Environment and Resource Management

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)

  Admission is based on a strict selection procedure. The Faculty’s Admission Board will decide upon your admission after having evaluated your complete online application.
  
  In order to gain admission to the Master’s programme Environment and Resource Management (ERM), 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. Students from all disciplinary backgrounds will be considered, but the following subjects provide a particularly relevant basis for participating in the ERM programme: Environmental studies, Economics, Political Science, Social Science, Law, Natural Sciences.
  
  Specific admission requirements for the MSc Environment and Resource Management

  • Average grade for the bachelor should be at least a 7.0 or equivalent (A bachelor thesis or writing sample can be requested if necessary to confirm quality);
  • Affinity with environmental sciences or sustainability, proven by previous study program, courses, thesis or relevant (volunteer) work experience, expressed in a motivation statement or curriculum vitae;
  • ERM requirements for English language proficiency, including sufficient scores for each test component;
  • Strong motivation statement addressing:
          - Interest for environmental and sustainability issues
          - Specific interest for ERM
          - Future ambitions after graduation

  Students with an university bachelor but with GPA between 6 and 7 can be admitted to the ERM pre-master's programme if they also meet the other admission requirements of the ERM pre-master's programme.

  Language requirements

  Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam requires international students and students with a HBO degree to pass an English language proficiency test. This requirement can be met if no longer than two years before the start of the programme the applicant has successfully completed one of the following examinations with the minimum scores indicated:

  • IELTS (Academic): 6.5
    Minimum Sub-scores  6.0
  • TOEFL paper based test: 580
  • TOEFL internet based test: 92
       - Minimum Sub-score Reading: 18
       - Minimum Sub-score Listening: 19
       - Minimum Sub-score Speaking: 19
       - Minimum Sub-score Writing: 23
  • VU TOEFL ITP: 580
  • Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English (CAE): A, B, C
  • Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE): A, B, C

  Exceptions are made for students who:

  • have obtained a Dutch vwo-diploma including English, or an International Baccalaureate or European Baccalaureate diploma
  • have obtained a bachelor’s degree from a Dutch university,
  • have completed previous education in Canada, Ireland, UK, USA, Australia or New Zealand.

  Visit the Language Requirements webpage for the general requirements regarding language proficiency.

  Your English test results can be uploaded in the application portal or sent to the following address: toelating.beta@vu.nl.

• I have a Dutch higher vocational education (HBO) Bachelor’s degree (pre-master's)

  Admission is based on a strict selection procedure. The Faculty’s Admission Board will decide upon your admission after having evaluated your complete online application.
  
  In order to gain admission to the Master’s programme Environment and Resource Management (ERM), students with a bachelor degree from a University of Applied Sciences (HBO) need to follow the pre-master's programme. Students from all disciplinary backgrounds will be considered. The deadline for applications is May 31.
  
  Specific admission requirements for the pre-master's Environment and Resource Management

  • For HBO bachelor degree holders, the average grade for the bachelor should be at least a 7 or equivalent (A bachelor thesis or writing sample can be requested if necessary to confirm quality); Or, for WO-bachelor degree holders, average grade for the bachelor is equal to or higher than 6 but lower than 7;
  • Affinity with environmental sciences or sustainability, proven by previous study program, courses, thesis or relevant (volunteer) work experience, expressed in a motivation statement or curriculum vitae;
  • ERM requirements for English language proficiency, including sufficient scores for each test component;
  • Strong motivation statement addressing:
        - Interest for environmental and sustainability issues
        - Specific interest for ERM
        - Future ambitions after graduation

  Language requirements 
  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.

  The pre-master's programme
  You have to complete the pre-master's programme (30 EC) within 1 year. After you have finished the pre-master's programme you can be admitted to the master of Environment and Resource Management. Visit the pre-master's programme page for more information about the programme, admission requirements and the application procedure. 

• Application with a Dutch degree

  The Environment and Resource Management 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 ERM.
  Use this form to apply for the pre-Master’s: Application form pre-Master's ERM.

  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’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 (Pre)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.

  • Letter of Motivation (addressing: interest for environmental and sustainability issues, specific interest for ERM, future ambitions after graduation).
  • Curriculum Vitae.
  • Bachelor's transcript, including your GPA.

  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

  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.

  Students from all disciplinary backgrounds will be considered, but the following subjects provide a particularly relevant basis for participating in this programme: Environmental studies, Economics, Political Science, Social Science, Law, Natural Sciences. 

   

  2. Programme specific requirements
  

  • Affinity with Environmental Sciences or Sustainability: proven by previous study program, courses, thesis or relevant (volunteering) work experience, expressed in a motivation statement or curriculum vitae; 

   In addition to the admission requirements above, the following selection criteria apply: 

  • A high general academic level demonstrated by a minimum undergraduate GPA that is equivalent to a 7.0 in the Dutch grading system; 
  • Motivation for the programme, demonstrated by a motivation letter, which includes: 
  • interest for Environmental and Sustainability issues; 
  • specific interest for Environment and Resource Management;      
  • future ambitions after graduation  

   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.