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Vrije Universiteit (Amsterdam). Left: Exact Sciences; Right: Humanities and law.

Amsterdam · Netherlands · Research university

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Amsterdam research university with 19 English-taught bachelor's, from AI, econometrics and maths to PPE, Law in Society and psychology.

Scientist-100 at English Wikipedia · Public domain

In English
19 programmes
City
Amsterdam
Apply via
Studielink, then the VU dashboard on vu.nl
Next deadline
15 Jan 2027

Deadlines

  1. 15 January 2027, 23:59 CET

    Numerus fixus applications close
    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. 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

  3. 1 May 2027

    Application deadline for EU/EEA students
    Hard deadline
    DetailsSource
All dates for this school (5 more)

  1. 6 November 2026

    VU Bachelor's Day on campus (6 and 7 November)
    DetailsSource

  2. 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

  3. 15 April 2027*

    Ranking numbers issued
    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

  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. 31 August 2027

    Enrolment: tuition fee paid (15 July for numerus fixus programmes)
    Hard deadline
    DetailsSource

* Last year’s date, not yet confirmed.

Every date in the Netherlands

What you could study here

Computing · 2

Economics · 3

Humanities · 5

  • Open entry

Philosophy

BA · 3 yrs

Apply for Philosophy in Studielink, then confirm the English-taught track in your VU dashboard.

Maths · 2

Social sciences · 4

Psychology

BSc · 3 yrs

Numerus fixus (600 places, English and Dutch tracks together): apply by 15 January; GPA plus an online test on 6 March 2027…

Other fields · 3

Law in Society

LLB · 3 yrs

Selective: a motivation-based application form, and possibly a Zoom interview.

Law

What it asks of IB students

Full IB Diploma meets the entry rule. English: an English-taught or bilingual IB, or English A Lang & Lit SL 7/HL 6. Maths AA HL for econometrics, maths, CS, Business Analytics; none in social sciences, humanities, law.

Where it says so

Where it says so

Its IB recognition statement

Worth knowing

Binding study advice: you need at least 42 of 60 first-year credits (EC) to continue, 48 in International Business Administration and 54 in PPE.

All 3 notes
  • Binding study advice: you need at least 42 of 60 first-year credits (EC) to continue, 48 in International Business Administration and 54 in PPE.
  • Applicants with a diploma from outside the Netherlands pay a non-refundable €100 application fee, and VU's housing offer for internationals covers the first year only.
  • Mechanical Engineering and Creative Technology run mostly on VU's campus but you apply to the University of Twente; from 2027 Ancient Studies and Archaeology are applied for via UvA.

Sources
  1. VU Amsterdam — Overview bachelor's programmes, filtered to English (27 results) — checked 2026-09-25
  2. VU Amsterdam — How do I apply for a Bachelor's programme? (2027-2028 deadlines) — checked 2026-09-25
  3. VU Amsterdam — IB Diploma requirements per English-taught programme (PDF) — checked 2026-09-25
  4. VU Amsterdam — Language requirements for 2027-2028 (IB Diploma) — checked 2026-09-25
  5. VU Amsterdam — Tuition fee rates Bachelor's programmes 2027-2028 — checked 2026-09-25
  6. VU Amsterdam — Application fee — checked 2026-09-25
  7. VU Amsterdam — Looking for accommodation in Amsterdam — checked 2026-09-25
  8. VU Amsterdam — Psychology admissions (numerus fixus 2027) — checked 2026-09-25
  9. VU Amsterdam — PPE admissions — checked 2026-09-25
  10. VU Amsterdam — PPE diploma requirements (IB row) — checked 2026-09-25
  11. VU Amsterdam — Law in Society admissions — checked 2026-09-25
  12. VU Amsterdam — Mathematics admissions (IB maths, BSA) — checked 2026-09-25
  13. VU Amsterdam — International Business Administration admissions (BSA 48 EC) — checked 2026-09-25
  14. VU Amsterdam — Mechanical Engineering admissions (apply to University of Twente) — checked 2026-09-25
  15. VU Amsterdam — Creative Technology admissions (apply to University of Twente) — checked 2026-09-25
  16. VU Amsterdam — Ancient Studies admissions (joint degree, apply via UvA from 2027/2028) — checked 2026-09-25
  17. Studiekeuze123 — Politicologie, VU Amsterdam (degree: Bachelor of Science) — checked 2026-09-25
  18. VU Amsterdam — Artificial Intelligence (programme page) — checked 2026-09-30
  19. VU Amsterdam — Business Analytics (programme page) — checked 2026-09-30
  20. VU Amsterdam — Communication and Information Studies (programme page) — checked 2026-09-30
  21. VU Amsterdam — Communication Science (programme page) — checked 2026-09-30
  22. VU Amsterdam — Computer Science (programme page) — checked 2026-09-30
  23. VU Amsterdam — Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology (programme page) — checked 2026-09-30
  24. VU Amsterdam — Econometrics and Data Science (programme page) — checked 2026-09-30
  25. VU Amsterdam — Econometrics and Operations Research (programme page) — checked 2026-09-30
  26. VU Amsterdam — Economics and Business Economics (programme page) — checked 2026-09-30
  27. VU Amsterdam — History and International Studies (programme page) — checked 2026-09-30
  28. VU Amsterdam — International Business Administration (programme page) — checked 2026-09-30
  29. VU Amsterdam — Law in Society (programme page) — checked 2026-09-30
  30. VU Amsterdam — Literature and Society: English (programme page) — checked 2026-09-30
  31. VU Amsterdam — Mathematics (programme page) — checked 2026-09-30
  32. VU Amsterdam — Media, Art, Design and Architecture (programme page) — checked 2026-09-30
  33. VU Amsterdam — Philosophy (programme page) — checked 2026-09-30
  34. VU Amsterdam — Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) (programme page) — checked 2026-09-30
  35. VU Amsterdam — Political Science: Global Politics (programme page) — checked 2026-09-30
  36. VU Amsterdam — Psychology (programme page) — checked 2026-09-30