The University of Amsterdam (UvA) is one of Europe's most prominent research-led universities. It is a modern institution with a long and rich history dating from 1632.
With 5000 staff members, 30,000 students and 100 different nationalities, UvA is connected to thousands of researchers and hundreds of public and private institutions in the Netherlands and around the world.
UvA ranks among the top 100 worldwide in QS World University Rankings. While, in the area of Communication Science & Media Studies, UvA ranks best in the world for the past five consecutive years in a row.
The Politics & Communications specialisation is housed within the Graduate School of Communication. With approximately 500 new full-time students each year, the Graduate School of Communications is among the largest in the world.
The faculty of the Graduate School of Communications is also directly involved in the School of Communication Research (ASCoR). ASCoR is the largest institute for communication science research in Europe and one of the largest in the world. ASCoR received excellent results from the Research Assessment in 2014. Follow ASCoR on X.
More information about living and studying at the University of Amsterdam can be found here.
Amsterdam is the capital of the Netherlands, known for its artistic heritage, picturesque canals and narrow gabled houses — reminders of the city’s 17th-century Golden Age. Its Museum District includes the Van Gogh Museum, the Rijksmuseum, where you can see works by Rembrandt and Vermeer, and the Stedelijk Museum of modern art.
Although Amsterdam is famous, it still feels intimate and easy to navigate. With around 900,000 inhabitants, it offers all the advantages of a major city while retaining a cosy, small-scale feel. You can easily cross the city by bike from north to south or from east to west within a day.
Amsterdam is one of the world’s best places to live — ranked 6th globally in Mercer’s 2024 Quality of Living Survey— and 3rd in the EU and 7th worldwide in the Global Power City Index 2024 for its ability to attract people, capital and enterprises. It is also recognised as the 2nd safest city in Europe and 6th safest in the world (Safe Cities Index 2021), and ranks highly for English proficiency, innovation and happiness.
With two universities and many higher education institutions, Amsterdam is a true student city. In the pan-European International Student Barometer, 91% of students said Amsterdam was “the place to be.” The city’s cultural and intellectual life is vibrant — filled with museums, art galleries, theatres, concert halls, and more than 150 canals and beautiful parks that come alive in summer.
Amsterdammers are known for being open-minded and welcoming to newcomers. You can easily get around using English, but international students are encouraged to learn some Dutch during their stay. Dutch courses are available at the Institute for Dutch Language Education (INTT).
For more inspiration and practical information about living and studying in Amsterdam, please visit I amsterdam