Utrecht University

1. Utrecht University Background Information

Founded in 1636, Utrecht University (UU) is consistently one of the highest ranked Dutch research universities. It is located in the city of Utrecht, a very central city in the Netherlands.

With seven different faculties, UU offers 45 undergraduate and 107 graduate programs, with a large number of graduate programs being taught in English. There are over 30,000 students at Utrecht University with about 2,000 of those being international students.

Utrecht University focuses on “commitment, inspiration, ambition, and independence” and promotes this by investing in both students and staff. It aims to “educate young people, train new generations of researchers, produce academics who have both specialist knowledge and professional skills, conduct groundbreaking research, [and] address social issues and work towards solving them”.

For more general information about Utrecht University, see the Utrecht University page and also check out the mission statement and strategy page.

2. Utrecht University Application Process

Admission requirements and procedures vary on what program you’re looking to apply for. The UU link above provides you with the information you need based on what you wish to study. Make sure you consult your faculty or programme’s website to find out specific requirements or deadlines!

You must apply through Studielink. You can upload the majority of the required documents via this online application. However, you may also be required to send some of these document by mail, so make sure to factor in the mailing time when applying.

Exchange Students

Exchange students can check out the 'Courses for exchange and visiting students' page for information that pertains to their temporary stay in the Netherlands.

There is separate information for Bachelor's programmes and Master's programmes.

Bachelor's Students

General requirements for Bachelor’s programmes are as follows.
To qualify for admission to a Utrecht University Bachelor's programme, you must:

• have completed an appropriate secondary school diploma,
• be proficient in Dutch and/or English, and
• pay the application fee.

Applicants from China: please read the additional requirements.

Master's Students

Utrecht University offers a wide variety of Master's programmes. Admission depends on the following criteria:

For all Master’s programmes at Utrecht University, the Admission Committee of the programme decides whether your are accepted. The Committee employs the following criteria:

1. Do you have a relevant previous education that is considered equivalent to a Dutch academic Bachelor’s degree? This will be assessed by our International Office according to the credential evaluation criteria of the Nuffic (the Netherlands Organisation for international cooperation in Higher Education).
2. Do you meet the specific entry requirements for the Master’s programme? See the website of the Master’s programme (via ‘Master’s programmes’).
3. Are you proficient in English or Dutch (i.e., the language in which the programme is taught)?
4. Do you demonstrate talent and motivation?

Make sure to check your specific programme’s site in order to see if there are any additional requirements you have to meet!
Also make sure you follow the application procedure instructions in order to apply to your programme correctly.

PhD Students

PhD programmes do not fall under student requirements as PhD candidates are considered as part of the staff in the Netherlands. Therefore, there are no formal admission requirements as there are for the other programmes.

Note: There is a language requirement when applying to Utrecht University. You must be able to prove that you are proficient in English by providing the administration with a copy of one of the approved English language tests. If you’re applying for a programme that’s taught in Dutch, you will also need to prove your proficiency to the university. 

3. Utrecht University Tuition Fees

Tuition fees for international students vary, depending on nationality, programme, and length of study. Check your tuition fees based on your specific situation.

4. Utrecht University Deadlines

Application deadlines for Bachelor’s students are as follows:

• 1 November
• 15 January
• 1 April (important: last deadline for the programme Economics and Business Economics, the limited enrolment programmes, and for students requiring a visa)
• 1 June

Deadlines for Master's students applying to Utrecht University vary based on the specific Master's programme you wish to apply for. Make sure you check your requirements and deadlines.

General deadlines

1. Students from non-EU/EEA* countries need to apply for an entry visa and/or a residence permit. This means they will need extra time, which is why they have to apply before 1 September for a start in February and before 1 April for a start in September.
2. If you wish to apply for a grant or scholarship, you have to apply for your Master's programme before 1 December. Note: you can only apply for a grant or scholarship if you start your Master's programme in September.

* You are an EU/EEA citizen when you have the nationality of one of the following countries: all countries of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, Vatican City and Switzerland.

Note: Your file has to be completed BEFORE the deadline and your application fee must be paid!

5. Utrecht University Contact Information

The UU International Office can be contacted via the following:

Student Services/International Office
Frequently asked questions: www.uu.nl/QdeskEN
Email: admissionsoffice@uu.nl
Tel: + 31 30 253 7000 (Monday to Friday 10-12 am and 1-3 pm)
Fax: + 31 30 253 2627
Visitors’ address: Bestuursgebouw, Heidelberglaan 8, de Uithof (Monday to Friday 11 am - 4 pm)

Postal address:
Student Services
Postbus 80125
3508 TC Utrecht
The Netherlands

For further contact information, see the 'more information' page.