Why Utrecht?
Hosting some 70,000 students from about 125 countries – almost a quarter of the city’s population – Utrecht is a real academic melting pot. The lively, cosmopolitan student scene provides plenty of opportunities and experiences to enrich your time here. They range from extracurricular activities related to your course to a whole range of social, cultural and sporting activities. As a place very much geared to young people, Utrecht also offers great shopping, a wide choice of cinemas, theatres and music venues, vibrant bars and fantastic nightlife.
The Campus
Utrecht Summer School started in 1987, with one course: Dutch Culture and Society. Nowadays the program offers a broad selection of over 200 academic courses in virtually all disciplines organized by Utrecht University, HU University of Applied Sciences and HKU University of the Arts. These institutions offer high quality, challenging summer courses on bachelor, master and PhD level. All courses are taught in English by our academic staff. In 2015 the Utrecht Summer School attracted around 3300 students from over 120 different countries. ECTS credits are awarded for most of the courses.
Utrecht Summer School is spread over several locations in and around Utrecht, with a satellite campus at the University College Roosevelt in Middelburg. International combination courses give students the possibility to attend an international course of which part of the program takes place outside the Netherlands at cooperating partner universities in Italy, Germany, Estonia and many other places.
Besides the academic programs, we offer furnished housing and many social activities to give students an unforgettable international experience.
Academics
Whether you are a bachelor or master student, a PhD candidate or a professional: the summer school offers a course on your level. The length of the course varies from one week up to six weeks. You can make your own combination of courses that meet your personal requirements. For every discipline we suggest some "special tracks", course combination that proved to be successful during earlier editions.
The following is a list of disciplines our courses cover:
Visit the Course Schedule Calendar page for detailed course information.
** When choosing a course, please be aware of where the course location as some are not conducted at Utrecht University campus grounds.**
Housing
Utrecht, with approximately 300,000 inhabitants, is the fourth largest city in the Netherlands. It is centrally located, very lively and offers all the advantages of a large city. Utrecht has long been a highly popular place to live, work and study, and as a result, accommodation is in high demand.
About the rooms
You will be housed in one of the student residences or in some cases in hotels. The student residences are located throughout the city.
All accommodation are situated within easily accessible distances from the various educational institutions (in general not more than 30 minutes by public transport). The accommodations are in the University centre the Uithof, in the city centre of Utrecht or its suburbs. You should count on spending approximately €3-5 per day on public transport.
The student residences are fully furnished and include crockery, cutlery, cooking utensils, cleaning materials and bedding. Internet is available via Ethernet cable, there is no WiFi in the residences. The rooms are either single or double rooms with shared kitchen and shared bathroom. In case of a shared room, you will share with one other student of the same gender.
The rooms in hotels are double rooms. You will share the rooms with one other student of the same gender. The rooms are equipped with a shower, toilet, television and wifi internet.
Meals
Student cafeterias are mostly closed during summer, but in your residence kitchen you can find everything you need to cook a nice meal and store some groceries. You should count on spending approximately €15-20 per day (three meals, snacks and coffee/tea or other refreshments).
In the hotel rooms there are no kitchens. Students who are housed in hotels can get discounted meals in several lunchrooms, cafés and restaurants.
Housing procedure
Utrecht Summer School generally tries to house students from one course in the same accommodation. Students from other courses might be housed together in the same building as well, which gives you the great opportunity to meet international students from other disciplines.
There are no standard combinations of specific courses and student accommodations/hotels. The housing of students of each course depends on the duration of the course and its number of participants. You won’t know which residence you will be staying in, until the day of arrival.
Check in and check out
Generally, housing is provided from the weekend before the course starts, until 10 AM on the last Friday of the course. In case your course ends on a Thursday, your lodging is still available until the Friday. It is not possible to stay any longer.
Upon arrival, you can pick up your room key and further instructions at the Utrecht Summer School Office, located at Janskerkhof 30 in Utrecht. The office is open on Saturdays and Sundays from 12:00h until 18:00h. After you have retrieved your key, you can travel straight to your accommodation.
Housing Application Deadlines: Varies depending on courses participants plan to enroll at Utrecht. Have you look under "Fee" under the course description
Student Services
Erasmus Student Network: The Erasmus Student Network Utrecht is an organization of Dutch students that volunteer to help international students integrate smoothly in the student life of Utrecht. They offer mentors to help students with practical problems and organize parties, trips, sporting events and excursions throughout the year. ESN also organizes a special introduction for the visiting/exchange students of the HU. Find more information here.
How to Apply
Applying abroad is a two-step process. Before applying to the host institution abroad, you must first complete the necessary application procedures to Pace. Click here to review the Pace University Step-by-Step guide to study abroad.
Application Procedures for Pace Study Abroad:
- Attend a Study Abroad 101 Information Session
- Create an account to begin the study abroad application process. Students can only apply to one program. Check to make sure you meet the eligibility requirements of the program and that you submit your application in advance of the program deadline. Complete the required materials and questionnaires required for your application. Note that the requirements will vary depending on your selected program.
- Meet with your academic advisor to ensure you meet the academic requirements needed in order to study abroad. In addition to asking the following questions, you may want to bring the names and descriptions of course you are interested in taking at your host institution:
- Schedule an appointment with a Pace Study Abroad Advisor.
- Download and complete the course approval form. You must complete the course approval form by the Pace application deadline.
Pace University Application Deadlines:
Summer: March 15
Utrecht Summer School Application Procedure:
You can apply for courses through the Utrecht Summer Program website. For most of the courses, online payment is available. The courses have various target groups, therefore entry requirements may vary. The exact requirements are specified online.
Utrecht Summer School Application Deadlines:
Summer: Varies for each course (May - Aug, 2016)
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Program Cost
Students are responsible for:
- Pace tuition and Fees, including a $100 Study Abroad Fee are billed to the student account.
- Room charges are the responsibility of the student and are paid directly to the host institution.
- Out-of-pocket expenses (airfare, meals, local transportation, etc.) are the responsibility of the student.
Cost for the Utrecht Summer School:
- Program cost range: €200 - €5,000*
* Varies depending on the course program participants decide on taking
Some Utrecht Summer courses include accommodation into its fee while others do not. Please be sure to read the course description carefully so that you are fully aware of any extra cost on your part!
Remember to check your eligibility for International Scholarships!
Insurance
All participating students are registered for Pace’s emergency Travel Assistance/Health Insurance policy through ACE American Insurance/AXA Assistance USA. There is no additional charge.
Visa
Most international students from outside the EU/EEA who plan to study in the Netherlands for more than 90 days need to apply for an entry visa and/or a Dutch residence permit.
Visit HU's Pathfinder Wizard to find out if you need a student visa or permit.
