Housing for Semester in Amsterdam students

Housing and Student Accommodation

• General Housing Information

  We offer a limited number of furnished accommodation to Semester in Amsterdam students who apply on time. Although we cannot guarantee housing, during the 2023/2024 academic year, we were able to offer a room to all students who applied on time. Note that rooms reserved for Semester in Amsterdam students must be applied for through your VU Dashboard or your study abroad provider. It's not possible to book one of these rooms directly through the housing providers.

  You are free to contact Hotel Jansen to see if they have extra (guest) rooms available that you can book independently. Hotel Jansen does offer a limited number of guest rooms which are available for shorter periods if you decide you want to extend your semester or arrive early. If you decide to do this, you must book and pay for these rooms yourself - we, unfortunately, cannot help you with this, but the staff of Hotel Jansen is happy to assist. The rooms at Eerste Ringdijkstraat cannot be booked independently.

• Housing Application Procedure and Fees

  Housing Costs 

  Housing costs are not included in tuition fees and are determined by the housing provider. If you are participating through a study abroad provider or partner university, these costs may be paid for you. If you're not sure, please check with your home university or study abroad provider.

  Prices may vary based on room size and location. The housing provider may also require an application fee and a refundable security deposit of up to €1000. Please check with the housing provider for exact details.

  • VU Housing Application Fee: €250 per semester or €500 per academic year
  • DUWO: Eerste Ringdijkstraat: approximately €900 per month (all monthly rental costs included).
  • Hotel Jansen: €1,095.00 per month (all monthly rental costs included).

  Application Procedure and Deadline

  How you apply for housing and whether or not you are required to pay the housing application fee and a monthly rental amount to your housing provider will depend on your home university or study abroad provider. If you are coming through a study abroad provider, they may complete this process for you and pay all of your housing costs. If you're not sure, please check with your study abroad provider or home university. If you are not required to complete this process yourself, there is nothing you need to do. We will contact you about your specific room placement after the cancellation deadline has passed.

  We unfortunately can no longer guarantee housing to all students. However, during the 2023/2024 academic year, we were able to offer a room to all students who applied for housing on time. If you are an individual student or you have been instructed to apply for your own housing, you should submit an application for housing as soon as possible in your VU Dashboard at vu.nl/en/dashboard. 

  Deadlines

  The final deadline for Semester in Amsterdam students to apply for housing is 1 May for the Fall semester and 1 November for the Spring semester, but we encourage you to apply as soon as your programme application has been accepted and you are enrolled.

  After you submit your housing application, you will be asked to pay the housing fee. You are required to pay the housing fee to complete your housing application. This fee is separate from the rent you pay to the housing corporation and covers the services offered by the VU housing team. All students who wish to be allocated housing through VU Amsterdam are required to pay this fee. The housing fee is completely refundable if you cancel your housing before the final cancellation deadline.

• Locations and Room Types

  DUWO: Eerste Ringdijkstraat

  The housing at Eerste Ringdijkstraat is comprised of private studios (25.3 m²– 29.2 m²) with private bathrooms and kitchens. The studios are located close to the city centre (near Amstel Station) and about 20 minutes by bike from the VU Amsterdam Campus. All studios come fully furnished and include a linen/duvet and kitchen package.

  The housing at Eerste Ringdijkstraat is managed by the student housing company DUWO and is located here. 

  Hotel Jansen: Private room with ensuite bathroom and shared kitchen

  Hotel Jansen is an all-inclusive short-stay hotel for students in Amsterdam. The hotel is located near the city center, museums, clubs, parks and much more! All rooms are fully furnished and uniquely designed with a comfortable bed, wardrobe, fridge, coffee machine, water cooker, and an ensuite bathroom. 

  Hotel Jansen has many additional facilities including the use of the spacious and fully equipped Club Room, which functions as a living room and self-catering kitchen, and access to a cleaning service, a fully equipped laundry facility, and the restaurant Mama's where they serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

  You can find more information on Hotel Jansen's website. We also made a route description from Schiphol airport to Hotel Jansen.

• Finding Your Own Housing

  Note that housing options in Amsterdam are limited and there is a housing shortage. If you decide not to apply for student housing, it’s unlikely that we will still have a room for you later on. For this reason, if you do not have friends and family in Amsterdam, we strongly suggest you apply for a room through VU Amsterdam before the housing deadline has passed.

  If you do decide to search for your own housing, please keep the following in mind:

  • Affordable housing in Amsterdam is hard to find. Begin your search early.
  • Consider searching in nearby towns such as Zaandam, Almere, Purmerend, Haarlem, or Hoofddorp.
  • Be aware that scams are unfortunately common. Be especially vigilant when searching for accommodation on social platforms (such as Facebook or Kamernet). Check our page for information and tips on how to avoid housing scams. If an offer seems too good to be true, it probably is!
  • On the Facebook page of the ISN (International Student Network), you can meet other students who are looking for a room.

  When looking for housing, you may consider searching the following websites:

  • Kamer.nl - helps students find rooms, studios, and apartments. You can create a profile with your required specifications and receive email alerts for relevant properties. 
  • Kamernet -  a popular housing search website used for short-term rentals. A fee is required to respond to advertisements.
  • Housing Anywhere - a housing platform for students with mid and long-term accommodation options.
  • ASVA Student Union - offers a selection of rooms for rent. In addition, they offer free juridical advice.
  • KamersAmsterdam -  (in Dutch only) offers affordable, student-friendly rooms in Amsterdam.
  • Hotel Jansen - In addition to the rooms reserved specifically for Semester in Amsterdam students, Hotel Jansen sometimes has extra rooms available that can be booked independently.  
  • Pararius and Funda - popular housing websites with apartments to buy and rent. However, most of these apartments will likely require documented income.

  In this PDF you can find more information and additional housing options.

  *VU Amsterdam cannot be held responsible for the services offered by providers of alternative accommodation. Please see the link above for tips to avoid scams before signing a rental contract and paying housing fees.

• Terms and Conditions

  Please note that if you wish to receive housing through VU Amsterdam, you must agree to the following terms and conditions:

  • We unfortunately cannot guarantee housing to every applicant
  • Your housing contract is for a fixed period
  • It is not possible to shorten your contract
  • You will only receive one housing offer
  • The VU housing fee is required of all students who receive housing and is non-refundable
  • Your name and contact information will be shared with the housing provider
  • It is not possible to request a specific housing location or building