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UvA has slightly fewer students this year

12 November 2025

The preliminary intake figures for this academic year are now available. The number of new students in the UvA's Bachelor's programmes decreased compared to last year, most significantly among students from countries outside the European Economic Area (EEA). The intake in the Master's programmes increased slightly. The total number of students at the UvA decreased slightly: this year there are 43,147 students enrolled, last year there were 44,005.

These are provisional figures from mid-October 2025; the final figures will be available, as always, in February of the new calendar year.

‘After about ten consecutive years of growth, we are now seeing a decrease in the total number of students at the UvA for the first time in some years,’ says Rector Magnificus Peter-Paul Verbeek. ‘Enrollment in our Bachelor's programmes is declining, and that means that in a few years we will very likely also see a decrease in enrollment in our Master's programmes, because logically, there will then be fewer students transferring from UvA Bachelor's degrees.’

Verbeek is not yet worried about the decline this academic year: ‘We didn't want to grow any further. At the same time, it's important that changes in student numbers are gradual and not sudden, especially at this time when universities are under severe financial pressure. We must retain the resources to be able provide high-quality education.’

The most important figures at a glance

Bachelor's intake

The UvA-wide Bachelor's student intake decreased from 7,767 to 7,259 students (-6.5%). There are fewer international and Dutch first-year students in the Bachelor's programmes. The number of students from non-EEA countries decreased most sharply (-8.1%).

Master’s intake

Overall, the intake for Master's programmes increased slightly (+3.6%), but there are significant differences based on nationality. The number of new Dutch Master's students rose slightly (+3.9%). The number of new Master's students from the EEA increased much more sharply (+15.4%), while the intake from non-EEA countries decreased significantly (-13.9%). This Master’s intake figure includes transfer students (students who also completed their Bachelor's at the UvA). Excluding transfer students, the number of new Master's students remains virtually unchanged from last year (-0.2%).

Figure 1. EI: First-Year Institution (students who enrolled for the first time at the UvA, excluding switchers and transfer students). EOI: First-Year Programme Institution (students who enrolled for the first time in a specific program, including students who completed their Bachelor's degree at the UvA)
Figure 1. EI: First-Year Institution (students who enrolled for the first time at the UvA, excluding switchers and transfer students). EOI: First-Year Programme Institution (students who enrolled for the first time in a specific program, including students who completed their Bachelor's degree at the UvA)

Per faculty

The Faculty of Humanities (FGw) and the Faculty of Science (FNWI) saw the sharpest decline in the number of new Bachelor's students (-20.3% and -13.7%, respectively), but also saw the sharpest increase in the number of Master's students (+7.2% and +7.9%, respectively). The decline in Bachelor's programmes at the FGw is partly in line with a national trend of declining interest in language and culture among prospective students.

Figure 2. Bachelor's programme intake (EI) per faculty. EI: First-year Institution (students who enrolled at the UvA for the first time, excluding switch students and bridging students)
Figure 2. Bachelor's programme intake (EI) per faculty. EI: First-year Institution (students who enrolled at the UvA for the first time, excluding switch students and bridging students)
Figure 3. Master's programme intake (EOI) per faculty. First-year Programme Institution (students who enrolled in a specific program for the first time, including students who completed their Bachelor's program at the University of Amsterdam)
Figure 3. Master's programme intake (EOI) per faculty. First-year Programme Institution (students who enrolled in a specific program for the first time, including students who completed their Bachelor's program at the University of Amsterdam)

The Bachelor's intake also decreased at the Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB), while the Master's intake remains virtually unchanged from last year (-0.2%). The Faculty of Law (FdR) is the only faculty where both Bachelor's and Master's intakes increased: +1.6% for Bachelor's programmes and +5.5% for Master's programmes. At the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences (FMG), the differences compared to last year are the smallest: a small increase for Bachelor's programmes (+1.9%) and a very small decrease for Master's programmes (-0.4%). At the FMG, the overall Bachelor's intake has not declined - this is due to the removal of the numerus fixus for Communication Science and Political Science.

Figure 4. Total number of enrolled students at the UvA, broken down by origin
Figure 4. Total number of enrolled students at the UvA, broken down by origin

Total number of students

For the first time since 2015, the total number of enrolled students at the UvA has decreased. The UvA now has 43,147 students; last year, there were 44,005 (-1.9%). Of these, 27,515 are from the Netherlands and 15.632 are international.

The expected increase in students from the United States—due to the political climate there—and from countries traditionally favouring the US has not materialised. The influx of US students into Bachelor's programmes has decreased significantly (-31.5%), while the influx of US students into Master's programmes has remained virtually unchanged (-0.9%).