Students must meet the following admission requirements : 1. Academic requirements Your previous education needs to be deemed equivalent to at least a Dutch academic Bachelor’s degree ( wetenschappelijk onderwijs, WO ) obtained at a research university (nominal duration 3 years). Please find more information about your admissibility with a non-Dutch degree here . 2. Programme specific requirements The Admission Board needs to establish that you meet all of the following admission requirements: 12 ECTS in social science research methods, of which 6 ECTS in quantitative methods/statistics 12 ECTS in public administration In all cases, your bachelor must be equivalent to a Dutch academic (WO) bachelor and therefore must be completed at a research university. How to demonstrate that you meet the above requirements: You are required to indicate in the course description section of the Application Form how you meet the programme specific admission requirements. The Admission Board decides based on your complete application whether you meet the admission requirements or not. Premaster: VU Amsterdam’s School of Social Sciences offers a premaster/bridging programme to students who do not meet the admission requirements for the MSc Public Administration: Artificial Intelligence and Governance. However, international students cannot apply to this premaster directly. International students must apply to the master programme. The Admission Board may award the premaster as part of their decision on an applicant’s eligibility for the master. The premaster is only a relevant option if it would be sufficient to cover the gap between an applicant’s academic background and the admission requirements. The premaster contains mandatory courses on both social science research methods and public administration and is taught fully in English. The current content of the premaster can be found here . 3. English language proficiency requirements You will have to demonstrate sufficient English language proficiency. You can find an overview of relevant information to demonstrate your English language proficiency on the language requirement page . You can already submit your application form without having met the English language requirements, but if you are conditionally admitted, you still have to meet the English language requirements. Check how to apply for Public Administration Application procedure with Dutch degree How to apply Direct admission 1. Apply for the Master’s programme in Studielink by 15 July . After applying in Studielink you will receive login information for your VU Dashboard. 2. Finish your VU Dashboard. As your admissibility doesn’t have to be assessed, you don’t need to add any documents (just tick the box “I upload this later”). 3. Upon receipt of your application, your admission request will be processed and you will be notified whether you have been admitted or whether you must first meet additional requirements. 4. Ensure that your payment of tuition fees for the pre-Master’s has been received by 31 August in order to complete your registration by then. 5. Upload a scan of the result of your English language test to your VU Dashboard before 31 August . You will receive practical information on the programme before it starts. An application is not the same as enrolment. If you register for a degree programme in Studielink , you are not yet enrolled. You will be enrolled once you receive a message from Studielink to this effect. To be eligible you must have submitted all the required documents and arranged for the payment of the tuition fees before 31 August . An application commits you to nothing and it can be cancelled free of charge before 31 August. Additional information on the enrolment procedure . Conditional admission Conditional admission 1. Apply for the Master’s programme in Studielink by 15 July . After applying in Studielink you will receive login information for your VU Dashboard. 2. Add the application document* to your VU Dashboard and complete your application. 3. Upon receipt of your application, your admission request will be processed and you will be notified whether you have been admitted or whether you must first meet additional requirements. 4. Ensure that your payment of tuition fees for the pre-Master’s has been received by 31 August so that you can complete your registration by then. 5. Upload a scan of the result of your English language test to your VU Dashboard before 31 August . You will receive practical information on the programme before it starts. * In order to complete your application you must upload the application document of this master which can be found here . The Admissions Committee will determine whether you are directly admissible to the Master’s programme or whether you first have to follow a bridging programme and if so, which courses you should take. The Committee might contact you for additional information. Applying with a Dutch diploma ? If you want to know if you are admissible, register (this is without obligation) in Studielink and add the required application form to your application in your VU application portal. The Admissions Committee will provide you with a decision based on your application. The Student Desk answers questions about pre-master's assessment, tuition fees, Studielink, VU Student, etc.
To apply you are required to provide the following documents: Scan of your passport or national ID card (ID for EEA students only) valid at the start date of the programme Master Application File please download the correct file from this page . In this file you can see which documents are required to apply for your programme. Proof of English language proficiency (if already obtained): upload your proof of English language proficiency or English language test results. Please find the English language requirements here . After having prepared the required documents, please follow the online application procedure .
All students seeking admission to an international Master’s programme with an international degree are required to pay a non-refundable €100 application fee. Only after you have paid this fee will we be able to start the evaluation of your application file. If you are applying for more than one programme, you will only need to pay the application fee once. Your application fee payment is valid for two years. Information on how to apply with an international university degree and deadlines can be found here .
In the Master's in Public Administration at VU Amsterdam, you will focus on governance and public policy issues from various perspectives. You actively seek ways to make public governance function better, looking at substantive solutions, methods of analysis and advice. Theory is never separate from the practice of policy, management and organisation.