Amsterdam has an extensive transport system, including trams, buses, trains, metros and ferries. The GVB operates most public transport in Amsterdam.

OV chipcards
The GVB in Amsterdam and the Dutch Railways (NS) are not the same operators. You can buy single tickets, but it is handy to travel using an OV-chipcard. With this card you can travel by train, bus, tram and metro - one card covers all possibilities!

An OV chipcard is a smart card that you add money to. You can buy one at the ticket office of most major train stations or the yellow ticket machines. The ticket machines accept payment by debit and credit cards (V-Pay, Maestro, Mastercard, Visa and American Express) using a PIN and/or contactless. The machines do not accept banknotes.

If you want to travel by train, the minimum credit on your card must be €20. For all other public transport, no minimum amount is required on your card.

Plan your route
Need some help planning your route? Visit https://9292.nl/en to see what route is best! This covers all modes of transport.

Wear a mask
Because of the coronavirus, all passengers using public transport need to wear a face mask before boarding. You are required to use your mask on the train, bus, tram and metro. Also, please remember to maintain a 1,5-metre distance from fellow passengers.

Arranged housing through UvA? Our housing partners will welcome you in your new home, according to strict coronavirus safety measures. In addition, they have all taken additional measures such as signage in public spaces, reminding students to maintain social distancing and extra cleaning of public areas.

Collecting your keys
Rental contracts will start on 20 August 2021. From this day on, you can collect your key and move in. Some housing partners will offer a room key pick-up service (with assigned time slots to avoid queues) directly at your new address on 20 August. Other housing providers hand out the room keys near the location of your new address.

Check the Locations and room types page for details on your own housing provider.

Please note the following:

• You are obliged to collect your room key in person. You cannot have someone else do it for you.
• Housing providers will ask you to wear a face mask at the key pick-up.
• Announce your arrival date and time at your housing provider (find contact info via the link above).
• Changed travel plans or delays? Inform your housing provider (find contact info via the link above).
• Key pick-up is possible during specific hours. However, you might need to stay in a hostel or hotel at your own expense if you arrive outside these hours.
• Need to quarantine? Check the quarantine rules provided by the Dutch government.

As an international student, you must register as a resident if you plan to stay in the Netherlands for longer than four months. You must register in the town where you will live.

Please note that the criteria that you must register within 5 days do not apply to students at the moment. Unfortunately, due to Covid-19, this is not always possible. However, please try to make an appointment within 5 days after arriving in the Netherlands.

Citizen service number (BSN)
Once you’ve registered, you will be given a citizen service number (burgerservicenummer, BSN). A BSN is required for many things in the Netherlands, including opening a bank account, visiting a doctor or getting hospital treatment.

Rode Kruislaan (De Key) or OurCampus
If you reside at Rode Kruislaan (De Key) or OurCampus, you'll have to register at the municipality of Diemen, a neighbouring town of Amsterdam.

How to make an appointment to register

Register at the municipality Amsterdam

To register at the municipality of Amsterdam as a student, you'll have to make an appointment at one of their ‘student desks’.

Make sure to bring with you:

• Your valid passport, plus a copy of this passport with the pages that have your personal details and photo.
  If you have more than one nationality and more than one passport, you must bring all your passports.
• A printed copy of your rental contract.
• If you’re staying with a friend or relative, you may not have a rental contract. Please fill in the 'Permission to register at an address' form and have it signed by the primary resident.
• Your student card or proof of registration at a university.

Please prepare all these documents carefully ahead of your appointment. 

Register at the municipality Diemen

To register at the municipality Diemen, you need to make an appointment. You can do this by calling the following number:

• In the Netherlands: 020-3144888
• Outside the Netherlands: +31 20 3144888

What to bring:

• Your valid passport
• Your residence permit
• Your rental contract printed out
• Registration form (already filled in)

Please make sure you print out and fill in the required forms before going to the city hall.

Address municipality Diemen: 

D.J. Den Hartoglaan 1
1111 ZB Diemen  

Because of strict coronavirus measures, the municipality allows max. 8 students to enter the building at the same time. Therefore, if you arrive with more students simultaneously, please wait outside for your turn.

You will receive your BSN by post at your address in the Netherlands within 2 to 3 weeks.

Register in other municipalities
Check on the website of your town or city to find out how to register and what you need to bring.

Once in the Netherlands, it’s useful to open a Dutch bank account. International money transfers are usually costly and take days to process. Also, credit cards are not widely accepted. The debit card you receive when opening a Dutch bank account is easy and free of charge to pay at supermarkets, cafes, and restaurants.

Choose a bank
You can open a student bank account at several banks in the Netherlands.

ABN AMRO
You can make an appointment online at ABN AMRO. To complete the opening of your bank account, you'll need to visit one of their desks. For the necessary verification, you will need:

• A valid passport
• Proof of enrolment or your student card
• Your Tax Identification Number
• Your BSN number

You will receive your banking card, pin code and activation code within 5 working days. Please note: that you can only open a bank account with ABN AMRO if you live in the Netherlands for at least 6 months. Also, due to ongoing Covid-19 measurements, if you have to go into (self) quarantine, you cannot have an appointment with the bank during your quarantine period.

ING
You can make an appointment online at one of the ING service points. To complete the opening of your bank account, you'll need to visit one of their desks. For the necessary verification, you'll need:

• A valid passport
• Proof of enrolment
• An original extract from the Personal Records Database (BRP)
• Your BSN, or if you do not have one, your Tax Identification Number

Please first download and read the ING flyer (pdf) with instructions on making an appointment.

Bunq
At Bunq, you can make an appointment online. As with the other banks, you'll need to provide your BSN number. But Bunq allows you 3 months to do so. For the necessary verification to complete the opening of your bank account, you'll also need:

• A valid passport
• Your residence permit ( the IND letter is not sufficient)

How to apply for your student card

First, upload a picture of your student card. Read more about how to upload your student photo. When your student card is ready for pick-up, you will receive an email where to collect it. You need to bring valid proof of identity (ID card or passport) when you collect your card.

Please go to the Student ID card page for more information about how and when to use your student card.

Only applicable if you have the nationality of one of the following countries: Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Japan, Monaco, United Kingdom, Vatican City, USA, South Korea.

For your residence permit, the IND requires a passport photo, fingerprints and a signature. You can make an appointment after you have received an e-mail that says that the IND needs your biometrics.

Currently, it's very busy at the IND desks. In some cases, you have to plan more than 4 weeks ahead. Please note that this does not affect your legal residence in the Netherlands.

The IND informs the UvA when your residence permit is ready to collect, and the UvA will let you know.

However, this process is likely delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, the chances are that it takes longer than usual for the IND to inform the UvA.

Track the progress of your application with a MyIND account

If you want to track the progress of your application and the availability of your residence permit yourself, you can open a MyIND account.

1. To open such an account, you need a DigID (which gives you online access to governmental websites)

2. To obtain a DigID, you need a BSN (citizen service number, check Step 3)

Track the progress of your application through the IND

Another option is to make an appointment with the IND in advance. You can do this online. The IND further informs you whether an appointment is possible or whether they still need to process your residence permit card application.

You will need your V-number, which you can find on the IND confirmation letter we sent to you earlier.

Your residence document will remain at the IND desk for 6 months.

You can find more information on the IND website.

All international students are required by law to have appropriate health insurance for the duration of their stay in the Netherlands.

Before coming to the Netherlands

• Check whether your current insurance will cover the complete period of your stay abroad and what type of coverage it consists of.
• Make sure you have health insurance coverage from the moment you arrive in the Netherlands.

You do not need health insurance for the Netherlands if you are following online education back home.

More information

You'll find more information on the page about health insurance for international students.

If you have questions about your health insurance and whether it offers enough coverage, check out these frequently asked questions from the zorgverzekeringslijn, an organization specialising in health insurance for international students.

In case you're obliged to self-quarantine, please take careful note of the guidelines here and the ones below:

Arrival at Schiphol Airport
Once you've arrived at Schiphol or another airport, you may or may not be invited to get tested at the airport. However, you still need to self-quarantine. Please follow the guidance provided at the airport.

Public transport to the city
When you arrive in the Netherlands, you can travel to the city of Amsterdam using public transport or a taxi. In both cases, you need to wear a (non-medical) face mask and keep 1.5 metres distance from other people.

Pick-up your key
You're allowed - and need - to pick up the key to your accommodation. If you've arranged housing via the UvA, you'll get information from your housing provider about where and when you can pick up your keys. If you've made your own housing arrangements, you'll need to make an appointment with your property owner.

• Some housing providers will ask you to wear a face mask when picking up your key.

Can I come to campus?
No, since you are expected to stay at home during your self-quarantine, you cannot go outside or visit the UvA campuses.

How to get groceries
You can have your groceries delivered by the following supermarkets:

• Jumbo: www.jumbo.com (enable translate via Chrome). Payment via debit card/iDeal/credit card
• Albert Heijn www.ah.nl (enable translation via Chrome). Payment via debit card/iDeal 

Make sure that you have a credit card or cash to pay for living expenses for two weeks. You can also open a Dutch bank account with Bunq online to use iDeal (see Step 4 in the step-by-step guide below).

Buddy Programme for support and practical matters
We can imagine that having to self-quarantine in a country where you have just arrived can be challenging. The ASVA Student Union has set up a buddy system to connect with other students from your programme while self-quarantining. These buddies can also assist you with practical matters such as groceries. More information: ASVA Buddy Programme.

Introduction week online
You can follow the online programme of the introduction week. Most faculties organise additional activities during the introduction week. You will receive further information about this directly from your study programme.

What needs to wait until after your quarantine period
Some arrangements will have to wait until after your quarantine period. For example, picking up your student card (when ready) and making your biometrics appointment. During your quarantine, you can go ahead and make an appointment for your registration with the municipality of Amsterdam for when you finish quarantine. If you live in a different town, please check with their office.

Registering with the municipality
This is where you’ll find information on registering with the municipality.

Collecting your student card
And here you can find information about collecting your student card.

General Health Rules
Following are the official guidelines that apply in the Netherlands to stop the spread of Covid-19:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water
• Cough and sneeze into your elbow
• Use paper tissues to blow your nose and discard them after use
• Do not shake hands
• Keep 1.5 metres (2 arms’ length) distance from other people

What do I do when I develop possible Covid-19 symptoms?
If you develop symptoms related to coronavirus, you need to get a free test to check whether you have the virus. Call 0800-1202 (or +31 850 659 063 if you're calling with a foreign phone number) to apply and make an appointment. You can also go here for more information.

Medical assistance for students at UvA
For medical assistance, the usual practice in the Netherlands is to have an initial consultation with a general practitioner. This practitioner can then refer you to a specialist in a hospital. As a student in Amsterdam, you can also contact the General Practitioners Practice UvA. We kindly ask you not to visit the practice but to make a call instead.

When in acute need of medical assistance
If you have severe symptoms or belong to an at-risk group, please contact a general practitioner. In case of a life-threatening situation, always call 112.

Information on Corona by the Dutch government
For coronavirus-related questions, you can call the government’s corona information line on 0800-1351 (from the Netherlands). From abroad you can call 00312 0205 1351. Or, go here for more information on the Coronavirus test.

National Institute for Public Health (RIVM)
RIVM is the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment in the Netherlands.

UvA’s General Practitioner Office
If you need medical assistance, you can contact the UvA’s General Practitioners Practice by phone (+31 20 525 2878). Or, visit this page for more information.

Check the government websites regularly for up-to-date information.

• Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment

If you have a BSN number (which you receive after registering with the municipality), you’ll get an invitation from the government, either by letter or email. It will say what you have to take with you (such as your ID). It will also tell you where you can get the vaccination.

If you do not have a BSN yet, you can also make an appointment to get vaccinated. You will only have to bring your ID. Please call the GGD Amsterdam on the following number to make your appointment 0031 20 5555 202.

You can also get vaccinated at the vaccination unit located on the Roeterseiland campus from 6 to 10 September 2021.

Or, if you do not want to make an appointment, you can drop by without an appointment at the RAI convention center.

• Always bring your ID with you
• You will be informed what vaccine you will receive during your appointment or when you call the GDD to make an appointment. The options in the Netherlands are Jansen, Pfizer or Moderna
• If you already had a shot of one of the above vaccines, you can get your second one in the Netherlands. In that case, please fill out this form
• Please make sure you remember your patient number, which you will receive during your appointment. With this number, you can register your vaccine in the ‘Coronacheck’ app after you have received your BSN