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Academic & Career Guide

Program structure, course choices, rules and deadlines, career paths, and academic resources for AI students at VU Amsterdam.

🤝Community & Support

Student communities, organizations, and support resources for AI students.

AI Student Groups

WhatsApp Groups

Student Organizations

The CS Discord and CS Resource Hub may also be useful if you are interested in CS-related content.

Communities & Associations

There are a bunch of communities and resources for AI students in Amsterdam. Here are the ones worth knowing about:

  • STORM is the official study association for AI, Computer Science, and Mathematics students at VU. Nearly 1,500 members. They offer exam archives, discounted textbooks, career events, study sessions, borrels, and social activities. They also run the VU Mentor Program. Membership is highly recommended. Website · Instagram
  • VU Mentor Program is a free, university-funded initiative run by STORM that pairs first-years with experienced students. They organize exam prep sessions, game nights, trampoline park outings, community dinners, and peer mentoring throughout the year. Students from the Class of 2028 said it was one of the most useful things they joined. They also maintain a GitHub with course notes and study materials from previous years. Sign up at the start of the year via the WhatsApp community.
  • AISO (AI Student Organisation) is the largest AI student association in the Netherlands, based in Amsterdam and open to all students. They host bi-weekly events and guest lectures (AISO Talks) featuring C-level executives, professors, UN leaders, and startup founders, with over 30 events per year. A great way to see how AI is used across industries and to meet people beyond VU. Worth joining even in your first year. Website · Instagram · Events
  • Amsterdam AI is a cross-sector initiative connecting knowledge institutions, companies, and public organizations around responsible AI in Amsterdam. Good for staying informed about events and opportunities in the city. Website
  • Librae Network is a Netherlands-wide network promoting gender equality in STEM. They run mentorship programmes pairing women+ students with industry mentors, networking dinners, and community events with partner companies like McKinsey, Picnic, and Maven Securities. Website · Instagram

Becoming a Teaching Assistant (TA)

Many courses hire student TAs to help with tutorials, grading, and lab sessions. Being a TA is a great way to deepen your understanding of a subject, earn some money, and build your CV. It's generally available from Year 2 onwards for courses you've already passed.

How the recruitment works: each spring (around March) the CS department posts a Google Form on Canvas to collect availability for the next academic year, with a deadline around mid-April. Only select courses you passed with a 7.5 or higher. Filling in the form is no guarantee; course coordinators contact the students they pick directly.

Academic Advisors

The academic advisors are your first stop for BSA questions, personal circumstances, study delays, disability accommodations, and doubts about your study choice. Every conversation is confidential.

  • Email: academicadvice.cs.beta@vu.nl. Never email advisors' personal accounts; those messages get lost, in their own words.
  • Office: NU building, 12th floor, rooms 12A43 and 12A45.
  • Appointments: 15 or 30 minutes, online or on campus, booked via the advisor page.
  • Open office hour: every Friday 11:00-12:00 on Microsoft Teams, no appointment needed, max 10 minutes per student. The current Teams link is in the monthly announcement on the Community BSc AI Canvas page.
  • VU dropped Zoom on 1 May 2026, so every VU meeting runs on Teams now. Ignore old Zoom links wherever you find them.

Problem with a course itself rather than with your own situation? The Programme Committee (OLC) is the formal channel. It has equal numbers of staff and student members, meets every period, discusses course evaluations, and advises on the Teaching and Examination Regulations. Reach the student representatives via the Community BSc AI Canvas page.

Support when studying gets hard

  • Disability or diagnosis (ADHD, ASD, dyslexia, chronic or mental illness): you may be entitled to exam facilities like extra time. Arrange this well before the exam period through your academic advisor or studying with a disability.
  • Back on Track study group: free weekly study group with realistic planning help, guided by a student psychologist. Mondays 11:00-12:00 online, Thursdays 10:00-11:00 on campus. Info
  • Student psychological counsellors help with performance anxiety, study stress, motivation, and loneliness: make an appointment.
  • Study skills trainings: courses to optimize studying.

Free stuff and extracurriculars

  • Overleaf Professional is free for Faculty of Science students. Log in with SSO at overleaf.com/edu/vua, or link your existing account there. Set your VU address as the primary email on your account; VU counts active users to decide whether the licence stays.
  • Broader Mind Course: extracurricular, interdisciplinary, open to all bachelor students. Runs February to May, 10 evening sessions plus online work, about 2 hours a week, ends with a certificate and Edubadge. Registration opens around 9 December. Info
  • VU Dream Teams: student teams like PULSE Racing, MIND, and RISE that work on one real project for a year. All backgrounds welcome, including non-technical roles. Apply before 1 September via dreamteams@vu.nl. Info
  • Buddy Program: low-pressure peer matching in small groups with a mentor, aimed at growing your friend group. Announced on Canvas in winter.
  • STORM introduction mentors: every June STORM recruits paid mentors for the two-day introduction of new first-years. Contact introduxcie@svstorm.nl.
  • SpringLab: a student-run platform where you design and give workshops for other students, now extended to CS and AI. Info

Practical exam notes

  • Digital exams run in the Schoolyear workspace. You need your VUnet ID, password, and VU email address at the exam, so know them by heart. Instruction video
  • Exams are sometimes scheduled in the Emergohal, a separate sports hall location, including evening slots. Always check rooster.vu.nl for your exam location and plan the trip there; VU advises walking the route in pairs after dark.

VU Mentor Program: Want to Help?

If you've been a mentor or have detailed experience with the mentor programme, we'd love to expand this section with more practical advice for incoming students.

If you have experience as a TA or with the mentor programme, please help us make this section more detailed! Reach out via email or contribute directly on GitHub.