IB Pathways

Utrecht University · Netherlands

Philosophy, Politics and Economics

Political and economic questions studied through philosophy, politics, economics and, unusually, history, in a small intensive programme that admits at most 75 students a year.

Where
UtrechtNetherlands
Degree
BSc
Length
3 years
Taught in
English
Starts
Autumn 2027
Apply by
14 January 2027
Admission
SelectiveMotivation letter · 75 places
EU/EEA fee
€5,5422027/28
More facts
Degree
BSc
Length
3 years
Taught in
English
Starts
Autumn 2027

Deadlines

  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. 14 January 2027

    Applications close
    Hard deadline
    DetailsSource

  3. 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

* Last year’s date, not yet confirmed.

Every date in the Netherlands

What it is

Year one has eight compulsory courses across philosophy, politics, economics and history, including Political Philosophy, Microeconomics, Macroeconomics and Comparative Democratic Institutions. Year two adds methods in qualitative research, statistics and epistemology, and one of four thematic packages: Challenges to the Welfare State, Markets and Regulators, Global Pathways to a Sustainable Future, or Democracy and its Discontents, each ending in an individual interdisciplinary research paper. Year three leaves free space for courses elsewhere or an internship, and finishes with the PPE thesis. Students have worked at banks, international organisations, embassies and ministries.

What you need

  • Maths AA (SL or HL) or AI HL
Requirements in full

Every IB applicant at Utrecht University

The IB Diploma counts as equivalent to VWO. IB English A or B, SL or HL, meets every UU English level.

Where it says so

Its entry requirements

Check it on uu.nl

How places are decided

    • Motivation letter
    • IB grades
    • Test score (SAT, ACT or similar)
    • Interview
    Selective, max 75 places: apply and send your file by 14 Jan 2027. Ranked on grades, a profile test, a written motivation and a reference; some are then interviewed.
Sources (3)
  1. Philosophy, Politics and Economics at UU — checked 2026-09-30
  2. Entry requirements
  3. IB applicants at UU

Other degrees at UU