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.  

  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 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 (geology, (geo)chemistry, (geo)physics, GIS) at the end of the 3rd 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 31st. 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.

  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 requiroed documents in ‘your dashboard’ within 6 weeks after your enrolment in Studielink, OR in case you’ve uploaded (one or more) of the required documents after June 1^st. Applications and documents submitted after the deadline will not be accepted.

  Required documents (deadline June 1^st)

  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.

  • Motivation letter: including motivation for the (possible) specializations (i.e., G&G, E&C, GECP).
  • Curriculum Vitae.
  • Bachelor's transcript, including your GPA (HBO: including propedeuse).

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

  Additional required document (only for HBO students, deadline August 31^st)

  • 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

  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.

  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

  Students who hold a certificate equivalent to a VU Amsterdam BSc/MCs degree obtained at an institution outside of the Netherlands 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.

  Specific admission requirements for the specialisation Global Environmental Change and Policy

  Academic results
  Bachelor's degree at university level (preferably interdisciplinary) containing:

  • at least 6 ECTS in Earth Sciences at the end of the 3rd year
  • at least 6 ECTS in Environmental Sciences or Sustainability Sciences at the end of the 1st year
  • at least 6 ECTS 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) 

  English language requirements

  This master programme is taught in English. Therefore, you will have to demonstrate sufficient English language proficiency by submitting English test results. 

  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.

  You can find an overview of all accepted tests and scores that can be used 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.