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Short summer courses at VU Amsterdam every July

Short courses at VU Amsterdam

Full programme
Explore your passions with a short course at VU Amsterdam. Choose from a wide range of subjects and dive into your interests in a global setting.

Study a short course with VU Amsterdam Summer School!

Apply now for Summer 2026!

Looking to make the most of your summer? VU Amsterdam's short courses offer a flexible and enriching learning experience for existing students and graduates. Explore Amsterdam while studying short, intensive courses at a top Dutch university. 

From digital skills to social studies and personal development, our short courses provide a unique opportunity to expand your knowledge and gain new perspectives in a globally connected setting. 

Each year we welcome more than 50 different nationalities. Join us in 2026 and make your summer one to remember!

Visit the summer school homepage to find out more.

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Courses

VU Amsterdam Summer School courses

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Courses

VU Amsterdam Summer School footballers playing football

Summerschool Football Behaviour Management

VU Amsterdam Summer School footballers playing football Ever wanted to be a professional football scout, technical director or player agent? In this summer course you learn five sciences that help you accomplish that!
VU Amsterdam Summer School law room with scales

Summerschool International Criminal Justice

VU Amsterdam Summer School law room with scales This one-of-a-kind course takes a multidisciplinary approach to the challenges that emerge in the field of international criminal justice.
International development summer school

Summerschool International Development: Global Trends via Local Case Perspectives

International development summer school In this summer school course, you will gain a comprehensive understanding of international development to address global challenges.
discussion group that look like a startup

Summerschool New Venture Creation in the Amsterdam Entrepreneurial Ecosystem

discussion group that look like a startup In this course you will learn more about how to start your own business with an international team. Two aspects play an important role here: sustainable entrepreneurship and the life cycle of the small firm. You will be supported by an excellent team, consisting of academic professors and guest speakers who have applied their knowledge to real world situations.
Clasped hands of a doctor and patient

Summerschool Global Health

Clasped hands of a doctor and patient The Global Health Summer School course focuses on health equity and complex global health issues. You will learn about healthcare systems around the world, emerging issues and global health careers. You will learn and practice qualitative research skills.
Circular economy woodblock summer school

Summerschool Circular Economy and the City: Theory and Practice

Circular economy woodblock summer school This course will teach you why the Circular Economy is vital, what it is, how it tackles social and ecological problems, and why urban transformations contribute to a circular economy. Benefit from passionate teachers, experience the city of Amsterdam, and develop your own symbiotic circular experiment.

Summerschool Water Politics and Governance

This course builds knowledge on the governance of freshwater resources with emphasis on the institutional, political and organisational dimensions.

Summerschool Credibility and Rigour in Management Research

This summer school is tailored for advanced master’s, PhDs, and early-career scholars across all management disciplines (e.g., strategy, entrepreneurship, leadership). Learn to design rigorous, transparent, and replicable studies through hands-on workshops in open science, robust methods, and critical appraisal. Work with leading experts, pressure-test your projects, and leave with concrete improvements such as preregistration plans, and reproducible code. You’ll also reflect on research values and how to embed credibility from idea to publication. Expect an energizing cohort, practical tools you can use immediately, and a lasting community committed to raising the impact and relevance of management research.

Summerschool Legal Constructions of Race in the Netherlands

Why does racial discrimination and inequality remain a problem in modern society? By now, most people accept that the idea that ‘race’, when used to describe people, is not a biological fact, but a social construct. However, explaining how this social construction works in practice can be difficult. This course aims to remedy that difficulty. Using the Netherlands as a case study, it provides historical context and concrete examples of how ‘race’ has functioned as a legal concept throughout history and how laws regulating race have adapted to the postcolonial, some say even post-racial world. By examining how race is enacted through laws in different eras and territories, we will get to the central question of why racial inequality and discrimination persist.

Summerschool Unlocking the Mysteries of Neurodegenerative Diseases: Advances in Research, Diagnosis, and Treatment

This two week-long summer school aims to provide a comprehensive, interdisciplinary understanding of neurodegenerative diseases, blending scientific rigor with practical applications. By engaging with cutting-edge research, real-world case studies and practical labtours, participants will gain invaluable insights into the complexities of neurodegenerative diseases, preparing them to contribute meaningfully to care and research. In addition, students will obtain valuable skills in critical and constructive thinking. Also, students will learn how to translate obtained knowledge and ideas into a high-quality presentation with students from various backgrounds.

Summerschool Statistical Methods for Causal Inference

This course provides a hands-on introduction to statistical methods for causal inference. Over two weeks, students are introduced to experimental and quasi-experimental methods which allow them to infer cause-and-effect relationships robustly. We teach these methods from both a theoretical and applied lens, supplementing lectures with hands-on computer tutorials in the R programming language to help students learn by doing.
Course VU Graduate Winter School

Summerschool Hybrid Warfare and Peacebuilding in Countries Influenced by the Soviet Legacy

Course VU Graduate Winter School The course provides students with a comprehensive understanding of political, social, and military conflicts in states influenced by the Soviet legacy, including former Soviet republics and states of the former Warsaw Treaty Organization. It explores their historical roots, geopolitical implications, and the role of international actors. It explores their historical roots, geopolitical implications, and the role of international actors. The course focuses on key contemporary cases such as the Russian–Ukrainian war, the Armenia–Azerbaijan conflict, and the ongoing tensions in Moldova, Georgia, and other tensions caused by Russian hybrid influence.

Social activities highlights

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Summer School courses about sustainability

Explore the challenges of sustainability with VU Amsterdam's summer courses. Learn about climate change, environmental policy, and more. Apply now!

Summer School courses about politics

Explore the fascinating world of politics with VU Amsterdam's summer courses. With politics on the agenda, we have you covered. Apply Now!

Summer school courses about psychology

Explore the human mind with an intensive summer psychology course

Summer School courses about law and society

Explore a variety of legal issues, from human rights to environmental law. Learn from experts and gain a new perspective on the world. Apply today!

Summer school courses about health and wellbeing

Deepen your knowledge in health sciences with a short course at VU Amsterdam Summer School

Summer school short courses about Computer Science and AI

Dive into the world of computer science with VU Amsterdam's summer courses. Learn about programming, algorithms, and more. Apply now!

Team VU Amsterdam Summer School

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+31 20 59 86429

Microsoft Teams: by appointment via amsterdamsummerschool@vu.nl

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  • Yota
  • Programme Coordinator
  • Esther
  • International Officer

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