An active student life “being part of something”

Groningen is a city that is unique in its vibrant student culture. This culture is partly formed by the many student organisations known in Groningen. If you study in Groningen, you are very likely to be involved in such an organization at some point in your study career. These student organisations are completely run by students. They offer many affordable events, activities and facilities to all students in Groningen, ranging from social events to career events, cultural events and sports facilities.

Student organisations rely fully on the voluntary work of their members and usually consist of several committees who organise specific activities throughout the year. The committees are guided and monitored by the board of the association. Next to monitoring committees, the board improves the association and makes sure that the association keeps on striving forward. The amount of committees and the amount of activities depends on the scale of the association.

Since student organisations have a very important place in Groningen’s student life, the university has several support mechanisms in place to facilitate and stimulate students to get involved in these organisations. Examples are a grant, a tuition-free board year, or a certificate of participation. Next to this, there are several subsidies from the university for the organisation of events and activities and the provision of facilities.

There are many different kinds of student organizations: study, student, sports, cultural, and political.

- Stichting KEI, or KEI, organises the KEI week. The KEI-week is the official introduction week for all new students in Groningen. It’s a fun and low-threshold way to get to know Dutch student culture, and the city itself. What makes the KEI-week special is that it’s not focused on your studies, but on everything outside of the classroom. You get to know the city, explore student life, and, most importantly, you’ll meet lots of other students, both from the Netherlands and from all over the world.

- Usva is the Cultural Student Centre of Groningen and provides students with culture in the form of events, courses, subsidies, and committees. They are also the overarching organisation for all cultural student associations.

- Contractus is the representative association for the student associations connected to the university and the Hanze. They represent the student associations in meetings with the university, the Hanze, and the municipality. They also set up charity events together  with the student associations with their foundation, which is called BAZES. Next to that, that organise events and meetings to connect the student associations. The student associations that are connected to Contractus are: R.K.S.V Albertus Magnus, F.F.J. Bernlef, Cleopatra A.S.G., A.S.V. Dizkartes, GSV Groningen, Navigators S.G., Unitas S.G., G.S.C. Vindicat Atque Polit.

- The Faculty Association Assembly, or the FAA, is the group of (faculty) study associations, which represent the study associations of each faculty. The central assessor attends these meetings, where together they discuss faculty overarching policy from the perspective of a (faculty) study association. The FAA associations are: Caerus, Clio, De Chemische Binding, EBF Groningen, Gerardus van der Leeuw, Ibn Battuta, Juridische Faculteitsvereniging (JFV) Groningen, Nobis Cura Futuri (NCF), M.F.V. Panacea, Studievereniging Faculteit Filosofie (STUFF), VIP

 - A study association is an association that is connected to a specific, or multiple, study programmes of the university. The associations organise events, mostly with an educational, career or social aspect. Furthermore, the associations often have connections with academic advisors, programme coordinators, programme committees and other associations of the faculty. 

- CUOS is the organisation responsible for the accreditation of organisations that want to be connected to the university. During these accreditations they follow guidelines set by the boards of the university of Groningen and the Hanze and use these guidelines to determine which student organisations can receive financial and practical (housing, workshops, and more) support from the university.

- ESN Groningen is a student organisation that is part of the Erasmus Student Network (ESN). They organise events throughout the year and introduction weeks at the start of each semester for international and internationally oriented Dutch students from the university and Hanze.

- ACLO is the overarching organisation for all student sport associations. They supervise the 49 connected student sport associations and organise events for students. The ACLO has a large and varying offering of sports, with 100 connected sports.

Are you an international student? Please visit our pages for internationals.