ASVA Studentenvakbond

What ASVA Studentenvakbond does

ASVA Studentenvakbond is a Dutch student union (non-profit, KvK 40539596) founded in 1945 and headquartered at Nieuwe Achtergracht 170, Amsterdam, where it operates a physical Service Desk at the CREA building. It represents approximately 150,000 students studying at the University of Amsterdam (UvA), Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences (HvA), and other Amsterdam-based WO/HBO/MBO institutions, and is a member of the national federations Landelijke Studenten Vakbond (LSVb) and Interstedelijk Studenten Overleg (ISO), which extend its advocacy reach to national-level policy.

The organization delivers services through two parallel channels: (1) systemic advocacy in university councils at UvA/HvA, municipal government, and national federations; and (2) direct member services including free legal aid (provided by trained law students), a housing helpdesk with rent checks and scam-recognition support, equipment lease (projectors, bikes, cargo bikes), bike sales at €90 per bicycle, discounted printing, translation services, and ASVA Academy training for student-association boards. The annual Amsterdam Board Day event charges €20 for members and €25 for non-members.

The business model is membership-funded: students pay recurring membership fees (amount not disclosed) to access services and member benefits, supplemented by transactional fees from bike sales, equipment rental deposits, event tickets, and training fees. The elected 81st board (effective 28 August 2025), chaired by Sahand Mozdbar, manages an annual budget of approximately €300,000. ASVA employs roughly 25 student workers across functional portfolios plus about 30 volunteers, with full-time board members receiving a €747 monthly stipend; the technology stack consists of standard office tools, a WordPress-based website, and the congressus.site membership platform.

Name

ASVA Studentenvakbond

Legal name

ASVA Studentenvakbond

Website

https://asva.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1945

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ASVA Studentenvakbond is a 1945-founded Amsterdam student union (non-profit) representing ~150,000 students at UvA, HvA, and other institutions. It delivers advocacy, free legal aid, housing support, equipment lease, bike sales, and board training, funded by individual memberships and service fees on an approximately €300,000 annual budget.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Student Union Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Student Organizations & Club Administration (EDALAHAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Adult Learner Support Services (Advising, Case Management, Wraparound Supports) (EDAAABAJ)

Keywords

• Student union services
• Student advocacy
• Student legal aid
• Student housing support
• Membership benefits

Headquarters

HQ city

Klein Amsterdam

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership fees: ASVA generates revenue through individual student memberships. Students become members to access services including legal aid, bike sales, equipment lease, training, and member discounts.
2. Service fees: Revenue from member services including bike sales (€90 per bike), equipment lease (deposit + rental fees), and printing services. Amsterdam Board Day training events charge €20 for members and €25 for non-members. Amsterdam Student Night tickets are €10 for members and €12.50 for non-members.
3. Board stipend compensation: ASVA board members receive a monthly stipend (€747 for full-time board members). This is an expense rather than revenue. ASVA is also part of the Landelijke Studenten Vakbond (LSVb) and Interstedelijk Studenten Overleg (ISO) for national-level advocacy.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

ASVA Studentenvakbond is the Amsterdam student union, founded in 1945, representing all 150,000 students in the city. It sells individual student memberships that unlock free Legal Aid, an equipment Lease Service, low-cost Bike Sales, ASVA Academy training, the annual Amsterdam Board Day, Printing Service, Student Housing Services, Translator Service, Well-being Support, Statute Service, Protestbuddies, Parent Support Line, and Study Sessions. Beyond direct member services, ASVA advocates for student interests at UvA and HvA councils, with the municipality of Amsterdam, and at the national level through LSVb and ISO.

Product overview

ASVA Studentenvakbond is a student union offering a comprehensive suite of advocacy services, member benefits, and training programs for Amsterdam's 150,000 students. The core services include free legal aid for housing, study, and DUO issues; an equipment lease service for projectors, sound systems, and bikes; and ASVA Academy providing training for student association boards. Member benefits encompass affordable bike sales, printing services, and discounts. The organization also runs advocacy campaigns on student housing, period product accessibility, and educational rights, with supporting services like the Parent Support Line and Protestbuddies network.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ASVA Academy: Training services provided by ASVA for student organization board members, including courses on meeting facilitation, acquisition, committee management, and event organization.
• Amsterdam Board Day

Products and services

• Legal Aid

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,228 signatures collected for free period products petition at UvA
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• De SeringminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 April 2026ASVA partners with community kitchen De Sering to combat financial stress and loneliness among students. ASVA members can collect a coupon at the student service desk on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday to receive a vegan lunch at De Sering's new Centraal location for only €5 (reduced from market price). There are 50 coupons available monthly.
• CasualUvAminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 April 2026ASVA showed solidarity with CasualUvA (a collective of junior lecturers at UvA fighting for permanent contracts) during their petition handover demonstration on April 14, 2026. ASVA President Sahand Mozdbar spoke at the event, highlighting shared interests between students and lecturers in fighting precarious working conditions.
• CityTripHostelsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 September 2024ASVA has an agreement with CityTripHostels for emergency student housing. CityTripHostels has locations in Purmerend and Zaandam where students in difficult housing situations can rent a bed for a longer period. ASVA members can access this housing option when they cannot find accommodation through normal channels. Students should mention they heard about it through ASVA.
• Periodic and Neighborhood FeministsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 February 2024Collaboration on the campaign for free menstrual products at UvA. Joint petition event on February 13, 2024 where ASVA and CSR handed over petition with 1,228 signatures to UvA Executive Board. Periodic and Neighborhood Feminists are volunteer organizations focused on menstrual equity.
• Landelijke Studenten Vakbond (LSVb)coreOthersASVA is a member of the Landelijke Studenten Vakbond (LSVb), the national student union federation. This membership enables ASVA to participate in national-level advocacy and connect with student unions across the Netherlands.
• Interstedelijk Studenten Overleg (ISO)coreOthersASVA participates in the Interstedelijk Studenten Overleg (ISO), a national consultation body for student organizations. This enables ASVA to advocate on national-level student issues and coordinate with other student organizations.
• Central Student Council (CSR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerASVA works closely with the Central Student Council (CSR) at UvA on advocacy campaigns. Joint campaigns include the menstrual products petition and other student rights initiatives. CSR has been fighting for free period products since 2020.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Deutsches Studierendenwerk (DSW): German national association of student services organizations providing welfare, housing, legal aid, and cultural services to students. Comparable in mission (welfare + advocacy for students) but at much larger national scale across Germany.
• National Union of Students (NUS UK): UK-wide student union confederation. Comparable as a national-scale student advocacy and representation organization, though much larger and operating across an entire country rather than a single city.

Direct peers

• Landelijke Studenten Vakbond (LSVb): National Dutch student union federation of which ASVA is a member. Directly comparable as a student advocacy organization operating in the Netherlands, with overlapping policy agenda (housing, finance, education quality) and member-union structure.
• Interstedelijk Studenten Overleg (ISO): National Dutch consultation body for student organizations. ASVA participates in ISO, making it a directly comparable coordinating/advocacy peer in the same national student-representation ecosystem.

Emerging players

• ESN Amsterdam: Local Amsterdam section of Erasmus Student Network serving international students with social events, integration support, and buddy programs. Comparable to ASVA's international-student offerings but with a narrower advocacy scope.
• Erasmus Student Network (ESN): Europe-wide student network with a strong Amsterdam section focused on international students. Comparable to ASVA's international-student services (registration, integration, translation) but operates through volunteer-led local sections rather than formal advocacy.

Others

• Juridisch Loket: Dutch government-subsidized provider of legal aid for low-income individuals including students. Overlaps with ASVA's legal-aid service (housing, study, DUO issues) and serves part of the same student demand pool.
• Studierendenwerk Amsterdam (UvA/HvA): Institutional student-services organization affiliated with UvA and HvA. Not a direct competitor, but an adjacent ecosystem peer providing housing, welfare, and support services to the same Amsterdam student base ASVA serves.

Regional players

• Utrechtse Studentenvereniging / USV Student Union: Student union at Utrecht University with similar advocacy, representation, and member-service functions. Closest Dutch regional peer to ASVA in terms of mission and operating model, but serves Utrecht rather than Amsterdam.
• Studentenvertegenwoordiging Universiteit Leiden (SLB): Student representation bodies at other Dutch universities that, like ASVA, run advocacy, council representation, and student-support services. Comparable in function but at different institutions and geographies.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/asva_vakbond
• Facebookfacebook.com/ASVAstudentenvakbond
• Instagraminstagram.com/asva_studentenvakbond
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/asva-studentenvakbond

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ASVA Studentenvakbond