In this specialisation, you are taught by expert staff who are leading researchers and active in policy debates. The programme is unique in that it allows you to choose courses in related fields, such as urban, transport, environmental, health, real estate, and development economics. Grounded in real-world data and rigorous empirical methods, the programme equips you to assess and shape policies at the household, local, and national level.
Recognized for its excellence, the programme has been ranked the Best Economics Master’s in the Netherlands by Keuzegids Masters 2025, consistently receives high ratings in the National Student Survey, and earned a bronze medal in Elsevier’s Best Studies 2023.
Students must meet the following admission requirements : 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 . Programme specific requirements We expect you to have successfully completed courses based on the following literature, or equivalent: 3 ECTS in Mathematics - Sydsaeter, Knut and Hammond, Essential Mathematics for Economic Analysis, Prentice Hall, recent edition 8 ECTS in Microeconomics - Snyder C.M. and W. Nicholson, Microeconomic Theory: Basic Principles and Extensions, Mason, OH: South-Western, Cengage Learning, 11th edition (Chapters 2-5, 9-13). Particularly chapter 2 (except dynamic optimisation) is essential. 8 ECTS in Econometrics - Stock, J.H. and M.W. Watson, Introduction to Econometrics, 4th edition Addison Wesley, New York (Chapters 2-9). If you do not fully meet all criteria, the Admission Board might offer you the opportunity to follow online courses in Math, Microeconomics, and Econometrics to help you fulfill the admission requirements. Applicants may consider reading the following books to become familiar with the topics that will be taught per specialisation: Urban & Regional Economics - McCann, P., Urban and Regional Economics Oxford University Press, Oxford, recent edition Transport Economics - Boyer, K.D. Principles of Transportation Economics Addison Wesley, Reading, recent edition Environmental Economics - Kahn, J.R. (1998) The Economic Approach to Environmental and Natural Resources (2nd edition). The Dryden Press, Forth Worth. Parts I, II and III Real Estate Economics and Finance : McDonald & McMillen, Urban Economics and Real Estate: Theory and Policy, recent edition 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. Whether you meet the admission requirements, is determined by the Admission Board based on your complete application. 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 . Application Procedure Application documents 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 . Application fee & deadlines 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 . Grants and scholarships As an international student planning to study at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, you can apply for a variety of grants and bursaries. Detailed information about scholarships and deadlines can be found on www.vu.nl/scholarships or www.grantfinder.nl . International Student and Alumni Ambassadors Our International Student and Alumni Ambassadors are happy to tell you all about their experiences with studying at VU Amsterdam and living in Amsterdam. Our Student Ambassadors are current students at VU Amsterdam that represent a wide variety of programmes and countries. Our International Alumni Ambassadors are VU Amsterdam graduates who are currently either working in the Netherlands or abroad, or doing a PhD or (second) Master's. You will find the full overview of our Ambassadors here: vu.nl/ambassadors . There you can chat with them directly. Piet Rietveld Scholarship The Piet Rietveld Scholarship was established by the School of Business and Economics and the Department of Spatial Economics in memory of the late Professor Piet Rietveld (1952-2013), Head of the Department of Spatial Economics in the years 2002-2013. The master's programme offers a yearly single scholarship for an excellent student in the programme originating from Indonesia. Value The scholarship covers the yearly tuition fee, and provides an allowance of € 3000 towards living costs. Deadline 1 April (each year) Fields of study Eligible candidates should be admitted to the Spatial and Applied Economics master’s degree programme at VU Amsterdam. Note that successful applicants for the scholarship must have a minimum level of English in order to obtain a visa. How to apply Send a CV, a Grade List, and a Letter of Motivation to the following e-mail address: h.koster@vu.nl . Please apply simultaneously for admittance to the master's programme, insofar as you have not done so already.