Questions & Answers VU-NT2

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• What is the difference between an evening course and a day course?

  A day course is designed for people who intend to work towards the State Exam Programme II and who want to learn the Dutch language at a fast pace. Therefore, it is strongly recommended to have no other responsibilities.  An evening course is for students and professionals who have a job, for students taking other courses or people involved in other time consuming responsibilities.

• Can I get a visa to study with you?

  Enrollment into our language courses does not entitle you to help from the university with a visa. Please check with the Dutch consulate in your country of origin, but be aware that a language course is usually not considered a reason to give out a visa.

• Can the university help finding accommodation?

  Foreign students intending to enroll into a Bachelor or Master’s programme can get help finding accommodation, but this help is not provided for students taking a language course at VU-NT2.

• How much does a course cost?

  A day course costs €1480,- per course period. This is including study materials. For more information about costs and dates of other types of courses, please go to our course finder.

• Can I get the student fee?

  Students enrolled in a Bachelor's or Master’s programme here at Vrije Universiteit are entitled to the special student fee (Basic Dutch on Campus course). Students at other university's in the Netherlands can pay the regular student fee. Please show us a copy of your student card or make a print screen of your registration when asking for the student fee.

• Are books included in the course price?

  Books for the day course are included in the course price. Books for an evening course or Saturday course are not included. Books can be bought in the university bookstore or on www.bol.com

• I can’t afford the course, can I get a loan/scholarship?

  Please visit the website: www.inburgeren.nl to see if you qualify for a loan. We do not offer scholarships to students doing a language course.

• Can I pay in installments?

  Yes. The course fee can be paid in installments. The first payment should be in our bank account before the course starts. Please contact us regarding the possibilities and dates.

• How will you test my level of Dutch? What can I expect from the intake test?

  An intake test is not a test that you can fail or pass. It is to assess in what level you will benefit the most from our classes. We test your speaking and writing skills.

• I do not agree with the result of the intake test, what can I do?

  The results of the intake test are binding. Professional teachers with years of experience asses your abilities. We follow their judgement.

• What are the requirements to follow a course at VU-NT2?

  Anyone who has completed secondary school that allows entry into University in their country of origin is welcome to join our classes. A good knowledge of English is also required.

• I am not a client yet from UAF nor do I have the DUO loan yet but I did apply, can I study with you?

  You are welcome to register with us, but we cannot allow students to start our course without confirmation from the UAF or from DUO.

• I started the courses but my workload is too much, can I get a refund?

  The work load is mentioned on the website. In addition, all students who take a day course are informed of the workload before the start of the courses during the consultation hours. We do not offer a refund.

• Will I also learn about Dutch culture in your courses?

  Our courses focus on learning the Dutch language. Of course we will discuss certain aspects of Dutch culture during our lessons, but this will have a linguistic motive.

• Why do I have to come to your visiting hours to enroll?

  Anyone considering an intensive daytime course is asked to come to our visiting hours to have a short interview with a teacher. Our courses demand a lot of dedication and motivation, as well as a good understanding of English. We want to be sure that you meet these requirements. To make an appointment for the consultation hours you can call us: 020-5986398 (Monday-Friday 13.00-15.00 hrs.).

• Why should I have to be able to speak and understand English when I want to learn Dutch?

  As we have people from all over the world starting with us, teachers explain in English in the lower levels. Teachers will switch to Dutch as soon as possible.

• How many people are in a class?

  We have maximum of twenty students in our classes.

• Can I switch from a day class to an evening class or vice versa?

  Once enrolled into a course, you cannot switch to another type of course. You may switch to an evening or day course after completing your course, but as the pace of the courses differ considerably, the transition to an evening or a day course may not correspond with the level you currently have. Please ask your teacher or the admin office for advice. If you have a DUO loan or if you are a client of UAF, you can only take part in a day course.

• I have a DUO loan, can I take an evening course?

  Students with a DUO loan are expected to take an intense day course with us. Students can enroll into an evening course, but only if they pay themselves. This is because of administrative reasons and because DUO expects students to complete their courses within a certain time frame.