NICE is a university network that brings together students from around the world to develop intercultural and entrepreneurial skills. Each year, it offers the exciting opportunity to attend a one-week summer school held in a different European city. In 2025, the NICE summer school will take place at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland.

Applications for NICE 2025 are open from 8 January to 5 February 2025, 23:59 CET.

In brief

Fact sheet NICE 2024-2025 (pdf)

Who should apply?

Are you passionate about intercultural collaboration and tackling social issues aligned with the United Nations' Sustainable Development GoalsExternal link (SDG's)? If so, NICE offers an ideal opportunity for you! While we prioritise students facing barriers to studying or traveling abroad (such as those with specific learning needs, physical or mental health conditions, or financial constraints) this programme is open to everyone. Students from all disciplines and study stages are encouraged to apply.

Who is involved?

NICE, short for The Network for Intercultural Competence to facilitate EntrepreneurshipExternal link, includes the following institutions: University College DublinExternal link, the University of EdinburghExternal link, the University of PadovaExternal link, Taras Shevchenko National University of KyivExternal link, Jagiellonian UniversityExternal link, the University of JohannesburgExternal link, and the University of AmsterdamExternal link.

What does NICE offer?

Virtual International Experience - NICE offers a unique 12-week virtual programme that allows you to collaborate with students from around the globe to tackle a global challenge and develop an innovative business plan, all with the guidance of dedicated volunteers. Upon completing the NICE module, you have the (optional) opportunity to further enhance your skills by training to facilitate the next round of NICE students.

Physical international experience - The journey doesn't stop there. Each year, the programme offers an optional summer school. Here, you'll finally meet some of the peers you've collaborated with and befriended online. With just 10 spots available, the summer school is an exclusive opportunity to bring your ideas to life and forge lasting international connections.

When is NICE?

• Applications open: 8 January 2025
• Applications close: 5 February 2025
• Online programme: 3 March to 23 June 2025
• Summer school: 28 June to 5 July 2025

Where is NICE?

NICE is a hybrid programme that combines virtual and in-person experiences. This year, the summer school will be held in the vibrant city of Edinburgh, with previous sessions hosted in beautiful Padova and Kraków.

Get informed

• Subscribe to our newsletterExternal link to stay updated on important deadlines and dates for our international short-term programmes.
• Attend the information session ‘International Short-term Learning Opportunities’ on 10 December 2024.
• Register for workshops hosted by the Office of International Student Affairs to get helpful tips to overcome the challenges in applying, and how to prepare.

Why choose NICE?

NICE empowers you to achieve four exciting goals:

1. Boost Your Employability - Enhance your career prospects by developing vital intercultural competencies and entrepreneurial skills while collaborating in virtual teams to tackle global challengesExternal link.
2. Ignite Your Entrepreneurial Spirit - With a focus on creativity and innovation, NICE equips you to become a confident risk-taker ready to lead projects to success.
3. Master Collaborative Tools - Success in the workplace hinges on effective collaboration. NICE offers engaging projects that challenge you to work alongside students from diverse cultures.
4. Cultivate Intercultural Competence - Navigate the complexities of culture and communication by understanding how these structures shape behavior. Develop the skills to work positively with people from different backgrounds.

Funding

• Partaking in the virtual programme is free.
• The programme fee for the summer school is covered by the UvA.
• The 10 selected summer school students receive a scholarship to cover part of the travel and accommodation costs.
  • The amount of the scholarship will be announced soon.
  • The scholarship will be disbursed in two installments: 70% before departure and 30% after departure.

How to apply

Meet the condition to apply for NICE

All applicants must meet the following condition:
You are enrolled as a full-time fee paying student at the University of Amsterdam from the moment of application until the end of the programme.

Request priority for the NICE summer school

Enrolled NICE students can sign up for the optional summer school. The NICE summer school component is especially suitable for the following groups of enrolled NICE students who face challenges in studying abroad: students with financial constraints, specialised learning needs, and/or physical or mental health conditions. Applicants who provide proof of belonging to one or more of these groups will be given priority in the selection process.

If you're unable to provide the required documentation, we still encourage you to apply for the summer school nonetheless, though without priority consideration. NICE students interested in the summer school will be informed about the application steps once enrolled in NICE.

Apply

Complete the Application FormExternal link 5 February latest: the form requires a brief recommendation letter from a peer (to be copied into the form) and a brief motivation statement. Please do not wait until the last minute to prepare your application, as this is the final step.

After application

Selection

50 students will be able to partake. If more than 50 apply, a lottery will be held. 

After submitting your application, you will be notified in February about the results and any potential next steps.

Excluded from selection

You are excluded from selection if one or more of the following applies to you:

• You are not enrolled as a full-time fee paying student at the University of Amsterdam from the moment of application until the end of the programme.
• You submitted an incomplete application.
• You missed the application deadline.
• You cannot partake in the information session on Thursday 27 February 17:00 CET.

Questions?

This programme is coordinated by the Office of International Student Affairs, the central international office of the UvA. Please email global@uva.nlExternal link if you have any questions. Please read this page and the attached fact sheet beforehand.