Modern Political Culture: Ideas and Discourses in Context

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 master’s programme in Modern Political Culture: Ideas and Discourses in Context for academic year 2025-2026.

For the master's programme in Modern Political Culture: Ideas and Discourses in Context enrolment is based on your quality and suitability. For this your motivation, previous education and (professional) experience are important.

The information on this page is for students who would like to start in academic year 2025-2026.

Please click here to look into the admission requirements for academic year 2024-2025.

Important deadlines for application

This master’s programme starts in September.
The deadlines below are applicable for applicants who want to start their studies in September 2025.

Note: if you are viewing this webpage on your phone, we recommend that you use landscape mode.

Date	What you need to know about this date
1 October 2024	Studielink is open for applications for the academic year 2025-2026
1 May 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

Please note:
Find out if you can apply for a scholarship or financial aid. Deadlines for scholarships are often earlier than the dates mentioned above.

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 when you’re starting in September (or before 1 December when you’re starting in February, if applicable for your study programme).

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:

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 academic year 2025/26 for the master’s programme in Modern Political Culture: Ideas and Discourses in Context depend on your previous education. Please check below which requirements apply to you.

Graduates from the UM bachelor's programme Arts and Culture applying for a continuing Master

If you apply via Studielink for the continuing master’s programme, with a UM BA European Studies diploma, you are guaranteed a place. Please note: you must have graduated from BA European Studies at Maastricht University before 1 September 2025.

You will be asked to upload a valid passport/ID (if the one we have on file will not be valid on 1 September 2025) in the MyApplication portal. You will not have to upload a portrait picture or a letter of motivation.

Graduates from a relevant university bachelor's programme

You qualify for admission if you have a bachelor's degree from a relevant academic field in the humanities or social sciences such as philosophy, (art) history, sociology, social anthropology, cultural studies, political science, area studies or liberal arts.

Graduates from another bachelor's programme

Applicants with a relevant university of applied sciences degree (e.g. HBO/Hochschule), or an academic BA or BSc Bachelor in a field that does not grant direct admission into this programme, can follow a pre-master year. Once successfully completed, this will guarantee you access to the programme in Modern Political Culture.

Language requirements for English-language master's 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.

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*
The passport 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 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’. Your passport must be valid on 1 September 2025.
A copy of your most recent grades transcript and a copy of your bachelor’s or master’s diploma if you have obtained it
If you have not graduated yet, you can upload your official grades transcript from your bachelor's or master’s programme.
Your Curriculum Vitae
Please list your education, relevant extracurricular activities and internship/professional experience.
A motivation letter
Please provide good arguments about why you want to do this master's programme at Maastricht University and why you believe that you can successfully complete the programme. The motivation letter should be between 800 – 1,200 words.
A writing sample
All candidates should provide proof of sufficient academic writing/research skills. The Board of Admissions asks the candidate to submit an independently written research paper of at least 2,000 words (excluding the footnotes and reference list) on a relevant topic. You can use a paper from earlier studies or another occasion. The submitted work should be written in English.

*As a UM student it is not necessary to upload the above-mentioned documents in the MyApplication portal. However, if your passport will not be valid on 1 September 2025, then you still have to upload a copy of your passport.

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 master's 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.
Additional writing/paper samples
You might be asked to send additional writing/paper samples.

How do we assess your application?

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.

If necessary, you will be invited for an interview with the Board of Admissions of the Modern Political Culture programme (face to face or via Skype).

Message about admission
Based on the documents you have submitted and the admission procedure for your chosen programme, the UM decides on whether to admit you. Once UM has made a decision on your admissibility, you will be informed about this by email.