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Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Vrije University, De Boelelaan 1105, 1081 Hv Amsterdam, THE Netherlands
3.86 / 5 based on 174 reviews.

Reviews
International Partners
Programmes
Accreditations
89% of students recommend
174 reviews
Housing
3.5/5
 All experiences (174)
Student life
4.4/5
 5 stars (30)
Academic
4.0/5
 4 stars (90)
Languages
4.1/5
 3 stars (48)
Expenses
3.1/5
 2 stars (6)
Overall
4.4/5
 1 star (0)
“Invest in a bicycle to save on travel costs Buy a museum card if you intend to stay for longer than 6 months” Read Review
rianavandenbergh, South Africa

5 5-star reviews of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

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1 to 1 of 5 
Review by Riana, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
Industrial Relations and Personnel Management, University Agreement
HOUSING    
Personal assessment
Cost
KEY:
Couldn't have asked for more.
Pretty good.
Could've been better, but didn't lessen the overall experience.
Disappointing.
Facilities
Location
Cleanliness
Space
Type of housing: On campus
Arranged by: Host university
If returning, I would choose: On campus
Why? I lived in a student commune, all international Master's students. Together we built friendships, learnt Dutch culture and established a social network.
Personal comments:
The Housing was very good. All the facilities one could hope for were available - internet, cable TV, bedding. As an international student I find that it was absolutely the best one could ask for.
This review is the opinion of an iAgora member, and not of iAgora itself
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STUDENT LIFE    
Personal social experience
Activities
KEY:
Amazing! Hardly had time to study.
Plenty to do when I had the time.
So-so.
Did not get involved.
Nightlife
Travel
Overall
Describe host city: Students equally interact with the local and student community
Activities: Takes place mostly within the university/student environment
Nightlife, Travel: Takes place both within and outside of the university/student environment
Personal comments:
Tjing-Tjing South African Restaurant in Amsterdam Bazar North African Restaurant in Albert Cuyp street - great food, great vibe Cafe Uilenstede - excellent karaoke and student atmosphere Not to be missed: The Dom Tower in Utrecht
This review is the opinion of an iAgora member, and not of iAgora itself
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ACADEMIC    
My academic experiences
Quality of courses
KEY:
Fantastic.
Pretty good.
Could've been a bit better.
Disappointing.
Variety of courses
Availability/access to resources
Interaction with teachers
Interaction with other international students
Interaction with local students
Course recommendations:



My opinion of the university assessment
Exams at end of course
KEY:
Liked it.
It was alright.
A bit annoying.
Didn't like it.
Exams throughout the course
Essays and/or projects at the end of course.
Essays and/or projects throughout the course
Overall
Personal comments:
none

This review is the opinion of an iAgora member, and not of iAgora itself
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Language difficulties
Social
KEY:
No problems.
I coped pretty well.
Sometimes it was difficult.
It was a constant struggle.
Educational
Administrative / Institutional
Overall
Language of instruction: English
Local language was: Different than language of instruction.
Was learning English a key decision factor?
No, it wasn't.
Was learning the local language a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my knowledge
How much did you improve your English?
My level before: No problems in any areas (including slang)
My level after: No problems in any areas (including slang)
How much did you improve your local language?
My level before: Did not speak it
My level after: Everyday knowledge (shopping, directions, etc.)
Personal comments:
I found that one can get along with English fairly well in The Netherlands, but as Afrikaans my native tongue is close to Dutch, I could understand Dutch very quickly.
This review is the opinion of an iAgora member, and not of iAgora itself
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EXPENSES    
The accessibility of student needs
Second-hand text books
KEY:
Very easy.
Minimal effort.
Accessible but required effort.
Almost impossible.
Second-hand household items
Computers / Internet
Administrative
Money from home
Main source of funding:
A private grant
Other sources of funding:
Personal savings
Work opportunities:
I worked during my study abroad experience
Personal spending habits:
Terrible Exchange Rate!!! Living costs are higher in Europe than in South Africa
Food, Travel, Nightlife, Overall, Telephone: was more expensive than at home.
Housing: was the same price as at home.
Personal comments:
none
This review is the opinion of an iAgora member, and not of iAgora itself
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OVERALL    
Important to choosing this university...
Academic reasons
KEY:
Very Important.
Important.
Not really important.
Unimportant.
Culture
Costs
Activities
Campus life
Party / people
Weather / Location
I wish I had known...
How to work the Metro system!
In my opinion:
Everybody loved it, you will too!



During my experience abroad, I ...
Became familiar with another culture
KEY:
Happened all the time.
Happened quite a lot.
Happened a bit.
Didn't happen.
Traveled
Improved language skills
Met people from other countries
Became more independent
Partied a lot
Experienced a change in life
Advanced my studies/career
Personal recommendation:
The Vrije Universiteit is an excellent University, with a great Erasmus programme. The International Student Society really goes out of their way to make your experience unique and fun.



FINAL COMMENTS

Invest in a bicycle to save on travel costs Buy a museum card if you intend to stay for longer than 6 months
This review is the opinion of an iAgora member, and not of iAgora itself
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