IB Pathways
Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology

University of Amsterdam · Netherlands

Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology

How people around the world live and make sense of their surroundings, studying culture, power and inequality around climate, technology and geopolitics, and doing your own fieldwork.

Image: University of Amsterdam

Where
AmsterdamNetherlands
Degree
BSc
Length
3 years
Taught in
English
Starts
Autumn 2027
Apply by
1 May 2027Housing by 1 Apr
Admission
Open to all who qualify
EU/EEA fee
€2,7712027/28 statutory fee
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. 1 April 2027

    Deadline if you want UvA Housing (non-selective programmes)
    DetailsSource

  3. 1 May 2027

    Final deadline, non-selective programmes
    Hard deadline
    DetailsSource
All dates for this programme (1 more)

  1. 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

You learn to study people through in-depth qualitative research and face-to-face fieldwork. Year one covers introductory anthropology, ethnographies and academic writing, research methods and current debates, and a mentor supports you throughout. In year two you take exploration courses such as Body and Culture or Power and Politics and a regional course, for example on Latin America or urban Africa, and practise ethnography with your own fieldwork and report. Year three has a thematic course in an area such as visual anthropology, plus career-focused courses. You have free electives for a minor, an internship or an exchange, and the programme is taught in English or a bilingual track.

What you need

  • Maths AA SL/HL or AI HL at grade 4 is highly recommended, not required.
Requirements in full

Every IB applicant at University of Amsterdam

Full IB Diploma needed (IB courses alone are not accepted); English as an IB exam subject covers the English requirement.

Where it says so

Its entry requirements

Check it on uva.nl

How places are decided

    • Everyone eligible is admitted
    No cap: meet the requirements and you are admitted. Apply in Studielink by 1 May (earlier if you want UvA housing) and complete UvA Matching.
Sources (2)
  1. Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology at UvA — checked 2026-09-30
  2. Entry requirements

Other degrees at UvA