Independent journalism about VU Amsterdam | Since 1953
4 February 2026
Magazine
Nederlands

Student Life & Society

Politics 31 October 2025

What do the election results mean for students and higher education?

The future of higher education and research looks a little brighter again. D66 has won the parliamentary elections, while PVV has been dealt a blow by voters.
Society 29 October 2025

‘You know they won’t shoot, but you still think about it’

Master’s student in neuroscience and philosophy Dario Crippa joined the Global Sumud Flotilla, a fleet sailing towards Gaza to deliver humanitarian aid. He ended up in an Israeli prison.
Society 16 October 2025

Student on Gaza flotilla: ‘There is nothing more to spare’

Among the activists on the Global Sumud Flotilla was VU student Mohamed Kotesh. His journey ended in an Israeli prison, where he was confronted with the paradox of being both Palestinian and Dutch.
Job market 2 October 2025

Graduates with a migration background less likely to find work

Graduates with one or two foreign-born parents still find it harder to start their careers than those whose parents were both born in the Netherlands. The gap is small but persistent.
Money 26 September 2025

CBS: fewer student debts, but higher amounts

Thanks to the return of the basic student grant, fewer people have student debts. But those debts are higher. “Inequality is on the rise and that’s worrying”, believes the Dutch National Students’ Association.
Students 10 September 2025

Narrow path for undocumented students: first knowledge migrant, then dutch citizen

Few young people without residence papers study at Dutch universities and universities of applied sciences. Still, at least three of them have managed to obtain Dutch citizenship – thanks in part to their studies.
Students 8 September 2025

I won’t find a room anyway, students think

Fewer and fewer students are moving out of home. They continue to live with their parents and have given up hope of getting a room, the National Student Housing Monitor shows.
Internationalization 22 August 2025

How to be kinda Dutch, maybe

As the Netherlands clamps down on internationalisation, internationals face more pressure to ‘integrate’ into Dutch society. Use this guide to become more of a local and less of a tourist in just one day.
Students 19 August 2025

‘Your roommate can’t read your mind’

You thought your roommate would be a fellow adult – until the mouldy dishes and midnight gaming starts. What is the key to peacefully sharing your living space?
Housing 12 July 2025

4,600 signatures against ‘equal opportunities’ in flatmate interviews

In a short amount of time, a petition against DUWO’s plea for ‘equal opportunities’ in flatmate interviews for housing has been signed 4,600 times. Residents want to continue to decide for themselves who their new flatmate will be.