Other possibilities to study abroad

Other possibilities to study abroad

• Internship abroad

  During your studies you have the possibility to do an internship abroad. You are responsible for arranging an internship yourself. Unfortunately, VU International Office does not facilitate any internships, but you can enquire at your programme or faculty about the possibilities. Some faculties have an internship coordinator. For more information, please check your study guide.

  Please pay attention to the following:

  • Once you have arranged your internship, you will need to register this in My Dashboard. 
  • Please carefully go over our International Travel Policy.
  • For some internships, VU International Office can arrange a scholarship for you. Within Europe, this will be the Erasmus+ scholarship for internships, and outside Europe it will be a Fondsendesk scholarship. More information about scholarships can be found here. You can apply for a scholarship in My Dashboard, in the same place where you registered your internship.
  • Also have a look at this page, where you can find more information on internships and graduation projects. 

• Internships in the Valley - USA

  Internships in the Valley 2023 is now open for applications! The program is a unique collaboration by the 13 Dutch research universities (also VU Amsterdam) and the Dutch consulate in San-Francisco to generate internship opportunities for Master and PhD students from the Netherlands. When you get accepted for the program, you receive access to:

  • Training about work life and applying for jobs in the US.
  • Internships through the consulate business network and live webinars from Silicon Valley professionals.
  • Support with contract negotiations and taxes.
  • Support with their J-1 visa application procedure (which makes you attractive for US employers)

  Learn more about the program on 23 Nov and 1 Dec 2022:

  • Info and Q&A session, 23 Nov, 17-18u CET: https://www.eventbrite.nl/e/internships-in-the-valley-program-info-session-qa-tickets-460641931417
  • Webinar ‘Learn From The Insiders’, 1 Dec, 18-19u CET: https://www.eventbrite.nl/e/internships-in-the-valley-2023-learn-from-the-insiders-tickets-460653636427?aff=ebdssbdestsearch

  For questions email to: internshipsinthevalley@vu.nl. Follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for the latest updates.

• International experience at home - Buddy programme at VU Amsterdam

  VU International Office organises a buddy programme, in cooperation with the Erasmus Student Network VU Amsterdam (ESN VU Amsterdam). As a buddy, you will be matched to 3-5 international students. You will be expected to answer the student’s questions about what it’s like to study at VU Amsterdam and you can partake in social activities with your international students. It will improve your language skills, you will learn to communicate with students from different countries and you will make friends from all over the world! Would you like to know more about the buddy programme? 

• International experience at home - VU Amsterdam Summer School

  Are you looking for an opportunity to build an international network in the field of your study, do you miss, or do you want extra ECTS, do you want to expand your CV or deepen your knowledge about a certain topic?  Join VU Amsterdam Summer School!
  
  VU Amsterdam has had its own summer school. During the months of July and August you can follow 2-week multidisciplinary courses that cover a wide range subjects. Along with the international students, VU Amsterdam students are also very welcome. As VU Amsterdam-student you even get a discount on all courses!
  
  All courses are small in size (max. 25 students), and very intensive. Check the VU Amsterdam Summer School website for the full programme and other details.

• Summer or winter school abroad - Study abroad for a shorter time

  Instead of going abroad for a whole semester, you can do a short programme abroad during summer (a so-called Summer School) or winter (a so-called Winter School). This is also a great opportunity for students in the first or second year to already gain international experience and earn extra ECTS at the same time. Most universities offer Summer Schools from 2 to 6 weeks in many different subject areas and for a broad range of prices. The VU also has 4 exchange Summer School partners in London, Los Angeles, Singapore and Seoul, where you have the chance to follow courses with a tuition fee waiver. Next to these 4 exchange Summer Schools, there are also many other partner universities that offer Summer or Winter Schools and sometimes, you can get a discount for them if you apply via VU International Office.

  For more information on Summer Schools and summer exchange possibilities, have a look at this website from the outgoing exchange team. 

  5 Reasons why you should take part in a Summer/ Winter School

  1. You get international and intercultural experience during a short amount of time, which is usually cheaper than a whole exchange semester
  2. You get the chance to study at some of the world’s best universities, some of which don’t offer a normal exchange semester (yet)
  3. You can gain extra credits, which you can get approved for your elective semester
  4. You can follow a course of your particular interest that is not offered at VU Amsterdam or that prepares you for a specific Master’s
  5. You will make your CV stand out from the competition

• Study trips

  Some faculties and/or student associations organise study trips or fieldwork excursions. During these study trips, you will broaden your knowledge abroad, together with your fellow students. For more information, please contact your faculty or a student association.

• Going abroad as a free mover

  Did you not get selected by the VU International Office to spend a semester abroad? Or would you like to study at a university that isn't a partner university of VU Amsterdam? Then you can also choose to go abroad as a free mover. As a free mover, you will arrange and manage the study abroad yourself. You have to contact the university yourself. Please pay attention to the quality of education and the level of the courses. If you want your courses to count towards your degree, you have to get approval for these courses from the Examination Board of your faculty/programme. As a free mover you still need to be enrolled and pay tuition fees at VU Amsterdam. Apart from that, you probably also have to pay tuition fees at your host university.

  Please pay attention to the following:

  • After being accepted at your host university, you have to select the courses you would like to follow. Send an approval request to the Examination Board as soon as possible. It can take up to 6 weeks before you will receive an answer. More information about the Examination Board can be found on this page.
  • Please carefully go over our International Travel Policy.
  • Always register your study abroad in My Dashboard.

• Master's programme abroad

  It is also possible to do a Master's programme abroad. You will need to arrange everything yourself: you will need to find a university yourself, and arrange your application and admission. You will also need to pay tuition fees at this university. 

  Please pay attention to the following:

  • Start to look for a study programme early. Start your search at least a year in advance. A good starting point is mastersportal.com, where you can compare different programmes.
  • You can often ask a professor from your degree programme which universities he or she would recommend. 
  • The foreign university will be able to help you with questions about study programmes, the application procedure, finances, etc.