University College Utrecht

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University College Utrecht (UCU) is a public liberal arts college in Utrecht, Netherlands, and part of Utrecht University. It was founded in 1998 as the country’s first university college and teaches in English. About 750 students from around 70 countries study on campus.

Programs and study
UCU offers a three-year bachelor program. Students can major in Humanities, Social Sciences, or Sciences, or choose a double major or an interdomain major. There are two double degree options with Law or Physics. Degrees are awarded by Utrecht University as a Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Science (BSc). The curriculum encourages multidisciplinary study. Courses are organized into three departments: Humanities, Social Sciences and Sciences. The typical year has two 15-week semesters; students take four courses per semester (each course is 7.5 ECTS). Optional Summer and Winter terms allow extra credit courses. After the first year, students select their major. In all majors, students take at least one course from each department, learn a foreign language, and complete the core course Research in Context. First-year courses do not count toward the final GPA.

Admissions and quality
Admissions are merit-based and require a motivation letter, references, English proficiency, and an interview. UCU offers financial aid. The college is accredited by NVAO (the Dutch-Flanders accreditation body) and has earned the Top Rated Programme quality seal since 2013. The acceptance rate is about 22%.

Campus and facilities
The campus is at Kromhout Kazerne, around a central quad with several academic buildings. The Descartes building is now part of the Utrecht School of Economics. The Dining Hall area hosts the University College Student Association facilities, a cafe, a student gym, and student offices. The Auditorium is used for large lectures and events. Students can study on campus or go on exchange with partner universities worldwide; UCU also welcomes incoming exchange students. Alumni are represented by the University College Alumni Association (UCAA).

Tuition (2025-2026)
EU/EEA students pay about €5,398 per year; non-EU/EEA students €16,484. Campus fees are €8,231 per year and cover on-campus living costs, including water, electricity and internet. All students pay a €100 contribution to the UCSA.

Address
Campusplein 1, 3584 ED Utrecht, Netherlands.