Erasmus University Rotterdam admission for 2027 entry: deadlines, selection and costs

To start a bachelor at Erasmus University Rotterdam in the 2027-2028 academic year, you register for your programme in Studielink and then complete the application in the EUR Admissions Portal. The selective numerus fixus programmes close first: the International Bachelor Economics and Business Economics (IBEB) takes 500 students for 2027-2028 and its deadline is 15 January 2027 23:59 CET, while other programmes run later, such as the International Bachelor Communication and Media (IBCoM) on 15 March 2027.

Erasmus University Rotterdam describes the route in two steps: first you register for your programme of choice in Studielink, the Dutch national application portal, and after that you receive emails to log in to the EUR Admissions Portal. In the Admissions Portal, all students with an international diploma applying for a bachelor programme pay a non-refundable application fee of €100.

The real bar at Erasmus University Rotterdam has three parts that every programme checks: a school-leaving diploma that meets the general admission requirements, proof of English, and the mathematics level the programme asks for. On top of that comes selection. Erasmus University Rotterdam states that because of the selective nature of all its international bachelor programmes, meeting the requirements does not automatically mean you will be selected. The chapters on diplomas, English, mathematics and selection set out each rule per programme.

The cost depends on which fee applies to you. The statutory tuition fee for 2027-2028 is € 2,771. The institutional bachelor fee for 2027-2028 at the schools ESSB, ESPhil, ESHCC, ESHPM, ESL and ESE is €8,600 for EEA students and €14,700 for non-EEA students. The tuition chapter explains who pays which fee.

Rules that catch international applicants out

• Meeting the requirements is not a place: Erasmus University Rotterdam says meeting them does not automatically mean you will be selected, for all its international bachelor programmes.
• Non-EU/EEA applicants who need a Dutch residence permit face an earlier deadline in some programmes: for IBEOR, the 1 April deadline applies to students who apply with a non-EU/EEA nationality, because the permit process takes more time.
• Paper still matters: Erasmus University Rotterdam asks you to send certified copies of your diploma and final transcript by post, and says it will never ask you to send your original documents.
• Standardised tests are not a shortcut: for IBEB, the admission page states that SAT and ACT are not accepted.

Erasmus Pavilion on the Erasmus University Rotterdam campus

Which 2027-2028 intake the university names

The central diploma overview of Erasmus University Rotterdam is titled "Diploma overview 2027" and "General Admission Requirements Erasmus University Rotterdam 2027/2028". The IBEB page names 500 places for 2027-2028, the International Bachelor in Psychology page says applications for the 2027-2028 academic year open in October 2026 with a deadline of 15 January 2027, and the IBCoM page names the academic year 2027-2028 with a deadline of 15 March 2027 at 23.59 hrs CET. The IBA page shows that Studielink opened on 1 October 2026.

Erasmus University Rotterdam says that in the most important rankings it is positioned in the top 3% of best universities in the world. That is the university's own claim, not a position from a ranking publisher's table.

The rankings page of Erasmus University Rotterdam lists results in Times Higher Education, the QS ranking, the National Taiwan University Ranking and the Center for World University Rankings, each with a national and a worldwide position. The page does not name the edition year of any of these rankings, so you cannot tell from it which year's table a position comes from. If a ranking position matters to you, check the current edition on the publisher's own site.

What Rotterdam School of Management says about itself

Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University (RSM) runs the BSc International Business Administration. RSM says that with over 55 years of experience in business and management education it is consistently ranked as one of Europe's top-ranked business schools, and that it is among the 1% of schools worldwide with Triple Crown accreditation. RSM's facts page does not give a specific Financial Times position.

How many students study at Erasmus University Rotterdam

RSM reports 10000+ students across its BSc, MSc, MBA and EMBA programmes and 45,000+ alumni active worldwide, without naming a year. The facts and figures page of the International Bachelor Economics and Business Economics gives 461 as the number of students in the first year, shown with a data date of January 2024. Erasmus University Rotterdam does not give a university-wide total of students or of international students on its rankings and admission pages.

For your application, reputation matters less than fit and the selection rules. Erasmus University Rotterdam's international bachelors are all selective, and the programme you choose decides your deadline, your mathematics requirement and how you are ranked or selected. The following chapters set those out programme by programme.

The bachelor overview of Erasmus University Rotterdam lists single bachelors taught in English that mostly last 3 years, plus double bachelors of 4 years and a Dual Degree in Arts and Sciences of 5 years. International Business Administration, International Bachelor Economics and Business Economics and International Bachelor in Psychology admit a fixed number of students, and the selection chapter explains how each programme chooses its students.

The bachelor overview of Erasmus University Rotterdam marks each programme with its length and its language. The English-taught single bachelors cover business, economics, econometrics, communication and media, arts and culture, history, psychology, social challenges, liberal arts and nanobiology. International Business Administration is taught at the Rotterdam School of Management (RSM). Nanobiology, in the words of the overview, is a new field of research that borders on physics and biology.

The Liberal Arts and Sciences bachelor at Erasmus University College lets you build your own programme and specialise in subjects such as business, psychology or medicine. The double bachelors combine econometrics or economics with a second field, such as philosophy, and take 4 years. The Dual Degree in Arts and Sciences is aimed at students with an artistic or musical talent who also want an academic degree, and lasts 5 years.

IBEB in numbers

The International Bachelor Economics and Business Economics is the programme with the most published detail. Its facts page gives the degree as a BSc lasting 3 years, taught in English, worth 180 study points (EC), on Campus Woudestein, with 461 students in the first year, shown with a data date of January 2024. For the other English-taught programmes, the bachelor overview gives length and language but the programme pages do not state a campus or a first-year size.

Which English-taught bachelors have a numerus fixus

A numerus fixus programme admits a fixed number of students. At Erasmus University Rotterdam, the programme pages give these numbers for the coming intake: IBEB admits 500 students for 2027-2028; the English-taught International Bachelor in Psychology has 120 places in the academic year 2027-2028; RSM says only 650 students are admitted to IBA for the September intake, without naming the year.

For the International Bachelor in Psychology, the admission page puts the maximum total intake for 2027-2028 at 600 students: 120 places in the English-language track and 480 places in the Dutch-language Psychologie. The other English-taught bachelors, such as IBEOR, IBCoM, MISC and Liberal Arts and Sciences, review each application in their own selection procedure, and the diploma overview says that your diploma being on the list does not guarantee admission. The selection chapter explains each procedure.

Bachelors taught in Dutch

Several bachelors at Erasmus University Rotterdam are taught only in Dutch, among them the Bachelor of Medicine (3 years), Psychologie (3 years), Clinical Technology (3 years) and Economie en Bedrijfseconomie (3 years). These Dutch-taught programmes require Dutch at the level the chapter on Dutch-taught programmes describes.

For 2027-2028, Erasmus University Rotterdam admits 500 students to the International Bachelor Economics and Business Economics (IBEB) and has a maximum total intake of 600 in Psychology, of which 120 places are in the English-language International Bachelor in Psychology; RSM admits 650 students to International Business Administration (IBA) for the September intake without naming the year. Meeting the minimum is not a place: the diploma overview says your diploma being on the list does not guarantee admission, and RSM says meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission to IBA.

A numerus fixus programme has a fixed number of places and selects its students before the deadline. At Erasmus University Rotterdam, each programme page gives its own number of places for the coming intake, shown below with the year the page names.

Rules for all numerus fixus programmes

• The central numerus fixus page, which still describes the 2026-2027 intake, says you can register for up to two study programmes with numerus fixus per academic year, and that you can register twice for the same programme at two different universities. Medicine is the exception: you can select only one university.
• The same page says that in principle you can take part in selection up to a maximum of three times, but some programmes allow only one or two.
• On that page, a registration request that is or has been active after January 15 counts as a spent selection attempt.

IBEB: grades, an online activity and a weighted lottery

IBEB's admission page for academic year 2027-2028 asks you to be aware of the 15 January deadline, since IBEB is a numerus fixus programme. For 2027-2028, 500 seats are available, and admission is based on a decentralised selection procedure and a weighted lottery. Ranking numbers 1-250 go to applicants with the best grade average who passed the curriculum-based activity. Numbers 251 and higher go through a weighted lottery among those who passed the activity, with your grades weighted 50% and a random score weighted 50%. If you are still in school, IBEB uses the end-of-year grades of your penultimate year; if you have graduated, it uses your final grade list plus any college or university grades.

International Bachelor in Psychology: the Selection Assessment

The International Bachelor in Psychology is a numerus fixus programme with a Selection Assessment as part of the application procedure. Erasmus University Rotterdam builds a ranking list from the assessment outcome and your grade point average, and from April 15th you can see your place on it. If you are selected, you must accept your place within 2 weeks. Offers can still come until August 15th, automatically through Studielink.

IBA: rank number from grades and motivation

RSM gives each IBA applicant a rank number from three factors: general eligibility (diploma level, English and maths), the grade average at the time of application (75%) and the answers to the motivation questions (25%). The top 650 receive admission offers and the others go on a waiting list; results are released on 15 April. RSM adds that meeting the minimum admission requirements does not guarantee admission to IBA, because selection depends on the strength of the overall applicant pool.

How the other English-taught bachelors select

• International Bachelor Communication and Media (IBCoM) looks at intellectual ability, international education, international orientation and mindset, and personal motivation; the motivation letter is a very important part of the application. You hear the outcome by 15 April 2027 at the latest.
• Management of International Social Challenges (MISC): the Admissions Board looks at your complete file, including average grade, English proficiency, motivation letter and extracurricular or international experience. Your CV must be in English and at most 2 A4 pages. MISC receives more applications than it has places and assesses every application against the pool.
• Liberal Arts and Sciences at Erasmus University College evaluates applicants holistically, on academic record and on motivation, and asks for a motivation letter.
• International Bachelor Econometrics and Operations Research (IBEOR): a Selection Committee reviews your documents and gives feedback within 6 weeks.
• International Bachelor Arts and Culture Studies and International Bachelor History do not set out their selection criteria beyond the motivation letter on their pages.

Meeting the minimum is not an offer

Erasmus University Rotterdam says in its diploma overview that your diploma being on the list does not guarantee admission to its bachelor programmes, and RSM says the same of IBA. Treat every minimum grade in this report as the gate into selection, not as the level of the students who are admitted.

At Erasmus University Rotterdam the SAT and ACT are not part of the standard bachelor requirements: IBEB states that SAT and ACT are not accepted (IBEOR says the same for its US route), and Erasmus University College accepts an SAT of at least 1170 or an ACT composite of 27 only when you do not meet its average grade requirement. The tests that matter are programme assessments, such as the IBEB online activity and the Psychology Selection Assessment, and maths tests that fill a maths deficiency.

SAT and ACT

The admission page of the International Bachelor Economics and Business Economics (IBEB) says plainly that SAT / ACT are not accepted, and the International Bachelor Econometrics and Operations Research (IBEOR) says the same for its US route. Erasmus University College (Liberal Arts and Sciences) is the exception: you can take the SAT (minimum 1170) or the ACT (minimum composite 27) if you do not meet the average grade requirement. Erasmus University College adds that the SAT or ACT cannot compensate the minimum diploma requirements of Erasmus University Rotterdam, and cannot replace the OMPT-A maths test or an approved English proficiency test.

Assessments in the numerus fixus programmes

• IBEB: if you meet the admission requirements, you are invited in February/March to an online curriculum-based activity of several E-modules that represent first-year courses, with reading material, interactive videos and reflective questions. Taking part is mandatory and judged pass/fail; you pass when all parts of all E-modules are completed before 15 March 2027 12:00 AM CET (noon), as the page writes it.
• International Bachelor in Psychology: if your application is complete by the deadline, you receive the details of the Selection Assessment by email on February 2nd. The assessment has an online knowledge test, prepared from lectures and articles sent on February 2nd, and questions on your motivation and study approach.
• International Business Administration (IBA): there is no selection test. In the Online Application Form (OLAF) you answer two short motivation questions in English, worth 25% of the selection points for the final ranking.

Maths tests that fill a maths deficiency

If your diploma does not show the maths level a programme asks for, the central Mathematics Deficiency Exam page of Erasmus University Rotterdam lists the ways to fill the gap: a VWO maths partial certificate, the OMPT (Online Mathematics Placement Test), the CCVX test Mathematics, or the mathematics exam of the Boswell Beta Institute in Utrecht. Each programme sets its own minimum and its own deadline. Erasmus University Rotterdam's page on non-Dutch diplomas and the colloquium doctum (as of October 2026) says the EUR does not take its own tests: you obtain the required certificates yourself, for example VWO certificates through the Staatsexamen, and you can apply for these until 31 December prior to the academic year in which you want to start.

For the Dutch-taught Econometrie en Operationele Research, the central page adds that Erasmus School of Economics requires a minimum grade of 7.5 in Mathematics B. The mathematics chapter sets out which diplomas meet each programme's maths requirement without a test.

Are there interviews?

Liberal Arts and Sciences at Erasmus University College invites you to an online interview once you have completed the written part of its selection procedure, and the questions relate to your motivation letter. Management of International Social Challenges (MISC) says an interview is not part of its standard admissions process. The admission pages of IBEB, IBA and the International Bachelor in Psychology describe their procedures without an interview.

You apply to an Erasmus University Rotterdam bachelor in two places: first you register for the programme in Studielink, then you complete the application in the EUR Admissions Portal (for International Business Administration, the RSM Online Application Form, OLAF), where applicants with a non-Dutch diploma pay a non-refundable fee of €100. For 2027-2028, IBA and IBEB opened on 1 October 2026; IBEB closes on 15 January 2027, 23:59 CET, and IBA needs your Studielink registration by the same date, with its application form due by 31 January 2027, 23:59 CET.

Erasmus University Rotterdam says each bachelor programme has its own specific admission requirements and application procedure, so read your programme's page as well as the central one. A Studielink registration on its own is not an application: IBEB states that only registering with Studielink is not a valid application, and RSM states that a Studielink registration is NOT the actual RSM application for IBA.

The application fee

All students applying for a bachelor's programme with a non-Dutch diploma pay a non-refundable application fee of €100, by credit card (Mastercard, VISA), Maestro or iDEAL. An International Baccalaureate (IB) or European Baccalaureate (EB) obtained in the Netherlands also counts as a non-Dutch diploma. IBEB calls it a handling fee of €100 for applicants without a VWO or HBO Propaedeutic diploma.

If you also apply to IBA at Rotterdam School of Management or to one of the International Bachelor programmes at Erasmus School of Economics, Erasmus University Rotterdam says an additional, non-refundable application fee is required; the application fee page does not state its amount. Having already paid the fee for another Erasmus University Rotterdam programme for the academic year 2027-2028 exempts you from the central fee, but not from the RSM IBA fee or the ESE International bachelor fee.

Documents to upload and send

• Certified copies by post: send certified copies of your diploma and final transcript to Erasmus University Rotterdam by post. The stamps and signatures of a school official, notary or other authorised person must be freshly placed in wet ink. Erasmus University Rotterdam will never ask for your original documents.
• Translations: diplomas and transcripts are accepted in Dutch, English, German, Spanish, Italian and French; in any other language you need certified translations.
• Diploma statement: if you have not yet finished secondary school, ask your school counsellor to complete the diploma statement. For IBA, the RSM diploma statement is required unless you have already graduated.
• Score codes: IB results go to code 036995 (Central Admissions), 034892 (RSM) or 037280 (ESE); TOEFL code 7199 (Erasmus University Rotterdam), 0798 (RSM), 2641 (ESHCC) or 5394 (ESE); SAT code 6757.

When applications open and decisions come

For IBCoM, you can start your application for the academic year 2027-2028 in Studielink from 1 October. The International Bachelor in Psychology says applications for 2027-2028 open in October 2026 with a deadline of 15 January 2027. RSM releases IBA results on 15 April, and IBCoM decides by 15 April 2027 at the latest.

After the offer

If you have not graduated when you apply, your offer is conditional: Erasmus University Rotterdam says you still need to obtain your diploma and the minimum grades your conditional offer is based on. Remember that all its international bachelors are selective, so an offer, not the requirements, is what secures your place.

Non-EU/EEA students also go through an immigration procedure with its own expenses and deadlines. For IBCoM, Erasmus University Rotterdam says that if you are admitted, its immigration officers will reach out to you. The residence permit chapter explains the steps, and the tuition chapter covers payment.

For 2027-2028 entry, the numerus fixus bachelors at Erasmus University Rotterdam close first, on 15 January 2027 23:59 CET for IBEB, with the same date for the International Bachelor in Psychology and for the Studielink registration of International Business Administration (its application form is due by 31 January 2027, 23:59 CET). The other English-taught programmes close later: IBCoM on 15 March 2027, MISC on April 1, 2027, and IBEOR on 1 April 2027 for non-EU/EEA applicants and 1 May 2027 for EU/EEA applicants, the same April and May split that IBACS and International Bachelor History use.

RSM opened IBA applications for 2027-2028 on 1 October 2026, and the IBCoM, IBACS and International Bachelor History pages say you can start your 2027-2028 application in Studielink from 1 October; IBEOR opens on 1 November 2026. For Liberal Arts and Sciences, if you apply by the regular deadline you hear by 15 February, and by the final deadline you hear by 31 May. IBEB sends ranking numbers on 15 April 2027.

Earlier deadlines for non-EU/EEA applicants

IBEOR explains why its non-EU/EEA deadline is earlier: the 1 April deadline applies to students who apply with a non-EU/EEA nationality and therefore need a Dutch residence permit, because that process takes more time. IBACS and International Bachelor History use the same split, 1 April for non-EEA students and 1 May for EEA students. The numerus fixus programmes have one deadline for everyone in January.

Deadlines for test results, diplomas and certified copies

• IBA: all documents by 31 January; maths and English test results by 15 March.
• IBCoM: proof of English by 1 May for non-EEA students and 1 August for EEA students. IBACS uses the same English deadlines, 1 May and 1 August.
• IBEB: upload certified copies and any sworn translations of your diploma and final grade list by 1 August; (I)GCE A-level and Irish Leaving Certificate students have until 21 August.
• A-levels at central level: official results come out in mid-August, after the deadline for certified copies (1st of August), so your school can send the Provisional Statement of Results from the Exam Board when it becomes available.
• International Bachelor in Psychology: everything is due with the application by 15 January 2027, 23:59 CET.

The previous cycle followed the same pattern: for 2026-2027, Studielink opened on 1 October 2025 and the final registration date for numerus fixus programmes was 15 January 2026.

Each English-taught bachelor at Erasmus University Rotterdam sets its own English minimum: IBEB and IBEOR ask for IELTS Academic 6.0 or TOEFL iBT 4.5 on the new scale with no subscores, while IBCoM asks for IELTS 7 or TOEFL iBT 5.0, and IBA asks for IELTS 6.5 with 6.0 in every part. You are exempt in most programmes with an English-taught IB or EB, or with enough years of school in an English-speaking country.

TOEFL iBT has a new scale, and the IBCoM and IBACS pages give both: IBCoM's TOEFL iBT 5.0 equals 94 on the old scale, and the 4.5 of IBACS equals 90. RSM still states the IBA requirement on the old scale, with sub-scores.

Some tests and formats are refused. IBCoM, IBACS and History do not accept the IELTS One Skill Retake: one single IELTS must meet the requirement. Psychology and MISC do not accept IELTS online. RSM does not accept Michigan English or Duolingo for IBA. At Erasmus School of Economics, if you are a non-EEA student who needs a visa or residence permit, you must take your test at an official test centre, and IELTS Indicator, TOEFL Home Edition and TOEFL MyBest Scores are not accepted; EEA students may use online test versions.

Who is exempt from an English test

• Central rule: the Diploma overview 2027/2028 says English language exemption is only possible if you obtain a European Baccalaureate with English as a first or second language, or an International Baccalaureate with English A at Higher or Standard Level, or English B at Higher Level, or if you obtained your diploma or attended secondary school for at least two and a half years in Australia, Canada (except Quebec), Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, the United Kingdom or the United States; for South Africa, exemption is only granted when the National Senior Certificate has been obtained with English Home Language.
• Diploma overview 2027/2028, per diploma: the European Baccalaureate exempts you from the English test with English as Language 1 or 2, and the International Baccalaureate with English A or B at Higher Level, or English A at Standard Level.
• South Africa (National Senior Certificate), on the same overview: exempted from the English proficiency test with English Home Language.
• Austria (Reifeprüfungszeugnis or Reife- und Diplomprüfungszeugnis), on the same overview: exempted from the English proficiency test.
• Belgium, on the same overview: exempted from Dutch and English only when the Diploma van Secundair Onderwijs is obtained.
• Germany (Abitur), on the same overview: exempted from the English proficiency test if English was included in the final year or was one of the final examination subjects.
• Aruba (VWO diploma), on the same overview: exempted from the Dutch and English proficiency tests.
• Curaçao (VWO diploma), on the same overview: exempted from the Dutch and English proficiency tests.
• Sint Maarten (VWO diploma), on the same overview: exempted from the Dutch and English proficiency tests.
• Suriname (VWO diploma), on the same overview: exempted from the Dutch and English proficiency tests.
• IBEB sets minimum IB grades for the exemption: English A HL (4) or English A SL (5) or English B HL (5). IBCoM and Psychology accept English A HL or SL or English B HL at 4 or higher. Psychology requires EB English as L1 or L2 with at least 7.0, not L3.
• IBA uses a shorter schooling rule: at least two years of full-time education in English during secondary school in the USA, UK, Canada (excluding Quebec), Ireland, Australia, New Zealand or South Africa. An English-taught IB Diploma, UK or International A Levels or an American High School Diploma also exempt, if the final two years were fully taught in English, as does grade B (5) in (I)GCSE First Language English.
• IBEB: a US high school diploma exempts if the final two years were fully taught in English; the German Abitur exempts with English to the final year at 10/15; the French baccalaureate OIB/BFI exempts in the American or British section with at least 14. For a Polish diploma, passing an English language test is mandatory for IBEB.
• IBCoM and Psychology accept English in a listed national final exam at 70% of the maximum, such as the German Abitur with grade 11 or higher; IBCoM also accepts a 7 or higher for English in the Dutch VWO final exam.
• A passport is never enough: Psychology and RSM both state that a passport from an English-speaking country without schooling there does not grant exemption.

IBEB: English by diploma and accepted tests

• Dutch VWO diploma: English language minimum score 7.0.
• British (International) A-levels: (I)GCSE English Language, English Language and Literature, or English Literature, minimum grade of B (5); English as second language is not accepted.
• Austria (Reifeprüfungszeugnis): English language, minimum grade 2 (gut).
• Belgium (Vlaams Algemeen Secundair Onderwijs diploma): English language, minimum grade 7 (or 70 on scale 1-100).
• Australia (Higher School Certificate or Certificate of Education): English language, exemption.
• South Africa (National Senior Certificate): exempted from the English language test when English is followed as home language.
• West African Senior Secondary School Certificate: mandatory to pass an English language test.
• Israel (Te'udat Bagrut): mandatory to pass an English language test.
• If your diploma does not meet the requirement, IBEB accepts TOEFL iBT, minimum overall score 4.5, IELTS Academic, minimum overall score 6.0, Cambridge B2 First, minimum overall score 170, Cambridge C1 Advanced, minimum overall score 170, Cambridge C2 Proficiency, minimum overall score 180, LanguageCert, minimum overall score 65 or Pearson PTE Academic, minimum overall score 61.

What the IBCoM, IBACS, History and IBA pages say

• IBCoM's admission page (as of October 2026) says that if you are applying with an HBO propedeuse, you need to take an English language proficiency test.
• IBCoM's admission page (as of October 2026) exempts an International Baccalaureate diploma with English A at Higher or Standard Level (4 or higher) or English B at Higher Level (4 or higher) and a European Baccalaureate diploma with English as first or second language.
• IBCoM's admission page (as of October 2026) otherwise asks for IELTS Academic with a minimum overall band score of 7, Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE) or Cambridge C2 Proficiency (CPE) with a minimum overall score of 180, LanguageCert with a minimum total score of 75 or Pearson PTE Academic with a minimum overall score of 75.
• IBACS's admission page (as of October 2026) exempts an International Baccalaureate diploma with English A at Higher or Standard Level or English B at Higher Level, and otherwise asks for IELTS Academic with a minimum overall band score of 6.5, Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE) or Cambridge C2 Proficiency (CPE) with a minimum overall score of 180, LanguageCert with a minimum total score of 70 or Pearson PTE Academic with a minimum overall score of 70.
• The International Bachelor History admission page (as of October 2026) exempts an International Baccalaureate diploma with English A at Higher or Standard Level or English B at Higher Level, and otherwise asks for IELTS Academic with a minimum overall band score of 6.5, Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE) or Cambridge C2 Proficiency (CPE) with a minimum overall score of 180, LanguageCert with a minimum total score of 70 or Pearson PTE Academic with a minimum overall score of 70.
• RSM's IBA English requirements page (as of October 2026) accepts B2 First (FCE) with minimum overall score of 170 and minimum subscores of 170 (Reading, Listening, Writing, Speaking), C1 Business Higher (BEC Higher) with minimum overall score of 170 and minimum subscores of 170, Pearson PTE with a minimum score of 70 and LanguageCert with a minimum score of 70.

How old a score may be and when it is due

At Erasmus School of Economics, your certificate cannot be older than 2 years at the time of your application, and IBCoM says test scores cannot be older than two years when you submit your application. Submission dates differ by programme: IBA test results are due by 15 March, IBCoM and IBACS take proof of English until 1 May for non-EEA students and 1 August for EEA students, and Psychology wants everything with the application by 15 January 2027, 23:59 CET.

The economics and business bachelors at Erasmus University Rotterdam need school maths comparable to Dutch VWO Mathematics A or B, which for IB applicants to IBEB and IBA means Analysis & Approaches HL 4, Analysis & Approaches SL 5 or Applications & Interpretation HL 5. Econometrics (IBEOR) asks for more: a background comparable to VWO Mathematics B.

IBEB says your background must be comparable to VWO Mathematics A or B with a solid grade, and that mathematics should be studied up to and including the final year of secondary school. RSM says the same level, VWO Mathematics A or B with a sufficient grade, applies to IBA, and warns that an insufficient grade or level for mathematics puts you in the bottom tier of the IBA ranking. IBEOR requires a background comparable to VWO Mathematics B; for a Dutch VWO diploma, Mathematics B must be a final examination subject, and Mathematics D counts only together with Mathematics B.

A few details change the picture. IBEB applicants who chose Applications & Interpretation SL, or who miss the IB grades, must submit a maths proficiency certificate. For Poland, IBEB uses your final-year grade (minimum 4) and 70% in extended maths in the Matura if you have already graduated.

How to fix a maths deficiency

If your maths level falls short, Erasmus University Rotterdam lets you reach it through the relevant maths state exams, a VWO maths partial certificate, the OMPT, the CCVX test Mathematics or the maths exam of the Boswell Beta Institute in Utrecht. Passing a deficiency test does not give automatic admission to the programme.

• IBEB: OMPT-A 70% or OMPT-B 60%, or a VWO deelcertificaat (Staatsexamen) with Wiskunde A 7.0 or Wiskunde B 6.0, included by 15 January. Only your first attempt counts, OMPT-F is not accepted, and Erasmus School of Economics does not accept re-sits.
• IBEB also accepts a Boswell-Bèta certificate with Wiskunde A 7.0 or Wiskunde B 6.0, or a CCVX certificate with Wiskunde A 7.0 or Wiskunde B 6.0.
• IBEOR: only OMPT type D; OMPT-A, B and F are not accepted. The central page puts the OMPT-D minimum for Econometrie en Operationele Research at 75%.
• IBA: OMPT 75%, available to RSM by 15 March and not older than two years; RSM allows a maximum of two attempts. A Boswell Beta or CCVX certificate needs 6.5 for VWO Mathematics A or 6.0 for VWO Mathematics B by 15 March.

Two official pages disagree on IBA. The central Mathematics Deficiency Exam page lists IBA with OMPT minimum 75%, VWO Mathematics A 7.0 or VWO Mathematics B 6.0, while the RSM IBA mathematics exam page asks for 6.5 in VWO Mathematics A. Aim for the higher grade, or confirm with RSM before you book the exam.

For the academic year starting September 2027, Erasmus University Rotterdam requires a school-leaving diploma with final exams in general academic subjects, assesses the diploma you actually hold rather than an equivalent, and does not accept foundation years; if you do not meet the grade requirements by August 31st, you cannot enrol for September 2027. The full IB diploma and the European Baccalaureate are sufficient for general admission, and the programme pages add their own subjects and grades on top.

The Central Admissions Office of Erasmus University Rotterdam keeps a list of the most common international diplomas that meet the minimum admission requirements for the academic year 2027. Your diploma being on that list does not guarantee admission to a bachelor programme: it only shows you clear the general bar. Each programme then checks its own subject, English and maths requirements, and the selective programmes rank or select on top.

General rules for every diploma

• The Diploma overview 2027/2028 says that, in principle, Erasmus University Rotterdam requires final exams in general education or academic subjects, independent and not related to one another, and that applied or vocational subjects are not accepted.
• Homologation of a foreign diploma is not valid for admission: Erasmus University Rotterdam assesses the diploma you obtained, not its equivalent. IBEB's admission page puts it as "we assess your actual diploma, not its equivalent", and adds that if you hold two diplomas, it only considers the one with the highest academic level.
• Foundation year programmes, courses and certificates are not accepted for entry into the bachelor programmes.
• A conditional offer does not guarantee admission: you must still meet all diploma requirements before admission is confirmed, and the grades must be met by August 31st for the year starting September 2027.

For the American High School Diploma, the central list requires AP exams to be taken externally with the College Board, and states the rule for a US diploma obtained outside the USA. IBEB applies its US rules to a US high school diploma obtained in or outside the USA and asks for a minimum GPA of 3.00 in grade 11 and 12. For IBA, at the time of applying you must have passed at least one AP exam with a score of at least 3, and proof of all four AP exams is due before your studies start.

IB and A-level details that decide your ranking

For IBA, RSM grants selection points only if your IB total is 33 points or higher, counted over the 6 exam subjects without TOK and EE; below that you earn no selection points for the final ranking. If you are in your final year, RSM counts the grades of your penultimate year, and predicted grades are not used. IB certificates and the IB Career-related programme are not accepted for IBA.

For A-levels, the central list prefers English and Mathematics among your subjects. IBA makes Mathematics compulsory at A-level and asks for AAB, which sits above the general A* to C requirement. The maths chapter shows the A-level maths grades that IBEB and IBEOR require.

• A-levels: the Diploma overview 2027/2028 lists as generally accepted subjects English Language or English Literature, Ancient History, Biology, Chemistry, Classical Civilisation, Classical Studies, Computer Science, Economics, Environmental Science / Technology, Further Mathematics, Geography, Government and Politics, History, History of Art, Islamic Studies, Law, Life and Health Sciences, Marine Sciences, Mathematics, Philosophy, Physics, Politics, Psychology, Religious Studies, Sociology and Statistics.
• AP courses for an American High School Diploma obtained outside the USA: the same overview accepts Art History, English Language and Composition, English Literature and Composition, African American Studies, Comparative Government and Politics, European History, Human Geography, Macroeconomics, Microeconomics, Psychology, United States Government and Politics, United States History, World History: Modern, Calculus AB or BC, Computer Science Principles, Statistics, Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science and Physics (1, 2, and C).
• IBCoM's admission page (as of October 2026) asks for a secondary or high school diploma equivalent to the Dutch VWO diploma and refers you to the central list of the most common diplomas.

Programme diploma tables

IBEB and IBEOR each publish a table per country and diploma with the subjects and minimum grades they require, and RSM publishes a requirement page per diploma for IBA. Read the entry for your own diploma on your programme's page: the requirements-by-country chapter summarises the main national diplomas. If your diploma is not listed, Erasmus University Rotterdam asks you to contact the Central Admissions Office.

The Diploma overview 2027 of Erasmus University Rotterdam, titled General Admission Requirements 2027/2028, lists for each country the diploma that meets its general bar, and several countries carry minimum grades: for example Spain needs a PAU/EBAU/EvAU average of at least 6.0, Ireland 400 CAO points, and China a Gaokao score of 550 out of 750 for most provinces. For an Israeli Te'udat Bagrut the same list asks for a minimum of 21 units; English and Mathematics are mandatory with a minimum of 4 units. These are the general minimums for all bachelors; your programme can ask for more.

For many European countries the general requirement is the national school-leaving diploma alone. The overview lists Poland's Świadectwo Dojrzałości plus the Świadectwo Ukończenia Liceum Ogólnokształcącego, Germany's Zeugnis der allgemeinen Hochschulreife (Abitur), France's Baccalauréat Général or Baccalauréat Français International, Austria's Reifeprüfungszeugnis, and Italy's Esame di Stato diploma from a Liceo Classico, Scientifico, Linguistico or delle Scienze Umane. Germany, Austria and the French BFI American or British section also bring an exemption from the English test, under the conditions the English chapter sets out.

Programme pages can be stricter than the overview. For Italian applicants to IBEB, passing a maths deficiency exam is mandatory, except for students from Liceo Scientifico with at least 7/10. For a Polish diploma, IBEB and IBEOR make an English test mandatory and IBEOR also a maths deficiency exam, as the mathematics chapter shows.

Diplomas from outside Europe

If your diploma is not listed, Erasmus University Rotterdam asks you to contact the Central Admissions Office. IBEB says diplomas not listed on its website are evaluated individually, most likely with the expertise of NUFFIC and/or ECCTIS, and that admissibility can only be determined after you have submitted a complete application. Because each programme checks subjects, English and maths on top of the general list, read your country's entry on your programme page before you apply.

More diplomas on the central list

• Scotland: Scottish Qualification Certificate with at least 4 Highers and 2 Advanced Highers in general academic subjects with grades A-B.
• Canada, Ontario: Ontario Secondary School Diploma with at least 6 4U courses in grade 12; M courses and the subject Interdisciplinary Studies are not accepted.
• Canada, Alberta: Alberta High School Diploma with 5 independent general academic courses (course numbers 30-39) in grade 12.
• Canada, British Columbia: Senior Secondary Graduation Diploma with at least 13 successfully completed general academic courses, of which 5 must be completed in grade 12.
• Canada, Manitoba: High School Graduation Diploma including 5 full credits at the Grade 12 level in general academic courses designated S, G or U.
• Canada, New Brunswick: High School Graduation Diploma with at least 5 grade 12 general academic courses (level 2).
• Canada, Saskatchewan: Transcript of Secondary Level Achievement in at least five different grade 12 (level 30) courses in general, academic subjects.
• New Zealand: NCEA Level 3 plus University Entrance, with a total of at least 5 independent general education subjects, with 60 credits in Level 3, including 3 subjects with at least 14 credits each in Level 3.
• West Africa: West African Senior Secondary School Certificate with at least 6 general academic subjects with grades of C6 or higher.
• Morocco: Attestation du Baccalauréat in Sciences expérimentales, Sciences mathématiques or Lettres modernes, with a General Average of at least 14 and with scores of 14 for each of the 4 National Examinations.
• Vietnam: Bang Tot Nghiep Trung Hoc Pho Thong with an average grade of 7.5 or higher for the four national examinations and no final exam grade below 6.5.
• Chile: Licencia de Educación Media plus the Prueba de Acceso a la Educación Superior, with a minimum score of 600.
• Colombia: Título de Bachiller Académico plus Examen de Estado de la Educación Media / Saber 11 with a minimum score of 250.
• Ecuador: Título de Bachiller en Ciencias or en Humanidades, plus the Examen Nacional para la Educación Superior (ENES) with a minimum score of 600.
• Peru: Certificado Oficial de Estudios de Nivel Educación Secundaria en el Area de Ciencias y Humanidades with a final grade of AD (GPA of at least 17).
• Hungary: Érettségi Bizonyítvány obtained at a Gimnázium (general/academic curriculum) with at least one exam subject at advanced level (Emelt); the fifth elective exam must be in a general education subject.
• Iran: certificate of completion of upper secondary school studies in the theoretical stream (Experimental Sciences, or Mathematics and Physics); for diplomas obtained before 2019, the Certificate of Completion of Secondary School Studies (theoretical profile) plus the Pre-University Certificate.
• Syria: general secondary school report of the Science stream with an overall grade of 60% to 69% of the maximum score.

What IBEB asks for per diploma

• West African Senior Secondary School Certificate: at least 6 general academic subjects with grades of C6 or higher.
• Kenya: Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education with grades A, B or C in at least 6 subjects.
• Morocco: Attestation du Baccalauréat, Série Lettres (Modernes / Originelles) or Série Sciences (Expérimentales / Mathématique / Originelles).
• South Africa: National Senior Certificate with the mention that the minimum requirements for admission to a bachelor's degree are met, a minimum overall average score of 70% in accepted subjects, and no subjects under 55%.
• India: Standard XII diploma with at least 5 independent general/academic subjects with a minimum score of 80%; CBSE: All India Secondary School Certificate (academic stream) with no final results under B1; CISCE: Indian School Certificate (academic stream) with no final results under 80%.
• Kazakhstan: Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools (NIS) Grade 12 Certificate, with at least 3 subjects passed on advanced level, including mathematics with a score between A*-B, and at least 2 subjects on standard level with no scores under C.
• Australia: Higher School Certificate or Certificate of Education with a minimum ATAR-score of 86.
• New Zealand: NCEA Level 3 with at least 60 credits at level 3.

Israel: Te'udat Bagrut

On the Diploma overview 2027/2028, the general minimum for an Israeli Te'udat Bagrut is a minimum of 21 units, including at least three general academic subjects at unit level 4 or 5, chosen from Geography, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Computer Science, Foreign Languages and Social Studies, and English and Mathematics are mandatory with a minimum of 4 units. For IBA and IBEB the same overview says please contact the faculties directly: Erasmus School of Economics (IBEB) and RSM (IBA) each publish their own Bagrut entry, and those entries set the rules below.

• IBEB, Israeli Bagrut: at least 21 units, including at least 3 general academic subjects, and mathematics studied as a 5-unit course with a minimum score of 80 on scale 1-100. For every diploma, IBEB adds that applied or vocational subjects are not accepted and mathematics should be studied up to and including the final year of secondary school.
• IBEB, Israeli Bagrut: it is mandatory to pass an English language test. For applicants who do not meet their diploma's English requirement, IBEB accepts TOEFL iBT 4.5, IELTS Academic 6.0, Cambridge B2 First 170, Cambridge C1 Advanced 170, Cambridge C2 Proficiency 180, LanguageCert 65 or Pearson PTE Academic 61 as minimum overall scores, included in your application by the deadline of 15 January; no specific subscores are required, and the certificate cannot be older than 2 years at the time of your application, and a non-EEA student who needs a visa or residence permit must take the test at an official test centre.
• IBEB, Israeli Bagrut holders who miss the English and/or mathematics requirement: submit a valid English language certificate and/or mathematics proficiency certificate. For mathematics, IBEB takes OMPT-A with a minimum score of 70% or OMPT-B with a minimum score of 60%, included in your application by the deadline of 15 January, or a VWO deelcertificaat (Staatsexamen), Boswell-Bèta or CCVX certificate with Wiskunde A at least 7.0 or Wiskunde B at least 6.0. Only your first OMPT attempt counts, and OMPT-F is not accepted; Erasmus School of Economics does not accept re-sits.
• IBA, Israeli Bagrut: at least three general, academic subjects at unit level 4 or 5, including English and Mathematics at unit level 4 or 5. RSM's Israel entry adds that you must take a mathematics proficiency exam and you must take an English language test.
• IBA mathematics, according to RSM's IBA pages as of October 2026: the level must be comparable to a Dutch pre-university diploma (VWO) Mathematics A or B with a sufficient grade; the minimum required OMPT-A score is 75%, and your OMPT result must be available to RSM no later than 15 March; a Boswell-Beta certificate is also accepted with a minimum grade of 6.5 for VWO Mathematics A or 6.0 for VWO Mathematics B, presented to RSM no later than 15 March, and the SAT and ACT are not accepted. The central Mathematics Deficiency Exam page (as of October 2026) lists a higher VWO Mathematics A grade for IBA, 7.0, as the mathematics chapter shows.
• IBA English test, according to RSM's IBA English page as of October 2026: TOEFL iBT with a minimum overall score of 80 and sub-scores of 18 for Reading and Listening, 20 for Speaking and 21 for Writing, IELTS with 6.5 overall and 6.0 for each of Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing, Cambridge B2 First, C1 Advanced, C2 Proficiency or C1 Business Higher with 170 overall and 170 in each part, Pearson PTE with a minimum score of 70 and 65 in every part or LanguageCert with a minimum score of 70 and 65 in every part; Michigan English and Duolingo are not accepted, and you submit your results in the Online Application Form (OLAF) by 15 March. The exemptions RSM lists include an English-taught IB Diploma, UK/International A Levels or an American High School Diploma, when the final two years of secondary school were fully taught in English, and a diploma from a non-English speaking country with at least a grade B (5) in (I)GCSE First Language English. The Bagrut itself is not an exemption: RSM's Israel entry says you must take an English language test.
• IBA selection, Israeli Bagrut: RSM grants selection points for a Grade Average of 8/80 or higher; for all IBA applicants, grades count for 75% of the final ranking.

Erasmus and RSM pages give no minimum Bagrut mathematics grade for IBA, no unit level or accepted-subject list for the three general academic subjects IBEB asks for, no minimum Bagrut average for IBEB and no Bagrut English unit level or grade for IBEB, and none of them mentions the Israeli psychometric exam (PET).

To enter a Dutch-taught bachelor at Erasmus University Rotterdam with a foreign diploma you need proof of Dutch: for Geneeskunde (Medicine), the admission page says to reckon with a Dutch language test such as the NT2-II or CNaVT, while an IB with Dutch A at Higher or Standard Level or Dutch B at Higher Level, or an EB with Dutch as language 1 or 2, exempts you. Erasmus University Rotterdam does not set its own tests, so you obtain the certificates yourself.

Erasmus University Rotterdam says some programmes require sufficient knowledge of Dutch, English and/or Mathematics, and that you cannot be admitted and enrolled if you do not meet these subject requirements. Certificates can come from VWO subject exams through the Staatsexamen, for which you can apply until 31 December before the academic year you want to start, or through OMPT, the CCVX and Boswell Beta; the Medicine programme does not accept Boswell Beta certificates.

Geneeskunde (Medicine) for international applicants

Erasmus University Rotterdam publishes its Medicine bachelor only in Dutch: the English page says information about this study programme is only available in Dutch. Students are chosen through decentralised selection, and besides a placeable ranking number you must meet the prior-education requirements of the bachelor Geneeskunde. For Medicine you can select one university only, and all applicants with a non-Dutch diploma pay an application fee of €100.

If you are 21 or older without sufficient prior education, Geneeskunde may still admit you after an entrance examination, the colloquium doctum. For Medicine it consists of VWO-level certificates in Dutch, English, mathematics, chemistry, physics and biology.

The study choice check (studiekeuzecheck)

The Dutch government requires everyone starting a first bachelor at a university of applied sciences or a university to register before 1 May preceding the academic year; after that date the right to admission lapses and the programme can set extra requirements or refuse you. Erasmus University Rotterdam's page on the statutory studiekeuzecheck says filling in the questionnaire is mandatory, but the advice is not binding and is not a selection. The check is not required for numerus fixus programmes such as Geneeskunde, where selection replaces it. The page is in Dutch and does not say whether it applies to the English-taught international bachelors.

Dutch courses for international students

The Language & Training Centre (LTC) of Erasmus University Rotterdam offers a Dutch beginner's course with a considerable discount to all international students. The courses run four times a year: October to December, January to March, April to June, and in summer.

For 2027-2028, the statutory tuition fee at Erasmus University Rotterdam is € 2,771 for students with an EEA, Swiss or Surinamese nationality who have no earlier equivalent Dutch degree; everyone else pays the institutional fee, for most bachelors €8,600 for EEA students and €14,700 for non-EEA students, and at RSM €15,200 for non-EEA students. Living in Rotterdam costs approximately €1000 to €1800 per month, mainly depending on housing.

Erasmus University Rotterdam sets two conditions for the statutory fee: you have an EEA, Swiss or Surinamese nationality, and you did not obtain an equivalent degree at a Dutch university or university of applied sciences after 31 August 1991. If you do not meet both conditions, you pay the institutional fee. So an EEA student without an earlier Dutch degree pays the statutory fee, and a student without EEA, Swiss or Surinamese nationality pays the institutional non-EEA rate.

Erasmus University Rotterdam sets tuition fees per academic year and says no rights can be derived from its fee page for the academic year in question or for future academic years. The fees for Nanobiology and Clinical Technology are still marked tbd.

How you pay tuition

Payment in instalments is available only if you have a bank account in the SEPA area and pay by digital authorisation through Studielink before the 1st of the month your programme starts. Without a SEPA bank account, you transfer the full amount at once to Erasmus University Rotterdam, to arrive before the 1st of the starting month, and instalments are not available. Non-EU/EEA students also go through the residence permit procedure, covered in its own chapter.

Application fees

All students applying for a bachelor's programme with a non-Dutch diploma pay a non-refundable application fee of €100; IBEB calls it a handling fee of €100. Applying to IBA at RSM or to an International Bachelor programme at Erasmus School of Economics requires an additional, non-refundable application fee, whose amount the central fee page does not give. If you already paid the fee for another programme for academic year 2027-2028, you do not pay the central fee again, but that does not cover the RSM IBA fee or the ESE International bachelor fee.

Cost of living in Rotterdam

Erasmus University Rotterdam's financial FAQ says spending approximately €250 on food per month is considered normal. Housing is the cost that moves your budget most, which is why the housing chapter matters for your planning.

A job changes your insurance: you are required to take out Dutch basic health insurance from your first day of work if you have a (part-time) job, and international student insurance such as AON or Insure to Study is not sufficient. The Dutch government puts the average premium people pay their health insurer in 2026 at €157 a month.

Erasmus University Rotterdam lists only a few scholarships open to incoming bachelor students, such as the Entrepreneurial Spirit Scholarship for International Business Administration (IBA) students facing financial constraints and the G&D Europe Scholarship for Chinese students, and its listing does not give their amounts. For EU/EEA students, the main other source it names is a student finance loan from DUO, which must be paid back with interest.

The scholarship finder of Erasmus University Rotterdam for students coming to Rotterdam covers bachelor, master and PhD awards, and most of the entries are for master or PhD students. The awards marked for bachelor students are listed below with the conditions the listing states.

For the amount, the selection criteria and the deadline of each award, open the scholarship's own entry in the finder. Plan your budget on the assumption that you pay the full tuition fee for your group, and treat any scholarship as a bonus.

DUO student finance and other funding

Erasmus University Rotterdam says that if you are an EU/EEA student working alongside your studies, you might be eligible for a student finance loan from DUO, and warns that loans must be paid back with interest. It also reminds you that scholarships may be seen as income and might be added to your total income. For a wider search, it points international students to Study in NL, the official platform for international students who want to study in the Netherlands.

Erasmus University Rotterdam does not state on these pages what share of applicants receive a scholarship. The bigger difference in cost comes from the fee group: EEA, Swiss and Surinamese nationals who meet its conditions pay the statutory fee of € 2,771 for 2027-2028, against an institutional fee of €8,600 for EEA students and €14,700 for non-EEA students at most schools. The tuition chapter explains who pays which.

Erasmus University Rotterdam does not guarantee housing: it reserves rooms for approximately 25% of incoming international students each year, and the majority need to find accommodation on the private market, where a room costs on average €700-€1000 a month. Rotterdam faces a severe housing shortage, so start your search as soon as you apply.

The admission pages of Erasmus University Rotterdam put it plainly: in the Netherlands, student housing is not arranged by the university, and you need to arrange accommodation yourself. Rotterdam, like much of the Netherlands, has a severe housing shortage, which brings high rental prices and strong competition for available rooms.

Library building of Erasmus University Rotterdam beside a pond

Reserved accommodation

Erasmus University Rotterdam has approximately 1200 reserved rooms, covering about 25% of the yearly incoming international bachelor, (pre-)master and exchange students. The rooms are offered through the accommodation providers SSH, XIOR, RoomPlaza, ISHR, The Social Hub and Student Housing Willemskade. For bookings at SSH, faculties can add extra requirements for approval.

Check booking dates and rents with the provider you choose. Because the reserved rooms cover about 25% of incoming international students, have a private-market plan ready at the same time.

Rent on the private market

Erasmus University Rotterdam's financial FAQ says a room in Rotterdam costs on average between €700-€1000. The tuition and costs chapter shows the full monthly estimate.

Erasmus University College: mandatory housing

Liberal Arts and Sciences at Erasmus University College has a mandatory housing requirement. In case of special circumstances, you can request a waiver to be exempt from it.

If you are a non-EU/EEA student, Erasmus University Rotterdam applies for your Dutch residence permit itself: it is a recognised sponsor at the IND, and its Team Immigration starts once your faculty reports your conditional or unconditional offer; the visa and residence permit fees for non-EU students are €243. EU/EEA students need no permit but, like everyone staying more than 4 months, register with the municipality.

Erasmus University Rotterdam says that as a recognised sponsor it assesses and submits all the application forms for its students to the IND. Your admission is handled by your faculty and your immigration by Team Immigration, which steps in once the faculty informs it of your offer. Submitting your immigration documents and paying your invoice before the deadline is crucial: missing either results in an incomplete enrolment.

Your English test matters for the permit too. The IBEOR admission page states that online English tests are not accepted for visa and residence permit purposes under IND regulations, and Erasmus School of Economics requires non-EEA students who need a visa or residence permit to test at an official test centre.

Registering on arrival

If you move to the Netherlands you are usually required to register with the municipality where you will live; a first registration applies when you will stay for more than 4 months, have never registered in the Netherlands and do not yet have a citizen service number (BSN). In Rotterdam you can begin the online registration from 4 weeks before you arrive. Keep the BSN at hand: an employer needs it before you can start a job or internship.

Working while you study

Students with an EU/EEA nationality have free access to the Dutch labour market. If you need a work permit, your employer must apply for it at least five weeks before your employment starts.

Erasmus University Rotterdam suits you if you have solid school maths, strong grades and an early plan: a place on the diploma list is only the gate into selection, the economics and business programmes need maths comparable to VWO Mathematics A or B, and the numerus fixus programmes have their first deadline on 15 January 2027 23:59 CET, with IBEB admitting 500 students for 2027-2028. It suits you less if your maths is weak or you need guaranteed housing, which Erasmus University Rotterdam reserves for only about 25% of incoming international students.

Erasmus University Rotterdam's diploma overview says that your diploma being on the list does not guarantee admission to its bachelor programmes. For IBA, RSM warns that an insufficient grade or level for mathematics puts you in the bottom tier of the ranking. In IBEB, students with the best grades who pass the ESE curriculum-based activity receive ranking numbers 1-250, and the others receive a ranking number through a weighted lottery, so below the top ranking numbers chance plays a part even for strong applicants.

Cost depends on your fee group: the statutory fee for 2027-2028 is € 2,771 for eligible EEA, Swiss and Surinamese nationals, and the institutional fee at most schools is €14,700 for non-EEA students. Add living costs of approximately €1000 to €1800 per month in Rotterdam.

Next steps for September 2027

Start your housing search and, if you are a non-EU/EEA student, your residence permit paperwork as soon as you receive an offer. Both take time in Rotterdam, and the chapters on housing and the residence permit set out the steps.

Official pages of Erasmus University Rotterdam, UCAS, gov.uk and the ranking publishers. Applicant reports, where shown, are self-reported and labelled.

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Photos: Erasmus University Rotterdam campus in spring, seen across a pond: photo RSM erasmus, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons · Erasmus Pavilion on the Erasmus University Rotterdam campus: photo Vysotsky, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons · Library building of Erasmus University Rotterdam beside a pond: photo Wikifrits, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons