Introduction activities for exchange students

Frequently Asked Questions

• General questions

  What is the exchange introduction?

  The exchange introduction is an introduction aimed at getting you familiar with the VU campus, the city of Amsterdam and your fellow students. By participating, you will already know a lot of people before your first lecture (not necessarily from your own programme)!  

  Who is the exchange introduction meant for?

  The exchange introduction is organised for exchange students who will start their degree programme in the first semester of the academic year 2024-2025 and who have completed their previous education abroad. 

  Note: During some activities, you may be grouped with Semester in Amsterdam students in addition to your fellow exchange students. 

  When will the exchange introduction 2024 take place?

  The exchange introduction is scheduled on 21, 22, 23, 26 and 27 August. This includes the Practical Matters Days on Tuesday 20 August and Wednesday 21 August. On Monday 26 August there will be an evening programme in addition to a daytime programme. On Tuesday 27 August there will only be a night programme (closing party). 

  What are the costs?

  The programme/activities are free of charge. Only the tickets for the closing party will cost 5 euro.  

  What additional costs can I expect? 

  You have to take care of food/drinks yourself. Also do not forget about travel costs/expenses to get to campus or to travel in Amsterdam.

  Do I have to attend the whole programme? What if I have other appointments?

  Participation is not mandatory. Moreover, you can sign up per activity. However, we do advise students to fully participate so they can have the best experience in the beginning of their studies. 

  Is there somewhere I can stay overnight?

  We do not arrange sleeping places, but we always make sure the programme ends in time to still be able to take public transport. With exception of the Closing party: when registering, please keep in mind that the closing party starts later, which might affect your travel times if you live outside of Amsterdam.

  How will I get to know the Dutch culture?

  Successful integration into Dutch culture and making our international students feel at home and connected are key values of VU Amsterdam.  In this regard, the exchange introduction is designed to get you off to a good start. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you participate in the entire programme! 
  
  Moving to Amsterdam to continue your academic career at a university abroad is both an exhilarating and perhaps slightly scary experience. After all, you will be alone in an unfamiliar place. We know it can be difficult to know where to go, what to do, how to organise, and what to prioritise. The exchange introduction offered by VU Amsterdam plays a role in offering you a soft landing and preparing you for your new life in Amsterdam. 

• Registration and participation

  Is it mandatory to participate in the exchange introduction?

  No it is not mandatory, but highly recommended! For new international students, this introduction is a fun way to get to know your way around VU Amsterdam and the city better, and to make your first contacts with fellow students. 

  How can I register?

  Exchange students who will start their exchange programme in the first semester of the academic year 2024-2025 will receive a newsletter with registration links via mail around 29 July. The registration via the links in this email will open on 1 August 2PM (CET).  

  Did you not receive the newsletter?   

  1. This could be because you have not yet completed your VU application procedure far enough. So do this as soon as possible! Is your registration at VU Amsterdam fully completed and do you think you belong to this category, but have not yet received an invitation? Then send an email to internationalintroduction@vu.nl  

  Until when can I register?

  Please note that for most activities there are limited spots available. So do not wait too long to register (first come, first served).  

  I registered but want to cancel an activity. How do I arrange this?

  Please do cancel your registration if you are no longer interested in an activity, so your spot becomes available for another student. In this case please cancel by sending an email to internationalintroduction@vu.nl.

  There are no more spots avaiIable for the activity I wanted to attend, what can I do? 

  This is very unfortunate, but we work with limited spots. We do advise you to check the registration links every once in a while as others might cancel and a new spot might become available. 

• Special circumstances

  Religion and the exchange introduction

  VU Amsterdam has traditionally been a university where students from diverse cultures feel at home. We take all religions into account, also during the exchange introduction. 

  I have an allergy, illness or disability; can I participate?

  We will do our best to make this introduction accessible to students with disabilities and/or (chronic) illnesses as well. If you want to be sure, please send an email to internationalintroduction@vu.nl and indicate what we need to take into account or what you need help with. We will be happy to help!

• House rules & privacy policy

  What are the house rules on the VU campus and during the introduction?

  The VU Amsterdam Campus is smoke-free and we have some rules when it comes to dealing with alcohol on campus.

  Furthermore, certain house rules apply during the exchange introduction. Make sure you read the house rules carefully in advance, because if you do not adhere to them, you will be denied access to the activities during the introduction week. 

  What is the privacy policy of the exchange introduction?

  The privacy policy can be found here.