Admission requirements

The admission requirements for the academic year 2025-2026 for the bachelor’s programme University College Maastricht (UCM) depend on your previous education. Please check below which requirements apply to you.

VWO diploma or an international equivalent

You qualify for admission to UCM if you have a Dutch VWO diploma or an international equivalent thereof. Below you can find an overview of diplomas that are recognised as an international equivalent of the Dutch VWO diploma.

UCM does not have any additional subject requirements. Whether you meet the previous education requirements is assessed through the Maastricht University Diploma Evaluation department. If you have not yet obtained the diploma, you can still apply with your latest grades transcript.

Diplomas equivalent to the Dutch VWO diploma 2025-2026

In some cases, it is possible to transfer credits obtained in other institutions of higher education to your UCM curriculum. The Board of Examiners determines, upon your request, whether credits obtained are eligible for credit transfer. We strongly advise you to consider beforehand whether you would like to transfer previously obtained credits to University College Maastricht. If this is the case, discuss this with your Academic Advisor (who is appointed to you after starting UCM) upon commencing your studies. In cooperation with your Academic Advisor, you can then submit a request for transfer to the Board of Examiners. This must be done no later than the last day of your first year (i.e. before the end of your second semester).

There are a few things to keep in mind when it comes to credit transfer:

• You can only transfer credits obtained at an (academic) university.
• You cannot transfer credits that are part of a completed degree.
• You cannot transfer credits that were part of your admission requirements.
• You can transfer credits up to 60 ECTS.

The Board of Examiners will eventually determine whether the request for credit transfer is approved.

Transferring credits also has consequences for your curriculum. For instance:

• The total amount of credits obtained at external institutions is 60 ECTS. Hence, a credit transfer can limit your freedom to follow courses at other faculties or to go abroad.
• Because of graduation requirements, transferring credits does not automatically reduce your time at UCM.
• Depending on the kind of courses you transfer, a credit transfer might determine your concentration or might limit your options in other ways.

To sum up, transferring credits is possible, but several factors determine whether your request will be accepted by the MSLAS-UCM Board of Examiners and whether this is beneficial for your curriculum. Sometimes a simple pre-requisite waiver, using your external experience and prior knowledge to get access to more advanced level courses, suffices.

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 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 and/or a copy of your diploma if you have already obtained the diploma
  Note: You must graduate before 1 September 2025

• A motivation letter in English
  The format can be found in the MyApplication portal

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

• 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.

When you want to apply or are applying for this study programme, it is useful to know how we assess your application. You can find more information about this here.

UCM has a selective admissions process. The selection process consists of two rounds.

First round

In the first round, the Board of Admissions will review your admission documents and will inform you via email if you have been selected for an interview.

Second round

The Admissions interview focuses on your academic plans and how you intend to accomplish these through an education at UCM. The interview is conducted online in English by a UCM academic staff member and lasts approximately 30-45 minutes.

Final decision

Within two to four weeks after the interview, the Board of Admissions will inform you of  their decision on whether to offer you a place at UCM.