Earth Sciences

Check whether you meet the programme requirements and apply

• I have a Dutch university level (WO) Bachelor’s degree (VU Bachelor’s degree, VU pre-master's or Bachelor’s degree at another university)

  The Admission Board will decide upon your admission after having evaluated your complete online application. In order to gain admission to one of our Master’s programmes, you will need to have at least a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited research university including at least three full years of academic study amounting to a minimum of 180 ECTS or equivalent. We do not require a GRE or GMAT test score.
  
  Specific admission requirements for the MSc Earth Sciences programme:

  For Bachelor’s degree students in Earth Sciences from VU/UU and Earth Sciences, Economics & Sustainability from VU

  Students with a Bachelor's degree in Earth Sciences from VU or UU will receive direct admission to the Master's programme in Earth Sciences.  

  Students with a Bachelor's degree in, Earth Sciences, Economics & Sustainability (‘Aarde, Economie en Duurzaamheid') from VU will receive direct admission to the Master's programme in Earth Sciences, track GECP or EC. For the other tracks, direct admissibility does not apply.

  Students with a Bachelor’s degree in Future Planet Studies from the UvA will also receive direct admission to the Master's programme in Earth Sciences, track GECP or EC. For the other tracks, direct admissibility does not apply.  

  Students with a Bachelor’s degree in Marine Sciences from the WUR will also receive direct admission to the Master's programme in Earth Sciences, track GECP or EC. For the other track, direct admissibility does not apply. 

  After finishing the first year of one of the 3 Earth Sciences specialisations, you can choose the differentiation Science Communication or choose the differentiation Science Education provided you have taken Sociale geografie I and, preferably, 12 ECTS of "Oriëntatie-CE"- courses. 

  Other Bachelor & Master Degree students

  Students with related backgrounds or high motivation and interest, who do not receive direct admission to a certain Master's specialisation, may still be admitted by a decision to that effect taken by the Admission Board. The Admission Board can, in such cases, place additional requirements (e.g. by following self-study module(s) during the summer) on the student before granting admission to the Master's programme.

  For the specialisation in Global Environmental Change and Policy, the following admission requirements apply:

  Academic results

  Bachelor degree at university level (preferably interdisciplinary) containing:
  - at least 6 EC in Earth Sciences at the end of the 3rd year
  - at least 6 EC in Environmental Sciences or Sustainability Sciences at the end of the 1st year
  - at least 6 EC in Geographical Information Systems (GIS)

  Basic Knowledge or affinity with environmental topics:
  - previous study programme, course work, thesis
  - relevant work experience (can include volunteer work)

  For the specialisation Geology and Geochemistry, and Earth and Climate, the following admission requirements apply:

  Academic results

  Bachelor degree at university level containing:
  - at least 18 EC in Earth Sciences or related courses (e.g. climate and environmental sciences, ecology, hydrology, geology, (geo)chemistry, (geo)physics, GIS) at the end of the 3^rd year

  Basic knowledge or affinity with earth science-related topics:
  - previous study programme, course work, thesis
  - relevant work experience (can include volunteer work)

• I have a Dutch higher vocational education (HBO) Bachelor’s degree

  Students who hold a Dutch certificate of University of Applied Sciences (HBO) may be admitted to the Master's programme in Earth Sciences on the basis of a decision to that effect taken by the Admission Board. The Examination Board will determine whether the qualification in question is sufficiently relevant to warrant admission. The Admission Board may place additional requirements on the student before granting admission to the programme.

  Students with a HBO degree (in Dutch) must take an English Language Test. Check the requirements and exemptions on the webpage.

  You can also submit the result of the English language test after you have been conditionally accepted, the deadline for submitting the test result is August 31^st. Please send a scan of your test result to toelating.beta@vu.nl.  For more information see under the heading ‘Application with a Dutch degree’ below.

  Earth Sciences does not have a pre-master's programme.

  
  For the specialisation in Global Environmental Change and Policy, the following admission requirements apply:

  Academic results
  Bachelor degree at university level (preferably interdisciplinary) containing:
  - at least 6 EC in Earth Sciences at the end of the 3rd year
  - at least 6 EC in Environmental Sciences or Sustainability Sciences at the end of the 1st year
  - at least 6 EC in Geographical Information Systems (GIS)
  
  Basic Knowledge or affinity with environmental topics:
  - previous study programme, course work, thesis
  - relevant work experience (can include volunteer work)

• Application with a Dutch degree

  The Earth Sciences programme is open to both Dutch and International Students. The Faculty’s Admission Board will decide upon your admission after having evaluated your complete online application. You find all information about the general application procedure with a Dutch degree on the application page.

  Use this form to apply for the Master’s: Application form Master's Earth Sciences.

  The application deadline is:

  1 June for holders of a Dutch bachelor’s degree (with a Dutch or EU/EEA nationality).

  Your application will be rejected in case you didn’t upload the required documents in ‘your dashboard’ within 6 weeks after your enrolment in Studielink, OR in case you have uploaded (one or more) of the required documents after 1 June. Applications and documents submitted after the deadline will not be accepted.

  Required documents (deadline 1 June)

  This Master’s programme requires students with a Dutch bachelor's degree to upload the following documents as soon as possible and in any case 6 weeks after your enrolment and before 1 June.

  • Curriculum Vitae.
  • Bachelor's transcript, including your GPA (HBO: including propaedeutic).

  Your online dashboard gives you an overview of the submitted and missing documents. Check your dashboard regularly.

  Additional required document

  • HBO students need to send in a sufficient English language test result (check the requirements and exemptions on the webpage).

  You can also submit the result of the English language test after you have been conditionally accepted, the deadline for submitting the test result is August 31^st. Please send a scan of your test result to toelating.beta@vu.nl.

• I have an international degree

  Admission requirements

  Students must meet the following admission requirements:

  1.  Academic requirements

  Your previous education needs to be deemed equivalent to at least a Dutch academic Bachelor’s degree (wetenschappelijk onderwijs, WO) obtained at a research university (nominal duration 3 years). Please find more information about your admissibility with a non-Dutch degree here. We do not require a GRE or GMAT test score.

  2. Programme specific requirements

  Knowledge and understanding

  • Bachelor’s level in Earth Sciences or a closely related programme is required;
  • Common processes in Earth Sciences

  Skills

  • General academic skills: analytical and critical thinking, and scientific writing skills demonstrated for example by higher education BSc thesis or equivalent;
  • Basic level computer programming skills;
  • Basic level GIS skills

  Please note, for the specialization Global Environmental Change and Policy the following admission requirements apply:

  • A minimum of 6 ECTS in Earth Sciences at the end of the 3rd year;
  • A minimum of 6 ECTS in Environmental Sciences or Sustainability Sciences at the end of the 1st year;
  • A minimum of 6 ECTS in Geographical Information Systems (GIS);
  • Relevant work experience with environmental topics (can include volunteer work) 
    

  How to demonstrate that you meet the above requirements

  You are required to indicate how you meet the programme specific admission requirements in your Application Form. The Admission Board will evaluate your Application Form and decide if your academic background is sufficient to gain admission to the programme.

  3. English-language proficiency requirements

  You will have to demonstrate sufficient English language proficiency. You can find an overview of relevant information to demonstrate your English language proficiency on the language requirement page. 

• Application with an international degree

  Application documents

  To apply you are required to provide the following documents:

  • Scan of your passport or national ID card (ID for EEA students only) valid at the start date of the programme
  • Master Application File please download the correct file from this page. In this file you can see which documents are required to apply for your programme.
  • Proof of English language proficiency (if already obtained): upload your proof of English language proficiency or English language test results. Please find the English language requirements here.

  After having prepared the required documents, please follow the online application procedure. 

  Application fee & deadlines

  All students seeking admission to an international Master’s programme with an international degree are required to pay a non-refundable €100 application fee. Only after you have paid this fee will we be able to start the evaluation of your application file. If you are applying for more than one programme, you will only need to pay the application fee once. Your application fee payment is valid for two years.
  
  Information on how to apply with an international university degree and deadlines can be found here. 

  Grants and scholarships

  As an international student planning to study at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, you can apply for a variety of grants and bursaries. Detailed information about scholarships and deadlines can be found on www.vu.nl/scholarships or www.grantfinder.nl.

  International Student and Alumni Ambassadors 

  Our International Student and Alumni Ambassadors are happy to tell you all about their experiences with studying at VU Amsterdam and living in Amsterdam.

  • Our Student Ambassadors are current students at VU Amsterdam that represent a wide variety of programmes and countries.
  • Our International Alumni Ambassadors are VU Amsterdam graduates who are currently either working in the Netherlands or abroad, or doing a PhD or (second) Master's.

  You will find the full overview of our Ambassadors here: vu.nl/ambassadors. There you can chat with them directly.