Utrecht University for international applicants: bachelor entry in 2027

Applying to Utrecht University from abroad for autumn 2027 takes a Dutch VWO diploma or an international equivalent, an enrolment application in Studielink and an upload of your documents in OSIRIS Online Application with an application fee of €100. For Economics and Business Economics with a non-Dutch diploma the deadline is 1 April for non-EU students and 1 May for EU students; limited-enrolment programmes run between 1 October 2026 and 15 January 2027 (23.59 CET).

Five facts decide most applications from abroad. The table gives each one with the rule Utrecht University publishes; the sections after it show where the exceptions sit.

The diploma bar is only the first filter. Every bachelor’s programme determines which EMI-level is needed for admission, and programmes such as Economics and Business Economics also check mathematics: if you do not meet the mathematics requirement, the International Student Admissions team will advise you on how to address this.

The Minnaert building on the Utrecht Science Park (De Uithof)

English-taught programmes in focus

The admission pages centre on a few English-taught bachelors. Economics and Business Economics, Global Sustainability Science and the College of Pharmaceutical Sciences ask for the EMI-ready level, while Philosophy, Politics and Economics asks for EMI-advanced and selects its students: a maximum of 75 students are admitted to the programme each year. University College Utrecht and University College Roosevelt are also selective, as the list of programmes with selection shows; University College Utrecht says it receives more than 1,000 applications and that around 250 students enroll each year.

What is already published for 2027-2028

Some rules already name the 2027-2028 year. The statutory tuition fee for EU/EEA, Surinamese and Swiss students is € 2771 for 2027-2028. Limited-enrolment programmes accept enrolment requests between 1 October 2026 and 15 January 2027 (23.59 CET). The Pharmacy selection rules are titled academic year 2027-2028, and University College Utrecht lists an early round on 1 Dec. 2026 and a regular round on 1 Feb. 2027 with a tuition fee of € 21,600 for non-EEA students in its 2027 - 2028 cost overview. Everything else on the pages, such as the Economics and Business Economics deadline and the programme fee table, is the latest published version as of October 2026.

Utrecht University does not take part in worldwide rankings at present: its own bachelor page says as of September 2023, UU does not provide the required data to be included in worldwide rankings.

This is the university’s own statement on its get-to-know page for bachelor applicants. Utrecht University therefore gives applicants no overall world-ranking position to quote.

The Earth Simulation Lab at Utrecht University

For an application from abroad the practical consequence is small. Admission to a Utrecht University bachelor depends on the published entry requirements, not on a rank: a VWO-equivalent diploma, the English level of the programme, the mathematics or subject requirements and, for selective programmes, the selection procedure. The following sections cover each of those in turn.

Utrecht University has 5 limited enrolment programmes and several selective ones, and the pages publish places for them: Psychology 600, Pharmacy 300, Medicine 297, Veterinary Medicine 225 and Biomedical Sciences 175. The university publishes no overall acceptance rate.

The table lists the places for the five limited enrolment programmes. Pharmacy includes the College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, which requires EMI-ready English; the pages use Dutch programme names for the other four.

For Pharmacy, the regulations say the programmes have introduced selection under a fixed quota. The quota has been set at 300. The other four capacities come from the limited enrolment page, whose table also prints application counts for the five programmes; Utrecht University prints no admit counts beside them.

Selective programmes

Three English-taught programmes select their students outside that table. A maximum of 75 students are admitted to Philosophy, Politics and Economics each year. University College Utrecht writes: we receive more than 1,000 applications, and around 250 students enroll each year. The selective-programme list also names University College Roosevelt in Middelburg and the Dutch-taught Bestuurs- en Organisatiewetenschap; it gives no capacity for Roosevelt.

Acceptance rate and admit figures

Utrecht University does not publish an overall acceptance rate or admit figures per programme on its bachelor admission pages. The only application counts on the pages belong to the five limited enrolment programmes.

Programmes without a quota

Economics and Business Economics and Global Sustainability Science are not on the lists of limited enrolment and selective programmes. Their pages instead make matching an obligatory part of enrolment: the matching is not binding. Matching days for Economics and Business Economics are 15 April 2027, 3 June 2027 and 24 June 2027; Global Sustainability Science holds matching on 8 April 2027 and 17 June 2027. Applications to the limited enrolment programmes close on 15 January, and taking part in the selection is free of charge.

Limited enrolment at Utrecht University runs on three dates: an enrolment request in Studielink between 1 October 2026 and 15 January 2027 (23.59 CET), a programme questionnaire before 31 January 2027 and selection days from 6 February 2027 (Pharmacy) to 6 March 2027 (Veterinary Medicine). Each programme allows three selection attempts at most nationally.

Utrecht University currently has 5 limited enrolment programmes: Psychology, Pharmacy, Medicine, Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. The process runs in the same order for every applicant: Studielink first, then the programme questionnaire in OSIRIS, then the selection day.

Preparation takes real time: the selection procedure for each limited enrolment programme will require you to do between 20 and 50 hours of homework.

How many attempts you get

A national maximum of three selection attempts applies to each programme. Utrecht University sets its own limits per programme: two attempts for Biomedical Sciences and Medicine, three for Pharmacy and Psychology. For the College of Pharmaceutical Sciences the pages repeat that there is a national maximum of three selection attempts.

What the selective programmes weigh

Pharmacy, which includes the College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, ranks applicants on two tests and their earlier marks: the entrance test and final test are each worth 30%; the marks of the previous education will be worth 40%. The selection happens on one day with two tests, the entrance test and the final test, and the quota is 300.

Philosophy, Politics and Economics selects by documents and a test, with a maximum of 75 students admitted each year. Students with a non-Dutch diploma need to apply for two different processes in Osiris Online Application: the Credential Evaluation process and the PPE selection process. For the selection you upload a signed or verified scan of your grade transcript(s), the contact details of a teacher, advisor or mentor as referee, a written motivation and a curriculum vitae in the linked format, and you take a profile test whose invitation is sent between 15 and 22 January. Utrecht University does not publish weights for these elements.

University College Utrecht also selects. After the application, with a statement of academic motivation, grade transcript, activities form, one academic reference and the application fee, the pages say you may be invited for an interview. University College Roosevelt is listed with the other selective programmes; the list gives no selection criteria for it.

Utrecht University uses a small set of tests: the OMPT-A mathematics test with a minimum score of 75% and at most three attempts for Economics and Business Economics and Philosophy, Politics and Economics, two Pharmacy selection tests on Saturday 6 February 2027, a PPE profile test and, for University College Utrecht, a possible interview. The SAT and ACT are not a general requirement.

The OMPT-A appears on the Economics and Business Economics and Philosophy, Politics and Economics pages as one way to prove mathematics. For Economics and Business Economics: if you do not meet the mathematics requirement, you must take an additional Mathematics A exam, or the OMPT-A test with a minimum score of 75% and a maximum of three attempts. The Pharmacy selection day is on Saturday 6 February 2027 in Utrecht, and applicants who live abroad for a prolonged time may apply for the online programme at the same Dutch time.

Matching: the study check

Utrecht University calls its study check matching. Legislation mandates that prospective students who apply before 1 May are entitled to activities to help them select the right programme, and the university says we require you to take part in a study check, which is known as matching at UU. The result is not binding: the matching is not binding.

Applicants abroad can skip it: if you reside abroad on the 1 May application deadline and the distance is an obstacle to attending the matching activity, the requirement to participate in matching does not apply to you. The Economics and Business Economics page repeats that participation in matching is not compulsory if you live abroad. Matching days are 15 April 2027, 3 June 2027 and 24 June 2027 for Economics and Business Economics, and 8 April 2027 and 17 June 2027 for Global Sustainability Science.

Interviews, SAT and ACT

Only University College Utrecht mentions an interview: after your application, you may be invited for an interview. The SAT and ACT are not an entry requirement on the Economics and Business Economics, Philosophy, Politics and Economics, Global Sustainability Science and Pharmacy pages. University College Utrecht writes that SAT composite scores (>1400) or ACT composite scores (>29) in combination with performance achieved in a rigorous curriculum will be considered in exceptional situations, and it does not accept them as English proof: we also do not accept other tests such as SAT, ACT, Duolingo English Test.

Test rules, group by group

Each item restates one test rule from the pages as of October 2026, for the programme it names.

• Economics and Business Economics: OMPT-A test, minimum score 75%.
• Philosophy, Politics and Economics: OMPT-A exam, minimum score of 75% (7.5).
• Pharmacy and College of Pharmaceutical Sciences: two tests on the selection day.
• Pharmacy and College of Pharmaceutical Sciences: selection uses an entrance test and a final test.
• Philosophy, Politics and Economics: a profile test is part of the selection.
• University College Utrecht (UCU): applicants may be invited for an interview.
• Applicants who apply before 1 May: matching is a study check.
• University College Utrecht (UCU), schools without AP courses: SAT composite scores (>1400) will be considered in exceptional situations.

You apply to Utrecht University in two systems: an enrolment application in Studielink, then your documents and the application fee in OSIRIS Online Application. The deadline depends on the route: for Economics and Business Economics with a non-Dutch diploma it is 1 April for non-EU and 1 May for EU students, for limited enrolment it is 15 January 2027, and Philosophy, Politics and Economics closes on 14 January 2027.

Registration for the next academic year opens on 1 October. All deadlines expire at 23:59 Central European Time on the specified date, and the deadline depends on whether you are applying for a limited enrolment or selective programme and on whether you need a student visa or residence permit. For University College Utrecht, you must upload all documents, including proof of English proficiency, a recommendation form and a successful application fee payment, by the application deadline.

The steps in Studielink and OSIRIS

Choose your bachelor’s programme and read the entry requirements, check the deadlines, prepare your documents, submit an enrolment application in Studielink, then upload your documents and pay the application fee in OSIRIS Online Application. You can submit four active enrolment applications per academic year in Studielink, and the documents you upload must be in PDF format and must not exceed 2 MB.

The application fee

The application fee is €100 and is non-refundable. It is valid for three years, and students who wish to apply for more than one programme only need to pay it once. Exchange students currently registered at Utrecht University, students registered as refugees in the Netherlands and students applying with a VWO diploma from Aruba, Curaçao, St. Maarten or Suriname are exempt.

After you apply

Once your application file is complete, International Student Admissions will evaluate your previous education documents and send an admissions decision by e-mail. For Economics and Business Economics and Global Sustainability Science the decision arrives within 3 weeks of a complete application; for Philosophy, Politics and Economics it comes before the end of April. Pharmacy applicants receive their ranking number from Studielink on 15 April.

• A conditional offer means you have not yet met all entry requirements; the letter details the requirements and the deadline for meeting them.
• After conditional or full admission, the authenticity of your documents is verified, through certified copies sent to International Student Admissions.
• Utrecht University accepts documents in English, Dutch, German, French and Spanish, and these need not be translated.
• If you need a visa or residence permit to study in the Netherlands, the visa department will contact you directly.
• If your English scores were insufficient or missing at application, send your new official score report to admissiondocuments@uu.nl to receive unconditional admission.

Utrecht University sorts its bachelors into three English levels: EMI-ready, EMI-experienced and EMI-advanced. Economics and Business Economics, Global Sustainability Science and the College of Pharmaceutical Sciences require EMI-ready, Philosophy, Politics and Economics requires EMI-advanced, and EMI-ready means IELTS Academic 6.0 overall or TOEFL iBT 83 on the old scale.

Other tests and sub-scores follow the same pattern. EMI-ready asks for IELTS Academic 6.0 overall, with 5.5 in speaking, 6.0 in listening, 6.0 in reading and 5.5 in writing. TOEFL iBT results from tests taken from 21 January 2026 are on a new scale: 4.5 for EMI-ready and 5 for EMI-advanced. Cambridge C1 Advanced counts at 169 for EMI-ready and 185 for EMI-advanced, with 176 in each skill at the higher level.

Test age and test type matter. IELTS Academic and TOEFL iBT (including Home Edition) cannot be more than 2 years old, and the pages state that IELTS Online, IELTS One Skill Retake and TOEFL MyBest scores are not accepted. If you have no English result when you apply, your offer of admission will remain conditional until you provide test results with sufficient scores.

Certificates that replace an English test

The EMI-ready page lists school-leaving certificates that exempt you from the test. The exemptions below are those of the EMI-ready page, so they apply to Economics and Business Economics, Global Sustainability Science and the College of Pharmaceutical Sciences. Philosophy, Politics and Economics requires EMI-advanced, which has its own exemption list on the EMI-advanced page.

English proof at University College Utrecht

University College Utrecht sets its own bar. Accepted scores include IELTS Academic with a minimum average of 7.0 and no partial score lower than 6.5, TOEFL iBT with a minimum score of 5 or 100 and Cambridge C1 Advanced 185 with no partial score below 176; tests should not be more than 2 years old at the time of submitting the application. The college does not accept Cambridge B2 First, Anglia, SAT, ACT, EF, Duolingo English Test, TOEFL Essentials or the IELTS One Skill Retake.

• Dutch VWO: an English grade of 7 or above on the grade list or diploma is sufficient evidence.
• IB: a grade of 6 or above for English Language and Literature HL is sufficient evidence; a full IB programme taught exclusively in English (foreign languages excepted) is exempt.
• European Baccalaureate: a grade of 9.0 or above for English L1 or L2.
• Germany: exempt if the Abitur grade for English is 13 or higher.

English rules, group by group

Each item restates one English rule from the pages as of October 2026, for the level, programme or certificate it names.

• EMI-ready programmes, IELTS Academic: overall IELTS Academic*^ 6.0.
• EMI-ready programmes, TOEFL iBT on the old scale: overall 83.
• EMI-ready programmes, TOEFL iBT on the new scale: overall 4.5.
• EMI-ready programmes, Cambridge C1 Advanced: 169.
• EMI-ready programmes, IELTS and TOEFL results: they cannot be more than 2 years old.
• EMI-ready programmes (IB; European Baccalaureate): English A or B.
• EMI-ready programmes, France (Baccalauréat Général): English as Langue vivante A.
• EMI-ready programmes, Germany (Abitur): English as at least Grundkursfach.
• EMI-ready programmes, Greece (Apolytirio): English as a subject up to and including the final year.
• EMI-ready programmes, Italy (Esame di Stato): English as a subject up to and including the final year.
• EMI-ready programmes, Poland (Świadectwo Dojrzałości): English as final exam subject with at least 30%.
• EMI-ready programmes, Romania (Diplomă de Bacalaureat): English as final exam subject.
• EMI-ready programmes, Spain (Título de Bachiller): English examined within the PAU.
• EMI-experienced programmes, IELTS Academic: overall 6.5.
• EMI-advanced programmes, IELTS Academic: overall 7.0.
• EMI-advanced programmes, TOEFL iBT on the old scale: overall 100.
• EMI-advanced programmes, Cambridge C1 Advanced and C2 Proficiency: 185.
• Economics and Business Economics: EMI-ready.
• Philosophy, Politics and Economics: EMI-advanced.
• Global Sustainability Science: EMI-ready.
• College of Pharmaceutical Sciences: EMI-ready.
• University College Utrecht (UCU), IELTS Academic: a minimum average of 7.0 for all components.
• University College Utrecht (UCU), TOEFL iBT: a minimum score of 5 or 100.
• University College Utrecht (UCU), Cambridge C1 Advanced and C2 Proficiency: 185.
• University College Utrecht (UCU): not accepted as English tests: SAT, ACT.
• University College Utrecht (UCU), IB: an English Language and Literature HL grade of 6 or above is sufficient evidence of English.
• University College Utrecht (UCU), Dutch VWO: an English grade of 7 or above is sufficient evidence of English.
• University College Utrecht (UCU), European Baccalaureate: an English L1 or L2 grade of 9.0 or above is sufficient evidence of English.

To enrol in a Utrecht University bachelor you need a Dutch VWO diploma or an international equivalent, and the equivalency list names the Abitur, the Baccalauréat Général, the Italian Esame di Stato from a liceo, the Polish Świadectwo Dojrzałości, the Romanian Bacalaureat, the Spanish Título de Bachiller with a PAU pass, the full IB Diploma, the European Baccalaureate, three A-Levels at CCC and a US diploma with 4 AP exams scoring 3 or higher. A Turkish Lise Diploması is not an equivalent.

The list is the first thing to check, but some bachelor’s programmes have additional subject-specific and/or language requirements. The table shows what the list says for the certificates most applicants hold.

The list opens with international applicants should have a foreign equivalent of the Dutch VWO-Diploma and names the certificates that are equivalent regardless of profile or curriculum, among them the Baccalauréat Général, the IB and the European Baccalaureate. For Turkey, a school that also offers US College Board APs or British GCE A-Levels beside the national curriculum should contact the Admissions Office.

If your diploma is not on the list

A diploma outside the list may still be equivalent, but additional subject and grade requirements may apply. When the diploma does not directly qualify, the admissions decision explains how to address deficiencies, which you must meet before the start of the academic year. The list gives no promise: the information does not guarantee admission, and your credentials are always assessed on an individual basis.

Grade thresholds at University College Utrecht

University College Utrecht publishes a grade bar for each certificate in its 2027 - 2028 document: a Dutch VWO diploma at any profile or a foreign equivalent that meets the grade entry requirements. These are minimums to enter a selective college, not the grades of admitted students, and the document does not publish those.

If a listed diploma falls short, you are eligible to apply if you complete one year of university and obtain at least 70% at a 3-year university or at least 80% or 3.5 out of 4 GPA at a 4, 5 or 6-year programme. For countries missing from the list, such as Brazil, Mexico, Peru, Ecuador and Indonesia, the college decides on a case-by-case basis.

The same rules, group by group

Each item restates one rule from the diploma equivalency list and the University College Utrecht document, tied to the group it covers. The equivalency list is the page as of October 2026; the University College Utrecht items come from its 2027 - 2028 document.

• International Schools worldwide, IB Diploma: full diploma only.
• European Schools, European Baccalaureate: European Baccalaureate (EB) Diploma.
• UK, GCE A-Levels: minimum score of CCC.
• USA (US High School Diploma with 4 AP exams): all with a score of -3- or higher.
• Germany (Abitur): Zeugnis der allgemeinen Hochschulreife (Abitur).
• France (Baccalauréat Général): Diplôme du Baccalauréat Général.
• Italy (Esame di Stato from a liceo): an Istituto Tecnico diploma is checked on an individual basis.
• Poland (Świadectwo Dojrzałości): Świadectwo Dojrzałości.
• Romania (Diplomă de Bacalaureat): Diplomă de Bacalaureat.
• Spain (Título de Bachiller): a passing grade for the PAU/Selectividad is required.
• Greece (Apolytirio Genikou Lykeiou): final average grade of 10 or above, plus the Panhellenic Examinations.
• Vietnam (Bang Tot Nghiep Trung Hoc Pho Thong): average final exam grade of 7 or above.
• Turkey (Lise Diploması): not considered to be an equivalent of the Dutch VWO Diploma.
• University College Utrecht (UCU), Dutch VWO: Average overall grade of at least 7.
• University College Utrecht (UCU), IB Diploma: Minimum of 32 points.
• University College Utrecht (UCU), European Baccalaureate: Average overall grade of 8.
• University College Utrecht (UCU), Abitur: Overall average grade of 10.
• University College Utrecht (UCU), Baccalauréat Général: Overall average grade of 13.5.
• University College Utrecht (UCU), Italian Esame di Stato: an Esame di Stato score of at least 80 in addition to the school average.
• University College Utrecht (UCU), Polish Świadectwo Dojrzałości: at least 2 written exam subjects at advanced level with scores > 60%.
• University College Utrecht (UCU), Romanian Bacalaureat (Diplomă de Bacalaureat): Average overall grade of 9.
• University College Utrecht (UCU), Spanish Bachiller with PAU (Título de Bachiller): Average overall grade of 7.
• University College Utrecht (UCU), Greek Apolytirio: Overall average grade of 19.
• University College Utrecht (UCU), Algerian Baccalauréat: Average overall score of at least 16.
• University College Utrecht (UCU), Brazilian Ensino Médio with ENEM (Certificado de Conclusão de Ensino Médio): Overall average grade in the final year of 9.0/10.
• University College Utrecht (UCU), Japanese upper secondary certificate: Average score of at least 4.5 out of 5.
• University College Utrecht (UCU), Turkish Lise Diploması: Minimum overall average at least 90%.
• University College Utrecht (UCU), Vietnamese Bằng Tốt Nghiệp (Bằng Tốt Nghiệp Phổ Thông Trung Học): Average final exam grade 8 or above.
• University College Utrecht (UCU), GCSE plus 3 GCE A-levels: Grades AAB in accepted academic subjects.
• University College Utrecht (UCU), US high school diploma: at least four AP examinations with grades 4 or 5.

The mathematics bar depends on the programme. For an IB student, Economics and Business Economics asks for Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches at least at Standard Level or Applications and Interpretation at Higher Level; Global Sustainability Science adds at least 2 of Biology, Chemistry, Physics and either Economics or Geography; the College of Pharmaceutical Sciences needs mathematics, physics and chemistry.

Economics and Business Economics

A Dutch VWO diploma gives admission with one of these profiles: Culture & Society with Mathematics A or B, Economics & Society, Nature & Health or Nature & Technology. For other diplomas the page lists a mathematics bar per certificate.

If you fall short, the pages give two routes. You must take an additional Mathematics A exam at Boswell-Bèta or CCVX, or take the OMPT-A test with a minimum score of 75% and a maximum of three attempts. If your diploma level is insufficient, the International Student Admissions team will advise you on how to address this.

Philosophy, Politics and Economics

The Dutch route asks for a VWO diploma including Mathematics A or B and a grade of 7 or higher for English; after a Dutch HBO first year the minimum English grade is 8.0 and the minimum for Wiskunde A or B is 5.5. Mathematics can also be proven with the OMPT-A exam with a minimum score of 75% (7.5) and a maximum of three attempts.

• IB: Analysis and Approaches at least Standard Level or Applications and Interpretation at Higher Level
• European Baccalaureate: Mathematics (3 periods) as written exam
• Abitur: Mathematics at least Grundkurs
• GCE A-Levels: three preferred A-Levels with a minimum score of CCC and at least an AS-Level Mathematics
• US High School Diploma: at least 4 APs, all with a score of -3- or higher, among which an AP Calculus AB

Global Sustainability Science

A Dutch VWO diploma with mathematics A or B and at least 2 of Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and either Economics or Geography (but not both). An international equivalent needs a comparable level of Mathematics and at least 2 of the same subjects. Missing subjects can be gained before the programme starts: private institutions such as Boswell-Bèta or CCVX offer the qualification, and non-EU students may have an earlier deadline for passing any entry exam.

College of Pharmaceutical Sciences

Selection for Pharmacy and the College of Pharmaceutical Sciences is open to prospective students who have obtained or expect to obtain, no later than 31 August 2027, a qualifying diploma for the 2027-2028 academic year. For non-Dutch diplomas, International Student Admissions of Utrecht University will assess the equivalence. Students needing a visa must graduate no later than 31 August and meet all other subject requirements before 15 June.

• IB: Chemistry at Higher Level, Physics at Standard Level, and Mathematics Analysis and Approaches at Standard Level or Applications and Interpretation at Higher Level
• European Baccalaureate: Mathematics (at least 3 hours per week in the final 2 years), Physics and Chemistry, all as written exams
• GCE A-levels: at least 3 preferred A-levels with a minimum score of CCC, including Chemistry (A-level), Physics (at least AS-level) and Mathematics (at least AS level)
• Abitur: Chemistry as Abiturprüfungsfach, Physics at Grundkurs and Mathematics up to and including year 12
• US High School Diploma: at least 4 APs, all with a score of -3- or higher, among which an AP Calculus AB, an AP Physics 1 and an AP Chemistry

Subject rules, group by group

Each item restates one subject or mathematics rule from the programme pages as of October 2026, for the programme and certificate it names.

• Economics and Business Economics (IB): Mathematics Analysis and Approaches at least Standard Level, or Applications and Interpretation at Higher Level.
• Economics and Business Economics (European Baccalaureate): Mathematics as written exam, at least 3 hours per week in the final 2 years.
• Economics and Business Economics (Abitur): English and Mathematics at least Grundkurs.
• Economics and Business Economics (A-level): at least an AS-Level Mathematics.
• Economics and Business Economics (Esame di Stato): Mathematics up to and including the final year.
• Economics and Business Economics (US High School Diploma): an AP Calculus AB among the required APs.
• Philosophy, Politics and Economics (IB): Mathematics Analysis and Approaches at least Standard Level, or Applications and Interpretation at Higher Level.
• Philosophy, Politics and Economics (European Baccalaureate): Mathematics (3 periods).
• Philosophy, Politics and Economics (Abitur): Mathematics at least Grundkurs.
• Philosophy, Politics and Economics (A-level): at least an AS-Level Mathematics.
• Philosophy, Politics and Economics (US High School Diploma): an AP Calculus AB among the required APs.
• Philosophy, Politics and Economics (VWO): Mathematics A or B.
• Global Sustainability Science (IB): Mathematics: Analysis & Approaches at least Standard Level, or Applications and Interpretation at Higher Level.
• Global Sustainability Science (European Baccalaureate): Mathematics plus two further science or social-science subjects.
• Global Sustainability Science (Abitur): Mathematics plus two further subjects.
• Global Sustainability Science (A-level): Mathematics at A or AS level plus two further subjects.
• Global Sustainability Science (Italian liceo): Mathematics, Physics and Scienze Naturali.
• Global Sustainability Science (Baccalauréat Général): Mathématiques complémentaires in the final year plus two further subjects.
• Global Sustainability Science (US High School Diploma): an AP Calculus AB among the required APs.
• Global Sustainability Science (Dutch VWO): mathematics A or B plus two further subjects.
• College of Pharmaceutical Sciences (IB): Chemistry: Higher Level.
• College of Pharmaceutical Sciences (European Baccalaureate): mathematics plus the written exams in Physics Chemistry.
• College of Pharmaceutical Sciences (A-level): at least three preferred A-levels with a minimum score of CCC.
• College of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Abitur): Abiturprüfungsfach: Chemistry.
• College of Pharmaceutical Sciences (US High School Diploma): an AP Chemistry among the required APs.
• Pharmacy and College of Pharmaceutical Sciences: the qualifying diploma must be obtained by 31 August 2027 at the latest.

Utrecht University recognises a foreign diploma through its own assessment, not through a list alone: International Student Admissions evaluates your previous education documents, assesses whether you meet the entry requirements and sends the admissions decision by e-mail. The list does not decide for you, because your prior education and educational credentials are always assessed on an individual basis.

Three outcomes are possible. The diploma qualifies directly; the diploma is not on the list but is still judged equivalent with extra requirements; or the file is accepted conditionally and you fix the gaps before the programme starts.

• A diploma outside the equivalency list may still be equivalent, but additional subject and grade requirements may apply.
• If your prior education does not directly qualify you, the admissions decision explains how to address deficiencies, and you must meet them before the start of the academic year.
• A conditional offer details the unmet requirements and the deadline for meeting them.
• You can apply before you have your diploma, with written proof that you will obtain it before the programme starts.

Credential evaluation and programme selection

Programmes that select run the evaluation as a separate step. For Philosophy, Politics and Economics, students with a non-Dutch diploma need to apply for two different processes in Osiris Online Application: the Credential Evaluation process and the PPE selection process. For Pharmacy and the College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, International Student Admissions assesses the equivalence of non-Dutch diplomas.

Certified copies, verification platforms and translations

Marks from a foreign diploma are converted for the Pharmacy ranking: prospective students with a foreign diploma upload a certified list of marks, and the obtained marks are converted to the Dutch grading system according to the most recent Nuffic guidelines.

Recognition rules, group by group

Each item restates one recognition rule from the pages as of October 2026, for the group it names.

• Bachelor’s programmes: applicants need a Dutch VWO diploma or an international equivalent.
• Bachelor’s programmes: some certificates are equivalent regardless of profile or curriculum.
• Prior education not on the equivalency list: it may still be equivalent, but additional subject and grade requirements may apply.
• Prior education that does not directly qualify: deficiencies must be met before the start of the academic year.
• Diploma equivalency list: credentials are always assessed on an individual basis.
• International applicants: they should have a foreign equivalent of the Dutch VWO-Diploma.
• Pharmacy and College of Pharmaceutical Sciences: International Student Admissions assesses the equivalence of non-Dutch diplomas.
• Certified digital documents: documents shared via an independent verification platform count, for example International Baccalaureate results via IBO.
• University College Utrecht (UCU), countries not on the list: decided on a case- by-case basis.

Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) admits a maximum of 75 students each year, requires EMI-advanced English and closes on 14 January 2027. University College Utrecht receives more than 1,000 applications and around 250 students enroll each year; it runs an early round on 1 Dec. 2026 and a regular round on 1 Feb. 2027.

How PPE selects

PPE accepts a VWO diploma including Mathematics A or B and a grade of 7 or higher for English on the Dutch route. With a non-Dutch diploma, you apply for two processes in Osiris Online Application: Credential Evaluation and PPE selection. The credential evaluation needs a scan of your diploma or diploma statement, a signed or verified scan of your grade transcript and an official English language test report. The selection needs a signed or verified scan of your grade transcript and a profile test whose invitation is sent between 15 and 22 January. The decision comes before the end of April. Utrecht University publishes no weighting of these elements.

The non-EU institutional fee for PPE in the 2027-2028 columns is € 17,900 a year, and the statutory fee is € 5,542.

How University College Utrecht admits

University College Utrecht asks for a Dutch high school diploma at VWO level (any profile) or a foreign equivalent that meets the grade entry requirements in its 2027 - 2028 document; the grade bars per certificate are in the entry requirements section above. After your application, you may be invited for an interview. All documents, including proof of English proficiency, a recommendation form and the application fee payment, must be in by the application deadline, and the deadline for accepting or rejecting an offer is 1 May 2027 whichever round you applied to.

The college’s cost overview for 2027 - 2028 lists a tuition fee paid to Utrecht University of € 5,750 for EEA, Swiss and Surinamese students and € 21,600 for non-EEA students, plus campus fees of € 8,231 for a single room or € 4,939 for the shared room option. The college states that tuition fees for non-EEA students have been increased for the 2027-28 academic year, and that non-EEA students pay the tuition fee in one instalment in their first year as part of their visa application.

Utrecht University’s admission pages describe six English-taught bachelors for applicants from abroad: Economics and Business Economics and Global Sustainability Science at EMI-ready English, the College of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the same level, Philosophy, Politics and Economics at EMI-advanced, and the two selective university colleges, University College Utrecht and University College Roosevelt.

The university states the principle in general terms: every bachelor’s programme determines which EMI-level is needed for admission, and the programme’s “Application and admission” page states it. The levels and test scores are in the English section above.

Programmes with selection and limited enrolment

Utrecht University lists its selective programmes separately: Bestuurs- en Organisatiewetenschap (Dutch-taught), Philosophy, Politics and Economics (English-taught), University College Roosevelt in Middelburg (English-taught) and University College Utrecht (English-taught). Beside them, the university currently has 5 limited enrolment programmes, whose Studielink request runs until 15 January and which are listed in the places section above under their Dutch names. Of those, the College of Pharmaceutical Sciences within Pharmacy is the one that requires EMI-ready English.

Economics and Business Economics and Global Sustainability Science are on neither list. That makes them the open English-taught bachelors, where admission depends on meeting the diploma, mathematics and English requirements and on completing matching.

EU/EEA, Surinamese and Swiss students pay the statutory fee, € 2694 in 2026-2027 and € 2771 in 2027-2028. Students from outside the EU/EEA pay the institutional fee, which for 2027-2028 is € 15,100 for Economics and Business Economics, € 18,700 for Global Sustainability Science and € 29,400 for Pharmacy.

Utrecht University explains that there are two types of tuition fee: the statutory tuition fee and the institutional tuition fee, and which one applies depends on your situation. The fee document for bachelors lists, per programme and year, the statutory fee, a fee for students who already hold a degree, and the non-EU fee. The table gives the statutory and non-EU columns for 2027-2028.

Economics and Business Economics was € 13,415 for non-EU students in the 2026-2027 columns, € 15,100 in the 2027-2028 columns. University College Utrecht states that tuition fees for non-EEA students have been increased for the 2027-28 academic year and that non-EEA students pay the tuition fee in one instalment in their first year as part of their visa application.

Who pays which fee

A non-EU/EEA student can still pay the statutory fee: you are eligible for the statutory fee if you receive a UAF grant, or if you meet the nationality requirement for a government study grant from DUO. The opposite also happens: a student who has already obtained a bachelor’s degree from a Dutch higher education institution after 1 September 1991 and enrols in a second bachelor’s programme pays the institutional tuition fee.

Different fees apply if you applied to University College Utrecht, University College Roosevelt or Philosophy, Politics and Economics, which is why the table shows a different statutory amount for PPE and University College Utrecht.

Application fee

Every applicant also pays an application fee of €100, which is non-refundable.

Living costs in Utrecht

On top of tuition, Utrecht University expects students to spend between €1000 and €1,400 a month on living expenses, an amount that does not include the tuition fee.

Utrecht University’s scholarship page for international students lists the student grant and loan system, Canadian student loans, US loans and the tuition fee loan, plus two named funds. It also warns that early deadlines can apply to scholarship applicants.

Two rules matter for the budget. Refugee students and students who meet the DUO nationality rule can pay the lower statutory fee: a non-EU/EEA student is eligible for the statutory fee with a UAF grant or when meeting the nationality requirement for a DUO study grant. And timing is tighter with a scholarship: you may need to apply even earlier than the standard application deadline, if you also wish to be considered for a UU scholarship or need an early admissions decision for a scholarship application in your home country.

Utrecht University does not house students: students are responsible for arranging housing themselves, and Dutch universities do not own student housing. The largest provider, SSH, has a waiting list that is currently 24 to 30 months.

Plan housing early. The largest housing provider in Utrecht (SSH) offers unfurnished accommodation to the person with the longest registration time, so a late registration does not help a 2027 start.

On the private market, the university's housing budget page puts the monthly rent of a private room at €500 - €1,000 and of a studio at €750 - €1,700.

University College Utrecht lists campus fees for a single room and a shared room in its cost overview; those amounts are in the section on Philosophy, Politics and Economics and University College Utrecht.

EU/EEA students are free to work: as an EU/EEA student in the Netherlands, you are free to take a part-time job to help cover your costs. The page’s work-permit conditions allow full-time work in June, July and August or no more than 16 hours per week throughout the academic year.

Check which group you belong to before you plan a budget around a job. The EU/EEA rule is general, while the permit rule on the same page is tied to a residence permit and an employer.

The working-while-studying page states the limits in one sentence for the permit route: you are permitted to work either full-time in June, July and August or no more than 16 hours per week throughout the academic year.

Utrecht University suits an applicant with a Dutch VWO diploma or an international equivalent, English at the programme’s level and, for most programmes, the right mathematics. Most of the extra proof sits in mathematics, English and selection.

The applicants with the smoothest route hold a certificate named on the equivalency list, meet the programme’s English level through a test or an exempting certificate, and apply to a programme without selection, such as Economics and Business Economics or Global Sustainability Science. Applicants to Philosophy, Politics and Economics, University College Utrecht and the limited enrolment programmes face selection on top of the requirements, and the university publishes no acceptance rate to compare against.

If your certificate is not on the list, or your mathematics falls short, ask International Student Admissions early: for a mathematics gap, the Economics and Business Economics page says the team advises on how to address it.

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

Application and admission - Economics and Business Economics - Utrecht University · Limited enrolment - Bachelors - Utrecht University · Application and admission - Philosophy, Politics and Economics - Utrecht University · Selection regulations for the bachelor degree programmes in Pharmacy and · Application fee - Bachelors - Utrecht University · Tuition fees - Bachelors - Utrecht University · 2026-2027 2027-2028 · Finding a place to stay - Bachelors - Utrecht University · Diploma equivalence - Bachelors - Utrecht University · English language requirements - Bachelors - Utrecht University · Application and admission - Global Sustainability Science - Utrecht University · Application and admission - University College Utrecht - Utrecht University · Application Dates and Deadlines - University College Utrecht - Utrecht University · Fees & Finances for Degree Students - University College Utrecht - Utrecht University · Application procedure - Bachelors - Utrecht University · Rankings - Bachelors - Utrecht University · Application and admission - Pharmacy: College of Pharmaceutical Sciences - Utrecht University · Matching - Bachelors - Utrecht University · Diploma and English University College Utrecht · Entry Requirements - University College Utrecht - Utrecht University · After you apply - Bachelors - Utrecht University · EMI-ready - Bachelors - Utrecht University · EMI-experienced - Bachelors - Utrecht University · EMI-advanced - Bachelors - Utrecht University · Diploma equivalency list · https://www.uu.nl/en/education/welcome-to-utrecht/prepare-your-stay/cost-of-living · Scholarships and grants - Bachelors - Utrecht University · https://www.uu.nl/en/education/welcome-to-utrecht/before-arrival/arrange-housing/housing-budget · Working while studying - Bachelors - Utrecht University

Photos: The Academiegebouw, the historic main building of Utrecht University: photo Zairon, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons · The Minnaert building on the Utrecht Science Park (De Uithof): photo Gil.cavalcanti, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons · The Earth Simulation Lab at Utrecht University: photo Choinowski, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons