Buying a laptop

For most programs, students can't do without a computer. Therefore, using a laptop is strongly recommended for many programs. Depending on the program you're enrolled in, you'll need a laptop that meets certain requirements. From July 1st, you can find the laptop that best suits your program and download the correct specifications here.

If you choose a MacBook or Chromebook and are having problems with (online) learning materials, unfortunately, we cannot provide technical support. You'll have to find a solution yourself. For help, consult your friends and family, such as a fellow student, your parent(s), or a whiz kid in the family. You might find the solution via Google or an AI bot.

We can't estimate whether a MacBook or Chromebook will cause problems. Therefore, we recommend purchasing a laptop with Windows 11. One exception: a MacBook is also suitable for Summa Artiest students.

Note: If you have a laptop with Windows 10 or 11 in S mode, you read here how you can disable that. Learn more about S-mode here..

It is important that your laptop matches the content and requirements of your course. The specifications are therefore determined by Summa, but you can buy the laptop wherever you want if you do not yet have a suitable laptop. Via the Paradigit Campus Shop and via Studywise You can find suitable laptops under your school's name. Both shops offer additional services, such as laptop rentals and insurance.

Summa has a helpdesk staffed by Summa students. So there's always help nearby if you have any questions or problems!

To participate in online courses, you need a webcam with a microphone. All new laptops available for purchase come with a webcam.

As a Summa student, you can install Office 365 for free on up to five computers. This access lasts until the end of your program. Use your Summa email address to download and install Office 5. If this is your first program at Summa, you will receive your personal login information by email. Click here for the page with an explanation about the installation: start.summacollege.nl.

Do you already have Office installed on your computer? If it's a recent (trial) version, you don't need to uninstall it. During the first few weeks of the academic year, most programs will focus on installing the necessary programs on your laptop, including the Microsoft Office suite. If not, please contact one of your instructors during the first few weeks of the academic year.

It's not possible to install the (free) Office suite on a Chromebook. You can, however, use the less comprehensive version online.

Office 365 is also available for Apple computers. Downloading Office 365 for macOS works the same way as downloading the Windows version. However, Summa does not support Apple (macOS). Chromebooks are also not supported.

You can purchase software cheaply on the Surfspot website. You'll also need a Summa email address for this. After registering with Summa, you'll receive your personal login details. You can use these to log in to the Surfspot website. Surf spot.