How to apply to winter school

How to apply

• Application process

  How to apply
  
  First of all, we’re thrilled that you want to apply for one of our courses! 

  To go ahead with your application, it’s as simple as filling out our online application form. When completing the form, please make sure that you: 

  1. Write briefly about your motivations for taking the course. 
  2. Upload your Curriculum Vitae/Résumé in English (the file size mustn’t exceed 1 MB).

  Your CV and motivation will be shared with the lecturers before the start of the course.

  Payment
  After filling out the application form, you will be transferred to a payment page to complete the process. Your admission will be confirmed once we have reviewed your application according to the following factors: entry requirements, availability in the course, and whether or not your payment has been received. 

  Invoice request
  If you or your department wish to pay via an invoice, please request the invoice by contacting us at: graduatewinterschool@vu.nl. You must also fill out the invoice application form.

  Application deadline:

  • 15 December 2025 23:59 CET

  Do you have any questions or concerns? If anything comes up, don’t hesitate to reach out using the following email address: graduatewinterschool@vu.nl.

• Fees and discounts

  Tuition fees

  Online Courses	Courses equivalent to 2 ECTS	Courses equivalent to 3 ECTS	Courses equivalent to 4 ECTS
  Students, PhDs and employees of: - VU Amsterdam  - Amsterdam UMC - UNSDSN Network Partner - Aurora Network Partner	€580	€630	€680
  External students & PhD candidates	€740	€790	€840
  Practitioners	€940	€990	€1,040
  Applications received before 20 October 2025	-€50 Early Bird Discount

  ^{*Auditor participants receive €100 discount. Not available for all courses. Early Bird Discount is not valid on the auditor fee.}

  In Person Courses	Courses equivalent to 2 ECTS	Courses equivalent to 3 ECTS	Courses equivalent to 4 ECTS
  Students, PhDs and employees of:  - VU Amsterdam  - Amsterdam UMC  - UNSDSN Network Partner - Aurora Network Partner	€630	€680	€730
  External students & PhD candidates	€790	€840	€890
  Practitioners	€990	€1,040	€1,090
  Applications received before 20 October 2025	-€50 Early Bird Discount

  ^{*Auditor participants receive €100 discount. Not available for all courses. Early Bird Discount is not valid on the auditor fee.}

  The tuition fee includes: 

  • Application and registration
  • Exclusive course content for a limited number of participants
  • Individual/group guidance from the course organiser
  • Access to all online VU facilities such as the library and online learning environments
  • A certificate of attendance after completing the course
  • A transcript of records, including the grade and equivalent ECTS
  • The full support of the winter school team

  Invoice request
  If you or your department wish to pay via an invoice, please request the invoice by contacting us at: graduatewinterschool@vu.nl.

• Entry requirements

  All courses are taught at the Master's and PhD levels and are suitable for researchers, university staff, practitioners and industry specialists. The general entry requirements are as follows: 

  Master's-level courses:

  • Students must be enrolled in at least the 2^nd year of a master's programme.
  • Practitioners must hold at least a bachelor's degree. 

  PhD-level courses:

  • Participants must be enrolled in at least the 1st year of a PhD programme.

  Individual courses may have additional or specific entry requirements. Be sure to review the admissions criteria listed on the course page of your interest.  

  If there is uncertainty about a participant’s academic level based on the submitted documents, VU Graduate Winter School reserves the right to request additional documentation and/or schedule a video or telephone interview. If you are found to be ineligible for the course, you will receive a full refund.  

• Certified versus auditor participation

  Certified participant: As a certified participant, you will have access to all the lectures and workshops of your winter course. In addition, you will also complete assignments which are graded, so that you can get a certificate for participating in the winter course. Available for all winter school courses.

  Auditor participant: Some courses allow academic audits. As an auditor participant, you will have access to all the lectures and workshops of your winter course for a discounted price (-€100). You will, however, not participate in assignments and will therefore not receive a transcript of records or study credits after completing the course.

• English language requirements

  At VU Graduate Winter School, we do not require proof of English proficiency.

  However, as all courses are taught in English, you are expected to have a strong command of the language to actively participate and follow course content. We recommend a minimum level of B2 on the Common European Framework of References for Languages (CEFR). This is roughly equivalent to a TOEFL iBT score of 92 or an IELTS score of 6.5.

  We do expect you to understand enough of the language to follow classes taught in English. As such, you should have at least a B2 level of English, as developed within the Common European Framework of References for Languages (CEFR). This is comparable to a TOEFL internet test with a score of 92 or an IELTS score of 6.5.

• Cancellation policy

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

  • Cancellation on or before 7 December 2025 (23:59 CET): 100% of the total fee will be refunded
  • Cancellation between 8 December and 12 December 2025 (23:59 CET): 50% of the total fee will be refunded
  • Cancellation after 12 December 2025: no refund will be given

  Please note:

  If VU Amsterdam cancels a course due to insufficient enrollment numbers or other unforeseen circumstances, you will receive a full refund.

• Apply now

  Ready to apply now? Please fill in our winter school application form

  Please be aware that some courses fill up fast and your place can only be confirmed after payment has been made.