IB Pathways
Academy Building of RUG (Rijksuniversiteit Groningen) in 2019

Groningen · Netherlands · Research university

University of Groningen

Founded in 1614, a large research university (32,500 students, 26% international) in the student city of Groningen, with a campus in Leeuwarden.

Erekle K · CC BY-SA 4.0

In English
34 programmes
City
Groningen
Apply via
Studielink, then the RUG Progress Portal
Next deadline
15 Jan 2027

Deadlines

  1. 15 January 2027, 23:59 CET

    Numerus fixus deadline (International Business, Psychology)
    Hard deadline
    Details

    Two numerus fixus programmes at most; medicine, dentistry, dental hygiene and physiotherapy allow one application per programme, so not medicine at two universities. Missing this does not cost you the year, but it does cost you every selective programme in it.

    Source

  2. 15 February 2027

    Numerus fixus: personal details confirmed in Studielink
    Hard deadline
    DetailsSource

  3. 1 May 2027, 23:59*

    Last day to keep your right to a place (programmes without selection)
    Equal consideration
    Details

    Apply by 1 May and you are entitled to admission to a non-selective programme you qualify for. The government says a first application after 1 May may be refused - the programme can still take you, but does not have to. Some institutions set earlier dates of their own, and theirs is the one that binds.

    Studielink closes at 23:59 on 1 May. The government’s rule is what makes it an equal-consideration date: apply by 1 May and you are entitled to admission to a programme you qualify for ("Aanmelding tot en met 1 mei betekent ook recht op toelating"); a first application after 1 May "kan door de opleiding geweigerd worden" - the programme may still take you, but it does not have to. Some programmes close earlier for capacity or matching reasons, and the programme’s own date is the one that binds.

    Source
All dates for this school (5 more)

  1. 1 December 2026*

    Create your Studielink account
    Your own plan
    Details

    Not an official deadline. With a Dutch address you log in with DigiD, which the government says takes about five days. Without one you upload a scan or photo of your passport or EU identity card and Studielink verifies it automatically. Either way, do it well before 15 January.

    Source

  2. 15 April 2027*

    Numerus fixus: ranking numbers announced
    Details

    Selection runs between 15 January and 15 April and every applicant receives a ranking number through Studielink. Indicative: Nuffic’s date, not the government’s.

    Source

  3. 1 May 2027

    Application deadline for all other bachelor's
    Hard deadline
    DetailsSource

  4. 6 July 2027*

    IB results released
    Details

    Both Dutch deadlines fall well before this. How a conditional place pending results is handled is set by each institution; ask yours.

    Source

  5. 15 July 2027

    Numerus fixus: final IB results proving entry requirements due
    Hard deadline
    DetailsSource

* Last year’s date, not yet confirmed.

Every date in the Netherlands

What you could study here

Computing · 4

  • Open entry

Information Science

BSc · 3 yrs

Maths at Dutch VWO A/B level, judged from course descriptions (else an entrance exam).

Economics · 2

Engineering · 4

  • Open entry

Biomedical Engineering

BSc · 3 yrs

Maths AA HL, plus Physics and Chemistry with at least one of the two at HL.

  • Open entry

Chemical Engineering

BSc · 3 yrs

Maths AA HL, plus Physics and Chemistry with at least one of the two at HL.

Humanities · 7

  • Open entry

History

BA · 3 yrs

Apply for the English track; a Dutch track also exists.

Languages · 2

  • Open entry

European Languages, Cultures and Politics

BA · 3 yrs

German major needs B1–B2 (school-leaving German, EU, under 2 years old); French needs A2 proof; Spanish Plus A2, else Spanish basic; Italian…

Maths · 2

Sciences · 5

  • Open entry

Astronomy

BSc · 3 yrs

Maths AA HL and Physics HL.

  • Open entry

Biology

BSc · 3 yrs

Biology HL, plus Physics, Chemistry and Maths (AA SL/HL or AI HL); all four subjects are required.

  • Open entry

Chemistry

BSc · 3 yrs

Maths AA HL, plus Physics and Chemistry with at least one of the two at HL.

  • Open entry

Physics

BSc · 3 yrs

Maths AA HL and Physics HL.

Social sciences · 4

  • Open entry

Human Geography and Planning

BSc · 3 yrs

No subject requirements, but statistics is a big part: a maths level like Dutch VWO Maths A, B or C is expected.

Psychology

BSc · 3 yrs

Numerus fixus, 250 places (English track): apply by 15 January 2027; a selection test plus a lottery rank applicants.

Other fields · 4

International Business

BSc · 3 yrs

Numerus fixus, 550 places: apply by 15 January 2027; an online Fit & Benchmark activity ranks applicants.

Business

Liberal Arts and Sciences

BA or BSc · 3 yrs

Selective (University College Groningen): an eligibility check, then a motivation video decides.

Interdisciplinary
  • Open entry

International and European Law

LLB · 3 yrs

Compulsory online matching. English test can be waived if your IB school teaches only in English, or with English A or English…

Law

What it asks of IB students

The IB Diploma counts as Dutch VWO; no minimum points. Strictest subjects: Maths AA HL and Physics HL (Physics, Astronomy, Applied Physics). An IB taught in English waives the English test.

Where it says so

Where it says so

Its IB recognition statement

Worth knowing

You must earn at least 45 of the 60 first-year credits to continue (binding study advice); Liberal Arts and Sciences and Global Politics and Sustainability ask for all 60.

All 3 notes
  • You must earn at least 45 of the 60 first-year credits to continue (binding study advice); Liberal Arts and Sciences and Global Politics and Sustainability ask for all 60.
  • Applicants with a non-Dutch diploma, IB included, pay a non-refundable €100 application fee, once per year.
  • Early Bird: a complete application between 1 October and 28 February to most programmes (not the numerus fixus ones) gets a decision within 15 working days.

Sources
  1. RUG: Bachelor's degree programmes in English — checked 2026-09-25
  2. RUG: Bachelor's degrees in alphabetical order — checked 2026-09-25
  3. RUG: International Baccalaureate diploma, bachelor entry requirements — checked 2026-09-30
  4. RUG: Bachelor's language requirements and exemptions — checked 2026-09-25
  5. RUG: Registration fixed-quota bachelor's programme (2027 dates, places, €100 fee) — checked 2026-09-25
  6. RUG: Registration regular bachelor's programme (non-Dutch diploma) — checked 2026-09-25
  7. RUG: Early Bird applications — checked 2026-09-25
  8. RUG: Binding Study Advice (BSA) — checked 2026-09-25
  9. RUG: Tuition fees bachelor's degree programmes (2026-27; 2027-28 TBA) — checked 2026-09-25
  10. RUG Campus Fryslân: Applying for the BSc Data Science & Society — checked 2026-09-25
  11. RUG: American Studies (programme page) — checked 2026-09-30
  12. RUG: Applied Mathematics (programme page) — checked 2026-09-30
  13. RUG: Applied Physics (programme page) — checked 2026-09-30
  14. RUG: Art History (programme page) — checked 2026-09-30
  15. RUG: Artificial Intelligence (programme page) — checked 2026-09-30
  16. RUG: Arts, Culture and Media (programme page) — checked 2026-09-30
  17. RUG: Astronomy (programme page) — checked 2026-09-30
  18. RUG: Biology (programme page) — checked 2026-09-30
  19. RUG: Biomedical Engineering (programme page) — checked 2026-09-30
  20. RUG: Chemical Engineering (programme page) — checked 2026-09-30
  21. RUG: Chemistry (programme page) — checked 2026-09-30
  22. RUG: Communication and Information Studies (programme page) — checked 2026-09-30
  23. RUG: Computing Science (programme page) — checked 2026-09-30
  24. RUG: Data Science and Society (programme page) — checked 2026-09-30
  25. RUG: Econometrics and Operations Research (programme page) — checked 2026-09-30
  26. RUG: Economics and Business Economics (programme page) — checked 2026-09-30
  27. RUG: English Language and Culture (programme page) — checked 2026-09-30
  28. RUG: European Languages, Cultures and Politics (programme page) — checked 2026-09-30
  29. RUG: German major B1/B2 flowchart (entry documents for the German major) — checked 2026-09-26
  30. RUG: Spanish major A2 or B1 flowchart (beginners enrol in Spanish basic) — checked 2026-09-26
  31. RUG: Global Politics and Sustainability (programme page) — checked 2026-09-30
  32. RUG: History (programme page) — checked 2026-09-30
  33. RUG: Human Geography and Planning (programme page) — checked 2026-09-30
  34. RUG: Industrial Engineering and Management (programme page) — checked 2026-09-30
  35. RUG: Information Science (programme page) — checked 2026-09-30
  36. RUG: International and European Law (programme page) — checked 2026-09-30
  37. RUG: International Business (programme page) — checked 2026-09-30
  38. RUG: International Relations and International Organization (programme page) — checked 2026-09-30
  39. RUG: Liberal Arts and Sciences (programme page) — checked 2026-09-30
  40. RUG: Life Science and Technology (programme page) — checked 2026-09-30
  41. RUG: Mathematics (programme page) — checked 2026-09-30
  42. RUG: Media Studies (programme page) — checked 2026-09-30
  43. RUG: Physics (programme page) — checked 2026-09-30
  44. RUG: Psychology (programme page) — checked 2026-09-30
  45. RUG: Religious Studies (programme page) — checked 2026-09-30
  46. RUG: Spatial Planning and Design (programme page) — checked 2026-09-30
  47. RUG: Facts and figures (key figures 2025) — checked 2026-09-30
  48. RUG FEB: BSc International Business numerus fixus, Fit & Benchmark procedure (2026 intake) — checked 2026-09-30
  49. RUG: Selection procedure Bachelor Psychology (English track) 2027/2028 — checked 2026-09-30
  50. RUG FSE: Matching at the Faculty of Science and Engineering (not required if you apply by 1 May) — checked 2026-09-30
  51. RUG FEB: Matching (not compulsory) — checked 2026-09-30
  52. RUG Campus Fryslân: Global Politics & Sustainability selection procedure — checked 2026-09-30
  53. RUG Campus Fryslân: Applying for Global Politics & Sustainability — checked 2026-09-30
  54. RUG Campus Fryslân: BSc Data Science & Society admissions requirements (IB maths) — checked 2026-09-30
  55. University College Groningen: Application process (selection by motivation video, deadlines) — checked 2026-09-30
  56. RUG Law: LLB International and European Law admission requirements (English exemptions, compulsory matching) — checked 2026-09-30