IB Pathways
History and International Studies

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam · Netherlands

History and International Studies

The historical origins of today's global society, such as democracy, inequality and climate change, studied beyond Eurocentric perspectives and with attention to marginalised voices.

Image: Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

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

Deadlines

  1. 6 November 2026

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

  2. 1 May 2027

    Application deadline for EU/EEA students
    Hard deadline
    DetailsSource

  3. 31 August 2027

    Enrolment: tuition fee paid (15 July for numerus fixus programmes)
    Hard deadline
    DetailsSource
All dates for this programme (2 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. 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 study Western and non-Western history from antiquity onward together with international relations. Year one covers academic skills, modern Europe, world history from 1000 to the present, and current debates in global history. In year two you choose a regional focus, such as Southeast Asia, Latin America, sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East or China, and take courses like Capitalism and Inequality, Oral History and History by Numbers, with research seminars. In the first semester of year three you can do an internship, study abroad or take a minor, then work on independent research for a bachelor thesis.

What you need

  • Full IB Diploma meets the entry rule. English: an English-taught or bilingual IB, or English A Lang & Lit SL 7/HL 6.
Requirements in full

Where it says so

Its entry requirements

Check it on vu.nl

How places are decided

    • Everyone eligible is admitted
    No cap: meet the requirements and you are admitted. Apply in Studielink by 1 May and complete your VU application.
Sources (2)
  1. History and International Studies at VU Amsterdam — checked 2026-09-30
  2. Entry requirements

Other degrees at VU Amsterdam