The University of Amsterdam is a public university located in Amsterdam, Netherlands. It was founded in 1632 and is one of the largest research universities in Europe.

Amsterdam University has over 50,000 students from more than 140 countries and offers a wide range of undergraduate degrees as well as master’s, doctoral and postdoctoral programs.

The International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme (DP) is a rigorous pre-university course of study that prepares students for university life. Students who complete the IBDP are ready to enter higher education institutions anywhere in the world. The Diploma is recognized by many universities and colleges worldwide as an endorsement of excellence in academic work and as a passport to higher education around the globe.

Amsterdam University accepts students who have achieved an IB Diploma with a minimum score of 30 points or higher on individual subjects (minimum total score: 30). If you are interested in applying to Amsterdam University with your IB Diploma, please contact us at [email address]

Admission requirements

Criteria for being admissible to AUC

1. Amsterdam University College 
2.  Admissions & aid 
3.  Admission requirements

Admission requirements

• Diplomas from specific countries
• English proficiency
• Mathematics requirement

In order to be eligible for admission to AUC, you will need to meet the following minimum requirements.

• 1. Secondary school diploma equivalent to the Dutch VWO
• 2. A very good level of written and spoken English
• 3. Good mathematics skillsMaths requirements

Average secondary school GPA

AUC students have on average a secondary school GPA of  ≥7.5 in the Dutch system  (≥ 3.0 for US and other high schools, ≥ 5 for IB, ≥ 10 for Abitur). Please note that when assessing an application we look at grades over a longer period of time to ensure that one poor exam does not receive too much weight. We are attentive to explanations of why formal grade criteria are not met.

Additional characteristics

In addition, the AUC Admissions Committee looks for students with the following characteristics:

• academic excellence: you must demonstrate your ability to meet the academic demands of the AUC programme
• motivation and ambition to study an intensive and broad programme
• commitment to contribute to AUC’s international student and campus life

Conditional offers

If you do not (yet) meet the admission requirements, you can still apply. Small deficiencies in meeting our English and/or maths requirements will not prevent your application from being reviewed and you will be able to work toward rectifying these deficiencies before your intended start date at AUC. Any offer of a place at AUC will be on a conditional basis. The conditions will be specified in the letter offering you a place. You will have to meet those conditions before you can be admitted.

AUC is a selective programme with a limited number of places and we prioritise prospective students who have not previously completed a Bachelor’s degree. If you already have (or are about to complete) a Bachelor’s degree at university level, you can still apply to AUC, but your chances of selection will be lower. 

Amsterdam University Of Applied Sciences IB Requirement

Average Academic Score

2.5GPA27IB60Percentage

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Average Entrance Score

7IELTS90TOEFL

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Business Administration

Business Administration

Check the entry requirements

The 1st step of our application process for students with international prior education is checking the entry requirements of this Bachelor’s.

Entry requirements

The Admissions Office will evaluate your eligibility on the basis of 3 criteria.

• 1. Check the equivalence of your secondary school diplomaYour secondary school diploma should be equivalent to the level and content of a Dutch VWO secondary school diploma. This means that mathematics must be one of the subjects of your final examinations.Use the diploma calculator to check the international diploma requirements. If your prior education is not listed this does not mean that you cannot apply, just that we will have to assess your documents on an individual basis. Therefore, we advise you to apply and upload all the relevant documents. No rights may be derived from the diploma calculator for your future application.How to use the diploma calculator:
  1. Find your country or diploma
  2. Check the basic diploma requirements. These are the minimum diploma entry requirements for every student.
  3. Check the extra/alternative diploma requirements per Bachelor’s programme. These are the additional requirements regarding e.g. grades, entry exams or the level of your university .Check the diploma calculatorCheck the additional info for Chinese studentsTransfer from another universityIn general, it is not possible to transfer any coursework from another university to this Bachelor’s programme. All students must therefore apply and be accepted as a 1^st-year student.For any further questions about exemptions within your study programme, you can contact the study advisers.Information for HBO propedeuse studentsIf you have obtained or will obtain a Dutch HBO propedeuse diploma, your HBO programme has to be relevant to the Business Administration programme. You also need to possess the appropriate level of mathematics proficiency. Applicants with an international secondary school diploma may already meet this requirement, check the shortlist below to see whether this applies to you. 
  • International Baccalaureate: Math SL, HL, A&A SL or HL, A&I HL  
  • European Baccalaureate: 5-period Mathematics 
  • British A-levels: A-level certificate in Mathematics or Physics 
  • German Abitur: Mathematik Grundkurs or Leistungskurs
  • French Baccalaureate: Mathematics as final exam 
  • Belgian Algemeen Secundair Onderwijs: Mathematics as final exam If your diploma is not listed and you would like to know whether you meet the mathematics requirement, please contact the Admissions Office.If do not meet the mathematic requirement you can take an extra exam at VWO Wiskunde A or B Mathematics Certificate from one of the following institutions:  
  • VWO Wiskunde A
  • CCVX Mathematics A
  • State Exam Mathematics A (registration deadline 31 December)
  • James Boswell Bèta Mathematics A Certificate
  • Korteweg de Vries Mathematics A Certificate
  • OMPT-A (Students must score at least 60%, and are permitted only one attempt for this programme)If you need to meet the mathematics requirement by earning one of these certificates, you must register for the exam before the application deadline of 15 January and upload a proof of registration in your application.In addition to the above diploma and mathematics requirements, non-EU students may also be required to submit an English proficiency test.
• 2. Verify your English proficiencyIn this Bachelor’s, you must be able to read textbooks, understand lectures, participate in classroom discussions and complete written assignments in English. Therefore, you have to verify your English proficiency in your application. You can do this by providing 1 of the following English proficiency test scores:
  • TOEFL IBT: 92 points overall and 22 points for each sub-score (TOEFL institution code: 9011).
    • The online TOEFL Home Edition is allowed for the intakes of February and September 2021. For students in mainland China who already attended TOEFLE ITP Plus China (with the Vericant interview as part of the testing) before the end of 2020, we will also accept this test for the 2021 intake.
  • IELTS (Academic test): 6.5 overall and 6.0 for each sub-score. The IELTS indicator test is not allowed.
  • Cambridge Assessment English:
    • Certificate in Advanced English: 180 points overall and in each skill.
    • Certificate of Proficiency in English: 180 points overall and in each skill.Your test scores must conform to the following guidelines:
  • We must receive an official and sufficient English proficiency test score by the application deadline (15 January 2021).
  • If you do not provide a sufficient English proficiency test score before the application deadline, you must have an English proficiency test scheduled for a date which is before the application deadline.
  • Your sufficient English proficiency test score may not be more than 2 years old with respect to the start date of your programme. For example, if you’re applying for the September 2021 intake we do not accept English proficiency tests taken before September 2019.Be sure to plan your test on time. Test dates fill quickly and it can take several weeks for you to receive your results. Applications without a sufficient score or with a test date after the application deadline, will not be accepted.Exemptions from an English proficiency testYou may be exempted from an English proficiency test if you have or will have one of the following types of diplomas:
  • Secondary school diploma from a school located in and accredited by the respective authorities in Australia, Canada (except Quebec), Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, the UK, or the US.
  • International Baccalaureate diploma with English A HL or SL, or English B HL.
  • 3 GCE A-Levels and 5 GCSE O-Levels (GCE/IGCE and GCSE/IGCSE qualifications outside the UK are also accepted).
  • Dutch HBO propedeuse diploma (only for students with an EU diploma).
  • One of the diplomas named in our list of diplomas which grant English proficiency exemption, if English is included in your final examinations.ASK UvAWhy does the UvA ask for English proficiency tests?
• 3. Verify your mathematics proficiencyOur Bachelor’s programmes at UvA Economics and Business include mathematics courses which demand excellent mathematical and statistical skills. After submission of your complete application, the Admissions Office will evaluate whether your coursework in mathematics is sufficient for this Bachelor’s programme. Mathematics proficiency
  To satisfy the mathematics proficiency requirement, mathematics must be included in the final examination of your secondary school diploma. Some types of certain secondary school qualifications may also have specific and/or additional mathematics requirements, which if applicable, can be checked in our diploma calculator.If you don’t meet the mathematics proficiency requirement, check the mathematics certificate courses.

Undergraduate Foundation Programme

Non-EU/EEA applicants that don’t meet one of the entry requirements may consider enrolling in an undergraduate foundation programme.

Tuition fee

As a student in the Netherlands you will pay an annual tuition fee.

Which fee you pay depends on your nationality, your degree programme and your mode of study (full-time or part-time). To check which fee you have to pay, you can use our tuition fee calculator, and/or visit our information page about tuition fees.Calculate your tuition feeMore about tuition fees

Additional study costs

Apart from the tuition fee, there are costs for books and other study materials. These costs vary per study programme, and range from approximately €200 to €800 per year.

Living expenses

If you want to study in Amsterdam, expect to spend between €900 and €1,500 per month on living expenses. This includes rent but not tuition fees.More about living expenses

Scholarships

As a non-EU Bachelor’s student, you can apply for the Amsterdam Merit Scholarship. There are also other sources of financial aid for both Dutch and international students.

• Amsterdam Merit ScholarshipWe aim to attract the world’s brightest students to our international classrooms. Therefore, outstanding students from outside the EU can apply for the Amsterdam Merit Scholarship. The value of the scholarship is €6,000 per year (a total of €18,000). A limited number of scholarships are available each year for non-EU students.More about the Amsterdam Merit Scholarship
• Other sources of financial aid
  • The Dutch Ministry of Education and Sciences offers scholarships covering costs of living expenses within the framework of cultural agreements between the Netherlands and other countries. Information is available from the Dutch embassy or consulate in your country or via Grantfinder and the Nuffic.
  • You can also contact the Ministry for Higher Education in your own country. There may be funds or foundations available for students planning to study abroad. Like the Colfuturo Scholarship for students from Colombia.
• Student loans for Dutch/EU students​In certain cases it is possible for Dutch/EU students to receive a monthly student loan from the Dutch government (via DUO).

How to get into the University of Amsterdam: deadlines and documents

Deadline and documents – application to the University of Amsterdam.

Selective courses have specific deadlines, see above, but the general deadline is 1 April, if you also wish to apply for housing through the University of Amsterdam and 1 May if you intend to organize your own accommodation.

It is worth bearing in mind that accommodation is not necessarily easy to find in Amsterdam, particularly if you leave it to the last minute, and many first-year undergraduates prefer to get onto the University of Amsterdam housing list as soon as they are offered a place.

Dutch university applications are processed through the central admissions system, Studielink.

Once you have registered, you will receive an email with your University of Amsterdam student number and information on what to do next.

You will upload your completed application form and documents – proof of English proficiency (IELTS 6.5+; TOEFL 100;CAE Grade A) school grades, transcripts, CV, etc- through the MyInfo portal on the website.

You can apply for four courses at a time – but only two of these can be Numerus Fixus (fixed quota) courses.

Financial support and general costs at the UvA

Study at the University of Amsterdam – costs:

EU students will pay the statutory annual tuition fee of  3 252 euros (2021-2022), but the Dutch government is currently offering a 50 percent reduction for first-year undergraduates, in response to the pandemic, so this reduces the first-year fee significantly.

In terms of living costs, Amsterdam is not the cheapest -nor the most expensive – city in the world.

It has been calculated that you will need between 925 and 1 500 euros a month for all your expenses, with tuition fees on top.

Transport can cost from 70 to 100 euros a month, and since Amsterdam is a small city, most students buy bicycles.

A good bike will cost you 100-200 euros and a sturdy lock is about 50 euros, so this is an excellent option for economizing.

 If you do find a job and work 56 hours a month, all through the year, then you will be eligible to apply for Studiefinanciering  – see below