The Summer Programmes Office is able to organise housing. All housing is first-come-first-served: make your plans early, and indicate on your application if you will be applying for university provided accommodation. There are a limited number of rooms available, and students are not able to choose the location of their building/room. We do our best to house participants from the same course together, but this is also not always possible as housing in Amsterdam is scarce. 

Amsterdam is a popular summer destination for people from around the world. Due to limited urban space and high demand, affordable housing is extremely challenging to find. That's why the Summer Programmes Office works with DeKey Housing Corporation to help house participants in various locations in Amsterdam. 

Student accomodations are basic dwellings, low-cost, and located throughout the city. Amsterdam has a well-integrated public transportation network, or you can do as the Dutch do, and ride your bike to the campus. Rooms are either in private or shared dorms, with private or shared washrooms and kitchen/lounge facilities. Student accomodation in the Netherlands falls under the category of low-income housing. These properties are usually occupied by students and long-term residents: the UvA partners with DeKey to make rooms available for short-stay. Rooms include basic furnishings, and we recommend that you bring your own comforts from home. 

Please note that it is not possible to extend your stay in housing, or to arrive early. If you require more time in Amsterdam before or after the fixed housing dates (refer to the individual programme page), you will need to book accommodation for those times on your own. It is not possible to select your residence or room, as they are assigned per programme.

Housing check in time: Check-in is only possible during the times stated in your acceptance letter. It is not possible to check-in outside of the times listed therein. 

Housing check out time: You must check out by 09:00 on move-out day. It is not possible to stay longer in residence. No exceptions will be made. 

All programmes organised through the Summer Programmes Office at the Graduate School of Social Sciences (including this programme) are designed so that you can focus on participating in the course and immersing yourself in your new environment. We make that possible by including the following in the tuition fee:

1. All course readings and materials 
2. Online payment costs
3. Lunch on class days 
4. Excursions and excursion lunches 
5. Academic Opening/Welcome, and farewell events
6. Access to the digital learning environment and UvA (digital) library
7. A UvA Student Card 
8. Access to all university buildings and facilities 
9. An official transcript or certificate of participation
10. A public transit card with small starter amount (you will receive this at the Academic Opening on the Sunday at the start of the programme)

Summer programmes at the University of Amsterdam follow an innovative educational format. We combine theoretical lectures in the classroom with programme-related excursions and practical workshops in order to facilitate different learning methods, and evaluate and reflect on what was learned in the classroom. This model also brings participants into contact with experts and professionals working in their field of interest, and the various communities with which we do research. 

Our on-site summer programmes meet every weekday, whether that be for lectures, workshops, or programme-related excursions. On weekends, students have free time to explore Amsterdam and work on assignments. 

All of our summer programmes take place at the University of Amsterdam’s Roeterseiland Campus. Classes take place from Monday – Thursday either from 9am – 3pm or 10am – 4pm, with a one hour lunch break in between (lunch is provided on class days). Most programmes (but not all) have a day-long excursion on Friday in week 2. Other than this, weekends are free for self-study or exploring the city!

Certificate of participation: All summer programmes students receive a participation certificate from the University of Amsterdam. In order to receive this certificate, students are requested to adhere by the student code of conduct, and attend all programme elements and activities. 

Earning academic credit: Students who wish to earn credits receive an official transcript stating the course taken, credits earned and grade obtained. The number of credits your programme is worth is found on the main programme page in the "tuition, dates and deadlines section". An official transcript will only be issued if the student completes all necessary programme components, and also writes the academic/research paper at the end of the programme. Once the grade for the paper has been received, the transcript will be issued digitally and if needed, by post. 

Counting credits towards your degree: Students are responsible for ensuring that their home university will accept the credits, and final credit conversions need to be made by the home university. If you have questions about credit transfer, or need more information/documents about the programme for your home university's administration, please email us at summer-info-gsss@uva.nl.

Students receive an UvA Student ID card valid for the length of their stay at the University. This card gives you access to a variety of facilities, including the library learning centre and common/study spaces. The Summer Programmes Office makes use of the state-of-the-art Roeterseiland Campus, located in Amsterdam East.

All of our programmes make use of Canvas, the UvA's digital learning environment.  Roughly one month before the start of your programme, you will receive an invitation by email to access Canvas. We recommend you do so as soon as possible. Once we invite you to Canvas, programme specific communication will appear there. Canvas is where announcements, schedules, and readings will be posted, both in advance of your arrival, and during your stay in Amsterdam. Canvas is also the place to meet and interact with your fellow classmates.

Health Insurance: Insurance is required. You are required to have appropriate health insurance for the duration of your stay in the Netherlands. Please refer to the "Insurance" section of the Study in Holland website for more information about mandatory insurance. 

Please check before you come to the Netherlands whether your (current) insurance will cover the complete period of your stay abroad, and what type of coverage it consists of.

Travel Insurance: The Summer Programmes Office advises all participants to purchase travel insurance for their flights in addition to the insurance that they require to come to the Netherlands. In the event of a programme cancellation, students with travel insurance may be able to recuperate some of their travel costs, depending on the insurance provider and plan you signed up for. The Summer Programmes Office is not responsible or liable for covering transportation costs to or from the Netherlands. For more information on our cancellation policy, see the heading below. 

If you want to attend one of our summer programmes, you may need a short-stay Schengen visa. This depends on your nationality. The visa allows you to travel freely within the Netherlands and other Schengen countries for up to 90 days within a 180-day period.

Students from certain countries do not need an entry visa. To see what applies to your situation, please visit this government website.

Students who require a visa are strongly advised to apply before the early deadline (1st of February 2024), in order to ensure there is enough time to secure a visa appointment. 

The Summer Programmes Office is only able to send a letter to support visa purposes if you have been accepted to one of our programmes and all fees have been paid.

If the Summer Programmes Office is notified via email at least 30 days before the start of the programme (orientation/opening date), students may cancel their participation for a refund of tuition fees, minus the €250 administration costs. No refunds will be given after this date.

Housing costs are non-refundable after the 1st of May 2024.

In the event that a programme must be cancelled by the Summer Programmes Office, students will be reimbursed in full, minus €50 to cover banking costs. If possible, students will be offered a spot in another programme.

All of the summer programmes are taught in English. It is not required to provide proof of an English proficiency test (e.g., IELTS, TOEFL), but to get the most out of the courses, you do need to be able to read and write at an academic level. If you have any doubts about this, please contact us via email at summer-info