Location
  • Netherlands
    • Amsterdam
Term
Fall, J-Term, Spring, Summer
Subject Areas
Accounting Anthropology Communications Economics European Studies Finance Health Sciences International Business International Relations Liberal Arts Marketing Public Health +2
Need-based funding, Merit-based funding, General grants/scholarships

Program Details

Program Type
Provider
Degree Level
Bachelors
Housing
Dormitory Host Family
Language
English

Pricing

Price Details
You get more for every dollar when you study abroad with CIEE! Our high-quality programs include tuition, housing, on-site airport pick-up, field trips and cultural activities, 24/7 on-site professional staff, and automatic iNext insurance. There are no hidden charges or surprises when you arrive, and scholarships opportunities are available!
What's Included
Accommodation Some Activities Classes Some Meals Travel Insurance
Apr 16, 2021
Jan 19, 2024
7 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

If you find yourself wondering why it’s so easy to feel at home in Amsterdam, chalk it up to “gezellig.” Roughly translated, that’s Dutch for cozy or home-like – a sensibility commonly associated with this city. Compact and easy to navigate by bike or on foot, Amsterdam houses more than 6,000 buildings from the 16th century forward that are protected for historic importance. It’s loaded with charm and treasures, from the gabled houses that stand shoulder to shoulder along the canals, to glorious masterpieces by Van Gogh, Rembrandt, Matisse, and more.

The center is located conveniently across the street from the University of Amsterdam and is embedded in a thriving, student-friendly neighborhood with cafes and restaurants and picturesque canals.

Video and Photos

Program Highlights

  • CIEE Amsterdam is located conveniently across the street from the University of Amsterdam and is embedded in a thriving, student-friendly neighborhood with cafes and restaurants and picturesque canals.
  • Trips to Rotterdam, Maastricht, or an island off the Dutch coast.
  • Bike tours through Amsterdam’s countryside.
  • Tours of medieval castles.
  • Depending on their program of study and availability, students may be able to participate in an internship or volunteer.

Popular Programs

CIEE Amsterdam Summer Programs

Though the Dutch capital is home to the stock exchange, central bank, and numerous Dutch and international companies, it’s got an artsy, vibrant side too — think museums housing original works by Van Gogh and Rembrandt, art galleries, music clubs, and theaters.

CIEE Amsterdam Semester Programs

Whether you want to study Business, Humanities or examine social and environmental challenges with a critical lens, the Netherlands is the place to be.

CIEE Amsterdam January Program

Earn credits this January in one of the most progressive cities in the world. Join the locals and bicycle around this accessible, environmentally-conscious and multicultural European capital city.

Scholarships

CIEE

CIEE Scholarships and Grants

CIEE’s need-based grants offer support to students who face financial barriers to studying abroad. CIEE awards need-based grants based on students’ EFCs and program selection. The Gilman Go Global Grant offers students $750-$2,000 toward airfare, plus $2,500 toward semester program costs, or $1,000 toward summer program costs.

Value
$500 - $2,500

Program Reviews

4.73 Rating
based on 26 reviews
  • 5 rating 73.08%
  • 4 rating 26.92%
  • 3 rating 0%
  • 2 rating 0%
  • 1 rating 0%
  • Academics 4.1
  • Support 4.45
  • Fun 4.8
  • Housing 4.45
  • Safety 4.95
Showing 9 - 16 of 26 reviews
Default avatar
Emerald
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

CIEE January Term in Amsterdam

I studied abroad with CIEE in Amsterdam in the January 2023 term. I spent three weeks total in Amsterdam and took one 3-credit course - Dutch Public Health. This was my first time going abroad alone, and CIEE did a great job of making everyone feel safe and at home regardless of study abroad experience. Before the trip, we were provided with a plethora of detailed information about every aspect of our study abroad experience including housing, meals, packing, and an overview of the Dutch culture. I never felt unprepared once or unsure before leaving! They also provided an itinerary for our first few days in Amsterdam so we knew what to expect from the moment we got off the plane. We also had the chance to virtually meet the other students participating in the program via Groupme and Canvas.

I am from Texas, so the moment I got out of the airport, Amsterdam felt like a different world, but I was excited to be immersed in a new city and culture for the coming weeks. On the educational side, we were enrolled in class for about two full weeks with 4-hour class times a day with an hour lunch break in the middle. Depending on your desired course choice, the class format may be different, but for Public Health, it was lecture-based with one day of excursions. The CIEE program scheduled time for 3 group excursions in various parts of the Netherlands including Leiden, Rotterdam, and the Red Light District of Amsterdam. Each excursion showcased a different side of the Netherlands and made our time there more worthwhile.

We were housed in a popular student housing dormitory/hotel that many international students live at. It was very modern and fun, and included a café, free laundry, a gym, and plenty of social and work spaces. Each student had their own room and private bathroom, which were both of great quality and cleanliness. The location was very close to the city center, had a grocery store across the street, and was near plenty of restaurants.

Overall, it was a great experience and would recommend it to any study abroad experience!

Pros
  • Beautiful city with amazing architecture!
  • The city is so clean and very environmentally friendly!
  • Very diverse! It is better for English-speaking foreigners because everyone knows English as well as Dutch
Cons
  • During the winter season it is very cold, windy, and rainy
  • The days are short in the winter, so there's only about 8 hours of sunshine (if it's not overcast)
  • It's a relatively small city, so don't pack in all the tourist experiences all at once unless you're there for a short time
50 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Emilia
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Social Sciences & Humanities: Fall 2022

I had an excellent experience in the CIEE Amsterdam: Social Sciences & Humanities program. The staff was helpful and kind, and they made the transition seamless. The CIEE courses I participated in did a great job of integrating us into the culture while also challenging us academically. The social scene in Amsterdam was so much fun and fairly easy to navigate. The city has a great variety of activities, including expansive flea markets, museums with amazing history, and unique attractions such as the Red Light District. I would absolutely recommend this program and Amsterdam as a city itself.

Pros
  • Housing
  • Social scene
  • Support
50 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Rae
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

A winter in Amsterdam

I have never been abroad and Amsterdam has been in must for SO long so when I found out about this trip I was incredibly excited. This trip has been great, it was definitely a rocky transition to adjust myself not only to the time zone but just being alone in a new place. After I felt more settled and there was a schedule things began to get better. The culture here and the art and especially the architecture is amazing here. It was nice having to go to class everyday because it forced you to go into a new part of the city and explore that area on lunch breaks. Learning to ride a bike as soon as possible in the city here was very helpful and I’d definitely recommend biking everywhere. It helps you really experience Amsterdam!

Pros
  • Art
  • Adventurous
  • New people
Cons
  • Weather
  • Limited grocery options
50 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Amanda
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Summer Business + Communications | Amsterdam, Netherlands

CIEE did an amazing job in making us feel supported while abroad. It was hard adjusting to a different environment without any familiar faces, but CIEE did their best to try and give us immersive cultural excursions and activities, while also giving us the freedom do do our own outings. I really enjoy the flexibility they gave us, this allowed me build my own itineraries on certain days and learn about Amsterdam and the Netherlands in my own way. CIEE also supplied many resources abroad, making the process easier. They were amazing every step of the way!

Pros
  • Optional weekly excursions
  • Personal recommendations for places to eat, visit, etc.
  • Transparent communication and easy to reach out
Cons
  • Wasn't able to connect with many students outside of the program
37 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Sarah
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Good Program, but Terrible Orientation

I really enjoyed my time in Amsterdam, and it has become one of my favorite places to live. I definitely recommend studying in Amsterdam and at the University of Amsterdam. It is so accessible, and with my bike, I have been able to go anywhere in the city. The CIEE staff were extremely friendly and helpful, and somewhat accessible. I do think the Orientation was awful, as it started the day we arrived, only a couple hours after we left the airport. It was only a couple days long, and was basically just a massive information dump with no ice-breakers or get-to-know-you activities. We then had two weeks here before classes began, which was nice to have time to get settled and explore, but CIEE held nothing for us during this time. Because of this, I never even met most of the other people in my program.

Pros
  • Incredible city
  • Transportation is easy
  • Culturally focused events by the program
Cons
  • Bad orientation
46 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Elizabeth
4/5
No, I don't recommend this program

CIEE Amsterdam

While I understand most if not all programs, work environments, schools, etc all over the world were all re-acclimating and recovering from the global pandemic, I was unfortunately quite disappointed with many parts of my time studying abroad in Amsterdam with CIEE in Spring of 2022.
I would like to start by saying that I overall had a wonderful experience. I met amazing people, was fortunate enough to travel, and felt I personally grew a lot. But with that, those experiences were not due to CIEE and the program isn't was almost completely unhelpful the entire time.

Pros
  • Lived in the Student Hotel Amsterdam City in the middle of everything.
  • Able to connect with students from other schools
  • Experience a new version of independence
Cons
  • Didn't connect with many non american students
  • No meal plan, food was very expensive
  • Program wasn't involved or helpful
42 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Kyrie
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Great experience to gain global insight in economics

I loved my experience with CIEE because they took care of a lot of logistics. This included housing and my visa. From there on, I got to focus on enjoying the culture of the Netherlands and engaging with Dutch locals. They really gave me a lot of freedom in class choices and were very hands off — which I preferred. Then I got to explore however I wanted.

Regarding academics, it was great to learn economics in another country. Economics is very popular in the Netherlands and finance is an elite field in the country too. I found the courses were very easy, and so did many of my peers. I almost never attended classes, certainly never took notes, and only completed the finals. I received the equivalent of a 3.8 with very minimal effort. This can be great if you're focusing on learning in the culture, rather than within the classroom.

I recommend this program for very independent students who are looking to grasp global insight through experience.

Pros
  • Hands-off
  • Easy to travel to other countries
  • Helpful transportation tips
Cons
  • Not challenging academics
49 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Lucine
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Best choice for a semester in Western Europe!

I studied abroad with CIEE this past fall in Amsterdam. I was impressed by how receptive and helpful the staff in the Amsterdam office were, and I really built a strong connection with them. I participated in CIEE teach, I was a member of the Student Representative Council, and I participated in a homestay up one weekend up north in Groningen - these are examples of my favorite activities that I got to do as a CIEE student. My favorite memory was through CIEE teach, when my Dutch students said goodbye to my friends and I by performing a dance for us and giving us chocolates for their Sinterklaas holiday.

CIEE was very helpful during orientation (and after) in getting us accustomed to how the UvA operates. I also took courses with CIEE, as they had a more familiar grading standard. Both my UvA and CIEE courses were challenging, and it was cool learning about European politics and social policies while living there. As far as housing goes, that is the factor that influenced me choosing this program - CIEE guarantees housing in Amsterdam, which is an incredible promise that they uphold for students, since the housing market in Amsterdam is very competitive. I stayed in a single with a full size bed and private bathroom in The Student Hotel Amsterdam West, which was a ~25 minute bike ride from UvA. I loved this experience, the friends I made through it, and the memories I created will be cherished forever -- and I didn't go in thinking this is how I'd feel. Trust me, the folks at CIEE really did their best in shaping this experience for me and 90+ other students, and they are always receptive to improvements. If you're looking for a program thats challenging, with good staff support, independent housing, and in a central location for European travel, this program is for you.

What was the most unfamiliar thing you ate?
I tried herring for the first (and last) time in the Hague. It wasn't my favorite, but if I didn't have to fend off the seagulls in 35 degree Fahrenheit weather, I might have enjoyed it more...#justDutchthings
65 people found this review helpful.

Questions & Answers