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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)
“Visit all of Amsterdam's museeums. It's worth it!” Read Review
Nordlund, Sweden

174 Language reviews of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

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1 to 20 of 29 
by dewi, Parahyangan University, Bandung, Indonesia
Law, International, Independent
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?
Yes, I wanted to improve my English
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: Did not speak it
My level after: Everyday knowledge (shopping, directions, etc.)
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:
The most difficult thing is that I live in international student flat where thare was no dutch student and since all my courses are in english i really found it a bit hard to improve local language especially almost local people are able to speak english.Aniway, I work as a part timer at the restaurant so i thought...why don't i try to start say things in dutch??!!
This review is the opinion of an iAgora member, and not of iAgora itself
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by Andrea Luigi, LIUC Universitā Cattaneo Castellanza, Castellanza, Italy
Banking, Erasmus
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?
Yes, I wanted to improve my English
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: Everyday knowledge (shopping, directions, etc.)
My level after: At ease in most situations
How much did you improve your local language?
My level before: Everyday knowledge (shopping, directions, etc.)
My level after: At ease in most situations
Personal comments:
if u partecipate at graduate courses, u can have opportunity to improve your communication with your colleagues. At undergraduate courses u could have some problem to find good english among your colleagues
This review is the opinion of an iAgora member, and not of iAgora itself
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by armando, Universidad de las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas, Spain
Business Studies, Erasmus
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?
Yes, I wanted to improve my English
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: Everyday knowledge (shopping, directions, etc.)
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: Did not speak it
Personal comments:
it depend of you, you have to forget the people how belong to your country, it´s the unique solution if you want ro be integrated.
This review is the opinion of an iAgora member, and not of iAgora itself
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by Luis, Instituto Superior de Cięncias do Trabalho e Empresa, Lisbon, Portugal
Business Studies, Erasmus
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?
Yes, I wanted to improve my English
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: Basic phrases
Personal comments:
Dont bother to study dutch language since it is very hard and all the dutch speak the english language very very well
This review is the opinion of an iAgora member, and not of iAgora itself
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by PANAGIOTIS, Panepistimio Patron, Patrai, Greece
Financial Management, Master programme
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?
Yes, I wanted to improve my English
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:
My level after:
How much did you improve your local language?
My level before: Did not speak it
My level after: Basic phrases
Personal comments:
The interaction with another foreign student helps improving my language and communication skills
This review is the opinion of an iAgora member, and not of iAgora itself
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by Roser, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
Financial Management, Erasmus
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?
Yes, I wanted to improve my English
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: At ease in most situations
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: Basic phrases
Personal comments:
I should say I have improved a lot the language of instruction, not just because of the university, but due to social life, given that in the host country and university everybody was able to speak fluent english
This review is the opinion of an iAgora member, and not of iAgora itself
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by UNKNOWN, Instituto Superior de Cięncias do Trabalho e Empresa, Lisbon, Portugal
Management Science, Erasmus
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?
Yes, I wanted to improve my English
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: At ease in most situations
My level after: No problems in any areas (including slang)
How much did you improve your local language?
My level before: Basic phrases
My level after: Basic phrases
Personal comments:
Dutch people speak English really easily therefore I didn't have too many opportunities to pratice Dutch unfortunately.But I didn't have any dificult in socialising in Amsterdam although my few dutch knowledge.
This review is the opinion of an iAgora member, and not of iAgora itself
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by Christoph, Wirtschaftsuniversität Wien, Vienna, Austria
Business Studies, Erasmus
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?
Yes, I wanted to improve my English
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: Basic phrases
Personal comments:
Dutch people talk english very well, no problem in interacting with local people
This review is the opinion of an iAgora member, and not of iAgora itself
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by maria veronica, Externado de Colombia, Bogota, Colombia
Law, International, Independent
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?
Yes, I wanted to improve my English
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: Did not speak it
My level after: Basic phrases
How much did you improve your local language?
My level before: Did not speak it
My level after: Basic phrases
Personal comments:
It was very easy considering that everybody speaks English perfectly
This review is the opinion of an iAgora member, and not of iAgora itself
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by Riana, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
Industrial Relations and Personnel Management, University Agreement
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?
Yes, I wanted to improve my English
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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by Anna, Uniwersytet Wroclawski, Wroclaw, Poland
Business Studies, Erasmus
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?
Yes, I wanted to improve my English
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:
everybody spoke english so there were no communication problems
This review is the opinion of an iAgora member, and not of iAgora itself
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by burak, cukurova university, adana, Turkey
Engineering, Mechanical, Erasmus
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?
Yes, I wanted to improve my English
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:
ı havent yet been in host country and university
This review is the opinion of an iAgora member, and not of iAgora itself
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by lionelhutz, Karl Franzens Universität Graz, Graz, Austria
Law, Erasmus
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: Dutch
Local language was: Different than language of instruction.
Was learning Dutch a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my Dutch
Was learning the local language a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my knowledge
How much did you improve your Dutch?
My level before: At ease in most situations
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:
defenitely supported my language skills; learning dutch in amsterdam is almost impossible, since everyone speaks english there and people dont answer you in dutch when you try to ask them in dutch
This review is the opinion of an iAgora member, and not of iAgora itself
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by Valentina, Universitā di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
Marketing and Sales Management, Erasmus
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?
Yes, I wanted to improve my English
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: Everyday knowledge (shopping, directions, etc.)
My level after: No problems in any areas (including slang)
How much did you improve your local language?
My level before: Everyday knowledge (shopping, directions, etc.)
My level after: No problems in any areas (including slang)
Personal comments:
At the end of the second month I could speak fluently,and understand the lessons .And could joke with people,like in italian
This review is the opinion of an iAgora member, and not of iAgora itself
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by Pär, Lunds Universitet, Lund, Sweden
Business Studies, Erasmus
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?
Yes, I wanted to improve my English
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:
My level after:
How much did you improve your local language?
My level before:
My level after:
Personal comments:
Dutch speak English very well so it is not difficult for a Swedish person to get around in Holland. I was very disappionted though that the Dutch language course was already full.
This review is the opinion of an iAgora member, and not of iAgora itself
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by vernesa, Södertörns Högskola, Stockholm, Sweden
Business Studies, Erasmus
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?
Yes, I wanted to improve my English
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: Did not speak it
Personal comments:
Level of english language is as known very good in Amsterdam and I didn't have any problems with communication.
This review is the opinion of an iAgora member, and not of iAgora itself
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by Hubert, Wirtschaftsuniversität Wien, Vienna, Austria
Marketing and Sales Management, Erasmus
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?
Yes, I wanted to improve my English
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: At ease in most situations
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: Basic phrases
Personal comments:
got better but pronunciation could be better
This review is the opinion of an iAgora member, and not of iAgora itself
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by Raul, San Buenaventura, Cali, Colombia
Law, International, Master in Law (LL.M.)
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?
Yes, I wanted to improve my English
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: At ease in most situations
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:
Although in The Netherlands the official language is Dutch, everybody, or most people, to say, speaks english.
This review is the opinion of an iAgora member, and not of iAgora itself
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by Matteo, LIUC Universitā Cattaneo Castellanza, Castellanza, Italy
Business Studies, Erasmus
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?
Yes, I wanted to improve my English
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: Everyday knowledge (shopping, directions, etc.)
My level after: At ease in most situations
How much did you improve your local language?
My level before: Did not speak it
My level after: Did not speak it
Personal comments:
I was going out with many british and scandinavian people and this helped me in learning the language.
This review is the opinion of an iAgora member, and not of iAgora itself
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by David, Göteborgs Universitet, Gothenburg, Sweden
Business Studies, Erasmus
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?
Yes, I wanted to improve my English
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: Basic phrases
Personal comments:
Most dutch people speaks very good english and do not seem to mind speeking english with a foreigner.
This review is the opinion of an iAgora member, and not of iAgora itself
Was this review useful?   Yes · No