Psychology

For students who wish to begin the Bachelor's programme in Psychology in September 2026, a selection procedure (Numerus Fixus) will apply. There are 600 places available at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. The number of places available for Psychology includes the total of the English and Dutch tracks. You can apply from 1 October 2025 until 15 January 2026 (23.59 CET) in Studielink for the academic year 2026-2027. After you have applied in Studielink, you complete your application in your personal dashboard on vu.nl.

What does the selection procedure look like? 
After you have applied for the programme between 1 October 2025 and 15 January 2026 (23.59 CET), you can participate in the selection procedure. You will receive further information about this procedure by e-mail a few days after we have received your application. Please note: candidates who register before October 15 will receive this e-mail on October 15.

The available places will be allocated via a combination of selection and lottery. All candidates will be scored on the following selection criteria:  

• A score based on the Grade Point Average (GPA) of your previous education. For this purpose, your grades of the admission-giving education are taken into account. If you have not yet completed this education, your grades from the last completed year are taken into account.  
• A score obtained on the online test

The procedure is as follows:  

• Group 1 - candidates with a GPA on their previous education that is equivalent to ≥ 7.5 in the Dutch grading system and a passing grade on the online test.  
• Group 2 - candidates with a GPA on their previous education that is equivalent to ≥ 7.5 in the Dutch grading system and a failing grade for the online test, or candidates with a GPA on their previous education that is equivalent to < 7.5 in the Dutch grading system and a passing grade for the online test.
• Group 3 - candidates with a Grade Point Average on their previous education that is equivalent to < 7.5 in the Dutch grading system and a failing grade for the online test.

Candidates in Group 1 will be selected directly and will be offered a place in the programme. Group 2 and then Group 3 follow on the ranking list. Within these two groups, the places are awarded to the candidates by means of an unweighted lottery.

The online test
Three weeks before the test, you will receive all the necessary information by e-mail to gain access to the study materials. We expect that you will need approximately 12 hours to study the materials. It is neither necessary nor possible to start preparing for the test earlier.

The study materials and the exam are based on material representative of the first year of the Bachelor's programme in Psychology at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. The study materials will be in English.

Taking the test – March 7, 2026

• The test will be administered online, using online proctoring (digital surveillance).
• It’s your responsibility to have a working laptop/computer with a webcam and microphone, a stable internet connection, and a quiet workspace.
• Three weeks prior to the test, you will receive more information about the test and your start time via e-mail.
• The exam can only be taken at this specific time. Postponing or a resit is not possible.
• If you did not participate in the online test, you will not receive a ranking number. Without a placeable ranking number, it is not possible to start the programme.

Important dates: 

• 15 January 2026 (23.59 CET): application deadline in Studielink
• 31 January 2026 (23.59 CET): deadline for uploading required documents + completing your application
• 31 January 2026 (23.59 CET): deadline for submitting your correct personal data (copy passport/ID)
• Three weeks prior to the online test: receiving study material via e-mail
• 7 March 2026: the online test
• 15 April 2026: results of the selection procedure will be announced through Studielink
• 16 April 2026: you will receive further information on your selection result via e-mail
• 15 July 2026: deadline to meet admission requirements and pay tuition fees

Information on Numerus Fixus
Visit our Numerus Fixus page for important information on Numerus Fixus programmes, including selection attempts.

If you have any questions regarding our selection procedure, please do not hesitate to contact us via selectiepsychologie.fgb@vu.nl

Note that for diplomas obtained outside of the Netherlands an application fee of €100 applies.
Application fee payment options and possible exemptions

Admission Requirements

Psychology is a selective programme (Numerus Fixus). In addition to being selected for a spot in the programme, applicants holding a non-Dutch pre-university diploma must meet a number of requirements*. If you do not yet meet the requirements but expect to do so in the future (such as obtaining your diploma), you can already apply. We will evaluate your application and inform you of our admission decision.

Overview of IB Diploma requirements per programme (PDF)
Overview of GCE A-level requirements per programme (PDF)
Overview of College Board Advanced Placement (AP) requirements per programme (PDF)

Requirements that apply:

1. A diploma equivalent to the Dutch pre-university VWO-diploma

See the Diploma Requirement List for examples of accepted diplomas per country.
Please note: this list is meant to give you an indication of admissibility; no rights can be derived from it.

Applicants who do not meet this criterion may be asked to sit (an) entry exam(s) to prove they are eligible for admission.

2. Proof of sufficient proficiency in English

You can find all accepted tests and scores on our Language Requirements webpage. Although complete applications are preferred, you can begin your application before you have completed the test and then submit your passing score once you have been conditionally admitted.

3. Proof of sufficient proficiency in Mathematics

After you've applied for the programme and uploaded the required documents in your VU Dashboard, the International Office will determine whether your diploma is equivalent to the Dutch VWO-diploma and whether your mathematics level is sufficient.

These examples of diplomas demonstrate sufficient proficiency in the required level of mathematics: 

• International Baccalaureate: all IB mathematics subjects.
• British GCE A-Levels: A-levels or AS-level in Mathematics with a grade A, B or C. Recent A-levels in Psychology (obtained after 2015) are also accepted. 
• Germany: Zeugnis der allgemeinen Hochschulreife 
• European Baccalaureate: Mathematics; written or oral examination, at least 3 hours during the Orientation Cycle. 
• College Board AP scores: AP Statistics, AP Calculus AB or AP Calculus BC minimum score 3

Application documents

• Copy of valid passport or ID (ID for EEA students only). Candidates must ensure that their correct personal data have been submitted no later than 31 January. Candidates who do not fulfill this obligation in time will not be permitted to continue with the selection procedure.
• VU Application Form - Numerus Fixus; please download the correct format from this page. In the document you are asked to provide further details about your previous education level.
• Proof of English language proficiency (if already obtained): upload your proof of English language proficiency or English language test results.
  VU English language requirements

Application procedure

Application deadline
The Bachelor's programme in Psychology is a numerus fixus study programme. You can apply in Studielink until 15 January 2026. 
Do you have a non-Dutch nationality? Then you may be eligible for housing via the International Office Accommodation Services. An early application is then strongly recommended.

Ready to apply?

Have you read the information above and are you ready to apply? Great! Click here for the application procedure.

Complete your application until 100% in your VU dashboard within six weeks and no later than one week after the application deadline closes.

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* Not directly eligible for admission?

If your diploma is not considered to be at the right level and/or if your proficiency in mathematics is considered to be insufficient, you will be informed if it is possible to meet the requirements with an additional certificate.
When advised to sit (an) entry exam(s), the following certificates are deemed equivalent to Dutch VWO Mathematics C and Biology*:

*Applicants who do not meet the first criterion (equivalent diploma to the Dutch VWO diploma) may be asked to sit a Mathematics C and a Biology entry exam to prove they are eligible for admission.

• Boswell-Bèta (English). Boswell-Bèta in Utrecht (the Netherlands) provides a VWO Mathematics C exam and Biology exam. 
• CCVX (Dutch and English). CCVX offers a VWO Biology exam.
• Online Mathematics Placement Test. The Online Mathematics Placement Test-E (OMPT-E) is an online mathematics test that you can take from home by means of online proctoring. 

A positive result for the examinations (5,5/10 for the Boswell-Bèta and/or CCVX exam(s) or 60% for the OMPT-E online exam) is compulsory for admission to the programme. For the OMPT test a maximum of 2 attempts per year is allowed.

To ensure that your application is processed in time in order to study and register for the exams we ask applicants to apply for their bachelor's programme of choice before:

• 15 December if you are applying via the 21+ Entrance exam route
• 15 January for all other students

Note that in addition to these tests, all applicants will need to submit proof of sufficient proficiency in English. You can find all accepted tests and scores on our Language Requirements webpage.

VWO diploma
Applicants who obtained a VWO diploma (all profiles) from a Dutch secondary educational institution are eligible for admission to the Bachelor's degree programme Psychology at VU Amsterdam.

Higher professional education (HBO) propaedeutic year
The following certificates must be obtained additionally at 6 VWO level:

• English 
• Mathematics A or B or C 

Higher professional education (HBO) completed programme
The following certificates must be obtained additionally at 6 VWO level:

• English 
• Mathematics A or B or C 

Obtaining recognized certificates at 6 VWO level
Arrange your exams in time, the deadline for submitting the obtained certificates is 15 July 2026. You can obtain certificates accepted by VU from these different institutions.

Application deadline
The Bachelor's programme in Psychology is a numerus fixus study programme. You can apply in Studielink until 15 January 2026.

Ready to apply?
Great! Click here for the application procedure. Complete your application until 100% in your VU dashboard within six weeks and no later than one week after the application deadline closes. 

Do you not meet any of the above programme requirements, but are 21 years of age or older? Then there is the possibility of admission to the programme based on the entrance examination. 

The following certificates must be obtained:

• English at 6 VWO level
• Mathematics A or B or C at 6 VWO level
• Biology at 6 VWO level

Obtaining recognized certificates at 6 VWO level
Arrange your exams in time, the deadline for submitting the obtained certificates is 15 July 2026. You can obtain certificates accepted by VU from these different institutions.

Ready to apply?
Great! Click here for the application procedure. The application deadline for 21+ Entrance exam  is 15 December. Complete your application until 100% in your VU dashboard within six weeks and no later than one week after the application deadline closes. 

VWO diploma

Applicants who obtained a VWO diploma (all profiles) from a Dutch secondary educational institution are eligible for admission to the Bachelor's degree programme Psychology at VU Amsterdam.

Higher professional education (HBO) propaedeutic year
The following certificates must be obtained additionally when applying for the Dutch track:

• English at 6 VWO level
• Mathematics A or B or C at 6 VWO level
• Dutch: at least NT2 II / CNaVT (STRT or EDUP)* 

*Does not apply to a completed Dutch programme HBO propaedeutic year or Dutch at 5 HAVO

Higher professional education (HBO) completed programme
The following certificates must be obtained additionally when applying for the Dutch track:

• English at 6 VWO level
• Mathematics A or B or C at 6 VWO level
• Dutch: at least NT2 II / CNaVT (STRT or EDUP)*  

*Doest not apply to a completed Dutch programme HBO bachelor or Dutch at 5 HAVO

Obtaining recognized certificates at 6 VWO level
Arrange your exams in time, the deadline for submitting the obtained certificates is 15 July 2026. You can obtain certificates accepted by VU from these different institutions.

Application deadline
The Bachelor's programme in Psychologie (NL track) is a numerus fixus study programme. You can apply in Studielink until 15 January 2026.

Ready to apply?
Great! Click here for the application procedure. Complete your application until 100% in your VU dashboard within six weeks and no later than one week after the application deadline closes. 

A non-Dutch previous education does not always give direct admission. Therefore, it is important that you register for the study in Studielink as soon as possible. You will then receive an email with information about your personal VU Dashboard. Here you can upload all the necessary documents for assessing your admission. Upon receipt, you will be informed by email whether you are admissible to the programme.

The following additional admission requirements may apply:

• Passing certificate English at 6 VWO level
• Passing certificate Dutch: minimaal NT2 II / CNaVT (STRT of EDUP)
• Passing certificate Biology at 6 VWO level
• Passing certificate Mathematics

The final admission requirements applicable to you will be communicated by the admissions committee once your application is assessed.

Obtaining recognized certificates at 6 VWO level
Arrange your exams in time, the deadline for submitting the obtained certificates is 15 July 2026. You can obtain certificates accepted by VU from these different institutions.

Application deadline
The Bachelor's programme in Psychologie (NL track) is a numerus fixus study programme. You can apply in Studielink until 15 January 2026.

Ready to apply?
Great! Click here for the application procedure. Complete your application until 100% in your VU dashboard within six weeks and no later than one week after the application deadline closes. 

Do you not meet any of the above programme requirements, but are 21 years of age or older? Then there is the possibility of admission to the programme based on the entrance examination. 

The following certificates must be obtained:

• English at 6 VWO level
• Mathematics A or B at 6 VWO level
• Dutch: minimal NT2 II / CNaVT (STRT of EDUP)*
• Biology at 6 VWO level

* Does not apply to a passing subject for  Dutch at 5 HAVO level.

Obtaining recognized certificates at 6 VWO level
Arrange your exams in time, the deadline for submitting the obtained certificates is 15 July 2026. You can obtain certificates accepted by VU from these different institutions.

Ready to apply?
Great! Click here for the application procedure. The application deadline for 21+ Entrance exam  is 15 December. Complete your application until 100% in your VU dashboard within six weeks and no later than one week after the application deadline closes. 

The BSA is an advice given to all Bachelor’s students on four occasions during their first year of studies concerning their study progress. The fourth recommendation, issued at the end of the first year, is binding in nature. To continue to the second year you must have obtained a certain number of credits.

To receive a positive BSA for this study programme you must have obtained a minimum of 42 EC (credits) at the end of the first year of enrolment. Every student has access to an overview of the obtained study results and assessments are available for inspection after registration of the test result.

Can I follow the programme fully in Dutch? Are the exams in English or Dutch?
For the Dutch track, the tutorial groups will be in Dutch. However, some of the lectures/exams and some of the literature will be in English only. You do not have to worry about the English if it is not your first language. Because of the international environment and the literature in English, you will catch on soon.

Isn’t it difficult to make contact with other students and teachers in such a large programme?
Not at all! In addition to large-scale lectures, you will also attend weekly seminars in smaller groups of about 20 students. These groups will be different for each course, so you will get to know many of your fellow students. You will see your seminar instructors every week, and there will be plenty of opportunity to ask them any questions you might have. Each seminar also has a mentor you can go to if you have questions. If you want to get to know your fellow students outside class, check out our study association.

What makes VU Amsterdam’s Psychology programme so unique compared to those at other universities?
You will be taught by researchers with extensive expertise and you will learn about cutting-edge developments in psychology, such as the unique twin studies being conducted at VU Amsterdam using the Twin Register. These studies investigate the extent to which human behaviour is hereditary. VU researchers are also doing groundbreaking work in the fields of experimental and applied psychology (for instance on leadership and cooperation in the workplace), clinical psychology (prevention and treatment of mental disorders), neuropsychology (relationship between physical activity and cognition) and developmental psychology (behavioural disorders in children). Click here for an overview of the fields and experts you may encounter during the programme.

What other reasons are there for choosing VU Amsterdam?
As a campus university, VU Amsterdam offers students a kind of ‘city within a city’. All the faculty buildings, teaching staff and facilities are located in one place. This makes it easy to meet students from other programmes. VU Amsterdam also has its own sports centre, which offers affordable access to a wide range of sports programmes, and you can go to the Griffioen Cultural Centre for classes, performances and lectures. Discover more about the VU Campus here.

Can I become a psychotherapist or healthcare psychologist after completing this Bachelor’s programme?
At VU Amsterdam, we offer Master’s programmes in Clinical Psychology, Clinical Neuropsychology and Clinical Developmental Psychology (all Dutch-taught) which prepare you for a career as a psychotherapist or healthcare psychologist. To gain admission to one of these programmes, you must complete the clinical learning path in the third year of the Bachelor’s programme, which includes a number of compulsory courses. After completing your Master’s, you can apply for a job as a trainee psychotherapist or healthcare psychologist. Please note: a career as a psychotherapist or healthcare psychologist in the Netherlands is only possible if you have sufficient proficiency in Dutch. If you are a non-Dutch speaking student, you will need to check within your own country (or other countries where you might want to become a therapist) if the relevant institutes accept a Psychology Bachelor’s degree from the VU for relevant Master’s and Postgraduate programmes.

Which specialisations can I choose from?
In your second year, you will take a number of elective courses, after which you will choose one of four specialisations for your third and final year:

• The clinical learning path (Dutch-taught) prepares you for a career in clinical psychology. This learning path is intended for Dutch-speaking students who want to pursue a career as a qualified clinical psychologist in the Netherlands.
• If you choose to specialise in Psychopathology, Health, and Prevention (English-taught), you will explore the causes, treatment and prevention of mental disorders. This learning path is intended for students with an interest in clinical psychology.
• In Social & Organizational Psychology (English-taught), you will learn all about how people behave in both small and large groups, such as at the workplace. This learning path prepares you for a job as a coach, business consultant, HR manager or researcher.
• In Genes, Cognition & Behaviour (English-taught), you will learn all about cognitive processes such as memory formation, language and emotional responses, and about the relationship between genetics and human behaviour. This learning path prepares you for a career in research in fields such as neuroscience and cognitive psychology.

See the overview of the third-year courses.

Where and when can I take the exams for the VWO certificates?
You can find all the institutions on this website.

I’m in my first HBO year, so I don’t have my Propedeuse yet. Can I still apply this year?
Yes. You can apply if you have not yet finished your admission giving education. You have to meet the admission criteria on the 15th of July 2024.

I passed the CAE exam, is this also proof of a sufficient English language level?
Yes, we accept the Cambridge Advanced English (CAE)/C1 test with a minimum grade of C. Please have a look here for more information about exemptions and what English tests and minimum scores we accept

When is the deadline to submit the English exam results?
For international student who need to apply for a study visa: before the 1st of June. For international students who do not need a visa: before the 1st of August.

Is IB Maths Analysis & Approaches enough for the Math requirement of the programme?
Yes, that is enough. You will need a full IB diploma.

If my international diploma doesn’t meet the requirements, I’ll be asked to take several entrance exams. Can I take these exams at the university?
It depends on the diploma and the whole of your previous education whether or not you have to take the extra exams. Those tests are not offered by the university. You can find more information about this on this webpage. 

I am currently in my final year of high school. Do you accept predicted grades for calculating the GPA?
We do not look at predicted grades. If you are in your final year right now, we will look at the grades of your penultimate year. For example, this means we would look at your GPA of year 11 if you are now in year 12. Detailed information about submitting your GPA can be found in the VU Application Form – Numerus Fixus.

Do I need to take an additional mathematics exam like OMPT?
This depends on your previous education. You will receive more information about this in your decision on admission letter after your application. You can also find some examples on this webpage under the selection tab "Admission requirements with non-Dutch previous education for Psychology (ENG)".

I have a German Abitur, do I have to take the English language test?
This depends on your situation, please have a look here for all exemptions: Meeting language proficiency requirements - More about - Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (vu.nl)

I have a non-Dutch diploma/previous education. How will you determine if my GPA is equivalent to a ≥7.5 in the Dutch grading system?
You can find a list of examples of the high school diplomas accepted as equivalent to the Dutch pre-university level VWO here. In the table you can find what VU Amsterdam accepts as equivalent to the ≥7.5 in the Dutch grading system. 

What is considered a sufficient score on the online test?
A minimum grade of 5.5 on the Dutch 1–10 grading scale is required to pass.

What are my chances of receiving a placeable ranking number if I am in Group 2 or Group 3?
Even if you are in Group 2 or 3, you may still be offered a place if your ranking number falls within the available spots. Please check the overview that shows how many students have been offered a ranking number for the academic year 2025-2026 on our website.

Should I keep my ranking number if I am still considering the programme?
Yes. We strongly recommend that you keep your ranking number until you are certain you no longer wish to accept a potential offer or are not able to meet the admission requirements before the deadline—even if your number is currently on the waiting list.

If you would like to be considered for a place, you must remain registered in Studielink. Withdrawing your registration means your ranking number and offer will go to the next candidate on the list. Once an offer is declined, it cannot be reversed, so please make sure you are certain before withdrawing