Practical Matters for Semester in Amsterdam students

Find all the information you need on the webpage Visa information for Semester in Amsterdam students.

It is important to be properly insured during your time in the Netherlands. Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam requires all incoming international students to be properly insured by an internationally recognized insurance agency for the duration of their stay. This is also required by Dutch law. Your insurance policy should cover all costs related to sudden illness, accident, or death.

To simplify the business of arranging suitable insurance during your time in the Netherlands, it is advisable to consult your insurance company and explain that you will be studying abroad for a semester or an entire academic year. 

If your insurance company is unable to meet your needs, then we advise you to reach out to our preferred supplier Aon Student Insurance. It is advised to arrange insurange before you arrive in the Netherlands. More information about the Aon Student Insurance and other possible insurances can be found here.

AON student insurance will also host an online webinar in the Fall. Please check back for more details this summer.

You will receive a student card after completing your application and uploading a photo. 

When & where can I pick up my student card?

If you have not yet picked up your student card, you can do so at the Student Desk.

What do I need to bring when picking up the student card?

To collect your student card, you will need to show the notification and a valid ID. Your student card is not required to attend your classes. The Student Desk will hold onto your card until you collect it.

What if my card is not there?

If you haven’t uploaded a photo that meets the requirements, please do so as soon as possible (see Upload your photo). 

If you are not yet fully enrolled, your card will not be issued. Once you are fully enrolled and your picture meets the criteria, the Student Desk will request your card. You will receive an email when your student card is ready to be picked up.

If you have any questions, please contact the Student Desk.

Deadline to Submit Documents:

Academic accommodations at VU Amsterdam are offered to students with a disability who provide official documentation from a psychologist or health care provider. In order to receive academic accommodations, you must apply and submit official documentation before the start of the semester. Students with a disability are understood to include students with a physical disability or chronic illness as well as students with dyslexia and psychiatric disabilities. 

To submit documentation, you should login to your VU Dashboard, select the small profile icon on the upper-right  side of your screen, click "My Profile" and then scroll down to "Disabilities." Then click “Show and Manage Disabilities” to submit an application and upload documentation.

The most common academic accommodation offered is extra time for exams, which is a standard amount of 30 minutes. Additional accommodations or facilities, such as the use of a (faculty) laptop or a private room are only awarded in rare circumstances. Students may also be able to arrange additional accommodations with their professors on a case-by-case basis. We encourage you to contact your professors directly about this in advance. 

Amsterdam is one of the most bicycle-friendly cities in the world. In fact, there are more bicycles than people! It should then come as no surprise that cycling is by far the most frequently used transportation method by the locals. With an extensive network of cycling lanes, bicycle parking, and even traffic lights specifically for bicycles, there is no better place to cycle than in the Netherlands. Additionally, although public transport is very efficient in Amsterdam, it can be fairly expensive, which is why we strongly recommend our students to travel by bike.

You may wish to make use of Swapfiets! The word fiets translates to bicycle in Dutch (a very important word in the Netherlands). Swapfiets is named after the concept of bicycle swapping. How does it work?  You pay a monthly fee in exchange for a reliable bike and full support services. If your bike needs maintenance, gets stolen, or you have a flat tire, Swapfiets promises to replace your bike within 12 hours. They'll even come to you! If they can't fix your bike within 15 minutes, then they'll swap it for a new one until your bike can be repaired.

Swapfiets may sell out or have a waiting list, so we recommend that you arrange this in advance if possible. Alternatively, you can of course choose to buy a bike after your arrival in Amsterdam.

Still not sure? Check out the Expat's Guide to Buying a Bicycle.

The Declaration of Registration (also known as Proof of Enrolment) is an official document that proves you are registered and enrolled as a student at VU Amsterdam. Once you are fully enrolled, you can download a digital copy using this link. This also serves as your proof of acceptance.

You will first need to log in with your VU ID and password.

If you are required to complete an immigration process for your Semester in Amsterdam, you are also required to have your biometrics (fingerprint, photo, and signature) taken either before arrival (MVV students) or at a local Dutch Immigration office after arrival. The student immigration team will inform you about this after you have submitted your application for a visa and/or residence permit.

Please be aware that you are also required to pick up the physical permit that is your residence permit.  You will be notified by e-mail after arrival once it is ready.  

**If you never pick up the physical card which is your residence permit, you risk an entry ban to the Netherlands. Please make sure to pick up your residence permit within 90 days and take this with you if you travel outside of the Netherlands before your departure date.

Shortly after you have arrived in the Netherlands, you must register with the correct municipality. All individuals living in Amsterdam for more than 4 months are strictly required to register with the municipality (including Dutch and EU residents). Furthermore, you must register with the municipality in order to receive a BSN number. You need a BSN number to work and open a bank account.

When registering with the municipality, please make sure to bring your passport, proof of enrollment, and a copy of your signed housing contract. Equally important, before you leave the Netherlands, you must de-register with the municipality. You should make an appointment to do this before leaving Amsterdam (if you have a DigiD you can do this online).

Here you can find information about the documents you will need during your appointment to register. You can find more information about registering with each specific municipality via the links below. If you will be living in student accommodation, Hotel Jansen is located in the municipality of Amsterdam and Our Campus/Our Domain is located in the municipality of Diemen.

• Amsterdam: Hotel Jansen 
• Diemen: Our Campus/Our Domain 

Making an Appointment with a Doctor

Before you can make an appointment, you need to register with a local GP. We recommend doing this as soon as possible after arrival. In the Netherlands, your GP (general practitioner) is your first point of contact for all medical problems except true emergencies. If you need to see a specialist, you must first make an appointment with a GP to get a referral. You can make an appointment with a GP over the phone, and in some cases online or by email. You can also request advice over the phone. 

You should always bring a valid photo ID and valid proof of insurance with you to your doctor appointments.  

Please consult this document to find a doctor near you.

Arrange Prescriptions in Advance

Please be aware that the Netherlands may have different customs and regulations than you are used to regarding the prescription of medicine. For this reason, it is important that you make plans in advance to get any needed prescriptions while you are abroad.

Medical Documents and History

You should bring any needed medical documents of your medical history with you so that you can share this with your new doctor. This enables the doctor to assess your medical history and will help you to accurately communicate about any medical conditions or problems you may have. 

We recommend that all non-EU students open a Dutch bank account as not all places accept Visa and Mastercard and you may need an IBAN number for bank transfers and certain services.  

Here you can find more information about opening a bank account.

Students of VU Amsterdam have a personal account on VU.nl, the university's study portal. You will receive VU.nl access after acceptance to the Semester in Amsterdam program as well as a VUnet-ID to log in and access university IT services such as a student email account, Wifi, printing and selected software.

You can access your VU student email by logging in to your VU Dashboard with your VU login details. To find your student email address, click on the Account icon in the top-right corner. In the menu that appears, select ‘My Profile’. Here you will see your student email address. You can login to your VU student email account either via Outlook.office.com or via the E-mail buton in your VU Dashboard. 

Please consult the IT Serviceportal page for students for more information on how to arrange your IT matters and the contact details of the IT Service Desk.

For questions about IT or internet service in your student accommodation, please contact your housing provider.

You should not count on finding an additional source of income to finance your study abroad. If you are a non-EU student, there are strict limitations to how many hours you can work and you must have a valid work permit. Your employer must apply for this permit on your behalf.

How many hours am I allowed to work in the Netherlands?
If you have an EU/EEA or Swiss passport, then you are permitted to work in the Netherlands without limitation. If this is not the case, you are only permitted to work a maximum of 16 hours per week averaged throughout the year or else full-time during the summer months of June, July, and August. Your employer must apply for a work permit.

Do I have to pay income tax if I work in the Netherlands?
Under Dutch law, everyone who works in the Netherlands is obliged to pay income tax to the Dutch government. However, the rules may be different if you are already paying income tax in your home country and that country has signed a treaty with the Netherlands that income tax is only to be paid in one of the two countries. All EU member states have signed such a treaty.

What does the Dutch government do for international students working in the Netherlands?
The Dutch government has a comprehensive system of social security, insurance, and tax measures related to working in the Netherlands.

More information can be found on the Nuffic website Working While Studying. There is also a factsheet on international students and part-time jobs (pdf).

Cycling in Amsterdam

With more than 880,000 bicycles - four times the number of cars - Amsterdam is a city of bikes. With an extensive network of cycle lanes, bicycle parking, and specific traffic lights for cyclists, Amsterdam is truly the most bicycle-friendly city in the world. Everything in Amsterdam is within biking distance and, as you may know, the Netherlands is flat, which makes biking long distances easy. Most students arriving for the first time in Amsterdam find that either renting (via Swapfiets) or buying a (second-hand) bike is both an affordable way to travel between home and study, as well as a great way of getting to know the city and the surrounding area.

While cycling in Amsterdam is fun and an essential part of Dutch culture, it is not without risk. Check out this handy guide before cycling in Amsterdam.

Feeling adventurous? The best way to see the Netherlands is by bike, and long-distance cycling and day trips are common. Sound too intense? Consider renting an e-bike for the weekend! Check out Holland Cycling Routes for more information about cycling tourism in the Netherlands.

Public transport in Amsterdam

The Netherlands has an extensive public transportation network consisting of trams, metro services, buses, ferries, and trains. NS is the national train company in the Netherlands and GVB is the local transportation company in Amsterdam. 

Check-In and Check-Out System
To pay for your ticket you can scan either an OV-chipkaart, your debit card, credit card or mobile pay on the readers located at the station or on the vehicle. It is very important that your remember to check both in and out. This can be done by holding the card against the reader present on platforms (for trains and metro) and on board the vehicle (for buses and trams). You must also check in and out when changing to a different line or mode of transport. Don’t forget to check out! If you forget to check out, you will be charged extra costs.

9292.nl
If you have a smartphone, the app 9292 (available in English) is a convenient way of planning your journey.

• 9292 at the iOS App Store
• 9292 at the Google Play Store

You might consider bringing some cash for the first day, just in case of emergencies, but you can also pull out cash upon arrival from one of the many ATMs in the airport and all over the city. Major credit and debit cards are accepted in most shops and restaurants, but not all supermarkets. 

Keep in mind that most ticket machines for the tram and metro do not accept cash and some shops, such as many popular grocery stores, do not accept cards without a V-Pay or Maestro logo. It is for this reason that we recommend opening a Dutch bank account after arrival.

Apart from housing, you should consider the following costs per month:

Before arriving in Amsterdam, we recommend requesting a Dutch SIM card online at Lebara. This SIM card is usually free and allows you to add credit for calling, texting, and internet data. It is easy to download the app for iOS or Android and to top up credit on your phone. The SIM card can be used in all EU countries without extra costs. Alternatively, you can pick up a SIM card at one of the many supermarkets or other shops around the city after arrival.

We do recommend that you check to make sure your phone is not SIM-locked before arrival. If it is locked, you may want to purchase a cheap sim-free phone for your semester abroad, or else pay to have the phone unlocked before departure.

Weather in the Netherlands is generally pretty moderate, meaning the winters are not too cold and the summers are not too hot. But it can also be unpredictable, so it's a good idea to plan for weather of all seasons, and definitely some rain.

Here you can find a list of useful weather apps.

For issues such as study progress, motivation, family matters, adjusting to life in the Netherlands, discrimination, or disputes with lecturers, students can contact one of the student counselors.

We have also set up a new Student Wellbeing platform including links to mental health resources, financial support, physical and mental healthcare for international students, academic assistance, and more.

For students struggling to meet other students, we encourage you to join one of the many non-faculty student associations and the international student association, ESN. 

Amsterdam is consistently ranked one of the safest cities in the world by the Economist Safe City Index. Of course, life can also be unpredictable, so it's a good idea to familiarize yourself with the city emergency numbers in advance.

In case of a true emergency, always first call 112, the national emergency helpline. An ambulance, member of the fire department, or police will be dispatched to help you. 112 is the European emergency helpline, equivalent to 911 in the United States or 999 in the United Kingdom. It is valid in all EU member countries.

• EU Emergency Number: 112
• Police Non-Emergency Number: 0900 8844
• Anonymous Tip-Line to Report Crimes: 0800 7000
• Safety and Security at VU Amsterdam
• City-Wide Emergency Services and Healthcare Helplines

In the event of theft or loss of personal or university property, please contact the VU Amsterdam security staff at +31 (0) 20 59 85854.

Have you lost something in the city of Amsterdam or Diemen? You can check the municipality's Lost and Found page. When found, items are posted within 3 working days.