STUDENT REPORT – University of Amsterdam
University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Nederland
Exchange semester: Fall, 2012
I GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
UVA is located in buildings all over the town and have no common campus for all
their programs. However the business school and most of the lectures in business and
economics are centered together close to the city center. Compared to BI, the number
of reading spaces and group rooms are very limited, so instead we used the public
library close to central station for studying. Science Park is also recommended. The
cafeteria at school is not the biggest, but there is a shop close to school and a pub
open during the day that is very popular among students.
There is a large variety in nationalities among students, and not only for exchange, but
also full programs. Dutch people are in general very good English speakers so
following lectures, notes and class discussions has not resulted in any difficulties.
Further, the international coordinator has been helpful in providing information,
although you should keep in mind that they only agree to see you during office hours
and has limitations for the numbers of changes you can make to your learning
agreement.
We all found courses to fill our credit requirements, but this was a bit problematic
since the school has many limitations for exchange students. The available courses are
mostly in finance and economics. If you are looking for courses in strategy,
marketing, HR and so on you would be better off at VU, the other large university in
Amsterdam.
II PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Information before you left
Before we left we got an information package in the mail containing info about
Amsterdam, what to remember when living here and the facilities of the school. The
acceptance letter did not arrive until mid summer, but we got several emails indicating
that we were enrolled here as exchange students. All in all we were satisfied with the
information upon arrival.
Visa Procedure and travel experiences
No Visa is required for Norwegian students. We bought standard flight tickets from
Norwegian, SAS etc. It is fairly easy and cheap to travel between Oslo and
Amsterdam.
Academic Calendar
We arrived together at August 21th and the school started the 3th of September. We
signed up for the International Student Network introduction week for €65 and it was
great fun. It lasted for a week and we decided to spend the rest of the time before
classes travelling. You can get cheap tickets to Belgium, France etc.
Depending on what courses you take, the exam dates will vary, but the latest one was
21th of December. The semester at UvA is divided into three blocks, but exchange
students only participate in the two first. This means we had one exam period in the
end of October and one in December (week 51). Block 3 is not relevant for exchange
students, but the re-sit exams are scheduled in January and February.
Reception
The reception at school was satisfactory. As mentioned, exchange students participate
in the ISN introduction week, where Dutch students were group leaders and guided us
through the program. This is only for international students and mainly bachelor
students. It is also possible to participate in a different introduction program only for
master students, but we did not receive any information about this beforehand.
Housing
There are two major housing companies that provide short-term housing for exchange
students in Amsterdam; DUWO and DeKey. They both provide a lot of information
on their homepages. The application process can be a bit stressful, with registration,
fees and intake acceptance from the host university, the private housing market here is
very limited but this is still your best option if you are only here for one or two
semesters. The price for own bathroom and kitchen is not that much higher than for
sharing. Two of us had own accommodation, while one of us shared kitchen and
bathroom with 16 other exchange students. What you prefer depends on your
preferences, but both alternatives have its pros and cons. In the end we were all
pleased with our housing.
Costs
Student accommodation here is about the same price as in Norway, but if you are on
the private housing market you might find it cheaper. Food is slightly cheaper than in
Norway, and drinks is a lot cheaper (1 beer = €3). In general going out for food and
drinks is a lot cheaper. We recommend you to buy a bicycle, this is the best way of
getting around the city and it will save you a lot money on transportation. The prices
range from €50-80 at Waterlooplein market. Erasmus scholarship is available. Paying
with VISA and MasterCard is limited for some stores, including Albert Heijn (grocery
shopping) and the school cafeteria. Two of us decided to open a Dutch bank account
at ING, which we recommend. Also, they allow you to open an account without
Dutch social security number. The price of books is approximately the same as in
Norway.
The International Office
There is an international relations office which are responsible for incoming exchange
students. They have office hours, but you can email any time.
Exchange promotion
There were no activities to promote BI.
Social Activities
Amsterdam is a very social city, with a lot of events all the time. The International
Student Network arranges everything from parties, sightseeing, ski trips, introduction
week and so on. A lot of people participate and they are great. The university also has
a great sport centre where you get a good student discount. You can participate in all
kinds of activities such as volleyball, climbing, squash, fitness classes etc.
Culture and Language
The Dutch people speak very good English, so we did not experience any language
problems. They are very friendly, open minded, and their culture is in many ways
very similar to the Norwegian. It is a good city to both live in and experience as a
tourist. It has a lot to offer like sights, culture, museums, parties, parks and such.
Further on it is very cheap to visit other cities in Netherlands, as well as other
countries. Train tickets are cheap, and the airport (Schiphol) is a large international
airport offering departures all over the world.
Cultural and Social Effects from the Exchange Experience
Exchange is a good opportunity to experience a new country, meet new people and
gain a more international perspective on your degree. We all highly recommend a
semester on exchange and Amsterdam is a super social city with good schools perfect
for such an occasion.
III ACADEMIC INFORMATION
The Teaching situation
 In which language are the courses taught? Any problems?
o All courses available for Exchange students are in English.

How would you evaluate the level of study in relationship to the level at BI?
o Same, but less reading material and fewer sessions for the same amount of
credits at UVA.

Is the teaching primarily practical or theoretical?
o Both, it depends on which course you take.

Are the professors using cases, group work or lectures (or a mix)?
o It depends on the course. We experienced a mixture of presentations,
group works, homework assignments etc.

How is the workload compared to that at BI?
o Our opinion is that the workload is less or the same, depending on which
course you take.

How is the relationship between faculty and students?
o Good, less formal than we are used to in the communication during
lectures.

What is the relationship between the students in the classroom?
o The relationship between the students is very good.
Required Literature
 Is the literature in English?
o Yes.

How do you estimate the level of the literature?
o Same as home – Academic literature.

Is the literature used for detailed knowledge or a broad overview?
o Both.

Is exam based on the literature or on the lectures?
o The lecturers put more emphasize on lectures.
Exams
 What types of exams were you given?
o Written exams with limited words for the answers. All exams lasted 3
hours.

What knowledge level was required to pass the exams?
o 55% or 5.5 of 10 according to their grading scale.
Other
 Do students have easy access to the library and its resources?
o Yes, online.

How is the access to the computers?
o Ok, but a limited number of computers, especially during the exam period.

How is IT used in the teaching or as a distributor of information?
o Same as BI.
Description of Courses
Course name
Real Estate Markets and
Analysis
Power and Authority in
Organizations
Management Control
International
Economic
Cooperation
Markets and Organizations
Valuation
Behavioral Finance
Corporate Governance
Credits
10
Exam/assignments
50/50
Block
1 and 2
Approved as
Free elective
5
100
1
Free elective
5
5
70/30
100
1
2
Free elective
Free elective
5
5
5
5
80/20
60/40
70/30
100
2
1
2
2
Free elective
Free elective
Free elective
Free elective
Any other experiences:
We would like to underline the point that the amount of available courses may be low
for exchange students, especially in Block 1. UvA has a list of courses which are not
available for exchange students, and we would advise you to consider this when you
apply. For more information see uva.nl.
Please do not hesitate to contact us through international office if you have any
question