If you currently do not meet the English language requirements and have serious reasons to believe you should be exempted from taking another official accepted English Language test, you will need to file an official exemption request. The formal exemption request can be submitted only after conditional admission. You can request this by mailing the International Student Advisor of your faculty. In the request, motivate strongly why you think you are eligible for a formal exemption; also include the English test result and all supplementary documentation.
Points of note:
- Students can only request a formal exemption if they already took an accepted test OR if they have followed a part of their Bachelor’s/Master’s (e.g. exchange) fully taught in English within the EU/EEA, Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, UK, USA, Singapore or South Africa.
- Please provide one pdf-document as an attachment to your email request. This pdf needs to include the written exemption request, the English test result and all relevant supporting documentation.
- Exemption requests are only valid per programme application, as they are individually submitted to each admission board.
- If you have taken multiple English language tests, and on each of these tests you do not meet the required scores for different components, this on its own will not be considered as sufficient basis to receive an exemption.
- Personal statements of a teacher or colleague are not accepted.
- It is the student’s own responsibility to arrange a timely exemption request. Submitting a request after the provided deadlines, or submitting a request without sufficient supplementary documentation might result in your exemption request not being considered.
- There is no guarantee that you will be exempted from the English Language requirements. If that is the case you will still have to submit an accepted English Language test.
- If you do receive a formal exemption, please note that this exemption is only valid for one academic year.
*Supplementary documentation includes, but is not limited to:
- Transcripts showing that the Bachelor’s or Master’s degree you completed in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, UK, Singapore, South Africa or EU/EEA was mostly taught in English
- Work or internship experience at an academic level (for example five months in the two years before the start of the programme ) in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, UK or USA. Documentation should include a signed statement from your (former) employer stating your name, position, work duration and main tasks.
- Proof of completing a course that has improved your academic English skills. We are not able to advise you on which course might be sufficient to be granted an exemption.
Deadlines
Exemption requests need to be submitted by the deadlines mentioned below, to allow the Admissions Board sufficient time to review your request.
- 1 May - for students that require the visa procedure to study at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
- 31 July - for students with the EU/EEA nationality and other students who do not require a study visa/residence permit
You can still submit a formal exemption request after these deadlines, but please note that you might not receive an exemption on time before the required deadline. Furthermore, there is no guarantee that you will be exempted from the English Language requirements. If you are not exempted (on time), you will not be able to start your studies.
Exemption request will have to be assessed by the admission board, and as such can take 4-6 weeks to process.