The intake of new students by the University of Amsterdam (UvA) rose dramatically this year by as much as 20% in comparison with the previous year. A total of 30,689 students are now enrolled at the university, 8% higher than the figure for the 2008-2009 academic year. This represents a record number. The figures are the outcome of the definitive data on 2009-2010 which was announced today. The university has seen growth in nearly every area. In a surprising - and welcome - development, the number of first-year students enrolled at the Faculty of Science has risen significantly.

The University of Amsterdam will be welcoming 8,200 new students in the 2009-2010 academic year, a rise of no less than 20% in comparison with the previous year. These newly enrolled students will be taking a Bachelor's, Pre-Master's or Master's programme in our capital city. In the 2004-2008 period the number of new students grew by an average of 6%. The number of new students is also growing dramatically on a national scale. The UvA is one of the fastest-growing educational institutions. Further studies are currently underway to determine the causes of this year's rapid growth in both Amsterdam and the country as a whole.

Nearly every faculty has seen a rise in the number of new students. The Faculty of Science (FNWI) is experiencing the most dramatic growth: 33%. The number of new students at the Faculty of Humanities also rose significantly: 24%.

Popular Bachelor's programmes include: Law (766 students), Economics (727), Psychology (524) and Communication Science (511).