Are you a prospective master's student? Read more about the application procedure, admission requirements and language requirements for master's programmes at VU Amsterdam.
More specific information can be found on the programme webpages and in the Teaching and Education Regulations (TERs). Applications for 2027-2028 are possible from the beginning of October.
Want to learn more about the application process? Then check out our step-by-step application video for international diploma applicants!
Which application procedure applies in your situation depends on the type of diploma you have obtained and the language of instruction of the programme of your interest. We have listed the different procedures for you down below.
The application for these studies is done through Studielink. Check in Studielink which educational institution you need to apply to.
The following deadlines apply if you are applying to a Master’s programme on the basis of a non-Dutch university degree.
Applications received after the deadlines cannot be taken into consideration!
The final application deadline for most scholarships is 1 February, but you can only apply for the VUFP, HSP and OTS scholarships after you have been conditionally admitted to your Master’s programme.
In terms of planning, this means that our advised final programme application deadline is 1 December for those students wishing to apply for a VU scholarship. This is because it may take up to around 6 weeks to receive your admission decision once your application is complete. Please be aware that we cannot guarantee you will receive your decision within six weeks, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.
If the application procedure for your selected Master’s programme includes an intake/interview, then we advise you to submit your programme application as soon as possible in October/November, so you have plenty of time before the scholarship deadlines.
General application deadlines:
* We encourage EU/EEA students to apply before 1 April if they wish to make use of the university housing services.
Alternative deadlines:
Note that some Master's programmes have a different application deadline. Please make sure to carefully read all information on the programme webpage of the Master's programme of your choice.
The application deadlines for international students wishing to start in February 2027 are as follows:
For studies with a start date of 1 February, please check the programme page of the study of your choice and the Regulations for Application and Enrolment for more details. If you have any questions, please contact the Student Desk or the relevant International Student Advisor.
Please note: we do not recommend international students to start their Master's programme in February.
We do not organise any introduction activities for the February intake, which means that you will have to take care of all practical matters concerning your arrival yourself. In addition, the set-up of our Master's programmes is not based on a February starting point. Students who begin their studies in February will basically start with semester 2 and continue with semester 1 in September. This makes study planning difficult and the chances of success smaller.
The following programmes have a second start date of 1 February 2027
Please note: Always consult the contact persons noted in the contact page of the programme you're interested in, to find out about the programme and the possibilities of a February starting date.
Before you start your application, first check the admission requirements on the programme page of the programme you wish to apply for under the tab ‘Admissions’, section ‘I have an international degree’.
Before applying, please check if you meet the programme requirements by using the Student Self-Check tools below, if available for your desired programme.
Student Self-Check tool - Master's in Culture, Organization and Management
Student Self-Check tool - Master's in Work and Organizational Psychology
If you are applying for one of our English-taught Master's degree programmes you will have to demonstrate sufficient English language proficiency.
All applicants are asked for an English language test, unless you qualify for an exemption. You can submit your application and provide test results later.
The following procedure applies if you are applying on the basis of a non-Dutch university degree. You can start your application for a September 2027 enrolment from October 2026 onwards.
Take a look at the step-by-step application video to find out how you can apply for our English-taught programmes with an international diploma and read the information below.
Go to Studielink and create an application for the study programme you wish to apply for. In Studielink you can apply for a maximum of 4 courses in total in the Netherlands.
Do you currently live in the Netherlands? Then you will need to log in with your DigiD.
If you do not yet live in the Netherlands you can choose the option: 'International students - Create an account'. When you create your Studielink account via this option you will need a scan or photo of your valid passport or European ID card.
Important when you register in Studielink:
Within 48 hours* (two working days) of finishing your application in Studielink you will receive your VUnetID (username) and password via email. You can use these to log in to the application portal in your personal dashboard on VU.nl. If you already are (or have been) a VU Amsterdam student, or if you applied before, use your existing VUnetID and password to log in.
Complete your application until 100% in your VU dashboard within six weeks and no later than one week after the application deadline closes. We aim to check your application within 10 working days. Once complete you have uploaded all the required documents and paid the application fee, you will receive a confirmation via email.
Questions? Read our step by step guide to completing your application in your dashboard on VU.nl.
*In case you did not receive your login details, please first check your spam folder. If you are still unable to locate them, then contact the UCIT service desk on ucit-servicedesk@vu.nl or +31 (0)20 598 0000.
In the portal you are asked to upload the required documents in PDF-format and submit your application.
Required application documents (including the VU Application Form template)
Note that you do not have to send original documents when applying! For the application phase uploading scans of your previous education documents is sufficient.
All students with an international degree are required to pay a non-refundable €100 application fee.
After we have received the application fee, we will start processing your application.
Once you have completed your enrollment application in Studielink, you will receive an email (sent to the address you supplied in Studielink) with information on how you can pay the fee. The easiest way to pay is via the online payment tool.
Please do not delay paying the fee as this will delay your application.
You will receive a confirmation via email once you have uploaded all the required documents and paid the application fee. Your International Student Advisor will then prepare your file for the Admission Board, with the request to establish your eligibility for admission. We aim to inform you about the admission decision within 4 - 6 weeks. If any further information is needed to determine your eligibility, your International Student Advisor will let you know. Note that certain programme Admission Boards follow a fixed decision schedule - it can then take longer before you receive an outcome.
For all questions about the evaluation of your application, please contact your International Student Advisor, whose contact details can be found on the contact page your chosen study programme.
If you have been (conditionally) admitted, congratulations! A number of additional steps must now be taken. You can read what you can expect after you've been admitted on our ‘What happens after admission’ page.
Once you have secured your (conditional) admission to VU Amsterdam, your exciting student onboarding journey begins.
To optimise your student experience, VU Amsterdam offers a range of onboarding services and activities. All activities within the onboarding process are aimed at social and academic integration and cultural adaptation to foster your study success.
Read more about student onboarding
Do not miss out on any of our essential student services and confirm your participation.
You will receive your decision on admission by e-mail (make sure to check your spam folder regularly). Please read this e-mail carefully and keep it in your personal administration.
Confirm your participation in your VU dashboard once you have been conditionally admitted. This will enable you to apply for Accommodation and Visa services.
Before and when you arrive, the International Office will help you to arrange practical matters such as picking up the keys to your room, opening a Dutch bank account, picking up your residence permit and registering at the municipality.
More information about the arrangement of practicalities can be found on our When you arrive page.
The University Campus is the lively hub of the university and you are welcome to pay a virtual visit to get to know the university.
Visit the online campus tour and explore the campus, university buildings and more!
Do you have a question for a current student? Curious about everyday life in Amsterdam, from our campus to the food, music and events going on throughout the city? Want to know how much homework you will have each night, or how the Dutch educational system differs from your own? Ask one of our VU Ambassadors! They would love to answer your questions by sharing their personal experiences of living and studying at VU Amsterdam. Check the Ambassador's page to find an ambassador from the programme you’re interested in or from your home country.
Contact your International Student Advisor
For specific questions related to VU programmes, deadlines, the application process, or diploma validity you can find information on our main website or contact your faculty's International Student Advisor (ISA).
On www.amsterdamstudents.com you can read blog updates from our (international) students.
If you hold a Bachelor’s degree obtained at another institution in the Netherlands, then you may be admitted to a Master’s programme at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. The Admission Board will determine whether your qualification is sufficiently relevant to warrant admission. The Admission Board may, however, impose additional requirements, which must be met before gaining admission to the programme.
Most (pre-)master programs have an application deadline of May 31, but you must always check the study programme page for specific application deadlines. An application deadline means you are asked to submit the application of your chosen study programme in Studielink and submit your completed application file in your personal VU dashboard by this date.
VU Amsterdam cannot assess your eligibility if your application is incomplete. Once you have been (conditionally) admitted to a study programme, you have until 31 August to complete your enrolment by paying the tuition fees and meeting the admissions conditions (if applicable). Make sure you start and complete your application on time!
You cannot enrol retroactively. This means that if your enrolment is not completed by 31 August, you cannot be enrolled as of 1 September of the same academic year.
You must apply in Studielink. The deadline for application may vary based on if you require a residence permit or not. Most (pre-)master programmes have an application deadline of 31 May, but you must always check the study programme page for specific application deadlines.
If you require a residence permit, then you need to contact Student Immigration regarding the procedure.
After you have applied in Studielink, you will receive login details for the VU student portal by email within 48 hours (two working days). If you already are (or have been) a VU Amsterdam student, or applied before, use your existing VUnetID and password to log in to your dashboard.
Did you not receive the login details? Please check your spam folder first. If you don't find them there either, you can contact the UCIT Servicedesk via servicedesk.it@vu.nl or +31 (0)20 - 59 80000.
To log in go to your VU-dashboard and click on the profile-icon in the upper right corner. After you have logged in, you can continue with your application via the app Complete application. Answer all questions and upload any requested documents in PDF-format. Only uploading your documents is not sufficient for your application.
Submit the required documents. Unless communicated otherwise in personal correspondence, you have until 31 August to do so. Please note: for documents that are required by the faculty, a faculty-dependent deadline may apply! Therefore, always check the programme page of the study.
If we need certified copies of documents (such as a diploma or an English proficiency test result), please hand these in at the Student Desk (ground floor, Main Building). Alternatively you can send them by postal mail to the Student Desk before 31 August:
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Student Administration
De Boelelaan 1105
1081 HV, Amsterdam
The Netherlands
Please check the information on tuition fees and payments. The fees must be paid before 31 August, otherwise you will not become enrolled and cannot start your study programme.
Transfer the fees or arrange a direct debit authorisation in Studielink. The latter is only possible if you have a bank account from a bank in the SEPA area. Once you have entered your payment details in Studielink, you will receive an email asking you to confirm the payment. This confirmation will authorise the actual payment, so make sure to complete this step.
The (first) instalment is debited at the end of September; you can find the collection calendar here.
You will receive a notice from Studielink when your student enrolment is complete. Only after having received this notice, you'll know you have met all requirements to become fully enrolled. Your status in Studielink will change to 'enrolled/registered'. The deadline to become fully enrolled is 31 August. If you are not yet enrolled and do not know why, please contact the Student Desk for advice.
VU Amsterdam is not able to provide accommodation to foreign students who apply while already in the possession of a Dutch degree. You will therefore need to arrange your own accommodation.
For studies with a start date of 1 February, other application and enrolment deadlines may apply. Check the programme page of the study of your choice and the Regulations for Application and Enrolment. If you have any questions, contact the Student Desk or the faculty's Admissions Board.
The following programmes have a second start date of 1 February 2025 in academic year 2025-2026.
The Master's degree programme Medicine (Dutch-taught) has an intake moment every month.
If you hold a Bachelor’s degree obtained from a university of applied sciences (HBO diploma) in the Netherlands, then you may be admitted to a Master’s programme at VU Amsterdam. In most cases, you will have to follow a preparatory pre-master's programme first. This usually takes one year. Pre-master's programmes are mainly taught in Dutch. For more information go to the pre-master's page.
The Admission Board of the faculty will determine whether your qualification is sufficiently relevant to warrant admission. The board may place additional requirements on you before granting admission to the programme.
If you have a non-Dutch nationality and a Dutch degree, then you can usually apply up until 31 May if you require a residence permit. Because of the procedure for changing the residence permit (if applicable), applications received later than 31 May cannot be processed.
You need to apply through Studielink and contact the coordinator of the Master’s programme before 31 May. Coordinators and procedures can be found on the website of the relevant Master’s programme. You must also contact Student Immigration for the procedure to change your residence permit if you are a non-EU/EEA student.
If you don't require a residence permit, a different deadline may apply. You must always check the study programme page for specific application deadlines.
The School of Business and Economics offers pre-master's programmes with a start date of 1 February. The deadline for application for these programmes is 31 January. Your diploma must state an examination date before 1 February.
Application for the transfer programme of Law (Schakelzone Recht) is possible all year round.
VU Amsterdam is not able to provide accommodation to any students applying on the basis of a Dutch degree. Therefore, you will need to arrange your own accommodation.
Please contact the Student Desk.
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