History
VU stands for Vrije Universiteit, which translates literally as Free University. Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam was the first university in the Netherlands established in 1880 by Abraham Kuyper, with no interference from the church or the state. This heritage is still very much part of who they are.
Education
For more information about our (upcoming) open days and webinars please visit https://vu.nl/en/education/more-about/vu-master-s-event
Research
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam is consistently listed among the world’s top universities in various rankings; is located in one of the most dynamic and fast growing business districts in the Netherlands; is a modern campus university with student housing just a five-minute bike ride away; helps you with housing, visas and the administrative side of studying in the Netherlands; offers an international environment. A quarter of the students in our English-taught programmes come from abroad;provides high-quality education in small and highly interactive classes.
Career
The overview of vacancies gives you a list of current vacancies at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. This list is continually updated so you can always see what is currently available. They therefore advise you to visit the website regularly to see whether a suitable vacancy has been posted for which you may submit an application. If no vacancies are available, you may send an open application to the faculty or department you are interested in, enclosing your profile. An application for a specific vacancy is however preferable.
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam Key Statistics & Highlights
- #151 Ranking
- 205 Masters
- 60 Scholarships
- 24,000 Students
- 4,088 Students (int'l)
- Public Institution Type
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam Overview
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam Scholarships
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam Scholarships
Below you will find scholarships related to Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. Distinction can be made between scholarships provided by the University and those provided by independent providers.
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Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam Student Reviews & Awards
Based on 100 reviews
- 5 Star 37 Reviews
- 4 Star 49 Reviews
- 3 Star 11 Reviews
- 2 Star 1 Review
- 1 Star 2 Reviews
How Students Rated This University
- Overall Satisfaction 4.0
- Student Diversity 4.1
- Admission Process 4.3
challenging
My experience was highly challenging because, during the research, I encountered many questions. This led me to deepen my investigation and reading, which in turn enabled me to introduce flexibility into my research methodology and gain a better understanding of the research process.
Courses are interesting.
University life is quite nice Student accommodation for the first year is really nice and an amazing experience to live as a young adult. But the house market here is really bad, especially for students.
Accessible VU With Easy Commute
The VU is a nice place to study. I'm glad I chose this uni. The atmosphere is great, though it can be quite busy at times. Besides maybe the lack of comfortable seating in most classrooms, I enjoyed going to campus to study. Also worth mentioning, it is very easily accessible when travelling by public transport. That was definitely a huge plus for me. The bus I took to get to uni stopped in front of the door, and the train station was a 5-10 min walk.
Global Student Satisfaction Awards 2025
The Global Student Satisfaction Awards empower students across the globe to determine the best universities of 2025. Universities with a score above 4.0 (out of 5) in any of the 7 award categories, receive Badges of Excellence. Congratulations!
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Overall SatisfactionHow would you rate your overall study experience?
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Student DiversityHow diverse was the atmosphere at your university?
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Admission ProcessHow simple was it to apply to your programme?
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam Rankings
Study Portals Meta Ranking
Studyportals ranking look at the scores of the most used ranking systems and present you with one number of how well this University performs.
Academic Ranking of World Universities
By Shanghai Jiao Tong University
The university hasn’t moved up or down in the rankings over the past year.
ARWU World University rankings is the first world university ranking. It ranks the world's top 1000 colleges and universities based on objective indicator. They look at the number of award-winning (Fields Medals and Nobel Prize) scientists who are located there, how much of their research is cited and referenced around the world, and how much they've contributed to different academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, ARWU ranks the universities accordingly.
3 year trend Academic Ranking of World Universities
| 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 151 | 151 | 151 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
World University Rankings
By Times Higher Education
Dropped 40 places compared to 2025
World University Rankings is a vital resource that provides the definitive list of the world's best universities. They look at how often they're producing new ideas, what their reputation is around the world, and how much they're contributing to science and academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, THE ranks the universities accordingly.
3 year trend World University Rankings
| 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 125 | 136 | 176 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
QS World University Rankings
By TopUniversities
Climbed 27 places compared to 2025
QS World University Rankings is one of the top international rankings measuring the popularity and performance of universities all over the world. They measure university reputation based on the impressions of higher education experts, companies who hire graduates, and teaching quality. QS also considers the ratio of international teachers and students present at universities, as well as the times research papers were mentioned by researchers. After calculating and comparing these criteria, QS ranks the universities accordingly.
3 year trend QS World University Rankings
| 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 207 | 221 | 194 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
Best Global Universities Rankings
By U.S. News & World Report
This university doesn’t have a ranking for 2026 yet. Rankings are updated yearly, so check back later for the latest info.
Best Global Universities Rankings by U.S. News & World Report presents all the top universities from the U.S. and 60 other countries around the world. They measure the rate of students going to their second year of studies, as well as the rate of students who graduate. It also asks university representatives on the performance of universities, and evaluates university resources, teacher salaries, graduation rates, student academic achievements and satisfaction. After calculating and comparing these criteria, U.S. News ranks the top international universities accordingly.
3 year trend Best Global Universities Rankings
| 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 78 | - | - |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
Student services
An International Student Advisor (ISA) assigned to the faculty you are interested in will help you with the application procedure and any other information you may need. Once you have been admitted to the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdams programme, the Services-teams at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam International Office can help you find accommodation and apply for a visa and residence permit (if applicable). The International Office offers orientation periods for international students in August, consisting of social events, sports activities and a cultural programme.
Housing services
If you plan to study at VU Amsterdam it is essential to think of a place to live. Unfortunately, finding a room in Amsterdam is difficult and stressful. The housing market in the Netherlands is extremely tense, especially in Amsterdam. Many Dutch and international students are searching for student rooms. Housing prices are high: rental prices at the private market often start at €750 and up. Start your search early and be prepared to search in surrounding villages and towns. We advise you not to come to the Netherlands if you do not have a permanent accommodation before the start of your study programme.
Library services
VU Amsterdam Bibliotheek [university library] offers resources for study and research by providing a collection of scientific information to meet the demand of the questions posed.Approximately 90% of the collections accessible by Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam Bibliotheek are available digitally and, therefore, available to members of staff and students 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
ICT services
Free WIFI is available for all students and employees on campus. There are several computer rooms, a notebook study room and internet work spaces to study comfortably and quietly. All faculties have their own study and computer rooms, often combined.The buildings are generally opened from 7AM to 11PM on weekdays and from 8AM to 6PM during the weekend.
Medical services
The Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam Medical Center has a general practice serving the local community. As part of the teaching hospital, it provides training and experience to medical students and conducts scientific research. VU students who live in Amsterdam (except Amsterdam Noord) or Amstelveen can register as patients.
Campus life
Almost all of our students, staff and programmes are located on campus: a single building complex in the business district of Amsterdam.
The Main Building has a permanent exhibition space, which showcases work of beginning and established artists. All over the campus you can view the universitys art collection, including an art route through the public areas.
The campus has its own bike repair shop, which also sells reasonably priced second hand bikes.
Sports facilities
Sports Center with good facilities, many types of classes and a gym. Provides cheap entrance for students and the possibility to subscribe for a short period of time. A basketball field, multiple beach volleyball fields and tennis tables are located on the campus ground, free to use for students any time of day.
Student clubs
There are several types of student bodies at the university, mostly linked to a field of study. ESN Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam is an organization for all international and Dutch students at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. It brings together students from around the world to introduce them to the university, to Amsterdam and to make them feel at home. ESN Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam organizes a host of activities, including cocktail parties, weekly get-togethers (borrels), weekend trips and social gatherings every two weeks.
Accreditation
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam is fully recognised by the Dutch Ministry of Education as a research university. All degree programmes at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam are either accredited by or in the process of being accredited by NVAO, the Accreditation Organization of the Netherlands and Flanders.