ELIGIBILITY

1. I am a Master’s student. Can I participate?
   1. ​​Everyone is welcomed to participate. Because UNISCA is a Bachelor’s course, the credits are not transferable to Master’s programs. The fee for Master’s students is €335.
2. I am a first-year Bachelor’s student. Can I participate?
   1. To be able to participate in the course, students should have 60 ECTS at the beginning of the course. First-year students can therefore only participate if they can show proof of having 60 ECTS (a transcript of grades), which usually only happens if they have taken extra courses during the year. No exceptions will be made according to the rules set by the University of Amsterdam. 
3. I come from a HBO university. Can I participate?
   1. Unfortunately, no. UNISCA is a course only open to students from WO universities. 
4. I study a field unrelated to the United Nations (e.g. chemistry or  mechanical engineering). Can I participate?
   1. Everyone is welcomed to participate. Diversity plays a crucial role during the selection process. Please note, that the credits you earn might not count towards your studies but appear as extracurricular in your study plan.
5. I do not have 60 ECTS yet. Can I participate?
   1. If you do not have 60 ECTS yet, but will have them by June 21, you can take part in the course. You can apply to UNISCA via the application form whenever you want, but do not forget to inform me via email that you will obtain your 60 ECTS by June 21. I will send you a conditional admission email. If you want to receive a final admission email which will allow you to take part in the course, you should send an official transcript showing that you have 60 ECTS by June 21, 23:59, to secretary@unisca.org. Any transcript sent later than that will not be accepted. 
   2. If you are a PPLE student at the University of Amsterdam, an exception can be made for you. You can take part in UNISCA will less than 60 ECTS, but must provide a letter from your supervisor in which he/she/they confirm that they are confident that you will have your 60 ECTS by the end of the academic year. 
6. Will the 6 credits be automatically recognized?
   1. Some programs, like Politics, Psychology, Law, and Economics (PPLE) and the Political Science Bachelor’s of the University of Amsterdam, automatically acknowledge the UNISCA Summer course as an elective. However, inclusion in the study plan for other disciplines is decided by the study coordinator of your program. It is the participants’ responsibility to check with the study advisor if the UNISCA credits count toward his/her diploma or will be listed as “extracurricular credits”.

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FEE

1. I am a Bachelor student enrolled in a Dutch university. How much do I have to pay to participate?
   1. ​​The participation fee is €65 for Bachelor’s students enrolled in a Dutch university [1]
2. I am a Bachelor student enrolled in a foreign university OR a Master student. How much do I have to pay to participate?
   1. The participation fee is €335 for Master's students or Bachelor's students enrolled in a university outside the Netherlands. 
3. Why are there two different fees? 
   1. UNISCA is an official Bachelor course recognized by the Dutch government. Thus, Master’s students or Bachelor’s students enrolled in the university outside the Netherlands have to pay €45 per credit to the University of Amsterdam. Since UNISCA is a 6 ECTS course, this means €270 payable for the university plus €65 for the participation fee, totalling €335.
   2. Because of new regulations as a result of the pandemic, UNISCA 2021 is not able to accept foreign students as exchange students. Foreign students can apply as contract students, which implies that they pay the per-credit fee in addition to the participation fee (see 2.)
4. What does the fee include?
   1. The fee includes the participation in the whole conference, study materials, welcome bag and all social events organized by UNISCA. It does not include accommodation, local transportation, and flight tickets.
5. Is there a scholarship that I can apply to?
   1. As of 2021, UNISCA will provide €40 scholarships to a limited number of students. Please refer to the Application page to learn more about scholarship eligibility and requirements. 
6. I cannot participate in the conference. Can I get a refund of the fee?
   1. You can request a 100% refund of the participation fee until two weeks before the start of the Summer school (before 14th June, 2020, 9:00). If you request it after June 14th, 9:00, you are only eligible for a 50% refund. For more details about the refund policy, see General Terms & Conditions, points 20-24.
7. I have been conditionally accepted into the course but do not meet the conditions to participate in UNISCA by June 21, 23:59. Can I get a refund of the fee?
   1. Yes, you are eligible for a 100% refund of the participation fee IF you request it before June 24, 23:59. If you do not request it before then, you will only be eligible for a 50% refund. 

[1] Because the conference will likely be organized online for the most part, the fee has been readjusted from €129 to €65 this year. Why €65? Our team is working hard to organize fun evening social activities in-person! Moreover, UNISCA aims to provide lectures from renown speakers, as well as organize (non-mandatory) tutorials and training sessions throughout the year to prepare you fully for the conference. ​

​PREPARATORY PHASE

1. When is the application period?
   1. For the UNISCA 2021 conference, applications open on January 22nd, 9:00 and end April 30th, 23:59. UNISCA reserves the right to reopen applications at its discretion. 
2. Do you have any scholarship opportunities?
   1. UNISCA offers a small scholarship for two students in the amount of 170 EUR. More information on how to apply will soon be available. Furthermore, if your university is a member of the Universitas 21 network and/or LERU network then you may be eligible for a partial scholarship of €500. You must also be a current student at that university when you apply for the summer programme. If you graduate before the start of the summer programme but were a student at the time of submitting your application, you will still be eligible for the scholarship. Please note: Students studying at Dutch universities on these lists are not eligible for these scholarships. 
      1. Step 1: Check your eligibility by making sure that your home university is in the LERU or U21 network.
      2. Step 2: Apply to the course of your choice and mention that you are applying for this scholarship opportunity.
      3. Step 3: When you are accepted to the course, you will be notified in your offer of admission if you have been awarded the scholarship.
3. Do you provide accommodation to the participants?
   1. In general, participants are responsible for finding accommodation during the conference in Amsterdam. However, we have a limited number of places available through the University of Amsterdam. The cost of this housing is approximately €400 for the duration of the conference. Exact process of application for the housing will be published soon.
4. I come from a country that requires a visa to enter the Netherlands. Do you provide assistance?
   1. For selected participants we provide an invitation letter for visa purposes. The costs are covered by the participant.

DURING THE SUMMER COURSE

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1. Do we have a programme for the weekend?
   1. There is no official activity organized by UNISCA for the weekend, however, we will give suggestions for day trips around Amsterdam.
2. I have resits during the summer conference. Can I be absent from lectures?
   1. Presence is compulsory and checked during the UNISCA summer course. However, some exceptions can be allowed when the absence is justifiable, however it must be communicated well in advance to secretary@unisca.org .

ACADEMIC WEEK

1. What is the Dress Code during the academic week?
   1. The Dress Code is business casual. This means no athleisure wear (such as sneakers, hoodies), no open shoes (such as sandals), and no inappropriate clothing (like short pants or jeans for men) . Recommended is a smart shirt or pullover with a blazer, long non-jean pants or skirts (no mini skirts) for the women, and closed shoes.
2. What is the workload I can expect during the Academic week? 
   1. UNISCA is a summer course at the end of which students are awarded 6 credits, and the official ECTS guidelines. In general, participants should follow the lectures attentively and prepare thoroughly for the final exam.
3. How do I write a good position paper?
   1. The position paper should cover all the committee’s topics and highlight their country’s policy goals. As this is a graded paper for a summer course, the requirements are higher than for a regular MUN position paper. The particular requirements for the position paper can be found in the study guides. In general, participants are advised to start the paper early.
4. What is a Study Guide and when do I receive it?
   1. The Study Guide is a committee-specific syllabus that contains all the relevant information about the committee topics, the grading requirements for all graded components, namely the position paper, the general exam, the speech and MUN participation. The participants receive their study guides when they are officially admitted and selected into a committee.
5. What kind of preparation should members of the Press Team make? 
   1. It is important that journalists understand the UN Body and Agenda they will be reporting on. Thoroughly researching the role of the Press Team and studying the guide provided for journalists is essential.   
6. Do journalists also need to submit a position paper? 
   1. Yes, journalists also submit a position paper. However the research component of their paper differs as they are asked to adopt an unbiased media perspective. Details will be outlined in your study guide.

MUN WEEK

1. Is there a Dress Code during the MUN week?
   1. The dress code for delegates and journalists is formal wear. This presupposed a suit and tie for men and pantsuit or skirt (no mini skirt) and blazer for women, combined with closed shoes. 
2. What is the workload I can expect during the MUN week? 
   1. Before the MUN starts, delegates and journalists are required to prepare a speech, for which a minimum of 2 hours preparation time can be expected. Additionally, delegates need to be thoroughly informed about their committee topics and be prepared to argue for their particular goals.
3. Is there a formal protocol during the MUN?
   1. Yes, every MUN follows strict rules of procedure, https://outreach.un.org/mun/content/rules-procedure. Delegates should be acquainted with the rules before the MUN starts. UNISCA will offer a workshop on the rules of procedure in the first week of the conference, however, it is imperative that participants are already familiar with it beforehand.
4. Can I choose the country of which I am going to be a delegate? 
   1. During the application process, participants can indicate their top three preferences for countries in their motivational letter and we will do our best to match their preferences. 

Still have questions? Contact us and we will get back to you!