Students who have successfully completed a university-level (wo) Bachelor's degree in Sociology at a Dutch university are directly eligible for admission to the master's programme. Students who have completed the EUR pre-master's in Sociology or the " Instroomminor Sociology " at ESSB together with a degree in applied sciences (HBO) are also directly eligible for admission to the master's programme. If you have successfully completed a comparable bachelor's or undergraduate degree* in disciplines related to sociology, and that includes at least 7.5 EC in social science research methods and techniques, you may also be eligible for admission to the master's programme Sociology. This depends on the contents of your prior education. Examples of some bachelor's degrees with which you may be eligible for admission are: European Studies, International Relations, Political Sciences, Liberal Arts & Sciences. When you apply to the master's specialisation of your preference, the Admissions Committee will assess whether you are eligible for direct admission to that master's specialisation. We expect a comparable degree in disciplines related to sociology to include courses in sociology and courses related to the specialisation of your preference. * Comparable to the Dutch academic level according to the standards of the Dutch Organisation for International Cooperation in Higher Education (Nuffic). Language requirements A good command of English is essential. Therefore, you will have to submit proof of English proficiency in your application. You meet the requirements if: You have obtained a bachelor diploma from a university in the Netherlands; or You have obtained a pre-university education (VWO) diploma and English was one of the subjects included in the assessment conferring that diploma and graded a 7.0 or higher; or You have obtained a diploma of International Baccalaureate (valid for 5 years); or You are a native speaker of English (i.e. a national of one of the following countries: Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, United Kingdom and the United States of America) and you have obtained a diploma of secondary education in English for at least 2,5 years in one of the above countries; or You have obtained your diploma of higher education in English (the entire programme) in one of the following countries: Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, United Kingdom or the United States of America. We usually deem the level of English Bachelor programmes at West European or Scandinavian universities sufficient as well. Please mind that in case you meet one or more of the above-mentioned English language requirements, you need to present a proof thereof. For example, if you have obtained your diploma of higher education in English, we need to see a written proof of it in the form of either a passage in the diploma, grade list, or a letter from the university stating that the language of instruction was English for the entire program. Proof of proficiency in the English language If you do not meet our requirements, you can demonstrate your proficiency in English with a language test. Please note that the test may not be older than two years at the time of application. Also note that it takes several weeks before the results of the tests are known. Language Test Minimum Score Minimum Sub-scores Internet based (iBT) TOEFL (our TOEFL ID Code 5971) * 5 (100 in the old format) (internet based) 4.5 (20 in the old format) IELTS Academic** 7.0 6.0 Cambridge EFL (English as a Foreign Language) Examinations CAE level B CPE level C Language Cert Academic 75 65 Pearson Academic 75 66 * Please note that Institutional (ITP) TOEFL tests and the Home Edition are not accepted. ** Please note that we do not accept the IELTS Academic online test. Would you like to take a language test at Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR)? The language test, based on CEF, is organised by the Language & Training Centre of EUR and tailored specially for our applicants. More information can be found on the website of the language centre. Are you an ESSB pre-master student? If you do not meet our language requirements for upcoming academic year, but already study at ESSB as a pre-master student, we offer a special arrangement: you can take the English assessment at the Language & Training Centre of EUR at our expense once. If you wish to do so, please send an e-mail to master@essb.eur.nl (subject “English assessment for pre-master students”) and mention your name, student number, the master programme and specialization you want to apply for. We will inform you on how to register for the English assessment. The English assessment test rounds will take place in late November & March. So make sure you email us in time. This test is only valid for our master programmes and you will therefore not receive a certificate for other purposes. Contributing aspects You may choose to provide the Admissions Board with additional information about yourself by uploading additional documents that you think might contribute to your profile. An example of such documents could be motivation and/ or reference letter. Additional information Should the admissions criteria mentioned above be too concise, please refer to additional information on this topic Prior education Bachelor’s/undergraduate research university are meant as opposed to diplomas of university of applied sciences or vocational programmes. Diplomas will be carefully evaluated to determine whether they qualify as degrees from research universities (as opposed to universities of applied sciences). An evaluation can only be done after the submission of the on-line application form and all required supporting documents. In order to be eligible for admission to the programme, you must have fulfilled all the requirements for your Bachelor’s degree by August 20 at the very latest. In case it does not happen, candidates have to account with the fact that this will result in a denial of admission. If you have not yet completed your Bachelor’s degree but expect to before August 20, please send us an official copy of your academic record(s) at the moment of application. In case the transcript of records does not contain any of the following: The name of the programme you are enrolled in; The kind of degree you are studying for; The date of enrollment; The amount of credits you have obtained so far, you must also provide a statement of your university (please read more information about this) mentioning the date you expect to fulfil all the requirements necessary for graduation. Until we have your documents you might receive a conditional offer, which might become unconditional if we receive the missing documents. Proof of English proficiency If you have obtained your diploma of higher education in English we need to see a written proof of it in the form of either a passage in the diploma, grade list, or a letter from the university stating that the language of instruction was English. Institutional TOEFL tests are not accepted. The Examination Board makes the final decision on granting you an exemption for English language proficiency. Erasmus University Rotterdam does not offer any preparatory English courses. Information of the language test, based on CEF, organized by the Language & Training Centre of Erasmus University Rotterdam and tailored specially for our applicants, can be found here . Read more Read less FAQ's Can my eligibility be assessed before I officially apply for admission? The eligibility of your prior education can only be determined after you have submitted an application and only after we have received all requested documents. Prior inquiries will be purely hypothetical. For this reason, we encourage you to officially apply for admission. You can also assess your eligibility yourself by taking a look at the detailed admissions criteria on this page. We have tried to make the criteria as transparent as possible. Is the programme taught part-time? No, it is a full-time programme. Can I start the programme in the second semester? No, the programme starts only once a year, in September. Can I transfer my grades from another university? A transfer of grades is not possible. Due to the special educational build-up of the curriculum, which mainly consists of obligatory as opposed to optional courses, we, unfortunately, cannot accept transfer students. Why do I have to submit proof of English proficiency? Our programme is an English-taught programme. All lectures and literature are in English. This requires that you can read, write, speak, and understand English at an academic level; thus, we need proof thereof from our applicants. This applies to our Dutch and non-Dutch applicants. Can I take an institutional TOEFL test? No, you cannot. You will need to do the official TOEFL test at a TOEFL-certified institute. In both cases please visit TOEFL.org for more information. Are there any exceptions to the language requirements? Yes, in some cases, you might be exempted from presenting the results of an English proficiency test. Please look at the admission page to determine your eligibility for exemption. Keep in mind that if you believe you qualify for an exemption, you need to present proof thereof. I have a hbo-bachelor degree (non-research-university higher education diploma) can I apply for the programme? No, you cannot apply directly to our programme, you will first need to do a transition year/ pre-master (Dutch: schakeljaar ). Passing the transition programme makes you eligible to apply but it is no guarantee for admission. Please keep in mind that the transition year/ pre-master is taught completely in Dutch.
We open for applications as of October 2026 and the application deadlines are as follows: Status applicant Deadline application Non-EU / EEA applicants May 1, 2027 EU / EEA applicants June 1, 2027 Please keep in mind that we can only process and review applications deemed complete before or on the deadline. Please submit your application as early as possible to ensure it is complete before the deadline. Next, make sure to have a thorough look at the list of required documents and information you need to submit. How to Apply? How to Apply? Step-by-step application procedure Step 1: Register for the Master ‘Sociology’ in Studielink. Studielink is the national database for the registration for a study programme in the Netherlands. It is the first step of the application procedure. Make sure you choose the right programme (including the language of instruction, or (if there are several degrees offered) the resulting degree). Please note: You can select your track/specialisation during the second step in the EUR admission portal. It is not possible to apply for more than one Sociology specialisation at Erasmus University Rotterdam. Double Sociology applications cannot be processed. Studielink Step 2: Follow up to your application in the EUR Admissions Portal After your registration in Studielink: fill out an online application form through EUR Admissions Portal. In the Admissions Portal, you will have to choose the track/specialisation and upload the required documents (see below). After registration in Studielink, you will receive an e-mail with the subject “Follow up to your Studielink application”. This e-mail contains a link to the EUR Admissions Portal. You need to login to the Admissions Portal with your login details (the ERNA details). These details are sent to you by e-mail after registering in Studielink . Please mind that you will receive a number of automated messages during application. They often get spammed, so be sure to check your spam/ junk mailbox folders. Required documents The following documents (in pdf) will be requested from you during the application process. 1. A scan (photocopy) of your passport/ID card; A scan (photocopy) of the personal data page of your passport/ ID card and (if applicable) residence permit (both sides). The document(s) must be valid. This is not mandatory if you hold a Dutch passport or are/have been a student of a Dutch university. If you upload a scan of your ID card please note that the information on this card should contain your first name, surname, date of birth, country of birth and nationality, as well as be an internationally recognized form of identification. If this is not the case, a scan of your passport is required. Both sides of your ID card need to be uploaded. 2. A scan (photocopy) of your university diploma(-s); Please note that if the original documents are in a language other than English, Dutch, French or German you need to provide both the copies of originals as well as official (certified) translations. Self-made translations will not be accepted. If you have not yet obtained your bachelor’s/ undergraduate/ pre-master degree, please include an official copy of your academic record(-s) at the moment of application. In case your official transcript does not contain enrolment data (date of enrolment, name of the programme/ degree you are studying for, number of credits obtained/ to be obtained), a statement from your university with the missing information and a date you expect to fulfil all requirements necessary for graduation (most of the time it is a letter from your programme administration) must be provided. The current students of Erasmus School of Social and Behavioural Sciences at Erasmus University Rotterdam may upload their student copy of grade list (studievoortgangsoverzicht). 3. A scan (photocopy) of an official academic transcript(-s) of records; A scan (photocopy) of an official academic transcript(-s) of records (signed and stamped by your university) , including the reverse side if it contains information. Please note that if the original documents are in a language other than English, Dutch, French or German you need to provide both the copies of originals as well as official (certified) translations. Self-made translations will not be accepted. The current students of Erasmus School of Social and Behavioural Sciences at Erasmus University Rotterdam may upload an unofficial copy of their transcript instead. 4. Proof of proficiency in the English language; Proof of proficiency in the English language. Please make sure you meet the English language requirement for this programme as stated on the admission page. 5. Description of the courses taken in social science methodology Please upload an extensive description of the social science methodology courses you passed, include; the number of credits, aim of the course, content of the course, type of exam, bibliography of the required course material (textbooks), etc. For example: Osiris Student Mobile Not applicable to the current students or graduates of Erasmus School of Social and Behavioural Sciences at Erasmus University Rotterdam. 6. Description of the courses taken in the field of your preferred specialization/track Please upload an extensive description of the specialisation courses you passed, include; the number of credits, aim of the course, content of the course, type of exam, bibliography of the required course material (textbooks), etc. For example: Osiris Student Mobile Not applicable to the current students or graduates of Erasmus School of Social and Behavioural Sciences at Erasmus University Rotterdam. 7. Additional documents. Apart from the above documents that are mandatory in the course of application you may upload additional documents that you think might contribute to your profile (e.g., reference letter etc.) Make sure you do not overdo with these as their amount might overshadow the essentials. What happens after application? After you submit your application, the process of assessing it starts. This process consists of several steps, and you might want to know what to prepare for. Application complete? We will let you know if your application is complete within a week of you submitting it (assuming that there are no holidays in between). We will also contact you should we need additional information. Assessment Once your application is complete, you will not be contacted until your application is assessed to determine your eligibility for the programme. The Admissions Board carefully reviews each file for admission. You will be contacted as soon as the assessment outcome is known. It may take up to two months, starting when your application is deemed complete. Decision Due to the many factors involved in the admissions decision-making process, the Admission Board does not elaborate on its motivation for the outcome of the decision. We kindly ask you to respect this. Thank you for your consideration! Change of contacts If your personal or contact details (email address, home address, etc.) should change, please adjust them in Studielink . Finalise your admission and enrolment After we have assessed your application and decided to select you for the programme, the process of completing your admission and enrolment starts. In addition to sending the original copies of your documents, several other matters must be considered during this process. For more information about finalising your admission and enrolment, visit the pages for admitted students. FAQ's FAQ's Application procedure When can I apply? The application for the academic year starting in September opens in October of the previous calendar year. Can I apply without having obtained my diploma before the application deadline? If you have not completed your bachelor's degree yet but expect to do so before mid-August, please upload a most recent copy of your academic record(s) (grade list) to the application and provide a statement of your school with the date you expect to fulfil all requirements necessary for graduation. The statement by your school should include the name of your diploma in the original language and be written in English, German, Dutch or be accompanied by a certified translation in one of these languages. Until we have your documents, you might receive a conditional offer, which might become unconditional if we receive the missing documents (diploma and final transcript of academic record(s)) before the beginning of the academic year. How can I get an official translation of my documents? A registered sworn translator usually does an official translation, generally associated with a notary. Alternatively, an institution issuing the respective document may be entitled to issue official translations. Please note that you must send a copy of the documents in the original language and also the translation. Can I submit the proof of English proficiency later, after I submit the application? You may submit the proof of English proficiency later, but until then your application will be viewed as "incomplete" and will not be assessed. Please mind that it can take up to a month to receive the results of most English language exams. We therefore strongly advise to schedule the exam well in advance of the application deadlines. You can submit the missing proof of language proficiency no later than the application deadline. Do I have to submit a reference letter? No, it is not mandatory. You may add the letter as an additional evidence if you believe it might contribute to your profile. How do I get certified copies of documents? A certified copy is a copy of a filed document, legal or otherwise, that contains a seal and a signature that establishes that the document is genuine, a true copy. A document may be certified by an official authorised person (e.g., a university, a notary, a sworn translator, etc.). Applicants with Dutch prior education do not have to send us certified copies; we can verify your previous education online. Who needs to apply for a residence permit and/or entry visa? Please consult this page to learn more about immigration procedures and rules. FAQs Selection What happens after I apply? Please read more on the procedure after application on the application page. Are there interviews for applicants? An interview is not a part of our standard admissions process. I meet the minimum eligibility criteria. Is my admission guaranteed? Please know that we receive more applications than we have places available. Therefore, all applications are subject to our selection process, and every application is assessed against the pool of applicants. Based on the documents in your application, the Admission Board decides if you are a good match for our programme. Admission is therefore not guaranteed. After the Admission Board has assessed your application, you can be accepted, denied or placed on the waiting list. I do not meet all the eligibility criteria but I have relevant work experience, can I be admitted? No, work experience cannot be used to compensate for the missing admission requirements.
This specialisation prepares you to be a public sociologists who is well-equipped to bridge analytical and critical perspectives on social inequalities around the world. You will examine various dimensions of inequality - such as wealth, race, gender, and spatial distribution - investigating the complex interplay among social structures, institutions like families and schools, and individual behaviours. This programme brings a unique interdisciplinary perspective to the study of social inequality, and sheds light on how we as individuals, groups, and governments can reduce it. The theoretical breadth of the programme equips you with essential skills in critical analysis and varied methodologies, preparing you to address these pressing societal challenges.