Future of student sports

You may have heard some depressing news about the future of student facilities such as USC. Minister Eppo Bruins of Education, Culture and Science (OCW) wants to put an end to the public funding of student sports. We can imagine that you are worried and have questions. On this page, we try to answer those questions as best we can.

Update 14 May 2025

Good news from The Hague! Minister Bruins wants to keep the financing of student sports possible for the time being. We are staying vigilant until the exception for sports has actually taken shape, but this gives a lot of hope for the future. To be continued…

Update 9 May 2025

Sign the petition to keep sports affordable for all students! Signed? Share it with your sports buddies, house mates, fellow students, grandparents, your neighbor and his mom.

Update 2 May 2025

In recent weeks, much has been written in the (student) media about Minister Bruins’ policy rule, which aims to restrict the public funding of private activities. This Folia article explains what is actually going on. Now you are of course wondering what this means for your membership, now and in the future. Below, we try to answer the most important questions as best we can.

Why this policy rule?
The policy rule has been in place since 2003, but has now been made stricter. The aim of the rule is to prevent educational institutions from using public (government) resources to fund private activities (such as sports). Since 2003, student sports has been an exception to the rule because it has been proven to contribute to health, well-being and academic success.

Do I need to look for a new gym?
Please don’t 🙏. We are hopeful that, together with the other universities throughout the country, we can change the Minister’s mind. Of course, we will let you know immediately if our perspective for the future changes.

Will my membership become much more expensive next year?
No. If our prices have to increase more significantly in the future as a result of the policy rule, we will of course communicate this well in advance.

I am a member of a student sports association. Does this also apply to associations?
The student sports associations (SSV’s) are subsidized by AUAS (HvA) and UvA via USC. The policy rule therefore also has a direct effect on the SSV’s. Of course, we will continue to support the SSV’s financially, nothing is changing in that regard at the moment. We are in close contact with Stichting Studentensport Amsterdam (SSA). SSA ensures that the SSV’s stay informed.

Can I do something?
The best way to help us is to simply continue to enjoy sports and remain a member of our club! We are confident that student sports will continue to contribute to student well-being for many years to come – one way or another. If we start a national petition, we will of course be happy to present it to you at that time.

We will keep you informed on this page!