UvA structurally allocates one million euros for Dutch language courses for internationals
International UvA students will be able to take Dutch language courses much more affordably from 2027 onwards. Following pressure from the student council, the Executive Board (CvB) decided to increase the university’s annual budget for the language courses fivefold: from €200,000 to €1 million.
Being able to learn Dutch for free – or at least affordably – upon arriving as an international student. From next year onwards, that should become possible for more international UvA students. The University of Amsterdam will then structurally reserve €1 million for Dutch-language education. The Central Student Council (CSR), which made Dutch language courses a key priority and secured the additional investment, hopes this will make it easier for international students to become familiar with the Dutch language.
According to the student council, the current opportunities to learn Dutch are still not accessible enough. Participating in the courses would cost internationals “a considerable amount of money.” At present, UvA students (and staff) receive a discount of around fifty percent on language courses offered by the Institute for Dutch Language Education and Language Advice (INTT). A 12-week course with three hours of classes and three hours of self-study per week currently costs €400 instead of the regular €790.
Major victory
The CSR is therefore pleased that the UvA has now committed to reserving more funding for Dutch language courses for internationals. Earlier, CSR chair Francesco Bruseghini had already described the upcoming investment as one of the student council’s biggest achievements of the past year: “From the beginning of the year, we have pushed to increase the availability of accessible Dutch language courses for international students. To then secure an additional €800,000 at a time when finances are being scrutinised so closely is a major victory for us.”
Exactly how the additional funding will be invested has not yet been determined. The CSR and the Executive Board will still discuss this. The student council says its main priority is to make as many courses as possible available free of charge. “The council is currently working on a proposal for how the money can best be spent, so that these courses become accessible to as many students as possible,” the CSR writes.
