About us

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Utrecht Summer School started in 1987, with one course: Dutch Culture and Society. In the last two and a half decades, the summer school developed into a broad selection of over 150 courses in virtually all disciplines offered by Utrecht University and HU University of Applied Sciences. These institutions for higher education offer high quality, fully accredited summer courses on bachelor, master and PhD level. All courses are taught in English by our academic staff. In 2012 Utrecht Summer School attracted over 2500 students from about 90 different countries.

Located in the heart of the Netherlands, Utrecht University is firmly founded on tradition. Utrecht University has developed into one of Europe's largest and most prominent institutes of research and education. Utrecht University offers the broadest spectrum of disciplines available in the Netherlands, innovative research and liaises with universities and research centers all over the world. At Utrecht University, in both teaching and research, quality is always the key.

Utrecht University is linked to the names of many prominent academics among whom Buys Ballot, Donders, Rudolf Magnus, Van Unnik and Freudenthal. The list also includes Nobel Prize Winners such as Gerard 't Hooft from the Faculty of Physics and Astronomy.

Utrecht University is truly international. In addition to the innumerable individual contacts between scientists and students the world over, the university maintains ramified networks with many fellow institutions. Our curricula are attractive for foreign students, especially at Master’s level. The University College offers English taught BA and BSc-courses at the highest level. Research facilities are excellent.

HU University of Applied Sciences (HU) was founded in 1995, the result of a merger of several independent institutions. The HU is the third largest university of applied sciences in the Netherlands and is funded by the state. It has over 37,500 students (including 1200 international students) with more than one hundred different nationalities. The HU offers a wide range of courses spread within nine principal themes. Most of the 80 programmes lead to a Bachelor’s degree, and some lead to a Master’s degree. Several programmes are taught in English.

To prepare students for their future career, the international programmes have some unique aspects:

- Competence-based education to provide excellent professional skills
- Individual supervision and a limited number of students per group
- International experience: study abroad
- Work experience at international companies

All courses are geared towards the practical aspects of the disciplines and the teaching is competence based with the emphasis on professional skills and work placements.