FAQ

We welcome everyone from age 18 and up. You do not need to be a student at UvA. Also have a look at our frequently asked question about the enrolment and intake procedure.

UvA Talen uses the internationally recognised Common European Framework of Reference to identify language proficiency levels. This international standard means you always know the language level of the course you are taking. The language level is also stated on the course certificate. For more information, go to the page about the Common European Framework of Reference.

UvA Talen is an independent language institute and we are unable to provide assistance in obtaining a visa. It is however possible for us to send you a Letter of Acceptance by email, which you can use for your visa application. If you wish to receive a Letter of Acceptance, please contact us via trainers@uvatalen.nl.

Unfortunately we are also not able to mediate in finding accommodation in Amsterdam.
 

The course price includes:
- an intake
- the group course
- an exam
- (if necessary) a resit. You can take the resit within six months after finishing the course.
- a certificate

The course material is not included in the course price. 

There is no difference in the course content and course material between the online and in class course, only a difference in format. The online courses take place via Zoom and the in class courses at the Roeterseiland in Amsterdam. By using breakout-rooms teachers will aim to provide the same interaction as during an in class course. In both formats students are expected to actively participate in the course.

The choice for an online or in class course depends on your personal preference for location and teaching style.

It is not possible to combine an online and in class course. If you start a course online, you will follow the entire course online. The same applies to in class courses. This is in order to ensure the peace in our classes and avoid a lot of changes between classes.

It is not possible to reschedule a missed lesson to another moment. (Online) classes are not recorded. We advise students to attend at least 80% of the lessons in order to have a good chance of passing the exam. In case you miss a lesson, please notify the teacher so they can send you the homework. This way you can catch up with the missed material in your own time and prepare for the next lesson. At the start of your course you are only allowed to miss one lesson, as we wish you to benefit from your course as much as possible. By missing more than one lesson at the start of the course, there is a big risk of not being able to catch up with the rest of the class.

The in class lessons take place at UvA Talen (Roetersstraat 23-25) or one of the classrooms of the University of Amsterdam on the Roeterseinlandcampus.Fi Find us on Google Maps

The online lessons take place via Zoom.

In the week before the start of your course you will receive a final course confirmation with the number of your room or the Zoomlink to your class.

UvA Talen offers intensive day courses of two or four weeks, semi-intensive day courses of seven weeks, intensive summer courses of two, three or four weeks, saturday courses of nine, thirteen or seventeen weeks and evening courses of ten weeks.
You can follow courses successively to progressively improve your level.

In case you follow a business or individual course you van choose the duration of your course yourself.
 

There are no lessons on the following days: New Year (1 January), Easter Monday, King's Day (27 April or 26 April), Liberation Day (5 May in the lustrum year), Ascension Day (Thursday ánd Friday), Whit Monday and Christmas (25 and 26 December). On Remembrance Day (4 May) there are no lessons in the evening.

The lessons do continue during school holidays.

The course dates on our website have already included these holidays. This means that a course takes longer when it coincides with one of these holidays.

This depends on the teacher, during longer lessons teachers generally give a short break of 5 to 15 minutes. You can always discuss this with your teacher if necessary.

Students generally need to spend double the amount of time of the course on studying by themselves. This means that if your course is 40 hours of class, you can expect about 80 hours of homework and self study. In our experience, the more time you invest in homework, the more you benefit from your course.

In the week before the start of the course you will receive your final course confirmation which mentions your teacher.

At UvA Talen we have a variety of professional teachers with years of experience teaching to adults. Due to our feedback sessions with teacher we can guarantee the quality of our teachers. We have set standards for the qualification of our teacher. Depending on the type of course, we will often choose for a native speaker of your language.

If you have a preference for a specific teacher, you can mention this in the comment section of your enrolment. We cannot guarantuee that we are always able to meet your request. Our teachers are freelancers, so the schedule is dependant on their availability.

We need a minimum of five students to start a course. The maximum for in class courses is twelve students, for online courses the maximum is ten students.

UvA Talen will try to start every course, but we are forced to stick to a minimum amount of five students per course.

In cast there are insufficient participants, we will contact you as soon as possible to discuss the possibilties. Examples are an alternative group or a later starting date.

In case the course is cancelled by UvA Talen it is also possible to cancel your enrolment and receive a full refund (when the payment has been made). 

In some cases it is possible to follow multiple courses at the same time, but we do not recommend this. We expect you to spend a fair amount of time on homework and our courses are fast-paced. It is important to keep this in mind when you also have a job or studies.

It is not possible to already start with the next level of a language when you have not yet passed for the exam of the previous level.

The course material is not included in the course price. On the course page you can see which books we use for each course and what their price is.

When you follow an in-class course, you can buy the book through us. In the registration form you can indicate whether you want to make use of this option. When you order the book through us, you will receive it from your teacher during the first lesson.

If you follow an online course, you purchase the course material yourself, unless otherwise stated. The final course confirmation, which you will receive by e-mail in the week before the start of the course, contains more information about ordering the book.

We recommend that you do not order books before the course is definitively confirmed.

Would you like to order a book after your course has started? Please contact us via trainers@uvatalen.nl, so we can arrange an appointment for you to come to our information desk on the first floor (Roetersstraat 25). In most cases, we have the book in stock and you can pay for it and receive it directly at the desk. We only accept payment by debit card or credit card, no cash.

If you missed the first lesson and already ordered the book through us, please send a message to trainers@uvatalen.nl so we can prepare it for you at our reception at Roetersstraat 25, ground floor in the Gijsbert van Tienhoven building.

We use the paper version of the book. Sometimes there is a difference between the paper version and the digital version of the book because any changes and page numbering do not always coincide. Also, with an online course, you need multiple screens if you want to consult the book digitally from one screen and simultaneously follow the presentation within the Zoom session. We therefore advise against using the e-book.

If you want to study at the University of Amsterdam (or another university), it is important to check the admission requirements for the program you are going to follow. Also see frequently asked questions about Tests, retakes and certificates.
 

Are you unable to find your question on our FAQ page? Please contact us here. 

Our group courses are structured based on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. For more information, please have a look at the frequently asked questions about general course information. Based on this framework or your previous experience with language courses, we ask you to estimate your own level and register for the corresponding course. 

After receiving your enrolment, we will invite you to our intake procedure if necessary, to ensure that you are enrolled at the right level. 

The intake consists of a conversation with a teacher. This conversation lasts 10 to 15 minutes and takes place online via Zoom (or in some exceptions, by phone). The conversation covers everydays topics, and no preparation is required. 

Depending on the course or lanuage you are enrolling in, you might also need to complete a writing assignment or level test. 

After receiving your enrolment, you will automatically receive an email to schedule an intake if necessary. Once spots are available, this can usually be done via your student dashboard. Otherwise, you will receive a personal email to arrange an appointment, or we will contact you by phone.

After your intake, you will receive your intake result via email from a course coordinator within a few working days. The advice given by the intake teacher is binding. If the intake indicates that you are not enrolled at the right level, we will provide you with the alternatives that are available. If you do not agree with these alternatives, it will be possible to cancel your enrolment and receive a refund (if the enrolment is already paid) based on the intake result. 

We schedule an intake if:

• You are a new student at UvA Talen and are enrolled in a level higher than the beginner level or the English Beginners course.
• Your previous course was completed more than six months ago.

We do not schedule an intake if:

• You are starting with a Beginner course (except for the English Beginners course, in which case an intake is required). For all other beginner courses, we assume you have no prior knowledge of the language. If you are not sure if your level is higher, you can request an intake by making a note in the comment field during the enrolment process or by emailing trainers@uvatalen.nl.
• You are continuing from the previous level and finished that course less than six months ago.
• You are retaking the course within six months.

No. We recommend to enrol at least two weeks before the course starts. If you enrol later, we cannott guarantee an intake.

If you enrol less than two weeks before the start of the course, there is a chance that all intake slots will already be filled. If this is the case, we will inform you and discuss if you choose to join the course at your own risk. This is at your own risk because after starting a course, cancellation is no longer possible. 
If you choose to start the course, you must discuss with your teacher after the first lesson whether you're in the right course for you. If you are not, please contact us as soon as possible (and before the second lesson takes place). After one class, we can still move students to a different level or paralles group within the same course round if there is availability. After two classes or more, changes within the same round are no longer possible. In that case we will need to move you to a later course round, which may involve additional costs. 

The certificate you receive at the end of a course, grants you the right to start a course at the next level, as long as no more than six months have passed between the two courses. If more than six months have passed, we will ask you to schedule a new intake. 

It is possible to enrol for the next level before receiving the result of your final exam. This allows you to secure a spot in the course in case you are able to continue. However, the start date of the next-level course must be after the end date of your current course.

We will process your enrolment, but will await to see if you have passed your current course. If you pass, you will receive the final course confirmation for the next level as soon as possible. If you do not pass, you will have the option to cancel your enrolment for the next level free of charge. 

Please note your preferred teacher in the comment field during the enrolment process. We can't guarantee that this request will be accommodated, but if it is possible to match you with your favorite teacher, we will certainly do our best to do so.

If you fill in your email address on our website, you can request a new password. The password reset email may end up in your spam folder, so be sure to check there if you do not receive it. 

To follow a group course at UvA Talen, you do not have to meet certain conditions. Everyone from age 18 and up is welcome to enrol.

Please be aware that some courses may be taught in English. For this reason, it is necessary that you have a reasonable level of the English language (at least B1 level of the Common European Framework of Reference). If you are unsure whether your level of English is sufficient to follow a particular course, please contact our Trainers department. 

You can only enrol through our website. After we have processed the enrolment, we will send you an enrolment confirmation as soon as possible. You will then automatically receive an email to schedule an intake (if necessary) with one of our teacher through your student dashboard. This allows us to determine your level and place you in the correct course. 

Yes. You can find our terms and conditions here.

If you have a question related to discounts, payment and/or our terms and conditions, please check our frequently asked questions. Do you have other questions? Feel free to contact us at trainers@uvatalen.nl. If it's a technical issue, please include a screenshot of the problem if possible, so we can assist you as quickly as possible. 

You can immediately pay for the course online during he enrolment process via iDEAL or credi card. After enrolling, you will receive the invoice by email. It is not possible to pay in cash.

You can enrol via the website and select the payment option "Payment from a company (employer, sponsor or own business)". Fill in the company details and contact information and we will send the invoice to your contact person after the course has started.

Unfortunately, it is not possible to pay for your Dutch language course at UvA Talen with a DUO loan for integration.

It's not possible to pay the invoice for your course in installments.

If you have previously completed a course at UvA Talen, you will automatically receive a €50 discount when enrolling in a follow-up course. You do not need to select a discount—this will be applied automatically if you enrol using the same account. Note: If you previously enrolled but did not attend the course (e.g., due to cancellation), you are not eligible for this discount. If the discount is incorrectly applied, we will send an invoice for the outstanding amount.

Students at the University of Amsterdam (UvA) or Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences (HvA) receive a 20% discount if they upload a valid proof of enrollment during the enrolment process.

Students from other universities, universities of applied sciences, or MBO institutions receive a €50 discount if they upload a valid proof of enrollment during the enrolment process.

Employees, PhD candidates, and AUV members of the University of Amsterdam and Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences receive a €50 discount if they upload valid proof during registration. These discounts can be combined with the returning student discount.

Occasionally, we offer promotional discounts. Follow our social media and website or sign up for our newsletter to stay updated. Depending on the terms of the specific promotion, these discounts may or may not be combined with other discounts.

If you need a quotation, please send an email to trainers@uvatalen.nl to request it. In your email, include the details that should be mentioned in the quotation.

Submit a request or order for the correct course in your learning platform. Once we have received and confirmed your request, we will send you the instructions to complete your enrolment via our website as well. Please note: the prices listed in the learning platform are final.

Please read our terms and conditions for details on cancellations, refunds, and course changes. If you need to make a change, contact us as soon as possible.

In some cases, administration fees apply when changing or cancelling your course. Please read our terms and conditions. You will receive an invoice and payment link for the administration fees, which must be paid before the course starts.

If you have already paid for your course and your registration is changed to a more expensive course, you will receive an invoice and payment link for the price difference. This must be paid before the course starts.

If your registration is changed to a cheaper course, we will refund the price difference.

If your employer is covering the course fee and the invoice has not yet been sent, we will adjust the enrolment to make sure that the correct course price appears on the invoice.

If you are unable to attend the final exam, you can take it during one of our online exam events that we have available within six months after the end date of your course. This will still count as your first attempt and you will also keep your one opportunity to take a resit. 

All our online exam events take place via Zoom. For available dates and to register, please contact us at trainers@uvatalen.nl.

If you take the final exam during the lesson, you will receive your result from your teacher as soon as it has been graded. 

If you take the final exam during one of our online exam events, you will receive your results from us via email within one week.

If you do not pass the final exam, you can schedule a free resit and take it during one of our online exam events that we have available within six months after the end date of your course. You are entitled to one resit and you will only need to redo the parts that you did not pass. 

For available dates and to register, please contact us at trainers@uvatalen.nl.

If you do not pass the resit, it is not possible to receive a certificate and continue to the next level. However, you can receive a proof of attendance if you have attended at least 80% of the lessons. Additionally, you have the option to retake the same course with a 50% discount.

If you pass the final exam of the course, you will receive a certificate stating the number of course hours and an internationally recognised level according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. 
You will receive your certificate within two weeks after the end of your course via email as a PDF file. If you prefer a printed certificate, you can request one by emailing trainers@uvatalen.nl.

During the enrolment process, please write a note in the comment field that you will need an adjusted certificate at the end. After passing your final exam, send an email to trainers@uvatalen.nl and specify what should be included on your certificate. You will receive your certificate within two weeks after the end of your course.

This is not possible for a group course. For options to take an exam without first attending a course, please contact our tailor made department at zakelijk@uvatalen.nl.

If you would like to review your exam after receiving your result, you can schedule an (online) appointment by emailing trainers@uvatalen.nl.
During the review, taking photos or screenshots of the exam is not allowed, but you are allowed to take notes. A teacher will not be present during the review. 
We can't send the exam or answers to you.

At UvA Talen, you can take a course that prepares you for the NT2 Staatsexamen (for Dutch) or the Cambridge or IELTS exam (for English). 
However, the Staatsexamen, Cambridge exam, or IELTS exam is not included in these courses. To receive an official certificate for these exam, you must contact the examination office separately.

If you plan to study at the University of Amsterdam (or another university), it is important to check the admission requirements for your chosen program.

At UvA Talen, you can take a course that prepares you for the NT2 Staatsexamen 2 (for Dutch) or the IELTS exam (for English). However, these specific exams are not included in the course.
Successfully passing one of these exams is a requirement for many universities when applying for a degree program. Please note: taking an exam preparation course at UvA Talen does not guarantee admission to a university.

The final exam takes place during the last and/or second-to-last lesson of the course. Your teacher will prepare you for the final exam during the course and will also assess it.

If you are following a specialised course, the course may be completed with a presentation or written assignment.

The final exam takes place either through our online exam system TestVision or on paper, depending on your course. Your teacher will inform you about this during the course. 

If your final exam is conducted visa TestVision, you will receive your login details, additional information and a sample test beforehand to practice with the TestVision interface. 
If you are taking an in-person course and the final exam is conducted via TestVision, we will ask you to bring your laptop and headphones for the final exam. If you do not have these, please contact us in advance at trainers@uvatalen.nl.