Hogeschool van Amsterdam

About Hogeschool van Amsterdam

Hogeschool van Amsterdam is the institution's official Dutch name; Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, or AUAS, is the English name used on its international website. It operates as a Dutch university of applied sciences, a higher-education model centred on professional preparation and applied research rather than the primarily theoretical and fundamental-research orientation associated with Dutch research universities. AUAS is organised into six faculties: Applied Social Sciences and Law; Business and Economics; Digital Media and Creative Industries; Education; Health, Sport and Physical Activity; and Technology. Its official organisation page reports 57 bachelor's programmes, 22 master's programmes and nine associate-degree tracks. These totals include Dutch-taught provision, so international candidates should not assume that every listed programme is available in English. The dedicated international directory separates English-language degrees and courses from the wider Dutch portfolio. Governance includes an Executive Board, a Supervisory Board and a central representative advisory council. Government funding regulations identify Hogeschool van Amsterdam under institutional code 28DN, while NVAO records a positive institutional audit decision made in October 2025. Together, these sources support its status as a currently operating, recognised degree-granting institution rather than a campus, department or training provider. The university operates across four campus groupings in Amsterdam: Amstel Campus, Health Campus, Sport and Nutrition Campus, and Business Campus. This distributed structure matters when comparing programmes because teaching location, commute and nearby housing can differ substantially by faculty.

Admission is programme-specific. Applicants must first select a degree, check its prior-education, language and any additional requirements, and then submit an enrolment request through Studielink. Candidates without a Dutch diploma subsequently provide credentials for evaluation. AUAS advises allowing four to six weeks for that evaluation. English-language requirements and acceptable qualifications must be confirmed on the chosen programme page; the database's blank IELTS and TOEFL fields should not be interpreted as meaning that no language evidence is required. For 2026–2027, quota-based programmes had a 15 January 2026 application deadline. The general deadline shown for full-time programmes and associate degrees was 31 August 2026, but international students requiring a study visa had an earlier 1 May 2026 deadline. Part-time and dual programmes generally used 31 August, while master's deadlines varied by programme. Since several of these dates had already passed by the research date of 20 August 2026, late applicants must verify whether their particular programme still accepts applications. Future-cycle dates should not be inferred from the 2026–2027 schedule. Applicants to bachelor's programmes with a non-Dutch diploma pay a €100 application fee. The official roadmap states that this is reimbursed in November 2026 for enrolled EEA applicants, while other cases are generally non-refundable. Numerus-fixus bachelor's applicants participate in selection after registering. Non-quota bachelor's applicants may instead be invited to complete a study-choice questionnaire. Some master's degrees also use selection. Non-EU/EEA students may need AUAS to arrange a residence permit. Immigration is a separate stage after application, with financial and document requirements in addition to academic admission.

AUAS provides professionally oriented higher education at bachelor's and master's level, alongside associate degrees, minors, exchange opportunities and shorter courses. The English-language directory is the appropriate starting point for applicants who cannot study in Dutch. Its current course catalogue includes English-taught options in business, fashion, physiotherapy, sport, digital design, artificial intelligence, applied quantum technology, occupational therapy and sustainability-related business. Availability, study mode and entry requirements vary by programme, and the catalogue should not be read as evidence that the entire institutional portfolio is taught in English. The applied-sciences model connects teaching to professional practice. AUAS describes its education and research as developing practical knowledge and innovations, with cooperation involving companies, public bodies and other knowledge institutions. Programme design may include projects, professional cases, research activity or work-related learning, but applicants should verify the precise curriculum and internship arrangements on the individual programme page. Requirements also differ between full-time, part-time and master's study. The six-faculty structure supports a broad disciplinary range, while English-taught degree choices form a smaller subset. The official English course catalogue distinguishes bachelor and master offerings and identifies whether a programme is full-time or part-time. It also separates degree study from exchange programmes, minors and short courses, which is important for applicants seeking a complete qualification. Prospective students should compare the programme-specific curriculum, assessment format, language, professional accreditation where relevant, and progression rules. AUAS does not publish one institution-wide admissions standard or one uniform deadline that can safely be applied to every programme, particularly at master's level or for programmes with selection.

Key Highlights

• Publicly funded Dutch university of applied sciences identified by government institution code 28DN
• Six faculties spanning professional fields from technology and business to education, health and social sciences
• Official figures list 57 bachelor's programmes, 22 master's programmes and nine associate-degree tracks
• Education is distributed across four campus groupings in Amsterdam
• NVAO records a positive institutional audit decision from October 2025

Student Life & Environment

Student life is spread across AUAS locations rather than concentrated on a single residential campus. The four campus groupings serve different academic areas, so a student's daily experience and commute will depend on the programme. New students can use open days, programme presentations, class visits and campus tours to understand those differences before enrolling. AUAS lists programme-linked study associations and broader student networks. Examples include associations serving International Business, Amsterdam Fashion Institute and European School of Physiotherapy students. ESN Amsterdam provides an international network, while the Amsterdam General Student Union represents students at both AUAS and the University of Amsterdam and offers activities and practical support. The university's August 2026 introduction event also brought together university services, student groups and sports associations for incoming first-year students. Support extends beyond social activities. AUAS provides student counsellors, study-skills, language and personal-development workshops, and access to student-focused medical services. Its disability-support information describes possible facilities such as assistive software, low-stimulation rest areas, additional examination time, peer coaching and counselling, although arrangements must be discussed individually and some services are primarily available in Dutch. Accommodation should be treated as a major planning issue rather than an assured campus benefit. AUAS housing consists of limited rooms in off-campus buildings across Amsterdam and Diemen, allocated through a separate process. Students should investigate independent housing options early and consider the journey from a potential room to their actual teaching location.

Location & Surroundings

AUAS is based in Amsterdam but does not occupy one self-contained campus. Its educational activity is grouped around Amstel Campus on and near Wibautstraat, Health Campus at the Amsterdam UMC site in Zuidoost, Sport and Nutrition Campus in Amsterdam Nieuw-West, and Business Campus in Zuidoost near the ArenA area. The official locations directory lists individual teaching buildings within this wider network. This structure gives students access to different parts of the Amsterdam metropolitan area and places professional education within a major European city. It also makes address-level planning essential. Applicants should identify their programme's building before choosing accommodation, estimating travel time or deciding whether cycling and public transport are practical. International housing offered through AUAS is located in various off-campus buildings across Amsterdam and nearby Diemen. A university-arranged room therefore may not be within walking distance of class. The institution explicitly warns that Amsterdam has a severe housing shortage and that participation in its housing process does not guarantee accommodation. Students planning to remain longer than one academic year should also note that AUAS housing contracts are temporary and generally cover no more than two semesters.

Costs & Career Outcomes

For the 2026–2027 academic year, AUAS lists a statutory tuition fee of €2,694 for eligible students, generally including qualifying Dutch, EU/EEA, Swiss and Surinamese nationals undertaking a first degree. The standard institutional fee is €10,648 for students who do not meet the statutory-fee conditions, including many non-EEA students and some second-degree candidates. European School of Physiotherapy charges higher amounts, and selected master's programmes have separate prices. Applicants should use the official fee page and their programme details rather than treating either headline amount as universal. Housing adds significant and uncertain costs. AUAS lists room rents of €370–€1,150 per month, including utilities and internet, for its limited international housing stock. Bachelor's and master's students using the service pay a non-refundable €485 housing fee for two semesters, plus a provider administration fee, deposit and sometimes local taxes. The 2026–2027 degree-student housing deadline was 8 June 2026, and rooms were allocated by lottery; an application did not guarantee housing. These figures apply to AUAS-arranged accommodation, not the broader private market. For students requiring a residence permit, AUAS's 2026 guidance requires first-year tuition in full, an immigration payment and proof of funds for living expenses. This immigration calculation is not a prediction of actual personal spending. Career preparation is embedded in the applied-sciences model through practical knowledge, professional cases and links with employers, government and other organisations. Outcomes depend on the discipline, language skills, professional licensing and individual experience. No verified institution-wide employment rate, salary figure or employer list was found, so applicants should ask the programme about internships, graduate roles and any profession-specific recognition.