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: A sufficient background in the field of quantitative and qualitative methods and techniques of social science research A sufficient background in the field of political science This can be demonstrated by having a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Political Science obtained at a research university and with a curriculum including social science research methods. After completing such a degree, you are sufficiently equipped with both quantitative and qualitative methodology and academic writing and analytical skills, which are requirements for admission to the programme. Furthermore, you could be admissible to the Master’s programme in Political Science with a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Social Sciences including a minor Political Science , if it is comparable to the minor Political Science (30 ECTS) as offered by VU Amsterdam's Faculty of Social Sciences. 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 Faculty of Social Sciences offers a premaster/bridging programme to students who do not meet the admission requirements for the MSc Political Science. 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 political science 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.
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 .
The Political Science programme at VU Amsterdam is personable , international , and engaging . With an annual intake of between 60 and 80 students, our students form an international and diverse community. We use the diversity in cultural backgrounds as we learn and discuss about international political issues and conflicts. Our staff is international as well. Through their research and societal engagement, the lecturers are deeply involved in the topics that they teach.
The way the programme combines a solid basis as a political scientist with the opportunity to specialize in a socially relevant domain is unique and will give you an edge in the job market. You will be prepared for a career in policy making, research, politics, journalism, consultancy or international business.