Can you still study at Utrecht University without a smartphone?

You only need to sit by the stairs of the University Library at Utrecht Science Park for a moment to notice how many students walk in with a smartphone in their hand. A large number of them are also busy typing and clearly pay little attention to their surroundings. They are startled when I speak to them.

A smartphone certainly causes a negative distraction, say all the students I speak to in the University Library, but that is by no means a reason for everyone to ban it. “I have a life in three countries; without a smartphone, I really can’t keep in touch with everyone,” says a second-year Economics student. But she is clearly aware of her smartphone use, as she lists all the apps she knows that can help reduce screen time.

She uses one herself – the ScreenZen app – and she’s not the only one. A second-year biology student who also wants to cut down on his screen time says:: “It’s a fun app that even lets you build up streaks if you don’t click on certain apps once you’ve exceeded your limit.” Reducing your screen time is thus gamified for extra motivation. 

Necessary for studies
Two Master’s students in Law take a different approach to their smartphones. They feel that “being reachable to some extent is just part of life these days!” They too use screen time-limiting apps, but they often simply click them away or ignore them altogether. As a result, their screen time quickly mounts up, but they refer to this as “personal responsibility”.

What weighs heavily on the students’ minds when it comes to continuing to use their smartphones is that it gives them a sense of security. “It’s nice that I can share my live location when I cycle home at night after a study session in the University Library.” They accept that this involves half an hour of doom-scrolling before they start studying. “Chances are that’s exactly what’ll happen,” they say with a laugh as they continue on their way through the University Library.

Although most of the students I speak to would quite like to spend less time on their smartphones, the social aspect makes it important for many of them to have one, but they also say it’s often simply a necessity. A third-year Biology student on the steps of the University Library is actually quite keen on a few weeks without a smartphone: “I wish I could do without it. But to log in to certain UU websites, I really do need it.”

The joys of life
Micha (23) found this out too, having spent a year with a ‘dumbphone’ – an old-fashioned mobile phone that doesn’t connect to the internet. He had this during the second year of his Molecular & Biophysical Life Sciences degree. Although he found that studying without a smartphone was perfectly doable, he did have to come up with a way to log in to sites that require 2FA. He did that via Google Chrome, he says.

“Apart from that, I don’t think a smartphone adds much to life; it really just distracts you.” Still, he now has a smartphone again to listen to music. “I do have an MP3 player, but then you have to download the music.”

Spending a year without one has given him a different relationship with his smartphone. “I still use a paid version of the Stay Focussed app to limit my screen time. So I’m using it less now and have more time left for all the fun things in my life.”

“The UU encourages smartphone use”
Victor (25) has been living without a smartphone since January. “There’s plenty of research showing that smartphone use at uni is a distraction. We have to be honest that smartphones have a negative side.”

The History & Philosophy of Science student explains that he has made many attempts to be less distracted by his phone. “I’ve had an app that limited my screen time and even bought various special and expensive smartphones that were supposed to help me with this.” But none of this helped. The only real solution to stop being distracted by things like YouTube Shorts turned out to be getting rid of the smartphone altogether.

But now he’s running into problems at university. For instance, his student ID is on his smartphone, and he actually needs it to log in to Brightspace using 2FA, for example. That’s why he believes the UU encourages students to carry a smartphone, as was also evident from his comment under a DUB article.

Speaking on his old-fashioned Nokia, he says: “I’m glad I don’t have a smartphone anymore. I was actually worried my friends would find it awkward, but it’s not that bad. Everyone understands. I spend less time on my phone, so there’s just a lot more spontaneity in my life now,” he says whilst on his way for an unplanned dip in the Kromme Rijn.

For Victor, Maps is the only major thing he misses. “You really need a different mindset. You can’t navigate to a new place quite as spontaneously.” That sometimes leads to a bit of a faff: “I was on my way to a freshers’ evening and I knew which bus to take, but I’d forgotten which stop to get off at. So it definitely calls for a bit more preparation!” So now he sets off more consciously prepared, but less distracted.

2FA
He has now also found a solution for 2FA. “There are various apps you can download to do 2FA on your laptop. I use G2FA myself, for example. But KeePassXC is also a good option.” Victor also has an offline trick for his student card: “I carry an A4 printout of my proof of enrolment, folded up in my wallet, with me at the UU.” But this card doesn't get accepted everywhere.

He would like to see the UU offer alternatives. “Why isn’t there an option to get a physical student card or 2FA via text message? Fortunately, alternatives do exist, but I fully understand that not everyone is keen on walking around with a printout of their proof of enrolment in their pocket.”

UU advises against 2FA on a single device
UU spokesperson Iris Kruijen says she understands that students who consciously live smartphone-free face barriers. “Nevertheless, the digital student card and 2FA are currently the most sustainable, secure and student-friendly option for the vast majority of our students.”

The UU regards bypassing 2FA by logging in on the same device as a risk. “We strongly advise against using an authentication extension on the same laptop you use to log in, as this effectively simply negates the security of 2FA. The second device is, in fact, the core of the security.”

SMS as a second form of authentication is also not popular. “SMS verification is demonstrably vulnerable to attacks such as SIM swapping and interception,” the spokesperson explains.

If it were up to the UU, there would be no physical student card. “A physical card presents logistical challenges in terms of production and issuance.” Furthermore, a digital card is far more up-to-date, she says: “It can be revoked immediately and is virtually impossible to forge, making it generally the most sustainable, secure and student-friendly option.”

Because the UU advises students against using less secure alternatives to 2FA, it may still be genuinely necessary to carry a smartphone. “Precisely because the UU takes the data of students and staff seriously, we opt for verification methods with a higher level of security.”

The UU invites students who “for whatever reason do not want to or cannot use a smartphone” to contact Student Services (via the counter, studentenservice@uu.nl or 030 253 7000) to see if a bespoke solution is possible.

And Victor? He hasn’t got rid of his smartphone yet. “I’ve got one in a drawer, to log into web-WhatsApp every few weeks.”

Challenge: Can you go three weeks without a smartphone?

Micha, who went a year without a smartphone, has a tip for all students with a smartphone. “I’d recommend everyone try putting their smartphone away for three weeks. It gives you a slightly different perspective on life. You have more interactions with people because, for example, you have to ask for directions. It also teaches you to use your smartphone differently. You develop new habits, and I now use my smartphone less and have more time for all the fun things in my life.”

DUB would like to get in touch with students who’d like to take on this challenge in the coming academic year. We’d like to follow three students and document their experiences for a feature. Are you up for a challenge like this? Get in touch with Gwenda Knobel.

Dit verhaal verscheen op 11 juni 2026 op DUB en is speciaal voor de nieuwe studenten van de Universiteit Utrecht even terug op onze voorpagina.