Information Sciences (pre-master's programme)

Admission and application

• Admission requirements

  The minimum English test score requirements of the pre-master’s programme are equal to that of the corresponding Master’s programme. More information on this can be found on the Master Application page here.

• Application

  You can find all general information about applying for a pre-Master's programme here for Dutch degree holders.

  The application deadlines are:

  • 1 April for non-EU/EEA students*
  • 1 June for non-Dutch EU/EEA students
  • 1 June for holders of a Dutch bachelor’s degree (with a Dutch or EU/EEA nationality)

  *non-EU/EEA students who do not need a study visa and/or a residence permit can still apply until 1 June.

  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.

  Use this form to apply for the pre-Master’s: Application form pre-Master's Information Sciences

• Admission requirements international student

  Do you have a Non-Dutch degree? You do not apply directly for pre-master's programme. First apply to the Master’s programme Information Sciencese. The programme’s admission board will decide if you are directly eligible for the master’s programme. If not, the admission board may suggest the pre-master’s programme. For more extensive information about the registration and admission to the Master's programme, check ‘How do I apply for a Master’s programme?'

• Registration pre-master’s international student

  Do you want to register for a pre-master's? Read the information carefully and follow the indicated steps. Make sure that all the required documents are uploaded. If the documents are not submitted correctly or incomplete, your admission won’t be assessed. Keep the deadlines in mind, late submissions won’t be taken into consideration.

  Requirements documents

  Take note of the given requirements. The specific requirements for your pre-master's application are provided in the invitation email of the admission board to apply for this pre-master's programme. 

  You will be required to hand in proof of English Language proficiency, unless you adhere to one of the exemption requirements as stipulated on the How do I apply for a Master’s programme page. The minimum English test score requirements of the pre-master’s programme are equal to that of the corresponding Master’s programme. More information on this can be found on the Master Application page here.

  Deadlines

  Keep in mind that as an international student, you first have to apply for a master’s programme (see ‘‘How do I apply for a Master’s programme?’). You cannot apply for a pre-master's directly. If you received an admission decision which states you’ll have to complete a pre-master's, the following information is relevant for you.

  The programme starts in September.  To make sure everything is processed in time, we recommend to submit your request well before the deadline.

  • 1 April:
    Non-EU/ non-EEA students who need a visa and/or residence permit.
  • 1 June:
    EU/EEA students 

  How to apply

  Step 1: register in Studielink

  Go to Studielink and login to the account you used for your Master application.

  If you are signed in at Studielink, select for ‘Programme type’ for ‘bachelor- or other non-master programme’. The pre-masters will be recognizable from the word ‘(pre-master's)’ as last part of the name.  Pick the pre-master's of your choice.

  Step 2: Complete your registration on your VU Dashboard

  Go to vu.nl, select in the top right corner the option ‘Student – sign in’ and log in on your VU Dashboard. Make sure you complete all steps in the registration portal, upload all requested documents and confirm the registration. You’ll receive a notification from Studielink as soon as your application is processed.

  Be aware, check your registration carefully! Only a complete registration will reach the admission board of the Faculy of Science.

  Step 3: Apply for international services such as housing and visa

  More information can be found on www.vu.nl/accommodation and www.vu.nl/visa. Please note that you will only be able to make use of our Student Accommodation services once, so either during your pre-master’s or during your Master’s programme. If you would like to apply for housing after you have completed the pre-master’s programme, then please let our student accommodation team know so we can manually create the option to apply in your Personal Dashboard.

  Step 4: Pay the pre-master's fee

  Make sure you pay the fee for the pre-master's before the deadline. If the payment is not received, you will not be admitted and you can’t start the pre-master's. For more information about the payment of the pre-master's fee, you can check the tuition fees.

  The tuition fees will only be refunded if you cancel your registration before the 31th of August of the relevant academic year.

  Step 5: Check if you’re enrolled

  As soon as you receive notice from Studielink and the VU notification that you’re registered for the pre-master's, the registration is completed. Until then, the admission is conditional and you’re not yet definitively registered. If you haven’t received any notification 20 days after completing the first three steps of the process, please contact your International Student Advisors via masters.fs@vu.nl

  Fees

  See for the current pre-master's fees: Tuition fee rates (pre-)master's programmes. As a Dutch pre-master's student, you are eligible for a study loan and/or public transport card from the Dutch government for the duration of the pre-master's. You may also qualify for student finance if you (your partner or one of your parents) have the nationality of an EU/EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom. Please find more information about your eligibility here.

• Contact

  If you have any questions about the pre-master's programme or the admission requirements, you can contact the pre-master's coordinator via is.premaster.beta@vu.nl. Do not forget to enclose your grade list and CV. If you have general questions about the admission procedure, you can contact the admissions committee of the Faculty of Science: toelating.beta@vu.nl.