Economics

Check if you meet the programme requirements and sign up

• I have a School of Business and Economics degree from VU Amsterdam

  
  The MSc programme Economics welcomes ambitious students who want to develop an advanced knowledge in economics and apply their knowledge to study a wide range of topics. Therefore, students should start with a solid academic background in economics and have sufficient knowledge of mathematics and statistics. 

  Admission requirements
  Direct admission is granted to students who pass the courses Microeconomics II, Macroeconomics II and Quantitative Research Methods III (Economics/Finance), who obtain a Bachelor's degree in econometrics, or who complete the Minor Economics @ VU with a grade point average of at least 7.5. The entry requirement for students with a Bachelor's degree in (International) Business Administration, Economics and Econometrics from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam are summarized in this document. 

  Students who do not meet these admission requirements are not necessarily declined to enroll in the MSc Economics, but can file an admission request, which shows their background in economics and quantitative research methods.

  Services for international (EBE, EDS, EOR, IBA) students / Residence permit:
  If your are planning to continue your studies at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam after your IBA, please contact the Central Admission's Support Team of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam for further information and specific questions about the offered services for international students like extending your residence permit. You will need to apply for extension of your residence permit if you continue your studies at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.

• 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 MSc programme Economics welcomes ambitious students with a university degree from either a Dutch or international university who want to develop an advanced knowledge in economics and apply their knowledge to study a wide range of topics. Therefore, students should start with a solid academic background in economics and have sufficient knowledge of mathematics and statistics. 

  
  Admission requirements

  The MSc programme Economics is open to students with a university Bachelor's degree that provides a thorough knowledge in microeconomics and macroeconomics and a solid background in mathematics and statistics for economists. Specifically, students ought to be familiar with mathematics (calculus and algebra), intermediate economics and econometrics at a level commensurate with all of the following texts:

  Microeconomics	Varian, H.R., Intermediate Microeconomics, Northon, 9th ed., 2014
  Macroeconomics	Garín, Julio, Robert Lester, Eric Sims (2021). Intermediate Macroeconomics. Claremont McKenna College. Typescript. v. 3.0.1. Ch. 1,2,4,5,9,12,13
  Econometrics and Statistics	Stock, J.H. and Watson, M.W., Introduction to Econometrics, Pearson, Updated 3rd ed., 2015 (chapters 1-7)
  Mathemetics for Economists	Sydsaeter, Knut and Hammond et al., Essential Mathematics for Economic Analysis, Prentice Hall, 5th ed., 2016

  Approval is in most cases gives to students who hold a:

  • Bachelor's degree in economics or econometrics
  • Bachelor's degree in business administration, social sciences and sciences with sufficient elective courses in economics
  • Bachelor's degree from a University College with a specialization in sciences or social sciences and sufficient economics courses
  • Bachelor's degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) or in Politics, Psychology, Law and Economics (PPLE) with sufficient economics and quantitative courses
  • Bachelor's degree and who completed the Minor Economics at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam with an average grade of at least 7.5

  With a Bachelor's degree in (International) Business Administration, Economics or Econometrics and Operations Research from Dutch Universities you can review this document.

  Please note: this information is only meant as an indication of your admissibility. No rights can be derived from this table. In order to obtain a personalized, official admission decision, students should apply for the master via Studielink (without obligation) to find out if additional courses need to be completed. Every application will be reviewed individually by the Admission Board. The final admission decision may differ from the indication in this table. If your programme is not listed, feel free to apply.

  Students who do not meet the admission criteria can be:

  • admitted conditional on passing one or more Bachelor courses
  • requested to take an admission test after self-study of the literature
  • admitted to the transfer programme (a minimal GRE score may be required)

  The admission test takes place in June at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. Note that participation in the transfer programme may substantially increase the time to completion.

  More information regarding registration WO-bachelor, see the VU website.

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

  Students with a Dutch higher vocational (HBO) degree can enroll in the MSc Economics AFTER completing a transfer programme. This programme is specifically designed to bridge the gap between higher vocational education and university-level education and takes approximately a year to complete.

  1. The path to the Master of Science in Economics will be as follows for students with a HBO degree:First you need to pass the GRE test. The GRE, which stands for General Record Examination, is an international admission test conducted by the ETS organization. More information on the test and the registration can be found here: ets.org/gre/. The following minimum sub scores must be obtained:
     - Verbal reasoning – 152
     - Quantitative reasoning – 159
     - Analytical writing – 3,5
  2. Once we have verified your GRE rest results AND you have graduated from your university of applied sciences, you can embark on our transfer programme which consists of two parts. Part I involves self-study of course material on your own. You will not be tested, and will not receive any credits. Part II involves active participation in course work and successfully passing all course requirements of the indicated courses. Coursework starts each year in September and takes one academic year.
  3. After successful completion of the transfer programme, you’re all set to start the master's in economics. The master's programme starts each year in August with a set of refresher modules.

  Would you like to receive the detailed explanation about GRE and the transfer programme? Please apply via Studielink/VU.nl for this master and upload the required documents. The admission board will send you an admission decision which contains all relevant information.

• Application procedure with a Dutch degree

  Applying with a School of Business and Economics degree
  

  To enroll in the programme submit your enrolment application via Studielink.

  Step 1:

  Apply for the MSc programme Economics via Studielink before 1 June.

  Step 2:

  Please complete your application in VUnet by answering additional questions and uploading  a recent transcript of your bachelor grades. (You can create a pdf of your grades via the application results on VUnet yourself.)

  More information regarding registration WO-bachelors, see the VU website.

  Applying with a Dutch university level (WO) bachelor's degree (VU bachelor's degree, VU pre-master's or bachelor's degree at another university)
  

  Step 1:
  Apply for the programme MSc Economics via Studielink before 1 June.

  Step 2:
  After applying for the programme in Studielink you will receive a VUnet-ID and password. Please complete your application via VUnet by answering additional questions and uploading a formal transcript of your bachelor grades in VUnet (please note: we can only process your application when your transcript is uploaded).

  Step 3:
  The admission committee will assess your application and decide whether you are admissable. You will be informed about this decision via email.

• I have an international degree

  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. 

  2. Programme specific requirements

  We expect you to have successfully completed courses on the following subjects at the specified level, with content that is comparable to the listed example textbook: 

  • Microeconomics An intermediate-level course that covers, among others, topics such as i) consumer theory ii) producer theory ii) equilibrium, exchange, and welfare iii) game theory iv) monopoly and oligopoly. Example textbook: Varian, H.R., Intermediate Microeconomics, Norton, 9th ed., 2014, Chapters 1-6, 14-16, 19-26, 28-30, 32-34. 
  • Macroeconomics An intermediate-level course that covers, among others, topic such as i) macroeconomic data ii) growth facts iii) Solow model iv) OLG Model v) dynamic consumption-saving model vi) fiscal policy. Example textbook: Garín, J., R. Lester, and E. Sims, Intermediate Macroeconomics, Claremont McKenna College, Typescript. v. 3.0.1, Chapters 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 9, 11, 13. 
  • Econometrics and Statistics An intermediate-level course that covers, among others, topics such as: i) linear regression with one or multiple regressors ii) computing standard errors and hypothesis testing iii) heteroskedasticity iv) non-linear models such as interacted variables and log-transformations. Example textbook: Stock, J.H. and M.W. Watson, Introduction to Econometrics, Pearson, 4^th ed., 2019, Chapters 2-9. 
  • Mathematics for Economists An intermediate-level course that covers among others the concepts of i) functions of one and more variables ii) limits, sequences and series iii) differentiation and integration iv) unconstrained and constrained optimization v) basic linear algebra and matrices. Example textbook: Sydsaeter, K. and P. Hammond et al., Essential Mathematics for Economic Analysis, Prentice Hall, recent edition. 

  If your application does not provide proof of completed coursework at the minimally required level, then it may be rejected, or you may be requested to make up for deficiencies through self study. Students with a strong technical background (Natural Sciences, Mathematics, Statistics, and possibly Engineering) are encouraged to apply.  
  
  How to demonstrate that you meet the above requirements 

  You are required to indicate in the course description section of the Application Form how you meet the programme specific admission requirements.  

  Whether you meet the admission requirements, is determined by the Admission Board based on your complete application. 

     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 procedure 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.

• FAQ for students with a Dutch degree

  Can I be admitted into an SBE Master with my Dutch university degree?

  The admission board can make a decision regarding your admissibility based on several documents. Apply for the Master via Studielink and complete your application on your VU dashboard by uploading the required documents. Some Master programmes require additional documents such as an English CV and motivation letter, as well as your transcript of records. You will receive an admission decision within a couple of weeks after completing your application. Registration for the Master via Studielink is without obligation and does not commit you to anything yet.

  I have a higher vocational (HBO) degree. Do I need to complete the pre-master's before I can start with an SBE Master?

  Yes, we require all students with an HBO higher vocational Bachelor degree to complete the corresponding pre-master's before they can start with the Master. More information on the pre-master's can be found here.

  I have a higher vocational (HBO) degree and wish to start with an SBE Master that does not have a specific pre-master's (MSc Econometrics & Operations Research, MSc Economics, MSc Spatial, Transport and Environmental Economics). How do I apply?

  Please send your transcript of records directly to admissions.sbe@vu.nl/ toelating.sbe@vu.nl. Make sure the name of your education and institution are visible.

  I do not want to start with a master in the next academic year, but the year after. How do I know if I am eligible?

  You can still apply for the Master that starts in the next academic year via Studielink. Registration for the Master is without obligation and does not commit you to anything yet. If you need to complete additional courses in order to be admissible, you can do so during the next academic year. Because the admission decisions are valid for one year, make sure to check in advance if the admission requirements have not changed.

  I am already completing a Master at a Dutch university. Can I be directly admitted into one of the SBE Masters?

  You cannot be automatically admitted into one of the SBE Masters. First, your application needs to be reviewed by the admission board of the Master in the same way as all Bachelor students. Please apply for the Master via Studielink and upload all required documents. You can use an online PDF merger to upload both your Bachelor grades and (preliminary) Master grades.