SUNY Geneseo: Groningen - University of Groningen

This is a semester or year long exchange program for which instruction is in English. Specific exchanges are with RuG's Faculties of Spatial Sciences (Geography), Behavioral and Social Sciences (Psychology/Sociology), the Arts (Communication, History, Political Science, International Relations), Science and Engineering, or Economics and Business (only two students per semester).

SUNY Geneseo's exchange program with the University of Groningen enables undergraduate students to take classes for a semester or academic year in the following Faculties:

• Faculty of Spatial Sciences: Geography, Dutch Land Management courses.  The Geneseo exchange program with University of Groningen is coordinated by the Faculty of Spatial Sciences, and is the oldest Faculty exchange Geneseo has with the University.


• Faculty of the Arts: American Studies, English Language and Culture, International Relations, Communication, History, Political Science, Dutch Studies


• Faculty of Behavioral and Social Sciences: Sociology and Psychology


• Faculty of Economics and Business: Accounting, Business Administration, Economics, Finance, Management, and Marketing


• Faculty of Science and Engineering:  Applied Math, Applied Physics, Astronomy, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Physics

You must apply for the program through, and be approved by, SUNY Geneseo before participating in this exchange.  Because the University of Groningen is a large, decentralized research university, each Faculty has its own criteria for accepting exchange students.  Please read the Eligibility and Faculty Exchange Restrictions sections to the right to see if specific acceptance criteria apply for the Faculty you wish to study at. 

The University of Groningen is on a different academic schedule than SUNY Geneseo (their fall semester runs from September - February and their spring semester runs from February - July).  For this reason, certain Faculty exchanges may only be open for one semester or for the academic year.  Please refer to the above links for details on when each Faculty exchange is available.

In addition to researching information about your specific Faculty using the links above, you can also find general information on being an exchange student at the University of Groningen on their International Office Webpage.

The Netherlands is a small country of 16 million people situated mainly below sea level in northwest Europe.  Today it is an enthusiastic member of the European Union, and an affluent, advanced nation.  Its international outlook is reflected in the sitting of the International Court of Justice and International Court of Human Rights headquartered in the Hague.  Its largest city, Amsterdam, is a European city of great beauty and culture.  In Rotterdam, Europe's largest port can be found. 

The city of Groningen is situated in the north of the country, not far from the German border, and as such is the cultural and economic capital of the northern Netherlands.  The city has a population of 190,000, and has received numerous awards and distinctions, including best city of the Netherlands 2010, best student city of the Netherlands 2006, European city with the highest quality of life 2007, and safest city of the Netherldans 2005.  With over half the population under 35, the city of Groningen is lively and hospitable.  The city of Groningen is also consistently recognized as one of the most bike-friendly cities in the world.

The University of Groningen (RuG) was founded in 1614 and is one of the oldest research universities in Europe.  The university itself is composed of nine separate departments, or 'Faculties', offering 58 Bachelor's and 119 Master's degree programs: Arts, Behavioral and Social Sciences, Economics and Business, Law, Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Medical Sciences, Philosophy, Spatial Sciences, and Theology and Religious Studies.  The University of Groningen has a student body of 27,700, including over 3,300 international degree seeking and exchange students from over 115 different countries.  There are also some 840 students studying for their Ph.D.