Alcohol consumption

What you do to drink less

Don't be afraid to ask for help, you don't have to do it alone. The sooner you tackle excessive alcohol consumption, the better it will be for your health. For help, you can contact your own GP, the UvA General Practitioners PracticeExternal link, a student psychologist, student counsellor or the study adviser at your degree programme. 

Take part in the 'I'll pass' challenge 

Have you gotten into the habit of drinking alcohol almost every day, almost without noticing? Have you ever wondered how that affects you and what it would be like if you broke the habit? Try the IkPas (in English: 'I'll pass') challenge. IkPas is a motivational tool where you take on the challenge of not drinking for a month. As a UvA student, you can participate free of charge. You can register individually or as a group. Not only will you experience the benefits of this in practice, it’s also a good way to think about your alcohol consumption and practice not drinking. See all the benefits of participating in IkPasExternal link.

Learn about alcohol consumption

The National Institute on Drug AbuseExternal link and AuditExternal link offer information, self-tests and offline self-help tools (pdf) to help you stop drinking or reduce your alcohol intake. Free apps such as the Try Dry-appExternal link can help you prepare for situations in which you might struggle to avoid drinking altogether or avoid drinking too much so that you can stick to your own limit. Check out BBC GoodFoodExternal link for inspiring non-alcoholic alternatives.

How to recognise and discuss an alcohol problem 

Signs of an alcohol problem include, for example, being frequently late, neglect and changes in behaviour, emotions or interests.

If you suspect that a fellow student is struggling with problematic alcohol use, try to discuss it. You can start the conversation by saying you're concerned and asking if it's okay to talk about it. Problematic alcohol use is still taboo, so be careful with your word choice.

What steps is the UvA taking? 

We've endorsed the National Prevention Agreement

The National Prevention Agreement sets out specific long-term goals for improving public health. Universities have agreed to reduce the number of excessive and problem alcohol users. The Universities of the Netherlands, of which the UvA is a member, has committed itself to this objective.

We have agreements about the availability non-alcoholic drinks 

We have agreements with campus catering and other caterers about non-alcoholic offerings. A wide and appealing range of non-alcoholic drinks is available at campus catering outlets and during drinks receptions, conferences and events.

We are making agreements with study and student associations

We have signed a covenant on alcohol and social safety with student associations and we’re making agreements with study associations on the consumption of alcohol and approaches to alcohol use.

Download the UvA Alcohol policy (in Dutch). (pdf)