An Honours programme consists of additional courses with a workload of at least 30 credits, which students pursue during their Bachelor's programme. To follow the Honours programme, there are certain entry requirements and output requirements. Ask the Honours coordinator/study advisor of your own faculty which requirements apply to you.

We only handle registrations for our own Honours courses and, therefore, cannot provide you with advice on those topics or other aspects of the Honours programme, such as course content, alternative solutions, or following faculty (Honours) courses.

Not registered as an Honours student

If you do not follow the Honours programme but are interested in taking an Honours module, you can contact us at honours-iis@uva.nl. You will be placed on a waiting list. If there are still spots available and no Honours students are waiting, we can enroll you in the course. Please keep in mind that you might receive a message from us one or two weeks before the start of the course regarding your registration. Please note: Honours students always have priority.

Registration is possible for students participating in an Honours programme. The registration period for the Honours courses will be from Friday morning, June 6, 10:00 to Tuesday, June 10, 23:59. You can register through the online registration form that will appear on Honoursmodules IIS. (registration is NOT through SIS!)

Please note: Placement is not guaranteed if you register after June 10, so make sure you register on time. You will hear which course(s) you are registered for before the end of June. 

For questions about registration, please contact us at: honours-iis@uva.nl

Important:

• When choosing a course, check for overlap in scheduling with your other courses. After having been placed in your preferred course, the lecturer and administration of the Honours programme assume you can be physically present during the scheduled hours. Potential replacement in a different course is only possible in honours courses at the UvA, and only if they have remaining places available.
• You can take a maximum of 12 credits of interfaculty courses per semester. Most interfaculty honours courses are 6 credits.
• You can indicate if you'd like to take one or two courses. You can only be guaranteed a second course if you are required to obtain 12 EC in one semester. This requirement will be checked with the Honours coordinator or a study advisor from your faculty.
• We ask you to choose 4 preferences of your choice; you will be placed in one or two courses for the coming semester. Every semester you have the opportunity to choose four courses again.
• For questions about your course registration, email to honours-iis@uva.nl
• If you have any other questions and/or problems about your honours program, please contact the honours coordinator or study advisor at your own faculty.

It is mandatory to give four different preferences. 

• For UvA students: The 1st and 2nd preferences can be UvA, VU or AUC courses; the 3rd and 4th have to be UvA courses.

• For VU students: The 1st and 2nd preferences can be UvA, VU or AUC courses; the 3rd and 4th preferences have to be VU courses. 

• For AUC students: All 4 preferences have to be UvA or VU courses (no AUC courses).

Please note: If your registration for the Honours programme is not complete yet, you can still register for the courses. If it turns out that you do not meet the Honours requirements, you can always deregister from the course. Your participation in the Honours programme will be verified by the Honours coordinator of your faculty. For further questions about your Honours programme, please contact your Honours coordinator or study advisor.

AUC Honours courses

For AUC Honours courses, all UvA and VU Honours students can apply using the same registration form. Here are some key points to keep in mind:

• You have the option to list one or two course preferences for an AUC course.
• Most AUC Honours courses have prerequisites, which you can find listed in the course catalogue on studiegids.uva.nl under ‘Required prior knowledge’. If you do not meet the prerequisites, please do not apply.
• Remember to submit your registration form before the deadline, as forms received after this date won't be considered.
• When applying, ensure you upload: Your grade list of completed courses, your currently enrolled courses, and a brief motivation statement detailing how you meet the prerequisites and why you want to take the course.
• Registration forms lacking the necessary uploads won't be processed.
• AUC will select students for courses based on availability.
• VU students don't need to arrange their 'bijvakinschrijving/subsidiary registration' (UvAnetID) at the UvA/AUC themselves; this will be taken care of.
• Information on all AUC courses can be found on this website. In case you have questions about AUC Honours, please send an email to servicedesk@auc.nl

During the Try Out Class, we inform all interested Honours students of the UvA, VU, and AUC about the interdepartmental honours modules of the UvA, VU, and AUC in the first semester of 2025-2026.

• Date: Thursday, 5 June, 2025
• Time: Pitch presentations start at 18:00
• Location: Main Building VU, De Boelelaan 1105
• For whom: All UvA, VU, and AUC Honours students who want to register for a semester 1 interfaculty honours course 2025-2026

This evening consists of three parts:

• Welcome: You are welcome from 17:00 onward. Feel welcome to enjoy some soup before the course presentations start. Doors of the lecture hall open at 17:45.
• Presentations: The TOC starts off with 18 presentations of interfaculty UvA and VU honours courses, from 18:00 – 20:00.
• Information market: Afterwards there will be an information market where you can find information about all other interfaculty honours courses on offer. The information market will take place between 20:00 and 20:45.

What is the Try Out Class?

Prior to the start of each semester, you can attend a Try Out Class where all the interfaculty Honours courses offered by UvA, VU, and some AUC courses are presented, allowing you to acquaint yourself with them before applying.

And after the Try Out Class?

During the days following the Try Out Class, starting on Friday morning, June 6 at 10:00, you can register online for placement in courses of your preference by submitting the digital registration form on our website. The registration period for the Honours courses is from June 6, 10:00 to June 10, 23:59.

Contact information

• UvA Honours: Andrea Manneke, Marleen van der Meer and Sjoerd Esschendal - honours-iis@uva.nl 
• VU Honours: Eva Meijerink, Joke Verwers and Gemma van der Wal - honours@vu.nl 
• AUC Honours: Caroline Harteveld - servicedesk@auc.nl

An evaluation committee has been established to guarantee the quality of our IIS honours education. The committee, which consists of students and teachers, meets at least four times a year to formulate solicited and unsolicited advice on all educational matters of IIS Honours modules. The course evaluations are used for this purpose and students who take IIS honours modules are heard.

The evaluation committee would like to receive your remarks, comments, recommendations and other suggestions about the content, output and course listing of the IIS honours modules by email: evaluatiecommissie-honours-iis@uva.nl.

Are you a lecturer or student with experience in delivering or following interdisciplinary Honours education? And would you like to be part of the Honours evaluation committee? Then send an email with a short motivation and your CV to evaluatiecommissie-honours-iis@uva.nl. We are regularly looking for new members.

The Amsterdam Honours Student Council (AHSC) is part of Extensus and focuses on the quality control of Honours education as well as on the policy and cooperation among the universities. The AHSC is currently active at the UvA and VU, striving to improve student representation in the HP policy of both institutions.

Extensus is the study association for Honours students at the UvA, VU, and AUC. As a member of Extensus, you have the unique opportunity to build a valuable network with other Honours students and make friends beyond your own study programme or university. Throughout the year, Extensus organises social events—such as 'borrels', galas, study trips, social events, and career events, including in-house days, consultancy drinks, career dinners, and professional training sessions, as well as academic events, such as masterclasses by inspiring speakers.

Become a member of Extensus by visiting the website, checking us out on Instagram (@extensus), or sending an email to extensus@gmail.com.

Here you will find Honours courses that are given abroad. These Honours courses are offered by other institutes and you need permission from your examination committee.

• The Netherlands-Asia Honours Summer School (NAHSS) is a collaboration between all Dutch universities, the government, and various leading companies. NAHSS is designed for ambitious second-year and third-year undergraduate students. For more information, see the NAHSS website.
• More information about study abroad programmes and scholarships can be found here.

Five ambitions are central to the Honours education at the IIS: interdisciplinarity, room for experimentation, personal and academic development, academic reflection, and focus on contemporary issues. You can read the IIS Educational vision below.

Inner growth forms the foundation for both individual and societal development. At the Institute for Interdisciplinary Studies, the Inner Development Goals (IDGs) are valued as a practical framework for providing students with essential skills and attitudes. This framework, consisting of 23 skills divided into five categories, promotes both cognitive and affective learning. By explicitly incorporating the IDGs into the curriculum, education not only establishes a solid basis for academic growth but also supports a lifelong journey of learning and self-development. This approach ensures that students are well-equipped to address complex societal challenges, both during their studies and throughout their lives.