FAQ - University College Roosevelt (2024)

Traditional programs often take a monodisciplinary route that teach you to specialize in one field, such as biology, history, or economics. At UCR, we find this too restrictive. We offer a broad program with an international outlook, fully taught in English, where you can combine various disciplines that you may not have been able to combine elsewhere. As you gain knowledge from several disciplines, and build a foundation in writing, presenting, and researching skills, you will be able to approach a problem from many different sides. This is combined with small-scale and intensive classes, a close-knit community, and close contact with Faculty, which allows you to develop as a student, as a professional, and as a person.

UCR is one of the few University Colleges in the Netherlands that still offers a traditional Liberal Arts & Sciences program, now with an added element of Engineering. You will not have to commit to following a specific theme, and are left relatively free in choosing your courses from our four different departments. UCR is among the more affordable of UCs, and offers guaranteed housing for your entire study period on an inner-city campus. However, we believe the easiest way to tell if UCR is the place for you is visiting our campus.

Yes, you can construct your program in such a way that it will allow you entrance to some of the best Master programs in the world, both monodisciplinary and interdisciplinary. Furthermore, since UCR also focuses on teaching you the proper academic skills, you will always be able to quickly and efficiently gain the necessary knowledge you may not have. As one of our Alumni says:

“Even though at times I do not possess the same background knowledge as my fellow students, for example, this has never stopped me from mastering the subject at hand.”

We like to give our professors the freedom to develop their courses in the way they prefer, allowing them to combine several ways of teaching and creating a unique learning environment in the process. One class you may follow a general lecture, the next class you may participate in a student-led discussion, and another class you might peer-review a fellow student’s paper. This allows for a diverse and interactive way of learning.

UCR is an intensive program – where regular programs state a workload of 40 hours a week, UCR indicates a workload of 56 hours. This is divided in class time, which is 16 hours a week, and self-study hours, which amounts to 10 hours per course. These hours are not always reached, and depends on the time of year (finals are busier than the first few weeks), type of course (some people are more skilled in art history than calculus and vice versa), and the effort you put in (you may spend more time on your Major courses than on your requirements).

If you struggle with dyslexia or another learning difficulty, and you can prove this to UCR, then we will make individual arrangements with you.

We do not allow resits of assignments. We use a system called continuous assessment, where rather than taking one large exam that counts for 100% at the end of the semester, you will have at least 5 different assignments ranging from papers to exams to presentations. This means you can always make up for a lower grade with another assignment, and it allows for your professors and Tutor to monitor your progress and provide the necessary support.

Should you fail a course, you will have to make up for the missing credits. This can be done by doing a Summer or Winter course. If the course you failed was a requirement, such as Statistics, you will have to redo the course. You will also be put on academic probation – this means you discuss with your Tutor and the Senior Tutor what happened, you set up a plan to improve your academic standing, and sign a contract that you will follow that plan. Throughout the semester, you will regularly meet with your Tutor to discuss your progress.

In order to apply for University College Roosevelt, you will first have to register in Studielink, after which you can access OSIRIS. Here, you can fill out the official application form and hand in the necessary documents. Afterwards, your documents will be reviewed, and based on that result, you might be invited for an interview. Based on this interview, which is done online, UCR decides whether to invite you to study here. This whole process, from registering in Studielink up to the decision, usually takes under two months.

For more details on the documents you need to provide and specific steps, please look at our Applying page.

Because we are an English-speaking institution, we require a certain level of English. If you are a native speaker or did an English-based high school program such as the IB, then you will not have to provide extra proof of proficiency such as English proficiency exams or certain grades.

We also require every student to have done at least some Math during high school, especially for Science and Engineering Majors. Other than that, our introductory courses do not require any previous knowledge, meaning we do not look for specific profiles.

Your diploma has to be equal to the Dutch pre-university level diploma (vwo) for you to be admissible. You can find a specific list of International Diplomas here. If you cannot find your diploma on the list, please send an email to admissions@ucr.nl.

For Fall applicants, the deadline is April 1^st for non-EEA students, and May 1^st for Dutch, EU, and EEA students. Note that if you are applying for a scholarship, the application deadline is March 1^st regardless of your passport.

For Spring applicants, the deadline is October 1^st for non-EEA students, and November 1^st for Dutch, EU, and EEA students. Note that if you are applying for a scholarship, the application deadline is September 1^st regardless of your passport. *Spring applications are open to those who graduate in or before January.

The most up to date tuition fees can be found here and are dependent on nationality. These fees change every year.Next to the tuition, students also have other costs to account for, such as residence permits, rent, books, and food. An overview of these extra costs, and more information about the tuition fees, can be found here.

To study University College Roosevelt, there are several options for financial support. For all students, we offer a tuition payment plan, so you can pay your tuition fee in up to nine parts rather than at once.

UCR also offers a limited number of need-based scholarships.

Additionally, there are external sources (such as the Dutch government) which offer various forms of financial support for students at Dutch Higher Education Institutions.

For more information, please refer to our Financial Support page.

Your letter of motivation is a very important part of your application. University College Roosevelt uses your statement to learn more about you as an individual – your talents, experiences, achievements and points of view. It provides us with a way to distinguish between candidates with similar academic records. It also gives you with the opportunity to provide the Admissions Office with information that may not be evident in other parts of your application. Think of the letter as your opportunity to introduce yourself to those who will be evaluating your application. The letter will later be used as a basis for the interview.

It is important that you compose your letter carefully, and think about what you want to write. We do not evaluate your writing ability, but correct grammar, spelling and sentence structure contribute to an effective letter. A successful letter tells us more about you than what is already in the application form.

The letter must be written in English. Elaborate on, for example, the following topics:

• Why would you like to study at University College Roosevelt?
• What field(s) of studies do you find most interesting and why?
• How would you contribute to our community?
• What are your plans after finishing University College Roosevelt?
• Are there any circ*mstances not evident in your application that may have affected your academic performance?

Your motivation letter should reflect your own ideas and be written by you alone. Present your information and ideas in a focused, in-depth, thoughtful and meaningful manner. Use no more than two pages.

The online interview lasts approximately 30 to 45 minutes and is conducted in English. A member of the Admissions Committee will interview you and use your application and supporting documents, such as your letter of motivation, as the starting point. As such, you may assume that reference to any mentioned academic interests in your application documents will be part of this interview. Therefore we recommend that you review your application forms prior to your interview. Naturally, we will also ask you about your motivation to study at a Liberal Arts and Science college, and at UCR specifically.

Lastly, we would like to point out that the interview is a two-way conversation, not a test. So feel free to arrive with some questions of your own.

Because we want all of our students to live on campus and truly create a sense of community, we offer every student guaranteed housing for their entire UCR career. Our inner-city campus consists of four residential buildings, three of which contain studio apartments where you have your own bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen (some rooms are shared, where you have your own bedroom but share a bathroom and kitchen with one other person). Our fourth location consists of houses, where students have their own bedroom but share all the common spaces like bathroom and kitchen with 9 to 15 other students.

More information on each campus location can be found here or on the website of the housing agency Gapph Student Housing. You can also contact the Housing Affairs Council for more information.

On average, housing at UCR costs between €350 and €500 per month, depending on your campus location and the size of your room. EU students living in studio apartments can apply for rent allowance.

During your application process, you will be asked to indicate a housing preference. Though this is not guaranteed, we will try to keep your preference into account. If you end up not enjoying your housing location, you can move after a semester, a year, or whenever you want.

Though Middelburg is a small city, there is plenty to do when it comes to sports, hobbies, dining, and creativity. Firstly, Roosevelt’s All Student Association (RASA) and its many societies and teams organize many activities, sports, and lectures for you to enjoy, usually for free. There is also Elliott, the student run Common House where students can study, have some food or coffee, or party twice a week. But Middelburg and Zeeland also have plenty to offer. It is nearby many beaches that are easily reachable by bike or bus, there is a cinema, a theater, and concert venues, there are gyms and swimming pools, and many cafes, bars, and restaurants. Find more information here.

Throughout their time at UCR, students are supported by their tutor, who helps with course selection. Students struggling with academic work or planning can turn to the Study Skills Support Team who give workshops and provide individual support. Find more information here.

If the struggles are more psychological in nature, students can turn to the counselor, make use of online tools to improve their mental health or get assistance from the well-being team. Find more information here.