Admission requirements

On this page, you will find important details (such as deadlines, admission requirements, required documents and application assessment) relating to the application process for the bachelor’s programme in European Public Health for the academic year 2025-2026.

Important deadlines for application

The bachelor’s programme in European Public Health starts in September.
The deadlines below are applicable for applicants who want to start their studies in September 2025

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Date	What you need to know about this date
1 October 2024	Studielink is open for applications for the academic year 2025-2026
1 April 2025, 23:59 CET	Deadline for completing the entire application process for non-EU/EEA applicants (these applicants require a visa or residence permit)
1 June 2025, 23:59 CET	Deadline for completing the entire application process for applicants from the EU/EEA or Switzerland. Note: The 2025 application deadline for this programme has been extended from 1 May to 1 June.

Are you a non-EU citizen requiring a visa/residence permit for study?

Please note that Maastricht University can only formally apply for your visa/residence permit if you have met all admission and enrolment requirements.

This means you have to have completed all admission and enrolment tasks in the MyApplication portal (except the ‘visa/residence permit’-task and the ‘send certified copy of diploma’-task) before we can send your application to the IND (Dutch Immigration and Naturalization Service).

We have to send the application to the IND before 1 July if you are starting your studies in September. Please note: a few pre-master and master programmes offer a start in February. If you’re study programme offers a start in February and you want to start your studies in February, we have to send the application to the IND before 1 December. You can find out if your study programme offers a start in February on the admission requirements web page of that programme (pre-master’s, master’s).

Therefore, we strongly recommend that you reconsider applying for this study programme if you are not sure that you will meet the following requirements before 1 July/1 December (if applicable in your situation):

Having remedied all subject and/or language deficiencies (if applicable)
Having qualified for admission to your study programme, including being selected (if applicable to your study programme) AND
Having paid the tuition fee for your study programme

General requirements: previous education

The admission requirements for the academic year 2025-2026 for the bachelor’s programme in European Public Health depend on your previous education. Please check below which requirements apply to you.

Applicants with a Dutch diploma

You qualify for admission if you have one of the following diplomas:

Dutch VWO diploma, new style, all profiles
Dutch VWO diploma, old style, preferably with mathematics
HBO propedeuse, or bachelor’s degree, preferably with mathematics
OU propedeuse, preferably with mathematics

Applicants with a non-Dutch diploma

If you have a non-Dutch diploma that is equivalent to the Dutch VWO diploma, you qualify - in principle - for admission to this programme. Check if this applies to your diploma:

List of diplomas equivalent to the Dutch VWO diploma 2025-2026

If your diploma is not included in this list, it must be evaluated by UM first.

Applicants without the appropriate diploma or with missing courses

If you do not have the necessary diplomas, you may still be eligible for admission with an entrance exam (the Colloquium Doctum exam). For this, you must be 21 years of age or older.

The Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences (FHML) of the UM does not organise a Colloquium Doctum exam. You must demonstrate with successful exam certificates that you have mastered the required subjects at Dutch VWO-level new style. These are: English and mathematics A or B.

You must arrange obtaining the certificates yourself.

To find out whether you meet the English language requirements, check out 'Additional requirements' further down this page

You can take courses in mathematics at Boswell-Bèta or WisMon
For the math exam, you can go to Boswell-Bèta or Central Committees for Entrance Exams (CCVX)
For the English subject, you can go to: Babel (check for the IELTS or Toefl exam training) or the UM Language Centre

Once you pass the exams, you must send the certificates to UM by postal mail or to a designated email address. You will find more information in the MyApplication portal under ‘Certified copy diploma’.

Additional requirements

Language requirements for English-language programmes

As English is the language of instruction in this study programme, it is essential that your English language skills are good enough for you to undertake intensive and challenging academic courses that are taught and examined in English.

Answer the questions below to find out if you meet the language requirements.

Applicants who received their previous education in a non-EU/EEA country (handling fee)

Applicants for this study programme who received their previous education in a non-EU/EEA country will have to pay a handling fee. More information on this handling fee and how to arrange this payment can be found on the Handling fee page.

Exemptions

Students who are of the opinion that they have already obtained comparable subjects earlier can request exemptions. The subjects must be equivalent in terms of content, study hours and level.

A request for exemption can only be considered if you have already enrolled.

For more information about exemptions, you can send a message to the Board of Examiners of FHML via askFHML.

Documents required for application process

During the application process for this study programme, you will need to complete a number of tasks for which you will often have to upload documents. The list below gives you an insight into what documents you will (and might) need to prepare.

Required documents for all applicants to this study programme

A recent portrait picture
This picture must satisfy certain requirements. You can find these requirements in the task description 'Upload portrait picture' in the MyApplication portal.

A copy of your valid passport or your EU/EEA identity card
Make a copy of the page with your personal details. Save this copy as ‘passport copy’ and not as ‘passport picture’

A copy of your most recent grades transcript OR a copy of your diploma if you already have obtained it

Documents that might be required depending on your (academic) background

Document(s) that demonstrate your proficiency in English
Answer the questions concerning language requirements under ‘Language requirements for English-language programmes’ on this webpage to find out if you need to provide additional documentation. The outcome of your answers will indicate which document(s) you can use to prove your proficiency.

A Colloquium Doctum certificate English
For those applicants who want to qualify for a Colloquium Doctum statement and do not meet the requirement of command of the English language on Dutch VWO level.

A Colloquium Doctum certificate mathematics
For those applicants who want to qualify for a Colloquium Doctum statement and do not meet the requirement of command of mathematics on Dutch VWO level.

A questionnaire Matching Procedure European Public Health
For those applicants who chose themselves to take part in the Matching Procedure. You are not required to complete the Matching procedure to qualify for admission.

How do we assess your application?

When you want to apply or are applying to this study programme, it is useful to know how we assess your application. You can find more information about this in this section.
Maastricht University (UM) will assess whether your previous education qualifies you for admission. Additional documents may be required to assess your previous education. If so, you will receive a request by email, so please keep an eye on your inbox. You will receive a message once UM has made the decision.

Matching Procedure

Maastricht University finds it important that you choose a study programme and learning environment which suits you well and in which you can be successful. This is why we offer you several opportunities to explore whether the programme matches your background and interest (for example Open Days and Experience Days). In addition, you may pose questions to evaluate your match with the programme and/or arrange a meeting with one of our study advisers by sending an email to: studiekeuzecheck@maastrichtuniversity.nl.

Privacy statement Matching Procedure
Read more about the privacy statement for the Matching Procedure

Study advice at the end of bachelor year 1

At the end of year 1 of the study programme, every student receives advice on whether or not to continue his/her study. This advice is not binding. However, students must obtain a predetermined number of study credits to be admitted to the second year of the programme. The number of credits that must be earned, is documented in the Education and Examination Regulations (EER) of each study programme. Please note that the number of credits that must be earned for entrance into year 2 as stipulated in the EER is subject to change.