Frequently Asked Questions
What is via?
Via is the study association for information sciences at UvA, additional information is available on svia.nl/via!
Why should I become a member?
It’s simple really: the discount on your books is more than the cost of a membership. You’re practically becoming a member for free! Furthermore, master students can become a member for free regardless. via organises numerous activities, from parties, barbecues and balls to interesting lectures, workshops and in-house visits to companies. We try to organise as many activities as possible so we can accommodate as many students as we can. If you’d like to organise an event, take a look at the committees to find out if there’s one you;’d like to join!
How do I become a member?
You can find this at svia.nl/lidmaatschap.
Where can I find the via-room?
The via-room, also known as “de Kelder” (Dutch for the basement) can be found in LAB42 room L0.04. It is on the ground floor, adjecent to the kiosk.
How do I order books?
You can find this at svia.nl/boeken.
Where can I find my schedule?
On rooster.uva.nl you can find your schedule. You can find all schedules of all courses at datanose.nl, as well as your study progress, grades etc. While datanose has a bit of a less modern interface, the information the website offers is very useful, if you know how to get to it. Through “personal timetable” you can see your schedule after entering your student id. If you log in first (in the top right corner, or using the tile “Login (UvAnetID)), an extra tile will show up with “Studentgegevens”. Your grades and courses are located here.
How can I get tutoring?
You can find this at svia.nl/bijles.
I have encountered a problem or conflict within my study programme, where can I report this?
There are various parties monitoring the education and the faculty . For instance, each study programmes has its own Board of Studies (not to be confused with via’s education commitee) monitoring the quality and curriculum of the study programme. Furthermore, the Faculty Students Council keeps an eye on the Faculty of Science. It's easy to get lost in such a large university, so don’t hesitate to send an email to onderwijs@svia.nl if you need help!
What if I have problems with my laptop?
Every Tuesday and Thurday between 12:00 and 13:00, there is a walk-in laptop help desk in the room next to the Education Desk (at the top of the large stairs, in the B building). There is a dedicated help desk at the start of the year, located at B1.19A. You can also always reach out to the laptop help desk via laptops-fnwi@uva.nl
How can I find a job?
As an IT student, you’re very valuable to companies. That’s why via has a lot of sponsors that would love to come into contact with you. Take a look at the “Companies” tab on the website! Furthermore, we have a job board (svia.nl/jobs) with multiple part-time and full-time job offerings. Finally, you can always hop by sponsored activities like lectures or in-house days. Employees of the company will often be there and will love to tell you more about their company.
How can I contribute to via?
Via is run by students like you, on a voluntary basis. Our commitees (svia.nl/commissie) organise weekly activities. To coordinate all these committees, we have a board, which changes each year and consists of six students that take a year off from their studies to lead the association. You can find the current board on svial.nl/bestuur! The committees and the board form the beating heart of the association. Besides from organising awesome things, this is also a huge learning experience for those involved. Interested in participating? Take a look at the committees to find out if there is something you would like to do!
Why “the Kelder”?
It’s actually really simple: before Science Park was built, via was located at the Roeterseilandcampus, in the centre of Amsterdam. The association room was located in the basement, and this name has stuck with the room ever since, even though (almost) all current members have only seen the association room at Science Park. “De Kelder” simply rolls off the tongue better than “the via-room”!
What can I do in the Kelder?
In short: a lot. You can get get free stuff like coffee, tea, apples, cutlery or study supplies. You can lend tools, card and board games, pool cues or a football. Furthermore, we have an extensive assortment of sodas, beer, sweets. chips, noodles and much more for bargain prices!
How do I pay for stuff in the Kelder?
We use a PoS system in the Kelder, this is an iPad which grants you the capability to check out products on your own. You can find more information about the PoS system on the PoS website!
How does a PoS tab work, and how can I get one?
The PoS system contains a tab system. If you often buy products from via, either in the Kelder or in the Brainwave, it can be annoying to pay for all of it by cash or card. To avoid this, you can make a tab with a PIN. There are two kinds of tab, a credit tab and a direct debit tab. You can find more information about the PoS system on the PoS website!
How can I top-up my PoS tab?
Go to pos.svia.nl, and log in with your via-account. Navigate to “Your account” on the left side of the page. You can top-up your tab using iDEAL. The extra credit!
What is “zelf strepen” and how can I do it?
It might happen that you’re getting a round of drinks for a group, but you’re not planning to pay for them all yourself. This is where “zelf strepen” comes into play. If you have a PoS tab, you can buy a small number of products using your mobile phone via pos.svia.nl.
Why is via written in bold and without a capital letter?
Simply because it looks the most like our logo this way! Furthermore, it’s to prevent confusion, as “via” is also a preposition.
What if I have a question that is not answered on this page?
Send an email to bestuur@svia.nl or drop by our room!