For hockey and rowing fans, August is firmly circled in the calendar. In Amstelveen, the Hockey World Cup kicks off on Saturday 15 August. But that’s not all: from 24 August, the World Rowing Championship takes place at the Bosbaan in Amsterdam. A large group of VU Amsterdam students and alumni will be giving it their all during these two weeks of thrilling competition.
Sporting ambitions and a university degree needn’t be mutually exclusive. Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam ensures that top student athletes can pursue both, with a tailored package that makes a real difference. It’s no coincidence that more top athletes in the Netherlands study at VU Amsterdam than anywhere else.
Students with NOC*NSF top-performance status, or athletes competing at European or World Championship level, are eligible for VU Amsterdam's official Top Performance status. This opens the door to concrete facilities and support. Through Topsport Amsterdam, top student athletes also have access to Olympic-standard training facilities, sports medical support and, in some cases, affordable accommodation close to their training locations.
Amsterdam as a top-performance sports city
VU Amsterdam also has a great deal to offer in terms of top-performance sports research. We’re part of the Amsterdam Institute of Sport Science (AISS), a collaborative partnership with Amsterdam UMC, HvA end InHolland. The Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences also contributes to a better understanding of how top athletes can improve their performance.
As VU Amsterdam, we’re enormously proud of the participation of our students and alumni in the World Championships in hockey and rowing. During the Hockey World Cup from 15 to 30 August, 14 VU Amsterdam students and alumni will be competing. During the World Rowing Championships from 24 to 30 August, no fewer than 12 VU Amsterdam students and alumni will be showcasing their talent. We wish all participants every success.
On this page, you can read more about combining top-performance sport with studying, how science can be used to enhance performance, and what role our top-performance sports coordinator plays. We demonstrate how our students develop into global citizens – not only through their studies, but also beyond. Because at VU Amsterdam, you don't just become something, but someone.