Independent journalism about VU Amsterdam | Since 1953
4 October 2026
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Nederlands

Student Life & Society

Students 12 October 2021

Shortage of student accommodation surges

In a single year’s time the shortage of student accommodation has leapt by 4,500 places to a total of 26,500. And the expectation among student housing corporations is that the shortage will continue to escalate. Student enrolment is increasing faster…
Housing 4 October 2021

Homelessness throws students’ lives into disarray

LONGREAD – As the housing crisis in Amsterdam continues to unfold, the academic lives of potentially hundreds of students are in jeopardy as they spend their days worrying about where they will sleep. At least one international student has already…
Housing 23 September 2021

‘VU should take its responsibility for homeless students’

The SRVU student union will protest on campus because there are hundreds of students without a room, especially internationals. Vice chair of the student union Pieter van Rossum thinks it’s up to VU Amsterdam to solve the housing shortage among…
Students 21 September 2021

Quarantine at Uilenstede: ‘It felt like each day would never end’

LONGREAD – Studying abroad can be an isolating experience, especially when you’re literally isolated to comply with the quarantine rules of the Netherlands. Three VU students share their quarantine struggles.
Students 8 September 2021

What they don’t tell you about the Netherlands

So you came to the Netherlands, but life here is a little different from what you’ve seen in the ad campaigns and movies. If you’re having trouble navigating the nuances and contradictions of the Netherlands, here are some helpful pointers….
Society 1 September 2021

‘Netherlands apparently places little value on Afghan lives’

The Netherlands is abandoning the people of Afghanistan, according to two Afghan VU students. The Dutch government’s negligence has left them feeling bitter. “We’ve been betrayed, plain and simple.”
Students 31 August 2021

‘I did not feel very heard’

It took master student and student assistant at debate center 3D Nehal Saba (22) quite some time to settle in last year. The Palestinian student lived in Romania until moving to the UK in 2017.
Society 20 August 2021

House of Representatives and minister clashing over diversity plans

In the view of the VVD, inter alia, outgoing Minister Van Engelshoven is imposing her will too strongly on universities with regard to making the academic world more diverse and more inclusive. The feelings aroused by this political hot potato…
Students 8 July 2021

‘I had to take 8 paracetamols per day’

Students are generally less vulnerable to the coronavirus, but what happens to the students who do experience severe symptoms? An international student from India opens up about his struggles with the virus and the Dutch healthcare system. Tavneet Singh is…
Student Life & Society 6 July 2021

Saurabh Jain prevents falling among elderly

LONGREAD – There are around 13 fatal falls every day in the Netherlands alone and the annual medical costs related to fall are more than 800 million euros. Saurabh Jain (29, Master’s student Artificial Intelligence) witnessed the psychological effect of…