The best study spots in Amsterdam for students

Focusing on your studies in a new city isn't always easy, especially once your room starts feeling more like a place to relax than a place to work. Amsterdam has a wide range of libraries, cafés and coworking spaces that are genuinely good for getting things done, whether you need total silence or just enough background buzz to stay motivated.

Student Experience helps international students find a place to live in Amsterdam. This guide looks at the other side of settling in well: where to go when you need a proper study spot, both Dutch and international students included.

Why finding the right study spot in Amsterdam matters

Where you study affects how well you study. Noise levels, seating comfort, natural light and reliable Wi-Fi all influence how long you can actually concentrate, and a change of scenery from your room can do a lot for motivation on days when focus doesn't come easily.

Getting out to study also has a social side. Libraries, cafés and coworking spaces put you around other people working on their own things, which is a low-pressure way to build a study routine and, occasionally, to meet people outside your own course or building.

Top study spots in Amsterdam

  • OBA Oosterdok is the largest public library in the Netherlands, right on the Oosterdokseiland. It spans several floors of individual study and work spots, has a café and restaurant with a view over the city, and is open Monday to Friday 8:00 to 22:00 and weekends 10:00 to 20:00. Anyone can use the free Wi-Fi and the workspaces without a computer, no membership needed. Using one of OBA's own computers is free for members and paid for non-members.
  • For something smaller and closer to Amsterdam-Zuid, OBA CC Amstel sits on the border of De Pijp and the Rivierenbuurt, sharing its building with a theatre. It has a quieter, neighbourhood feel, plenty of reading and study spots, and a shared café. It's open Tuesday to Friday 9:30 to 17:30 and Saturday 11:00 to 17:00, but closed on Sunday and Monday, worth keeping in mind before you plan a session there.
  • If you're enrolled at the University of Amsterdam or Hogeschool van Amsterdam, the Universiteitsbibliotheek (UvA library) is worth using for its academic resources and long opening hours. The main Universiteitskwartier building is generally open on the ground floor and basement until midnight on weekdays, with the upper floors open daily until 22:00, though hours are shorter during the summer and access for people without a UvA or HvA pass is more limited, especially during exam periods. If you're not enrolled there, you can look into a borrower's pass (lenerspas) for access.
  • For a livelier, café-style setting, Volkshotel on Wibautstraat runs a free coworking space called Werkplaats on the ground floor, open to anyone, with free Wi-Fi and hotel guests and locals working side by side. If you ever need somewhere private for a group project, Volkshotel also rents out meeting cabins by the hour.
  • Coffee roastery Back to Black on Weteringstraat, near the museum quarter, is a solid pick for a quieter café session, open Monday to Friday 8:00 to 18:00 and weekends 9:00 to 18:00.
  • In the west of the city, MidWest is a coworking space and neighbourhood café set in a former school building in De Baarsjes, with rentable rooms for group work and a garden. It's open Wednesday to Friday 9:00 to 18:00 and Saturday 10:00 to 18:00.
  • If you want to treat yourself to a proper workspace once in a while, Zoku Amsterdam offers rooftop coworking on a day pass, from 24 euros without lunch or 40 euros with lunch, including fast Wi-Fi, a coffee or tea, and access to phone booths. Day passes can be limited, so it's worth booking online in advance rather than just turning up.

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Study spots in Amsterdam for every type of student

If you need real quiet, OBA Oosterdok, OBA CC Amstel and the UvA library (if you have access) are your best bet, all built around individual study desks rather than a social buzz.

For group work or a presentation you need to rehearse, MidWest's rentable rooms or Volkshotel's meeting cabins give you a space without disturbing other people around you.

If you focus better with some background noise, Back to Black, Volkshotel's Werkplaats and MidWest's café area all work well, they're busy enough to feel social without being distracting.

And if you want an occasional treat, a Zoku day pass gets you a proper desk, decent coffee and a change of scenery for a day, useful in the run-up to deadlines when your usual spots feel stale.

Tips for making the most of your study session in Amsterdam

Set up a free Publicroam account before you go, that's what gives you free Wi-Fi at all OBA locations (and at several other public spots in the city), and it takes a few minutes to arrange in advance rather than on the spot.

Check opening hours before you go, especially for OBA CC Amstel, which is closed on Sundays and Mondays, and for the UvA library, where hours shrink over the summer and access tightens during exam periods.

Bring headphones for the busier cafés, and don't be shy about testing a few different spots in your first weeks rather than sticking to the first one you try.

If you're going somewhere on a day pass or booking a room, like Zoku or one of Volkshotel's cabins, reserve ahead where you can, availability is often limited.

Frequently asked questions about study spots in Amsterdam

Where can I find quiet study spots in Amsterdam as a student?

OBA Oosterdok and OBA CC Amstel both have dedicated individual study spaces, and the UvA library is a good option if you're enrolled there or have a borrower's pass.

Are there free study spots in Amsterdam with Wi-Fi and power outlets?

Yes. All OBA library locations offer free Wi-Fi and workspaces without a computer, no membership required, and Volkshotel's Werkplaats is a free coworking space with free Wi-Fi as well.

What are the best cafés for studying in Amsterdam?

Back to Black on Weteringstraat is a good quieter option, while Volkshotel's Werkplaats and MidWest's café area suit people who like some background buzz while they work.

Are there student-friendly libraries in Amsterdam?

OBA's public libraries are open to everyone, students included, free of charge. The University of Amsterdam library is aimed at UvA and HvA students and staff, though a borrower's pass can get others in too.

How do I meet other international students while studying in Amsterdam?

Social spots like Volkshotel's Werkplaats and MidWest naturally mix locals, students and freelancers. If you live at Student Experience Amsterdam Minervahaven, the residence also organises co-study sessions in its own study room, which is a built-in way to work alongside other residents.

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Discover more student resources in Amsterdam

OBA Oosterdok and OBA CC Amstel for free library study space, the UvA library for academic resources, and Volkshotel, Back to Black, MidWest and Zoku for café and coworking options.

And if you're still arranging where to live while you settle into a study routine, Student Experience offers student housing in Amsterdam, including a residence at Minervahaven with its own study room, coworking spaces and a presentation room for group work.

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