IB Pathways
Psychology

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam · Netherlands

Psychology

Why people think, feel and behave as they do, and how brain, personality, genes, environment and relationships shape it, applied to health, work, media and sport.

Image: Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Where
AmsterdamNetherlands
Degree
BSc
Length
3 years
Taught in
English
Starts
Autumn 2027
Apply by
15 January 2027
Admission
SelectiveIB grades · 600 places
EU/EEA fee
€2,7712027/28 statutory fee
More facts
Degree
BSc
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. 15 January 2027

    Applications close
    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

The programme starts broad and then specialises. Year one covers biological, cognitive, social and developmental psychology, personality, psychopathology, research methods, statistics and communication skills. Year two adds neuropsychology, work and organisational psychology, genes and environment, interviewing skills and diagnostics, with pre-minors that preview year three. In year three you choose a learning line: Clinical, Psychopathology, Health and Prevention, Social and Organisational Psychology, or Genes, Cognition and Behaviour. You also take a minor and write an independent bachelor's thesis.

What you need

  • Numerus fixus (600 places, English and Dutch tracks together): apply by 15 January; GPA plus an online test on 6 March 2027 (pass mark 5.5 of 10), then a lottery.
Requirements in full

Every IB applicant at VU Amsterdam

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

Where it says so

Its entry requirements

Check it on vu.nl

How places are decided

    • IB grades
    • Entrance exam
    • Lottery
    Numerus fixus, 600 places (English and Dutch tracks). Apply by 15 Jan 2027; GPA plus an online test on 6 March sort you into groups, then a lottery within groups 2 and 3.
Sources (3)
  1. Psychology at VU Amsterdam — checked 2026-09-30
  2. Entry requirements
  3. IB applicants at VU Amsterdam

Other degrees at VU Amsterdam