Data Science for Decision Making

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 Data Science for Decision Making for academic year 2025-2026.

Important deadlines for application

The master’s programme in Data Science for Decision Making starts in September and February

The deadlines below are applicable for applicants who want to start their studies in September 2025 or February 2026

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Start in February 2025 (academic year 2024-2025)

Date	What you need to know about this date
1 July 2024	Studielink is open for applications for the academic year 2024-2025 (study start in February 2025)
1 November 2024, 23:59 CET	Deadline for completing the entire application process for non-EU/EEA applicants (these applicants require a visa or residence permit)
1 December 2024, 23:59 CET	Deadline for completing the entire application process for applicants from the EU/EEA or Switzerland
31 January 2025, 23:59 CET	If applicable: deadline for submitting English proficiency test results (TOEFL/IELTS) for all applicants

Start in September 2025 (academic year 2025-2026)

Date	What you need to know about this date
1 October 2024	Studielink is open for applications for the academic year 2025-2026 (study start in September 2025)
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
31 August 2025, 23:59 CET	If applicable: deadline for submitting English proficiency test results (TOEFL/IELTS) for all applicants

Please note:

The February intake of our study programme starts on 27 January 2025 (introduction on 24 January 2025). This will not impact the deadlines above.
The master's programme in Data Science for Decision Making is listed under the 'transnationale Universiteit Limburg (tUL)' in the ‘Educational institution’ tab in Studielink. Maastricht University (UM) is part of the tUL; this programme is taught at UM just like our other master’s programmes
In Studielink you also need to choose the starting moment. Please make sure to select September 2025 in the pulldown menu if you wish to start on 1 September 2025
Find out if you can apply for a scholarship or financial aid. Deadlines for scholarships are often earlier than the dates mentioned above

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 academic year 2025-2026 for the master’s programme in Data Science for Decision Making depend on your previous education. Please check below which requirements apply to you.

Graduates from related programmes at Maastricht, Hasselt and Aachen universities

Graduates from the following bachelor’s programmes qualify directly for admission:

Bachelor's programme in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (formerly known as Data Science and Knowledge Engineering) from Maastricht University
Bachelor's programme in Computer Science from Maastricht University
Bachelor's programme in Computer Science from Hasselt University
Bachelor's programme in Angewandte Mathematik und Informatik (formerly known as Scientific Programming) from Aachen University (MATSE)

Graduates from the following bachelor’s programmes qualify for admissions, depending on the specific curriculum they followed:

Bachelor's programme in Business Engineering from Maastricht University
BSc Maastricht Science Programme from Maastricht University (depending on curriculum)
Bachelor’s programme in Brain Science (with more than 30 ECTS DACS minor) from Maastricht University

Note: you must have passed all your bachelor’s requirements by 31 August at the latest for the September intake or by 31 January for the February intake.

Graduates from other institutes

The Board of Admissions will consider whether you qualify for admission if you have a bachelor’s degree or an equivalent diploma in a programme such as Mathematics, Computer Science, Technical Data Science, Operations Research, Artificial Intelligence, Econometrics, Engineering or Physics.

Graduates from a research university

You can qualify for admission to the programme if your qualification provides sufficient preparation both in terms of academic level and content. The level of your degree should be equivalent to a bachelor’s degree from a research university in the Netherlands; to assess whether your degree is equivalent the Nuffic guidelines (the Dutch Organisation for Internationalisation in Education) will be used and the national standing of your university and the grades you have obtained will be taken into account.

Please check first whether your bachelor meets the Nuffic requirements before you apply.

The required competences are:

Mathematics: a strong background, including, but not limited to, calculus, linear algebra, discrete mathematics, probability and statistics
Computer science: basic knowledge of data structures and algorithms, with some programming experience

Graduates from a university of applied sciences

Students with a degree from universities of applied sciences (Dutch HBO or international equivalent) in a related field could gain access to the master’s programme upon successful completion of a one-semester pre-master’s programme.

We have rolling admissions. The earlier you apply, the earlier you will know whether or not you have a place in the programme. We advise you to apply as early as possible, especially if you think you are likely to receive a pre-master’s advice. We suggest you apply at least one month before the deadline.

More information about the pre-master’s programme for the master's in Data Science for Decision Making

You can follow this pre-master if you have minor deficiencies in your prior knowledge. The Board of Admissions may then offer you a one-semester pre-master programme at the Department of Advanced Computing Sciences. If you complete the pre-master successfully in one semester, you qualify for admission to the master’s programme.

The pre-master programme will be tailor-made based on your previous knowledge and skills. For more information, please contact dacs-admissions@maastrichtuniversity.nl.

For applicants with a non-EEA diploma it is not possible to apply for our premaster's programmes directly. You will have to apply for one of our regular master's programmes first (to be found in Studielink with the ‘transnationale Universiteit Limburg’). If your credentials and previous education are insufficient to qualify for direct admission into one of our master's programmes, the Board of Admissions will determine whether a pre-master programme can be offered.

Additional requirements

Language requirements for English-language master 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

You can apply for course exemptions if you have completed courses at a recognised and accredited higher education institution that were similar in terms of content and level.

For more information, please contact the Board of Examiners: dacs-boe@maastrichtuniversity.nl

Documents required for the 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 valid passport or your EU/EEA identity card*
Scan your personal details page(s). Save this copy as ‘passport copy’ (and not as ‘passport picture’).

A copy of your most recent list of grades transcript

A copy of your diplomas if you have obtained it
If you have obtained a diploma for more relevant studies than one, please upload all diplomas and grade transcripts.

Your curriculum vitae
List your education, relevant extracurricular activities and internship/professional experience.
A motivation letter
Give good arguments about why you want to do this master's programme at Maastricht University, and why you expect that you can successfully complete the programme.

^{*As a current UM student it is not necessary to upload these documents in the MyApplication portal. Unless your passport is not valid on 1 September 2025; in that case you do have to upload a new copy of your passport.}

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

Course descriptions (in English) of the mathematics and computer science courses that are listed on your grades transcript.
We always advise you to provide this document, especially if your grades transcript does not contain the same course names as the topics mentioned in the admission requirements
Evidence of other courses or tests in mathematics/computer sciences that are not part of your grades transcript, but which you think are relevant to assess your application (for instance an additional online programming course)
Advised for all applicants
Document(s) that demonstrate your proficiency in English
Answer the questions concerning language requirements under ‘Language requirements for English-language master 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.