Winter School FAQ and cancellation policy

When should I start preparing for the course? 

If a course requires some preparation, then this will be announced with enough time before the course starts. You will be given access to the learning environment in due course, and there you will be able to see what you need to do before the course begins.  

How big are the course groups?  

Most groups will be small, with a maximum of 25 students (some courses allow more people in class). In this way we can guarantee that courses are highly interactive.  

What will my online classes look like? 

For information on the course structure, forms of tuition and assessment, please go to your course page and check the Curriculum tab where you’ll find additional course information. At VU Graduate Winter School we are dedicated to creating inclusive and interactive environments, so you will have plenty of contact hours with your course professors as well as your classmates. 

When and how will I have access to the learning materials?

A few weeks before your course starts you will be given access to our online learning environment where the course organiser will share all of the necessary learning materials. In case your course requires additional preparation, you will be informed about this in due course. 

Can I transfer my credits to my home university? 

For certified participants, at the end of the course, you will receive a transcript of records if you pass the final assessment. This does not apply to auditor participants since they don’t take part in the assessment, and will only receive the certificate of attendance but not the transcript of records. In most cases you will be able to transfer these to your home university, but this depends on their own specific regulations. Make sure to check this with your home university well in advance. All courses are expressed in ECTS-credits according to the European Credit Transfer System. Because some educational systems (such as the American universities) base their credits on contact hours, we have included information about the contact hours in the course descriptions.   

How do European credits (ECTS) relate to credits of my non-European University?

It is useful to consult your home institution about the conversion of ECTS to the credits of your country. Your home institution can take the contact hours into consideration to determine the right number of credits.

Will I receive a certificate of participation?

Yes, once you have completed the course we will send you a certificate of participation. Additionally, if you are a certified participant (instead of an auditor), then you will also receive a transcript of records once your course organiser has sent in all of the grades.

Can I see the course syllabus?

Around October/November we will upload the preliminary course syllabus to the course page, once course the course organisers have shared it with us. For now, you can check the course page, and see if there’s an older version already. Bear in mind that not all courses have this since some are new this year. You can also double check with us by sending us an email. 

Will the classes be recorded? 

Some courses will have pre-recorded lectures that students can access at their own pace, but, due to privacy reasons, the live sessions are not recorded. Please note that not all courses have pre-recorded lectures, if your course does have them, this will be announced on the course webpage or in the course syllabus. 

Can I work while I attend the course? 

You can see on the course webpage the number of contact hours and self-study hours. As you will see, our winter courses are very intense and require full-time dedication. Ultimately, it is up to you to decide, but bear in mind that attendance and participation is required to pass the course and the workload is heavy. 

Are the courses available for people from a different time zone? 

Yes, courses are available for all, but you need to bear in mind that the timetable will be designed around Central European Time. Some courses will take place in the morning, and others in the afternoon evening. You can check for additional course information in the Curriculum tab of the course page to see if there’s some information on class times already, and if not you can send us an email. 

How can I apply and what are the fees?

For all information on the whole application process please go to our application page and our fees and discounts page.

Do you have scholarships available? 

Unfortunately, we do not offer scholarships. 

I am in high school / just finished high school, am I eligible?

Unfortunately not, our programme is only offered to students who are in their first year of Master's with some exceptions made for final-year Bachelor’s students. Requirements differ per course, so please go to the course page of your interest and check the Admissions tab for specific information.

What do I need to participate in an online VU Graduate Winter School course?

You will need your own laptop, camera and internet access. In case your course requires specific software, this will be mentioned in the course webpage. 

I have applied but have not received any official confirmation after my registration. 

It can take up to 5 business days for us to receive and review applications. Please bear in mind that if they payment is not complete, the application will not come through. So, if it’s been more than five days, check that your application was finalized and you can also send us an email.  

When is my admission definite?  

Your admission will be definite once we have reviewed your application based on the entry requirements, availability in the course(s), and once we have received your payment. Your spot in VU Graduate Winter School will not be guaranteed until the payment is made and we have received it.  

Please be aware that courses need a minimum number of participants. Therefore, even when you have been admitted to the programme, it is still possible that the course is cancelled or has reached the maximum capacity. If this situation occurs, then the winter school staff will of course help you find another course or you will be fully reimbursed.   

What's the cancellation policy for VU Graduate Winter School?

If you have been accepted to VU Graduate Winter School and have paid the tuition fee, but due to unforeseen circumstances need to cancel, the following refunds will be given:   

• Cancellation before 30 November (23:59 CET): 100% of the total fee will be refunded 
• Cancellation between 1 December and 4 December (23:59 CET): 50% of the total fee will be refunded 
• Cancellation from 5 December: no refund will be given 

*If VU Graduate Winter School cancels the course because the minimum course participants has not been reached or due to other circumstances, a full refund will be given. 

What are my chances of being accepted? 

If you apply on time and meet the course entry requirements, you have a good chance of being accepted into the programme. Please be aware that your spot in the course is not guaranteed until we receive your payment. We operate on a first come first served basis, so we recommend you apply as soon as possible. This also means that courses may be full before the deadline of 1 December. If so, this will be announced on the website in the course page.

Can I still apply if a course is full or is there a waiting list? 

If you see on a course page that the course is full, you can send us an email asking to be placed on the waiting list.   

How can I pay for VU Graduate Winter School?  

In the application form you will be directed to a payment link. You can pay by Visa credit card or Master credit card. For the following countries it is also possible to pay online by debit card (Maestro): The Netherlands, Belgium, United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, Poland, Russia and Denmark.   

If you wish to pay via an invoice then please request this by sending us an email at graduatewinterschool@vu.nl.  

How can I stay up to date? 

We will send out regular newsletters by email and closer to the start of your course you will receive emails from us more frequently.  

Can I pay in instalments? 

Unfortunately, this is not possible. In order to complete your application and for it to be assessed, the payment needs to be complete. 

If you have been accepted to VU Graduate Winter School and have paid the tuition fee, but due to unforeseen circumstances, need to cancel, the following refunds will be given:

• Cancellation before 30 November (23:59 CET): 100% of the total fee will be refunded
• Cancellation between 1 December and 4 December (23:59 CET): 50% of the total fee will be refunded
• Cancellation from 5 December: no refund will be given

*If VU Amsterdam cancels the course because the minimum course participants have not been reached or due to other circumstances, a full refund will be given.

Our General Terms and Conditions apply when participating in VU Graduate Winter School.