the current tenant of your room would be interested in selling some of the furniture or appliances in their room to you. In order to get in contact with the current tenant of the room you selected, you first need to sign your contract with DUWO. Once your contract has been signed and you have an account on duwo.nl, you can send a message to DUWO asking to be put in contact with the current tenant. Please follow these steps: 

1. Go to the contact form: https://www.duwo.nl/en/contact/contact-form?login=1 (You need to be logged in) 
2. As "Subject", please put "AUC" 
3. In the explanation, please state that you are the new tenant of the room and include a way for the current tenant to contact you (email or phone number, for example). 
4. DUWO will forward your message to the current tenant and they will initiate contact. 

If the current tenant is interested in contacting you, you can expect an answer after about a week.

AUC Pop-Up Free Store in August

Students who are currently living in the student residences and moving out will be donating a variety of items they no longer need to the AUC Pop-UP Free Store throughout the month of July. These items include things such as books, bikes, kitchenware, furniture, appliances and other practical household items as long as they are in a good, clean and fully functioning state.  

During the month of August, the AUC Pop-UP Free Store will be open to all incoming students to take anything they may need for their room. By the start of the semester, any remaining items will be donated to a charity shop (“kringloop”), so they won't go to waste. The Free Store will be open from 14.00 to 16.00 on the following dates and locations:

• Wednesday 16 August 2023 | Living room B2 (across room 940) & Event Space 1 (across room 1700) 
• Saturday 19 August 2023 | Living room B2 (across room 940) & Event Space 1 (across room 1700) 
• Monday 21 August 2023 | Event Space 1 (across room 1700) 
• Wednesday 23 August 2023 | Living room B2 (across room 940) 
• Saturday 26 August 2023 | Living room B2 (across room 940) & Event Space 1 (across room 1700)

Where are these locations? Use the Room Finder
You may be wondering how to find these rooms in the student residences. The AUC Student Association has developed a tool to locate rooms in one of the three buildings. Access the AUCSA Room Finder.

Now that you've accepted your offer, you'll need to finalise your enrolment in Studielink. Please wait until our Admissions Office informs you of this procedure by email, as some students will first be registered at (and pay tuition to) the University of Amsterdam, while other students will first be registered at (and pay tuition to) VU Amsterdam. You will receive an email about how to proceed from our Admissions Office after your acceptance. If you had already started applying or your enrolment in Studielink prior to be requested to do so, please leave your account is and await further instructions from our Admissions Office.

All offers made by AUC are conditional until we receive your official final secondary school diploma(s), transcripts and test results/final exam scores (if applicable). Please be sure our Admissions Office receives these by 1 July. If you already know that there will be a substantial delay in receiving these documents (i.e. you won't receive them by the end of August), please contact our Admissions Office.

How to submit your documents

Certified digital copies

AUC can accept certified digitial copies of transcripts and test results when sent direclty by your secondary school or issuing institute. Certified digital copies of transcripts, grades or results can be sent to servicedesk@auc.nl. Please note that certain test and exam results (including AP results, IELTS, CAE and TOEFL results) must be sent directly to AUC from the issuing institution. These test results cannot be sent by you or your secondary school. 

Certified paper copies

Alternatively, you can send certified paper copies of your official documents by post to AUC's mailing address.

Amsterdam University College
t.a.v Admissions Office
PO Box 94160
1090 GD Amsterdam
The Netherlands

Please note that it is your responsibility to make sure the necessary documents are sent and received by the Admissions Office on time. If you're unsure if certain documents have been received, please contact our Admissions Office to check.

OMPT test results must be received prior to 1 July

If you are required to take an OMPT test to fulfil the maths admissions requirement, or if you've indicated that you'll be filling a deficiency by taking an OMPT test, please make sure the passing results are received by the Admissions Office before 1 July. If taking an OMPT test and the results are not received before 1 July, you will not have met the conditions for entry to AUC. This means that your offer of admission will no longer be valid you will not be able to start at AUC. If taking the OMPT, make sure you take the test and receive the results well before this deadline to avoid any issues in starting at AUC.

During the late spring/early summer (usually in June), you will receive an email from the AUC Registrar's team requesting you to submit your course preferences for the 16-week period of the first semester. Each semester at AUC is 20 weeks long and divided into a 16-week period (September to December; February to May) and a 4-week period (January; June).

16-week period courses [x4] and first semester four-week period (January) course [x1]

In the future, you will register yourself for your courses after consulting with your tutor and you will be responsible for ensuring your desired course schedule does not contain any timetable clashes. However, for the first 16-week period (meaning your first four courses), AUC will collect your preferences and create a course schedule for you. After your first semester, you will also be able to request changes to your course schedule during the Add/Drop period at the start of the semester, but not for this first time.
In the 4-week period of your first semester (January), you will typically either take "The Global Identity Experience" course or another course of your choice (depending on yoru major). The form sent by the AUC Registrar will guide you through your options for selecting courses.

There are a few key documents that you need to know and be aware of while studying at AUC. Ranging from helpful hints to important academic procedures and protocols, you can read and review these documents below. 

1. Academic Standards and Procedures
2. Student Handbook
3. Social and Academic Codes of Conduct
4. Board of Examiners Rules and Guidelines

The Academic Standards and Procedures contain a complete explanation of the academic programme, including grading, requirements for graduating, attendance policies and more. While your academic tutor can assist you, it is your responsibility to read and understand the information in this document. The Student Handbook will answer many of your questions about being a student at AUC and contains an overview of the resources available to you, while the Social and Academic Codes of Conduct include information on what we expect from you as a member of the AUC community. The Board of Examiners Rules and Guidelines highlight the role of the Board of Examiners in upholding and interpreting the Academic Standards and Procedures. 

Do you have a specific question not answered on the website or in the information you've received? For all such requests, you can open a "call" in the digital AUC Service Desk. This will allow you to send us your question directly to the correct professional staff member who can work to resolve your issue. 

These various departments include, but are not limited to:

• Registrar's Office 
• Admissions & Housing
• Services & Communications
• Board of Examiners
• AUC Scholarship Fund 
• Community Projects and Internships
• International Office (Studying Abroad)
• SIS and Canvas support 
• (Class)room reservations

Please allow for up to four (4) working days for us to answer your question. After opening a "call", you will receive a confirmation email and "call" number. Please record your number for future reference so that you avoid opening multiple cases on the same topic which could delay your response time.

Requesting documents, statements or official transcripts

Through the digital AUC Service Desk you may also request several important official documents that may be scanned and emailed to you or can be picked up from AUC's reception desk.

If you're unsure about where to submit your request, you can always send an email to info@auc.nl.

As an international student who is not a Dutch national, all visas, permits and other issues involving immigration will be handled by the University of Amsterdam (UvA). Although you will officially be enrolled as a student at both the University of Amsterdam and VU Amsterdam, most of your administration (and the payment of your tuition fees) will be handled by the University of Amsterdam. 

During the summer, you will receive more information by email from both our Admissions Office and the UvA International Office. The UvA annually welcomes thousands of international students and has support systems, specialists and years of experience in helping international students get settled in the Netherlands. 

As an international student at AUC, you will receive information about your courses, enrolment, housing and academic matters (such as the Introduction Week) directly from AUC. Information regarding issues related to migration, visas, residence permits and more practical matters for international students such as insurance will be communicated to you directly by the University of Amsterdam. You can find more information on visas and residence permits by following the link below.

All international students are required by law to have appropriate health insurance for the duration of their stay in the Netherlands. Students are also advised to take out an appropriate general third-party insurance (liability insurance). Please note that liability insurance is mandatory for non-EEA/EU students requesting a residence permit through the UvA (which also means international AUC students without Dutch nationality).

We encourage you to check carefully before you come to the Netherlands as to whether your insurance will cover the complete period of your stay abroad and what type of coverage it provides.

You can find more information about the various types of insurance, how to take out a policy and other practical issues (such as working during your studies) as they relate to insurance in the Netherlands as an international student via the link below.

As an international student, you may be invited to join the International Student Network (ISN). ISN Amsterdam is a student-run organisation dedicated to helping international students studying at the University of Amsterdam (UvA) and the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences (AUAS) make the most of their time in the Netherlands. ISN is part of the Erasmus Student Network (ESN), which is a larger organisation with many branches across the world. They typically organise social activities for international students to get to know one another.

While you are welcome to join the network and participate in their activities throughout the year, we must emphasise that the ISN Introduction Week typically takes place on the same dates as AUC's own Introduction Week and attendance for the AUC Introduction Week activities is mandatory. Please note that the AUC Introduction Week and the ISN Introduction Week are completely separate and not organised in coordination with each other. 

AUC is a joint initiative of VU Amsterdam and the University of Amsterdam (UvA) meaning that as an AUC student, you will be a student at both the VU and UvA. However, some administrative procedures, such as finalising your enrolment in Studielink and payment of tuition fees, are handled by one institute or the other. You will be informed by the AUC Admissions Office whether to complete your enrolment in Studielink at either the VU or UvA.

For nearly all students with Dutch nationality at AUC, these enrolment and administrative procedures are handled by the VU.

This means that during the AUC Introduction Week, there may be a slight delay in receiving your UvA student ID and log-in (which will allow you to open your AUC student email address, request a student ID card and access the digital learning environment Canvas), but rest assured that you will receive this information in time for the start of classes. 

Amsterdam has an extensive transport network, comprising trams, buses, trains, metros, and ferries, all operated primarily by the GVB (Gemeentelijk Vervoerbedrijf). For seamless travel convenience, the OV chip card proves to be the most user-friendly option. With this smart card, you can effortlessly hop on trains, buses, trams, and metros, as it encompasses all these transport possibilities.

OV chip card

To acquire an OV chip card, simply load it with travel credit at major train stations' ticket offices or the yellow ticket machines. These machines accept various payment methods like debit and credit cards (V-Pay, Maestro, Mastercard, Visa, and American Express) through PIN or contactless payments, but they do not accept banknotes. For train travel, ensure a minimum credit of €20 on your OV-chip card, while for other public transport, there is no minimum requirement.

It's worth noting that the GVB and the Dutch National Railways (NS) are distinct operators. Although you can purchase single tickets for your journeys, opting for the OV chip card streamlines your travel experiences.

Student mobility

For students, Student Mobility is an independent organisation offering a customised public transport card, coupled with an ISIC Student-ID, featuring special discounts for international students! This comprehensive card covers all forms of public transport throughout the Netherlands, including trains, trams, metros, and buses. Furthermore, upon arrival in the Netherlands, Student Mobility provides a reduced-rate train ticket. Additionally, they offer a programme for bike rental or purchase.

For those seeking assistance in planning their routes, a helpful resource is the website https://9292.nl/en, which encompasses all modes of transport and provides valuable route planning information.

DUWO should have contacted you about picking up your keys. The collective moment to pick up your keys is on Moving In Day on 1 August 2023. Between 13:00 and 17:00, you can pick up your keys in the the AUC student residences. 

To those who cannot make it to Moving In Day, DUWO has offered alternative moments to pick up your keys. Please contact DUWO if you have not received any information on this. 

We recommend that all students move in at least a few weeks before the start of the Introduction Week (28 August - 2 September 2023) in order to have time to buy furniture and focus on getting settled.

Every term, the UvA (University of Amsterdam, AUC's parental university) arranges specific procedures with the local authority of Amsterdam (in Dutch: Gemeente Amsterdam) to facilitate the registration of its students. These designated registration days are exclusively reserved for UvA and AUC students, and as an exception, they will receive their BSN (Burger Service Nummer - Citizen Service Number) immediately.

To ensure a swift and efficient registration process, we kindly request that you refrain from making a regular appointment with the local authority.

Registration Days in Amsterdam

Registration can only be done in person and strictly on or after the start date of your rental contract, not before.

You can visit the municipality of Amsterdam between 9:00-16:00 on any of the following dates without requiring an appointment:

• Wednesday, 23 August
• Thursday, 24 August
• Friday, 25 August           
• Wednesday, 30 August
• Thursday, 31 August
• Friday, 1 September        
• Tuesday, 5 September
• Wednesday, 6 September
• Thursday, 7 September
• Monday, 11 September
• Tuesday, 12 September
• Wednesday, 13 September
• Thursday, 14 September
• Friday, 15 September

Amsterdam municipality address:
Bos en Lommerplein 176
1055 EK Amsterdam
Check location in Google Maps

You need to bring:

• Your valid passport (or European Union ID card)
• A printed copy of the identity details pages (personal details & photo) of your passport or a copy of your EU ID card.
• If you possess multiple nationalities and passports, you are required to bring all of them.
• A printed copy of your rental contract
• Your student ID card or proof of enrollment at the UvA *Note: You do NOT need to bring your birth certificate, despite it being mentioned on the official website of the municipality. Our students are exempted from this requirement.

Printing documents

Please note that if you do not print out the rental contract or bring a copy of your passport, you cannot be registered that day and you will have to come back another day. There are no printing facilities available at the municipality’s office. In UvA buildings, printing is possible with your student card. Other options include commercial printing shops like the Printerette.

Upon arriving in the Netherlands, it is beneficial to consider opening a Dutch bank account for various reasons:

1. International money transfers tend to be expensive and often take several days to complete.
2. Credit cards are not widely embraced here. However, with a Dutch bank account, you will receive a debit card that can be used conveniently and free of charge at supermarkets, cafes, and restaurants.
3. Having a Dutch bank account provides access to the iDeal payment method, widely utilized in Dutch webshops and for paying energy bills, payment requests, and other transactions.

You should start by requesting your University of Amsterdam student ID card. This is the student card you can use to identify yourself, borrow books in the library, print on campus and pay for things at vending machines.

When can you apply for your UvA Student ID card?

You can apply for your student ID card one month before the start of your studies at the UvA. You will need a UvAnetID in order to submit your application. Go to mijnuvapas.nl to upload a passport photo for your student ID card. This can prove difficult on a tablet or mobile phone, so please make sure to use a laptop or desktop computer.

When will you receive your Student ID card?

Make sure to apply for your student ID card on time.

For international students

Did you provide a home address outside of the Netherlands? In that case, an email will be sent to your UvA mail address (not your personal email) to let you know when you can pick up your new student ID card at one of the UvA service points. This process requires a valid identity document such as a passport or government ID card. 

Students living in the Netherlands

Did you apply for your student ID card before 3 September?
If you registered using an address in the Netherlands and applied for your student ID card before 3 September, you will receive your card at your home address in the Netherlands. If you applied for your card before 3 September and have not received your student ID card by 14 September, please drop by one of the UvA service points or contact the Facility Services Service Desk.

Did you apply for your student ID card after 3 September?
Did you apply for your student ID card after 3 September? In that case, an email will be sent to your UvA mail address (not your personal email) to let you know when you can pick up your new student ID card at one of the UvA service points. This process requires a valid identity document such as a passport or government ID card.