Language requirements for English-taught Bachelor’s programmes

Diplomas that meet the English language requirement for Bachelor's

When it comes to all English-taught Bachelor’s programmes, English language proficiency may be demonstrated through one of the following diplomas, if considered the level of your previous education is equivalent to a Dutch VWO diploma:

• A Dutch pre-university Secondary Education diploma (VWO)
• A fully English-taught HBO Propaedeutic Certificate
• A fully English-taught secondary school diploma from an accredited institution within an EU/EEA country
• A Diploma of the International Baccalaureate (Diploma Programme):
  • English-taught IB; or
  • English A: Literature or English A: Language and Literature at Standard Level (SL) or Higher Level (HL) with a minimum grade of 4; or
  • English B at Higher Level (HL) with a minimum grade of 6
• A European Baccalaureate Diploma, which includes English Language 1 or English Language 2
• UK Standard Pathway: combination of 3 GCSEs and 3 GCE A-levels
• General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) certificates (without additional A-levels), only if GCSE English First Language has been passed with a result between A*-C of 9-4
• One of the following diplomas, which includes a minimum passing grade for English in the final examinations (additional (grade) requirements are mentioned separately behind the diploma name):
  • Aruba: Diploma Voorbereidend Wetenschappelijk Onderwijs (VWO)
  • Austria: Reifezeugnis/Reifeprüfungszeugnis (check the additional requirements)
  • Belgium: Diploma van Secundair Onderwijs (for the Certificat d'Enseignement Secondaire Supérieur (Enseignement Général) or the Abschlusszeugnis der Oberstufe des Sekundarunterrichts (Allgemeinbildender Unterricht) a language test is needed as proof of English language proficiency)
  • Curaçao: Diploma Voorbereidend Wetenschappelijk Onderwijs (VWO)
  • Denmark: Studentereksamen (stx) Højere handelseksamen/merkantil studentereksamen; Højere teknisk eksamen/teknisk studentereksamen
  • Estonia: Gümnaasiumi Lõputunnistus, only if English has been passed with a minimum result of 75% in the final examination
  • Finland: Ylioppilastutkintotodistus/Studentexamenbevis
  • France: Baccalauréat Français International (BFI), only if the course Modern Language A = English has been passed with a minimum result of 10
  • Germany: Zeugnis der Allgemeinen Hochschulreife, only if the Grundkurs or Leistungskurs Englisch in the Abitur has been passed (check the additional requirements)
  • Hungary: Gimnáziumi Érettségi Bizonyítvány, only if the specific course English Advanced level (Emelt szint) has been passed in the final examination
  • Latvia: Atestāts par Vispārējo Vidējo Izglītību
  • Lithuania: Brandos Atestatas
  • Luxembourg: Diplôme de Fin d'Études Secondaires Classiques
  • Norway: Vitnemål for videregående opplæring (in case English has not been taken in the final examination, please be in contact with Student Admissions (E: admissions [at] ru.nl (admissions[at]ru[dot]nl)) 
  • Poland: Świadectwo Dojrzałości 
  • Romania: Diplomă de Bacalaureat, only if English has been passed with a minimum result of CEFR B2-level 
  • Sint Maarten: Diploma Voorbereidend Wetenschappelijk Onderwijs (VWO)
  • Slovakia: Vysvedčenie o Maturitnej skúške, from a Gymnázium, only if the specific course of English at Upper Intermediate Level B2 has been passed in the final examination
  • Suriname: Diploma Voorbereidend Wetenschappelijk Onderwijs (V.W.O.) from an accredited V.W.O. School from the Nuffic List.
  • Sweden: Högskoleförberedande Examen
  • Switzerland: Certificat de Maturité/ Maturitätszeugnis/ Maturitätsausweis/ Maturity Certificate van een Gymnasiale Maturitätsschule/École de Maturité
• A diploma, of which the language of instruction and examination was English, equivalent to the level of a Dutch VWO diploma and obtained at an accredited institution in one of the following countries:

Additional requirements for German and Austrian students

• For German students:
  • For programmes of the Faculty of Science, English needs to be part of the student’s curriculum until the end of the final year and the student needs to obtain a minimum grade of 8 out of 15 (for Leistungskurs and Grundkurs).
  • For programmes of the Faculty of Social Sciences, a minimum grade of 6 (for Leistungskurs) or 7 (for Grundkurs) out of 15 is required. This applies to the last half year of the Qualifikationsphase and to the Abiturprüfung. If the grade is lower, or in case English is not part of the Abiturprüfung, a language certificate is needed as proof of English language proficiency.
• For Austrian students who apply for a programme of the Faculty of Science, English needs to be part of the student’s curriculum until the end of the final year and the student needs to obtain a minimum grade of 3.

Recognised English language tests

If you do not have one of the above-mentioned diplomas, you are permitted to apply for the programme if you do not have a recognised English language certificate. However, if you are admitted and English is listed as a requirement in the admission email, we will require a certificate from one of the following recognised English language examinations before the enrolment deadline.

• IELTS Academic (International English Language Testing System)
• TOEFL iBT (Test of English as a Foreign Language)
• Cambridge English Qualifications: C1 Advanced (CAE) or C2 Proficiency (CPE)
• PTE Academic (Pearson Test of English)
• LanguageCert Academic

Please note: IELTS, TOEFL, Pearson PTE, and LanguageCert results are valid for two years after the test date, and the results must be valid on the date of enrolment. C1 Advanced and C2 Proficiency results are valid for five years, with the exception of study programmes at the Nijmegen School of Management. All test results for Nijmegen School of Management programmes are valid for two years.

The TOEFL Home Edition, IELTS (Academic) Online, PTE Academic Online, LanguageCert Online cannot be accepted. IELTS One Skill Retake is accepted. TOEFL My Best Scores is not taken into consideration.

Required test results

Minimum test scores Bachelor's