Requirements, deadlines and exemptions

• Exemptions

  You are exempt from having to take an English Language test if you have completed:

  • A secondary or higher education fully taught in English within Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, UK or USA.
  • A Bachelor's or Master's degree fully taught in English within Singapore or South Africa
  • A Bachelor's or Master's degree fully taught in English within the EU/EEA
  • An International Baccalaureate Diploma (full diploma): English-taught or completed with English A Language and Literature SL 7/HL 6 or 7
  • A Dutch pre-university VWO diploma (including VWO English language and literature) or English at an international equivalent pre-university level. Please refer to this website, under "Exemptions (all programmes, excluding PPE and Law and Society)", for more information about the international equivalents of a Dutch pre-university VWO diploma.

  If one of the above criteria applies to you and if it is clearly stated on a diploma, diploma supplement or transcript that your degree was fully English-taught, then this will be sufficient proof. If it is not clearly stated, you will have to submit an official statement with stamp and signature from your previous university.

  If you qualify for an exemption based on your pre-university diploma, please note that you will be required to submit a certified copy of this diploma once you have been (conditionally) admitted to the programme.

• Accepted English Language Tests

  VU Amsterdam only accepts the following recognized English proficiency tests:

  • IELTS Academic
    Note: the IELTS Online Academic, the online IELTS Indicator and the IELTS One Skill Retake tests are not accepted.
  • TOEFL internet-based test (new scoring system):
    Note: TOEFL Essentials and TOEFL iBT Home Edition are not accepted. MyBestScore is also not accepted.
    * For tests taken from 21 January 2026 onwards, TOEFL iBT test reports make use of a new scoring system. The new scale ranges from 1 to 6 for both the overall score and all four subscores.
  • TOEFL internet-based test (old scoring system):
    Note: TOEFL Essentials and TOEFL iBT Home Edition are not accepted. MyBestScore is also not accepted.
    * For tests taken before 21 January 2026, VU Amsterdam will continue to verify and accept TOEFL iBT test reports that use the old scoring system, for the 2-year period that each individual test report is valid.
  • Cambridge C1 Advanced or Certificate in Advanced English (CAE)
  • Cambridge C2 Proficiency or Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE)
  • LanguageCert Academic
    Note: the LanguageCert International ESOL, LanguageCert Test of English, LanguageCert SELT and LanguageCert Young Learners ESOL tests are not accepted.
  • Pearson PTE Academic
    Note: Pearson PTE Core,  Pearson PTE Home and Pearson PTE Express tests are not accepted.
  • VU-test English-language proficiency
    This test is offered by the VU Taalloket and takes place at the university. The test costs EUR 150 and is only valid for admission to VU Amsterdam. The VU TOEFL ITP  is not accepted for non-EU/EEA students who require a study visa/residence permit to study at VU Amsterdam. Please note: The School of Humanities and the School of Theology do not accept the TOEFL ITP (for Master's programme admission).

  Test validity

  TOEFL, IELTS, LanguageCert and Pearson PTE tests must have been completed no more than two years before 1 September of the year in which your course starts (or 1 February if your programme offers a February intake). 

  Verification of your test scores

  For verification purposes, please always upload your results in the application section of your VU Dashboard.

  • For IELTS we can verify your scores based on the TRF number
  • For verification of TOEFL tests please add our institution code before sending the report: 7947 
  • For the verification of LanguageCert tests please share your official test report directly with our institution through your LanguageCert account 
  • For the verification of PearsonPTE tests please share your official score directly with our institution through your myPTE account by selecting ‘Send Scores’ and selecting VU Amsterdam.
  • For an online verification of your Cambridge test result please share your results with us through the Candidate Results Online website and also upload your results in your VU dashboard.

  Please note that if you do not share the results of the above-mentioned tests with VU Amsterdam via the test provider systems we cannot verify your scores.
  In general, we do not need to receive the hard copy test results via postal mail if you share your results digitally. 

  Verification status of your English language proficiency test

  After submitting your English language proficiency test you can keep an eye on your VU Dashboard status overview. When your accepted test meets the programme requirements and has been verified, the relevant section will turn green. Please keep in mind that this can take a few weeks.

• Required Test Scores

  Please click here for an overview of the required test scores per programme.

• Deadlines

  We strongly recommend allowing enough time for a retake, if necessary, as test centres may be fully booked. Please also keep in mind that unforeseen circumstances, such as illness or family emergencies, may prevent you from taking the test on the scheduled date or may affect your performance.

  Recommended deadline for submission: 

  • 1 May - for students who require a study visa/residence permit
  • 1 August - for students with the EU/EEA nationality and other students who do not require a study visa/residence permit 

  Final deadline for submission: 

  • 1 June - for students who require a study visa/residence permit
  • 31 August - for students with the EU/EEA nationality and other students who do not require a study visa/residence permit  

• Additional Facilities and Accommodations

  If you have a disability, learning difference, or medical condition, you may be eligible for additional facilities when taking an English language test. Examples include dyslexia, ADHD, hearing impairments, visual impairments, or other conditions that may affect your test performance. Available accommodations may include extra time, supervised breaks, assistive technology, modified test materials, or separate testing rooms.

  If you require accommodations, contact the test provider as early as possible, as arrangements often need to be approved in advance and may require supporting documentation. We strongly recommend starting this process before booking your test date.

  • IELTS accommodations
  • TOEFL accommodations (ETS)
  • Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE) and Cambridge C2 Proficiency (CPE) accommodations /contact your authorised Cambridge exam centre to request special requirements or access arrangements
  • LanguageCert Academic accommodations (includes the Reasonable Adjustment Request Form and information on special arrangements)
  • Pearson PTE Academic accommodations

  Please note that accommodation requests are assessed by the test provider and approval is not guaranteed. Some arrangements may require several weeks to process, so make sure to leave sufficient time before the submission deadline.

• Other Exemption Requests

  Step-by-Step: Requesting an Formal Exemption from the English Language Requirement

  If you do not currently meet the English language requirements and have compelling reasons why you should be exempt from submitting another accepted English language test, follow the steps below.

  Step 1: Check whether you are eligible to request a formal exemption

  You may submit an exemption request only if:

  • You have already taken an accepted English language test (but did not obtain the minimum required score); or
  • You have completed part of a Bachelor's or Master's programme (for example, during an exchange programme) that was fully taught in English in one of the following countries:
    • EU/EEA member states
    • Australia
    • Canada
    • Ireland
    • New Zealand
    • Singapore
    • South Africa
    • United Kingdom
    • United States

  Step 2: Obtain conditional admission

  A formal exemption request can only be submitted after you have received conditional admission to the programme.

  Step 3: Prepare your exemption request

  Write a clear and well-motivated statement explaining why you believe you should be exempt from the English language requirement. Include:

  • Your explanation and justification for the exemption request
  • Your English language test result (if applicable)
  • All relevant supporting documentation (see below)

  Step 4: Collect supporting documentation

  Supporting documentation may include, but is not limited to:

  • Official transcripts demonstrating that a Bachelor's or Master's programme was primarily taught in English in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, the UK, the USA, or an EU/EEA country
  • Evidence of academic-level work or internship experience (for example, at least five months within the two years preceding the start of the programme) in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK, or the USA
    • Documentation must include a signed statement from your employer indicating:
      • Your name
      • Position
      • Employment period
      • Main responsibilities
  • Proof of successful completion of a course that has improved your academic English proficiency

  Step 5: Combine all documents into a single PDF

  Create one PDF file containing:

  1. Your written exemption request
  2. Your English language test result (if applicable)
  3. All supporting documentation

  Only complete applications can be assessed.

  Step 6: Submit your request

  Email the PDF document to the International Student Advisor(s) of your faculty.

  Please note that exemption requests are assessed separately for each programme and/or specializations application. If you apply to multiple programmes and/or specializatons, you must submit a separate request for each application.

  Step 7: Submit your request before the deadline

  To allow sufficient time for review by the Admissions Board, submit your request by:

  • 1 May – for students who require a study visa or residence permit
  • 1 July – for students with EU/EEA nationality and other students who do not require a study visa or residence permit with a programme application deadline of June 1
  • 31 July – for students with EU/EEA nationality and other students who do not require a study visa or residence permit with a programme application deadline of 1 or 15 July 

  Step 8: Await the decision

  Exemption requests are reviewed by the Admissions Board and may take 4 to 6 weeks to process.

  Important Information

  • An exemption is not guaranteed.
  • If your request is denied, you must still submit an accepted English language test that meets the programme requirements.
  • Taking multiple tests and meeting different component scores across those tests is not sufficient grounds for an exemption.
  • Medical circumstances resulting in a low test score do not constitute grounds for a formal exemption if additional facilities and accommodations were not requested and approved by the test centre prior to taking the test.
  • Statements from teachers, lecturers, or colleagues are not accepted as supporting evidence.
  • It is your responsibility to submit a complete request on time.
  • If an exemption is granted, it is valid for one academic year only.
  • If a decision is not reached before the required enrolment deadline and you do not otherwise meet the English language requirements, you will not be able to start your studies.

  Tip: Because exemption requests are not guaranteed and can take up to six weeks to process, we strongly recommend that you continue to plan for an accepted English language test while your request is under review. 

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