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International Business

Admission requirements

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

International Business is a numerus fixus programme with selection by the educational institution. This means that you go through a selection process after applying. Due to the limited number of places we cannot offer a place to every applicant who meets the admission requirements.

First, check whether you are eligible to apply based on your previous education and mathematics level. Second, learn more about the selection procedure. Finally, check which additional required documents you have to upload and when. 

Important to know:

  • You have to fill out an international classroom essay and upload a CV, certified statement of grades, supporting documents, and disclaimer in standard templates. 
  • Start your application on time. Our experience learns that it may take a few weeks to complete an application. 

Important deadlines for this study programme

The bachelor’s programme in International Business 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
15 January 2025, 23:59 CET Deadline for completing the entire application process for applicants from the EU/EEA or Switzerland and from non-EU/EEA countries. Note: non-EU/EEA applicants require a visa or residence permit.
15 April 2025, 23:59 CET Outcome selection procedure and publication ranking number

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

Previous education

Applicants with a Dutch diploma

If you have one of the diplomas stated below then, in principle, you qualify for admission:

  • VWO diploma ‘Natuur en Techniek’
  • VWO diploma ‘Natuur en Gezondheid’
  • VWO diploma ‘Economie en Maatschappij’
  • VWO diploma ‘Cultuur en Maatschappij’ + wisA or wisB
  • HBO propedeuse + mathematics level VWO wisA or wisB
  • OU propedeuse + mathematics level VWO wisA or wisB

Questions?
If you have questions regarding your previous education, please contact:
study@maastrichtuniversity.nl
+31 43 38 85388
Chat with us (Mon-Fri from 8.30 to 17.00)
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Applicants with a non-Dutch diploma

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

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

Mathematics requirement

For this bachelor’s programme, certain Dutch mathematics courses or a foreign equivalent are compulsory. The required mathematics courses are:

  • Dutch diplomas: vwo mathematics level wiskunde A or wiskunde B
  • German diplomas: “Zeugnis der allgemeinen Hochschulreife”: Grundkurs Mathematics up to and including the final year
  • Belgian diplomas: “Diploma van Secundair Onderwijs”: Mathematics at least 3 hours per week in the last 2 years.
  • International Baccalaureate from Geneva: 
    • Mathematics Analysis and Approaches HL or SL
    • Mathematics Applications and Interpretations HL or SL
  • European Baccalaureate: Mathematics at least 3 hours per week in the final 2 years
  • British A/AS-levels, (I)GCE’s and/or AICE: Mathematics GCE A- or AS level

If your diploma is not included in this list, it must be evaluated first. UM will assess whether you can demonstrate sufficient knowledge in Mathematics on individual basis.

Additional subject requirement pertaining to non-Dutch entry qualifications 2025-2026

Questions?
If you have questions about the mathematics requirement, please check the FAQ or contact:

Student Services Centre
 study@maastrichtuniversity.nl
 +31 43 38 85388
  Chat with us (Mon-Fri from 8.30 to 17.00 CET)
  Facebook (messenger)
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Clear your mathematics deficiency or refresh your mathematics skills

Students who do not meet the required mathematics level, have a so-called mathematics deficiency. The mathematics deficiency has to be cleared before the start of the bachelor’s first year. To help you meet the mathematic requirement, we offer an online preparatory math course and an online exam.

Do you meet the mathematics requirement, but still want to improve your mathematics skills? You can follow the online preparatory math course without having to take the exam. Mathematics and statistics are essential in this programme. Our experience learns that quite a lot of students are not sufficiently prepared for the introductory courses that start right away in September. To avoid problems during those first months, we designed this online preparatory math course.

More information about the online math course and exam

science_24web.jpg

Mathematics at SBE

Online preparatory math course: more information

Online math exam (deficiency exam): more information

 

Required documents for application and selection process

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

Required documents for all applicants to this study programme

  • A recent passport picture
    This picture must satisfy certain requirements. You can find these requirements in the task description 'Upload portrait photo' in the MyApplication portal.
     
  • A copy of your valid passport or your EU/EEA identity card
    Scan the personal details’ page(s). Save this copy as ‘passport copy’ (and not as ‘passport picture’).
     
  • Copy of diploma (if already obtained)
     
  • Grades transcript
    Please upload an official grades transcript of your last two years of secondary education in the MyApplication portal under the task 'Upload diploma / grades transcript'.
     
  • Curriculum vitae and supporting documents
    Please use the standard templates 'curriculum vitae' and ‘supporting documents’ and upload them both in the MyApplication portal under the task ‘Upload CV’. In the document ‘supporting documents’ you will have to provide proof of the experiences you have indicated in your curriculum vitae. These proofs can for example be statements from your school, employers, voluntary organisations, certificates from language courses. Please note that experiences mentioned in your curriculum vitae, but not supported by formal proof, will not be considered in the evaluation.
     
  • International Classroom Essay
    The International Classroom Essay is a webform available in the MyApplication portal, consisting of six questions you need to answer. The suggested answer length is 200 words, with a maximum of 250 words per question.More information about the International Classroom requirement
     
  • Certified Statement of Grades
    You can complete the ‘Certified Statement of Grades’ form in the MyApplication portal under ‘Upload certified statement of grades’. A representative from your secondary school, like a dean or teacher, has to fill out the form. Please provide the final grades for the year before the final year of secondary education (the penultimate year). Each page should have an official school stamp.
     
  • Disclaimer statement
    The document 'disclaimer statement' that needs to be filled in will be offered to you in the MyApplication portal under the task 'Upload disclaimer statement'. This document is used to inform us that your file is complete. If you still need to gather documents, please do not submit this form yet. It will technically still be possible to upload new documents after submitting the disclaimer.
     

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

  • Proof of mathematics proficiency
    If you do not meet the required mathematics level, you have to clear your mathematics deficiency by taking part in the online preparatory match course and passing the online exam.
     

  • 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 documents you can use to prove your proficiency.

Questions?
If you have questions about the admission requirements for the selection procedure, please contact:

SBE Admissions Office
 ibadmissions-sbe@maastrichtuniversity.nl

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.

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 here.

International Business is a numerus fixus programme with selection by the educational institution. This means that you go through a selection process after applying. Due to the limited number of places, we cannot offer a place to every applicant who meets the admission requirements.

Assessment

Only complete application files will be presented to the Board of Admission. Their assessment is based on your:

  • International Classroom Essay (33%)
  • Curriculum vitae + supporting documents (33%)
  • Grades of your penultimate year of secondary school (see certified statement of grades) (33%)

International Classroom requirement

When you apply for the bachelor's programme International Business, you will need to upload several required documents for the selection procedure. In addition, you will need to complete the International Classroom Essay (webform) in order to participate in the ranking procedure. This additional admission requirement is in place to see whether you have an internationally orientated profile. Your motivation, plans for the future and way of looking at the world around you are important in the assessment. The IC-committee decides based on your answers on the International Classroom Essay whether you meet the International Classroom Requirement.

What happens if you do not meet the International Classroom requirement?
If your profile is not sufficient to meet the International Classroom-criteria, you will not be included in the ranking procedure. This means that you will not be able to start this bachelor’s programme. We will inform you about this decision on 15 April. This decision will also be valid for the bachelor's programme in Economics and Business Economics, since the International Classroom-requirement is the same for both programmes. 

Outcome

On 15 April we will send out the result of the selection: you will receive a ranking number via e-mail. Depending on the number, you can be eligible for a place in this bachelor’s programme. If you do have a place, you will need to confirm via Studielink that you want to attend this programme within two weeks after receiving your placement message. 

If you do not get a place on 15 April, it is still possible (depending on your ranking number) to get a place at a later date if other applicants decide not to attend the programme.

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Additional info

Possibility of enrolment in the second year and exemptions for the entire first year

If you have successfully completed courses equivalent to the first year of a School of Business and Economics (SBE) bachelor's study programme (at the same university level), you may qualify for exemptions. Students who transfer from another university to SBE (not between SBE bachelor's programmes at UM), cannot be exempted from parts of the first-year programme (i.e. cannot be exempted from separate, individual courses of the first-year of the bachelor's programme concerned), but only from the entire first year of the bachelor´s study programme. To apply for an exemption, you have to submit a request to the Board of Examiners. If your request has been approved, you can enrol in the second year.

Please note that the exemptions deadline is 1 July 2025: if we have not received correct and completely filled out forms before this date, your request will not be taken into account. 

More information regarding exemptions and how to apply for them.

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 the (payment of the) handling fee.