Follow the steps below to apply for this degree programme.
Please see below for the most important deadlines you must consider when applying to one of our Master’s programmes for the academic year 2021-2022.
For enrolment in August/September 2021, the application deadlines for all our Master’s programmes are:
If you are in need of a visa or are applying for a scholarship, you will need to adhere to earlier deadlines:
Applications will be carefully evaluated by the admissions committee. The committee determines whether all entry requirements as specified below are met and assesses the quality of each application in comparison with the other applications received.
The number of available places is limited to 60 students per year and starts in September. If more qualified students apply than there are places available, candidates with the most convincing academic standing are selected. This is based on:
Please note that this programme attracts many applications each year and that selection tends to be highly competitive.
Students with a Bachelor’s degree in international development studies (ontwikkelingsstudies) or another closely related social sciences discipline.
International degrees are evaluated on the basis of advice from professional diploma evaluators. The minimum level of the degree should be equivalent to three years of Dutch university education.
All applicants are expected to have a solid basis in the field of social sciences and development studies in particular, of at least (an equivalent of) 30 ECTS credits earned during previous study.
Applicants should have a solid basis in both qualitative and quantitative social sciences research methodology as demonstrated by the completion of (the equivalent of) at least 18 ECTS during previous study. Upon entry to the Master's programme, students are expected to be able to:
Study results obtained in previous education should demonstrate that a student is able to attain and maintain a good to excellent standard, especially in the fields of international development studies and social sciences research methodology. Undergraduate studies should be completed with an overall grade average of at least a B/3.0 (American system), second class, lower division Honours degree (British system), C (ECTS system), 7.0 (Dutch system) or equivalent.
Our Master's programmes are highly demanding and fully taught in English. To ensure the quality of education and to safeguard students from failing their studies or slowing down class interactions, a high level of English language proficiency is expected of all applicants.
For more information, also on the test requirements and possible exemptions, please see:
Please see here for more information on our pre-Master possibilities:
If you have questions regarding admission and application, please contact the Admissions Office at apply-gsss@uva.nl
All students who would like to apply to a programme at the University of Amsterdam will need to start their application process by submitting an enrolment application in Studielink. Studielink is the national online system for students who would like to pursue a degree programme at a Dutch university.
A DigiD (Digital Identification) is an online ID (username and password) that provides access to government administration websites.
Before starting your enrolment application in Studielink, read the 'Step-by-step guide to Studielink'.
In addition to the ‘Step-by-step guide to Studielink’, please read here for some more important and useful information about Studielink:
After submitting your enrolment application in Studielink, you will receive an email with your UvanetID. Follow the instructions in the email to activate your ID as you will need it to complete your UvA application.
After you have registered in Studielink, you will also receive an email from Studielink (within a few days) with a link to our online application system. This is where you will submit your application to the University of Amsterdam.
The application form will give you all needed instructions. For additional guidance, please refer to the quick reference overviews and more elaborate information here below:
If you have questions regarding admission and application, please contact the Admissions Office at apply-gsss@uva.nl
If and after we have decided that you can be admitted to the programme, we will send you a letter of (conditional) acceptance by e-mail (through MyInfo) together with more information on how to complete your registration at the UvA and how to apply for a visa or residence permit (if applicable to you).
After you have been conditionally accepted to the Master’s programme and we have sent you the letter of (conditional) acceptance, you will receive an Accept Offer sent to you by MyInfo. Please follow the instructions and confirm this Accept Offer. We will only continue to further process your application, including your housing and possibly visa application, after you have confirmed our Accept Offer.
If you have been (conditionally) admitted to our Master's programme, we need to verify your previous education. This means that we have to check whether you have successfully completed your Bachelor’s programme. Verification is done based on the records provided by DUO.
If you completed your Bachelor’s programme abroad, please send us certified copies of your transcripts and degree certificates, so we can check them. You need to send us these documents by post. Plain copies or scans of the original certified documents are not accepted. You may also need to submit an official English test score report.
You can find more information about the certified documents and where to send them to in your (conditional) acceptance letter.
We will need to have received these official documents at the latest one month before the start of the programme.
Please note that students who need an entrance visa for the Netherlands and/or have also applied to one of our scholarships, will need to have submitted their official documents, including proof of Bachelor graduation, before 1 May.
If you are an international student, you will need to arrange a variety of practical matters before starting your studies. This includes your visa or residence permit, insurance and housing. You will receive an email with more information about this after you have been admitted.
Get more information about practical matters for international students.
Student orientation/introduction events are planned in the last 2 weeks of August. At these events you will receive all relevant programme information to make a good start. Your study advisor will send you more detailed information about the Introduction Day in July.
A student ID card is a personal card which serves as proof of identity for examinations or borrowing library books. You will receive instructions on how to request your student ID card.
You will need to pay the tuition fee in order to complete your enrolment for a degree programme at the UvA. Find out more about how to pay the tuition fees.