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 Circular Engineering for the academic year 2025-2026.

Important deadlines for study programme application
General requirements: previous education
Additional requirements
Documents required for application process
Matching survey

Important deadlines for application

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) Non-EU/EEA applicants who need a visa and/or residence permit must also upload a copy of their valid passport and a copy of their most recent grades transcript/diploma) in the MyApplication portal before the deadline of 1 April 2025, 23:59 CET. If your file is not completed before the deadline, your application will not be considered
1 May 2025, 23:59 CET	Deadline for completing the entire application process for applicants from the EU/EEA or Switzerland.

Please note: in Studielink you need to choose the starting moment. Please make sure to select September 2025 in the dropdown menu, so that you will apply for the start of the next academic year.

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 Circular Engineering 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:

VWO Natuur en Techniek
VWO Natuur en Gezondheid + Wiskunde B + Natuurkunde

If you do not have one of the above mentioned diplomas, Maastricht University will decide whether you qualify for admission.

Need more information?

For questions about the admission requirements, please contact the Student Services Centre:
study@maastrichtuniversity.nl
+31(0)43 38 85 388

For questions about the study programme, please contact the faculty:
fse-admissions@maastrichtuniversity.nl

Applicants with a non-Dutch diploma

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

German: Zeugnis der allgemeinen Hochschulreife (Abitur)

Mathematics (Grundkurs up to and including the final year)
Physics (Grundkurs up to and including the final year)
Chemistry and/or Biology (Grundkurs up to and including the final year)

Belgium: Algemeen Secundair Onderwijs (ASO), Diplome de l'Enseignement Secondaire Superieur, enseignement Général or Abschlusszeugnis der Oberstufe des Sekundarunterrichts, allgemeinbildender Unterricht

Mathematics (at least 4 hours per week in the last two years)
Physics (at least 2 hours per week in the last two years)
Chemistry and/or Biology (at least 2 hours per week in the last two years)

United Kingdom: GCE, AICE or International A/AS-levels

Mathematics (A-level)
Physics (A-level)
Chemistry and/or Biology (A- or AS-level)

European Baccalaureate

Mathematics (at least 5 hours per week in the last 2 years, and as an exam subject)
Physics (up to and including the final year, and as an exam subject)
Chemistry and/or Biology (up to and including the final year, and as an exam subject)

International Baccalaureate

Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches (SL or HL)
Physics (SL or HL)
Chemistry and/or Biology (SL or HL)

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

List of diplomas equivalent to the Dutch VWO diploma 2025-2026
Additional subject requirement pertaining to non-Dutch entry qualifications 2025-2026

Applicants who do not meet the subject requirements

UM will always check whether you qualify for admission, and you will be informed if you do not meet the admission requirements.

Eliminating deficiencies
If you have a VWO diploma or international equivalent, but do not meet the subject requirements, you can take additional courses and/or exams at the following institutes:

Mathematics

CCVX (Wiskunde B)
Boswell-Beta (Wiskunde B)
OMPT (OMPT-B min. score 70% or OMPT-D min. score 60%)

Physics, Chemistry and / or Biology

For students proficient in Dutch, deficiencies can also be lifted by obtaining 'vwo-deelcertificaten'.

Please note that Maastricht University does not have a corporate agreement with external institutes and therefore cannot help you with applying for courses or exams offered by external parties.

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 to 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.

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 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*
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 and/or a certified copy of your diploma if you already obtained it.

Documents that might be required depending on your academic background

Prove proficiency in subjects with evidence of additional courses or tests in the required subjects (if applicable)
Document(s) that demonstrate your proficiency in English (if applicable)
Answer the questions concerning language requirements under ‘Language requirements for this English-language bachelor’s programme’ 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.

How do we assess your application?

Matching survey

Maastricht University finds it most important that you choose a study programme and learning environment that suits you well and in which you can be successful. This is why a matching survey is an optional part of the application process. This survey will help you determine whether your expectations match the requirements of the programme. You will receive an invitation to complete the questionnaire in the application portal once you have completed your application.

Privacy statement Matching Procedure

Binding Study Advice

This study programme has a Binding Study Advice. This means that in your first year of the programme, you must obtain a minimum of 45 out of 60 ECTS credits. Students who fail to meet these criteria will receive a negative Binding Study Advice that leads to exclusion from the programme for a period of six years. All students who are at risk of receiving a negative Binding Study Advice will receive a warning after the first semester.

Credit transfer

If you have studied at a university (of applied sciences) before, you may qualify for exemptions up to a maximum of 30 ECTS. This means you can use the results you obtained elsewhere for your study programme at Maastricht University.

The Board of Examiners will determine whether this is possible in your case. They will compare the content and level of your previous education with the course or subject for which you are requesting exemption. To make use of this possibility, you must submit an exemption request to the study programme’s Board of Examiners. The Board of Examiners will only consider a request for exemption when you are enrolled in the study programme in question.