Many of VU's bachelor's degrees have open access: if you meet the academic requirements (recognised Baccalaureate) and language requirements (English), you are admitted without competition. However, highly sought-after programmes have Numerus Fixus (limited capacity) with a selection procedure based on grades, motivation and sometimes tests. For a Romanian, a solid Baccalaureate (average of 8 plus) and good English (IELTS 6.0-6.5) cover most programmes. Watch out for the 15 January deadline for Numerus Fixus.

As an EU citizen you pay the Dutch statutory fee: for the 2026-2027 year around EUR 2,694 per year for most bachelor's degrees (special programmes such as PPE or Liberal Arts have higher fees). With a bachelor's degree of 3 years (180 ECTS), the total tuition is around EUR 8,082. Cost of living in Amsterdam: accommodation EUR 600-900 per month, food EUR 250-350 per month, total around EUR 12,000-16,000 per year. Important: the scheme that halved the fee in the first year ended after 2024-2025, so the first year is paid in full.

In the Netherlands there are two types of fees: the statutory fee (statutory fee), set by the government, paid by EU and EEA citizens, and the institutional fee (institutional fee), much higher, paid by non-European students. As a Romanian (EU) citizen you automatically pay the statutory fee (around EUR 2,694 per year in 2026-27). Conditions: you must be an EU/EEA citizen and not already have obtained a degree of the same level in the Netherlands. It is one of the biggest financial advantages of EU citizenship.

Yes, VU offers dozens of bachelor's programmes taught entirely in English, alongside programmes in Dutch. Fields with a rich offering in English: business and economics, international law, social sciences, psychology, life sciences, IT, communication and PPE (Philosophy, Politics and Economics). For these programmes you need proof of English (IELTS Academic 6.0-6.5 or equivalent). You do not need to know Dutch in order to study, although learning the language helps for a job and for everyday life. WIB note: the Dutch Wet internationalisering in balans law, currently being phased in, aims to rebalance internationalisation and may gradually reduce some English-taught programmes; check the exact language of your programme when you apply.

Studielink is the national platform through which you apply to all universities in the Netherlands. You create an account (with DigiD if you have a BSN, or as an international applicant), choose your VU programme and submit your application. After applying, VU opens an online file for you where you upload your Baccalaureate diploma, transcript, a copy of your ID document and proof of English. General deadline: 1 May for open access, 15 January for Numerus Fixus. Recommendation: apply early, especially for programmes with selection.

Numerus Fixus means that a programme has a fixed number of places and more candidates than places, so a selection takes place. Applications for these programmes have an earlier deadline, usually 15 January, and the selection is based on criteria such as grades, the motivation letter, relevant activities and sometimes tests or interviews. Open-access programmes have no selection: if you meet the requirements, you are admitted. Check on vu.nl the exact status of your programme.

Bachelor's degrees at VU Amsterdam last 3 years (180 ECTS), in line with the European Bologna system. That means one year less than in Spain or Germany (4 years / 240 ECTS) and the same as in the United Kingdom. ECTS (European Credit Transfer System): 1 ECTS is the equivalent of around 28 hours of total study. A standard academic year has 60 ECTS, so 3 years x 60 = 180 ECTS for a bachelor's degree. Exception: medicine programmes and some sciences have longer structures. The advantage of ECTS: you can transfer credits to other European universities.

Yes, as an EU citizen you have the automatic right to work in the Netherlands without a visa or work permit. The Netherlands has a strong economy and an open labour market, with hubs in Amsterdam (tech, finance, consultancy, health). English is very widespread in the workplace at multinationals. For a job you need a BSN (the Dutch personal number) and a local bank account. Many VU graduates work part-time already during their studies, and with a degree recognised in the EU you can work anywhere in the Union without a visa.