Application & practical info

If you choose to study in Amsterdam, you will study most of the time in Amsterdam and several days a month in Enschede. That means you regularly will spend consecutive days in Enschede for practicals and tutorials.

Since travelling between Amsterdam and Enschede is on weekdays, we advise Dutch students to choose a student week OV card to travel by train. International students have to take the extra travel expenses into account.

During your studies, you will be in Enschede several consecutive days a month. We would recommend that you spend the night in Enschede then.

More information on this can be found on the webpages for new students.

The International Office of VU Amsterdam will assist you in registering with the municipality. They will also inform you on how to make an appointment with the Health Clinic (for Tuberculosis tests, if needed) and how to arrange your insurance and Dutch bank account.

Dutch students can sign up via the online platform Studentenwoningweb to find housing in Amsterdam. In your registration you can enter that you will be studying at VU Amsterdam and when you get housing allocated, you must be able to prove that you study in Amsterdam for a large part of the time.

For international students, the International Office VU offers accommodation in Amsterdam. More information about this can be found on the website of VU Amsterdam. In order to make use of this, you need to fill out this form.

If you require an entry visa and/or a (new) residence permit, you will be contacted by email to guide you through each step of the process. 

By Dutch law, students cannot apply for a visa themselves. All applications and extensions for (entry) visas, residence permits and Change of Purpose are coordinated by the University of Twente. The Visa Office coordinates the visa applications for bachelor's, master's and exchange students.

Read our website on Visa for more information.

Creative Technology

Please note that for Creative Technology applicants matching activities are obligatory, therefore you will have to apply for the programme before 1 May (completed application with all the required uploads submitted via Osiris). This deadline applies to all students, Dutch and non-Dutch. 

Mechanical Engineering

You will have to apply for Mechanical Engineering before 1 May (completed application with all the required uploads submitted). This deadline applies to all students no matter which educational background they have. Applications after 1 May will be refused. 

To increase their chance of success, Mechanical Engineering applicants need to take part in obligatory matching activities. After your registration, you will receive an invitation to these activities.

From the first day of your studies, you need a notebook with high graphic performance and a powerful processor. You can bring your own device or purchase a new high-end notebook via the annual notebook project of the University of Twente. In this project, we offer selected notebooks for a competitive price, of which we can guarantee that they conform to the requirements of your study programme.

Before the start of the academic year you will be invited to participate in two introduction programmes of VU Amsterdam and UT. The VU Bachelor Introduction Days will take place in Amsterdam on Wednesday 23 August, Thursday 24 August and Friday 25 August 2023. The study-related programme in Enschede will take place from Monday 28 August until Wednesday 30 August 2023. You have to sign up separately for both programmes! Around mid-June you will receive the invitation.

Introduction at VU Amsterdam
You will enjoy the general introduction of VU Amsterdam to become acquainted with the VU campus and Amsterdam City. The focus of these three days is mostly on social and fun activities. During this event you will join introductory, cultural and sports related activities with your mentor group. You will also become acquainted with your study association in Amsterdam. Kliché is the association for Creative Technology and M.E.S.A. 's Gravesande is the association for Mechanical Engineering in Amsterdam.

Kick-in introduction UT
You also have the possibility to get to know your fellow students by participating in the UT Kick-In introduction which will take place on the UT campus. This study-related programme will truly introduce you to the study programme through organisational support and fun activities.

You will receive a useful checklist and help from current students to arrange the last things to get started with your studies, like registering for courses, checking your ICT account etc. You will also be introduced to the study association from your programme in Enschede. S.A. Proto is the association for Creative Technology and W.S.G. Isaac Newton is the association for Mechanical Engineering in Enschede.

Creative Technology

As this programme is new to Amsterdam, there is no association yet. At the University of Twente, there is S.A. Proto, the study association of Creative Technology. As a student of the programme in Amsterdam, you can also benefit from the services of Proto. 

Mechanical Engineering

It can be useful to become a member of the study association of Mechanical Engineering. As this programme is a collaboration between VU Amsterdam and the University of Twente, the study association for this specific study programme is M.E.S.A. 's Gravesande. As a student of the programme in Amsterdam, you can also benefit from the services of W.S.G. Isaac Newton, which is the study association from UT.

Creative Technology

At the University of Twente, you can join S.A. Proto, the study association of Creative Technology, to get a discount. As a student of the programme in Amsterdam, you can also benefit from the services of Proto. 

Mechanical Engineering

During the introduction period, you can buy your study books with a discount via the study association W.S.G. Isaac Newton of UT. You will receive more information about this from W.S.G. Isaac Newton by e-mail during the summer period.

Amsterdam or Enschede? No matter where you study, you will receive your engineering degree from the University of Twente.