Study abroad

U.S.E. partners

Utrecht University School of Economics (U.S.E.) has several partner universities 

These have been chosen specifically for their economics department or courses, which complement the curriculum at U.S.E. well. This can mean that they fit in well with your own multidisciplinary programme or minor, or courses in the field of business economics, regional economics, governmental administration, etc.

Utrecht University-wide destinations

You can also choose to attend one of the UU-wide destinations. This opens up your possibilities to many more universities in various countries. 

When considering a UU-wide destination, remember to check whether the UU-wide destination in which you are interested offers sufficient economics courses and if their quality is satisfactory. 

Furthermore, please bear in mind that Utrecht University adheres to all travel advisories issued by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Students are not allowed to study abroad, perform internships (including residencies) and/or conduct research in any area deemed unsafe by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as indicated by the colour classifications orange (essential travel only) or red (do not travel here).

All U.S.E. Bachelor's degree students who meet the following conditions can apply for a study abroad period: 
 

1. You need to have obtained 60 EC the moment the International Exchange Office begins the allocation process (straight after the deadline);
2. You need to be registered as a student at Utrecht University during your stay abroad;
3. You are required to incorporate the courses taken abroad in your U.S.E. study programme;
4. It is recommended or required to have good skills in the language of the host country.

If you want to go abroad in your second year of your studies (rather than the third or fourth), you can apply for the LUISS Programme. This special exchange programme is unique to U.S.E. 

Another option would be to attend one of the many summer schools over the summer. 

The first step in the application process is to fill in the application form. You can do so by following the steps below:
 

1. Download the format of a study abroad application form  including the study plan from the UU Study Abroad webpage
2. You have to make a study plan for your first choice partner university only. Attach the courses' titles, descriptions, levels, course codes, prerequisites and literature. Check how many EC you will need to receive abroad and mention the number of courses that correspond with this. Ensure that the courses you choose are open to exchange students, that they do not overlap with courses you have already taken at Utrecht and make sure they are at a sufficient level.
3. Include a proposal on how you want the courses to count towards your exam programme. (For example, as a major-related elective, as an optional course profile.) Also include the level of the courses. You can only take a course as a substitution of a required course, if there is an overlap regarding level and content of at least 80%. The more information you include in your proposal, the quicker and easier it is to get your study plan signed off.
4. When you finished your study plan, you must book an appointment with one of the study advisors to discuss it and have it signed off.

Please note: The study plan is not the official approval. You will need to get this from the Board of Examiners after you are enrolled for the courses at the partner university (see 'During and after your time abroad').

EXTRA WARNING: in case you were not able to discuss your study plan with the study advisor before the next application deadline of December 2nd (23:59 hrs), please submit your application in Osiris without a signature. You will still be able to discuss the study plan after that date. 

While making your study plan, please consider the following:

Students with a dedicated minor can spend a period studying abroad.

If the partner university offers courses in the direction of your dedicated minor, please ensure you choose these courses. However, the experience shows this is not  possible at all partner universities, and for this reason U.S.E. is flexible in approving courses to be included in the dedicated minor. Please note, the courses which can substitute the minor courses must be at a comparable level (level 3 for 3rd year courses).

How to apply

After making a study plan and getting this signed off by a study advisor, you can officially apply through Osiris Student. All the information on how to do so can be found on the UU Study Abroad website.

Please keep in mind the following:

• If you apply for one of the university-wide partner universities, your application will be handled by the University-wide International Office. If you apply for a U.S.E. partner institution, the International Exchange Office of the faculty Law, Economics and Governance  will process your request;
• To increase your chances of getting an exchange place, we advise you to select a top 3 of destinations instead of the minimum of 2.

Deadline

The next application deadline is December 2nd (23:59 hrs).
EXTRA WARNING: in case you were not able to discuss your study plan with the study advisor before the deadline of December 2nd (23:59 hrs), please submit your application in Osiris without a signature. You will still be able to discuss the study plan after that date. 

If the language of instruction at the host university is not Dutch, English or your native language, you are required to provide proof of proficiency. Proof of proficiency can be a certificate of a language course completed elsewhere, a language course completed at UU, language course(s) you are planning to take in preparation, proof that you attended an international school, etc. Please make sure that these documents are .pdf files only(!)

In case a destination requires you to have a B2 level English proficiency (or lower), most students are exempt from handing in proof of this language proficiency at the time of the Study Abroad application in Osiris. This is the case for students who have either completed the VWO English exam with a passing grade, or finished an English-taught university-level course, as well as native speakers. 

If you do not yet meet the language requirement - please indicate also in the pdf file your feasible(!) plan to obtain the required language level. Language requirements can be found on the UU destination websites per university.

After you have completed your Study Abroad application request in Osiris Student and have uploaded all the necessary documents, the International Exchange Office (IEO) will start the allocation procedure.

Allocation Procedure

• The allocation process consists of several rounds and deadlines. After applying for the first deadline of December 2nd, a student’s first-choice destination will be considered. For each application, the IEO will check if the student meets the admission requirements of the chosen partner university. 
• If the amount of applications for a university exceeds the number of available places, the places will be allocated by drawing lots. If you are not allocated to your preferred first-choice destination, your second and third-choice destinations will be considered if they still have places available. If necessary, these places will again be allocated by drawing lots.
• You will be notified of the allocation outcome late January. 
• In rare cases, a student cannot be allocated to any of their top-3 destinations. You will then be allowed to choose a new destination top-3, based on the places that are still available. Your application will have priority over applications that were not submitted before the December 2nd deadline.
• We assume that you choose your top-3 destinations very carefully. You will not be able to switch destinations after being allocated.
• The IEO does not keep a waiting list for destinations that are full.

After the allocation procedure

Following the allocation procedure, the nominating phase starts.

• The IEO will nominate you at your assigned host university to study there as an exchange student.
• The host university will send you their application instructions and other practical information about their institution.
• After you have submitted your application, the host university will examine it. They will inform you whether you are officially accepted as an exchange student. (It is very rare that a nominated exchange student is not accepted into their host university.)

Remaining Places

After the allocation process, a list of remaining places will be published. In case you were not allocated to one of your top-3 destinations, you can choose a new top-3 from this list.

Do not forget about the following matters when you are abroad:
 

• Once you have arrived at your destination and you are enrolled for the courses, you have to fill in the transfer credit request form to get official approval from the Board of Examiners to get the courses recognised upon return.
• Make sure that you deal with all necessary arrangements regarding visa requirements or enrolment at your host university as soon as possible.
• During your stay you may need to make some preparations for your return to Utrecht University. For instance, you may need to register for classes for the next semester before a certain deadline or have your Erasmus forms (like your Learning Agreement) filled out by the coordinator of your host university.

Most of our partner universities send an electronic transcripts directly to the International Exchange Office. When we receive your transcript we will upload the document in Osiris and send you an email about it. Unfortunately you cannot see it in Osiris, but it will be attached in the email. If only a hard copy has been sent by mail, it will also be scanned and uploaded. You will be notified about it as well.

Please note: You need to arrange the transfer of your grades and credits with the Board of Examiners yourself. Please send an email to boardofexaminers.use@uu.nl , informing them your transcript has been uploaded in Osiris.

To get your credits recognised so that they count towards your degree in the Netherlands, you may need to provide additional information besides the transcript of grades. The Board of Examiners may, for instance, require an overview of the number of hours you spent on a particular subject, as well as the study materials used. In certain cases, you can also be requested to provide an explanation on how a course taken abroad was assessed.

Grades you obtain abroad are converted to Pass or Fail. In addition, the original courses and grades are recorded in OSIRIS and printed on the International Diploma Supplement.

Study/ work placement abroad

• http://students.uu.nl/en/academics/study-abroad: The central International Office (Student Services) provides information on scholarships etc. 
• www.wilweg.nl: General information on studying and internships abroad; visa, working permits, insurance, grants, etc. (in Dutch)
• www.minbuza.nl: Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs: current travel advice, addresses of foreign embassies/consulates in the Netherlands.
• www.aiesec.nl: AIESEC is the largest student--‐run organization in the world, active in 130 countries and still growing. AIESEC offers internship--‐opportunities and voluntary projects all across the globe and stimulates participants to be more conscious of their own personal development.
• www.handicap-studie.nl: Information about studying abroad with a handicap.
• www.wereldwijdestudenten.nl: Site by Dutch students who want to study abroad or have studied abroad (in Dutch).
• www.nuffic.nl: NUFFIC is the “Netherlands Organisation for international cooperation in higher education”.
• www.searchjobsabroad.com: Free website for internships within Europe.

Language preparations

• www.babel.nl: Babel in Utrecht offers numerous language courses.
• www.toefl.org: Information about the TOEFL test, locations and cost.
• www.ielts.org: Information about the IELTS test, locations and cost.