Am I admissible with my non-Dutch diploma?

More information

• General admission requirements

  • In order to meet the general admission requirements for a Bachelor's programme at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam you will need either a VWO diploma or a diploma that is evaluated by VU Amsterdam as equivalent in education level. If you apply with a non-Dutch diploma VU Amsterdam will assess if your previous education is sufficient for admission.
  • Take a look at the list of equivalent diplomas to see if your diploma is considered equivalent by our university. Please note that you can start your application even if you have not obtained your diploma yet.

• Programme-specific requirements

  • Every Bachelor’s degree programme has specific programme admission requirements. This means that if your knowledge of specific subjects is below the required standard, you will need to sit examinations in those subjects.
  • Please check the Bachelor's programme of your choice to find out if any knowledge of specific subjects is required, for example knowledge of mathematics.

• Language requirements

  • If you are applying for one of our English-taught Bachelor's programmes you will have to demonstrate sufficient English language proficiency.
  • If you are applying for a Dutch-taught programme will also have to prove that you are sufficiently proficient in Dutch.
  • You can find an overview of all accepted tests and scores that can be used to demonstrate language proficiency on the language requirement page. 

• Application procedure

  • The best way to find out whether you can be admitted is by officially submitting an application by following the step-by-step application procedure.
  • Contact your International Student Advisor if you are applying for one of our English-taught degree programmes. Your International Student Advisor can help you with any questions you have about the programme, admission requirements, application procedure or practical matters related to being an international student studying at VU Amsterdam.
  • Are you applying for one of our Dutch programmes with a non-Dutch diploma? Then you can contact our Student Desk if you have any questions.

• Not directly eligible for admission?

  If you do not meet the admission requirements, the following options are advised:

  • Start your academic studies at an accredited university in your home country and obtain relevant credits to meet our entry requirements in the future.
  • Have a look at a University of Applied Sciences. They offer programmes with a more applied and practical approach (compared to the more research oriented approach offered at VU Amsterdam) and different admission requirements.
  • Apply for the VASVU foundation year. You will need a basic level of Dutch to start this programme, as VASVU courses are offered in the Dutch language.  
  • In some cases, it is possible to resolve your deficiencies by passing the relevant entrance examinations at Dutch pre-university school-leaving examination level (VWO). These exams are offered in English and/or Dutch. Which exams are required will depend on the programme you are interested in. After submitting an official application, you will be informed if you are eligible for these exams and how you can participate. Deficiencies for students requiring a visa must be resolved before 1 June. Deficiencies for programmes that use a selection procedure must be resolved by 15 July.

• Scholarships

  VU Amsterdam does not offer any scholarships for international Bachelor's students. Surf to www.grantfinder.nl to check whether you qualify for a scholarship from another institute. You can find more information on our Financial support page.

• Student organisations

  There are a number of organisations for international students studying in the Netherlands. Some are focused on a specific field of study and others are general organisations:

  • Association Etats Généraux Etudiants de l’Europe (AEGEE)
  • Erasmus Student Network VU Amsterdam (ESN-VU)