Start looking for accommodation months before your arrival

The UvA cannot arrange accommodation for every incoming international student. Dutch universities are not allowed to own student housing, which means that you are responsible for arranging accommodation yourself. Therefore, we strongly recommend to take these two steps at the same time:

1. Start looking for accommodation independently while you are still in your home country
2. Apply for UvA Student Housing

Who is eligible for UvA student housing?

UvA Student Housing is meant as a 'soft landing'  for a maximum of one or two semesters for students who meet the following eligibility criteria.

The requirements for eligibility: 

• You are going to start your first year at UvA (Bachelor/(Pre-)Master/Exchange)
• your study programme is taught in English
• your previous education was outside of the Netherlands
• you currently don’t live in the Netherlands
• you are (conditionally*) accepted to your study programme

* The processing time of study applications can differ per faculty. Keep in mind that when applying (late) for a study programme, your study application might not receive the status ‘conditionally accepted’ in time for the housing application. The housing department does not prioritize students when their faculty has a long processing time.

When can I apply for student housing?

The upcoming application round for students who are starting their studies in September 2023 will be open from Thursday 1 June 2023 9:00 CEST until Wednesday 14 June 2023 23:59 CEST. This means that you will have 14 days* to complete the application form and pay the UvA housing fee. After these 14 days, all applicants will be assigned a random place on the waiting list via lottery.

* We strongly recommend that you complete your application on time. Please do not wait until the last day, as we cannot make exceptions for applicants who miss the deadline.

How can I apply for UvA student housing?

Students starting their studies in September 2023 who are considered eligible for student housing by their faculty will receive an email from myinfo@uva.nl* with the link to the housing application form one to two days before the application starting date (1 June 2023). If you have not yet received your (un)conditional offer on 1 June from your faculty, it is possible that you receive your housing invitation after the start of the application period. In this case, the deadline for completing your application remains 14 June 23:59 CEST.

The message from myinfo@uva.nl is automatically sent to the email address you used to register on Studielink. If you have not received the email in your personal (spam) inbox, or if you are an exchange student, it may have been sent to your UvA email address.

* myinfo@uva.nl is a 'no-reply' email address.

Housing lottery system

To make the allocation of housing as fair as possible for all students, we work with a lottery system. However, due to the housing shortage we prioritize some applications. Within the randomized ranking we will prioritize students with AES, ASTS, or AMS scholarships, if we receive their housing applications before 14 June 2023 23:59 CEST.

How long can I stay in housing provided by UvA student housing?

When you sign your rental contract, you agree with the fixed rental period with a maximum of 2 semesters. It is not possible to rent month by month, nor can you terminate your room contract early*. This means you will be responsible for the rent until the end of your contract.

* Unless you also officially terminate your UvA study enrolment early. Note for exchange students: leaving Amsterdam before the official end date of your (Erasmus) exchange period does not count as a cancellation of your study enrolment.

The exact start and end dates are listed in the room offer during the booking process and on the contract for the accommodation.

* Some locations will not have the fixed end date in mid August, but an end date in June or July due to arriving Summer School students. Unfortunately it depends on the availability of rooms which specific end date you will be offered.

** Bachelor's and Master's (degree seeking) students will always receive a room offer for 2 semesters.

Shortening or extending the UvA student housing contract

It is not possible to shorten or extend your rental contract, or get a rent reduction for late arrival or early departure.

If you want to stay in Amsterdam after your housing contract provided by UvA housing ends, you will need to search for housing independently. The room you stayed in is needed again for a newly arriving international student. Please be aware that finding accommodation in Amsterdam after this period can still be very complicated. For more information, check out the webpage on how to find a room independently.

Cancellation policy

It is not possible to cancel your housing contract, unless you terminate your enrolment or in case of significant personal circumstances.

Read more about our cancellation policy on the Frequently Asked Questions webpage.

Can I use UvA Housing if I have a disability?

Yes, students with a disability or chronic health condition can contact the International Student Housing Office to discuss their housing options and to request a form which needs to be filled in by the student and their treating medical professional.

The deadline to submit your form to the International Student Housing Office is 1 May 2023. Submissions after this deadline will unfortunately not be taken into account.

UvA Housing requires that you submit this form to the International Student Housing Office before the deadline above. Furthermore, you will also be asked to upload the same completed form during your application.

Terms and conditions

If you would like to use the UvA student housing service, please be aware of our terms and conditions. In short, they state:

• Accommodation is not guaranteed
• Your housing contract is for a fixed period
• It is not possible to extend/shorten your contract
• You will only receive one housing offer
• The UvA housing fee is non-refundable
• You agree with all additional costs associated with renting a room
• You agree that we store and use your personal data for a maximum of 3 years
• You agree that we share your personal data with a housing provider
• It is not possible to request a specific location or building

In addition, please make sure you have read the full terms and conditions before finalising your online housing application form: