University College Utrecht

University College Utrecht (UCU) is an international Liberal Arts and Sciences Honors College of Utrecht University. UCU’s mission is to offer ambitious students an academic environment aimed at transforming their broad academic and social interests and their international orientation into academic excellence, intellectual independence and world-citizenship.

UCU specializes in undergraduate education. Students choose from over 200 different courses in Humanities, Science and Social Science, and are educated in the spirit of liberal arts. The admissions process is selective. Students are admitted on the basis of academic excellence, but an international focus, social engagement and extracurricular pursuits are of equal importance.

Among the special characteristics of the college are the international composition of its student body, the freedom for students to compose their own curriculum, its small classes and individual attention. The college faculty strives to connect the fields of study, thereby challenging students to integrate different aspects of their curriculum. Students take advantage of the opportunity to study a semester abroad and UCU receives exchange students from partner institutions in return. A research project in the final year is required. After six semesters of intensive course work (at least 180 ECTS credits), students are awarded a BA (Bachelor of Arts) or BSc (Bachelor of Science) degree. With their tailor-made curriculum and highly developed academic skills in an honors context, about 90 percent of UCU alumni apply to graduate programs in virtually all fields of specialization. They are admitted to excellent universities worldwide.

UCU has its own residential campus in the city of Utrecht. The college community offers a broad range of support, from teaching and career services to recreational facilities and accommodation: a bed/sitting room, meals and ample study and computer facilities. Students also have access to all academic, social and recreational facilities that Utrecht University has to offer.

UCU is fully accredited and carries two special distinctions, having been rated ‘excellent’ in ‘success rate’ and ‘level achieved’.