Admission and application
Admission period
Please select your nationality and previous education to view the admission periods.Admission period
Please select your previous education to view the admission periods.Admission period with Dutch degree and Dutch nationality
Deadlines
Registration for the Master's programme in Human Geography has several, different deadlines. Make sure to apply before the right deadlines.
Students with a Dutch Degree can apply via Studielink until 1 July. Do you apply after 1 July? Then there is no guarantee that we can process your admission on time. The deadline for the completion of your registration is 31 August.
EEA-applicants (and applicants from Switzerland) must submit a complete application before 1 May to receive assistance with housing. Radboud University will still consider EU/EEA/Switzerland applications until 1 July, but may not be able to offer housing assistance.
Non-EU/EEA applicants must submit a complete application before 1 April. This is the final deadline and includes Pre-arrival Services which consists of assistance with housing and visa support.
Please check the scholarship specific webpage for the deadlines for scholarship applicants.
Would you like to enrol in the current academic year? Then read further here.
Admission period with non-Dutch degree and Dutch nationality
Admission period
Please select your previous education to view the admission periods.Admission period with Dutch degree and nationality EU/EEA country
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Admission period with non-Dutch degree and nationality EU/EEA country
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Admission period
Please select your previous education to view the admission periods.Admission period with Dutch degree and nationality non-EU/EEA country
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Admission period with non-Dutch degree and nationality non-EU/EEA country
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Dutch degree
Admission requirements
Your admission into this programme depends on your previous education. You are admissible if you have a completed:
- Bachelor's Degree or pre-Master's Degree in Geography, Planning and Environment (in Dutch: “Geografie, Planologie en Milieu”) from Radboud University
- Bachelor’s Degree in a similar (or related) field from another Dutch or international university. Your degree must be equivalent to a Dutch research university diploma.
For students with a completed bachelor in a related area such as International Relations, Social Sciences, Anthropology, Psychology, History, Philosophy, Religion Studies, European Studies, Political Science, Public Administration, Economics, Development Studies, Language Studies, Architecture, (Urban) Design Studies, Leisure and Tourism, Conflict Studies and Management Sciences your prior education first needs to be approved by the examination Board in order to enroll in the study programme.
Do you not meet the admission requirements?
Did you complete a Bachelor’s Degree in a different field from a university or a university of applied sciences (hbo)? You may still be eligible for admission to a pre-Master’s programme. A completed pre-Master’s allows you to progress to the Master’s programme and related specialisations.
Access with these Bachelor's programmes
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If you have a partly Dutch degree, you can register via Studielink. Do you have any further questions? Send an email to admissions [at] nsm.ru.nl (admissions[at]nsm[dot]ru[dot]nl).
Non-Dutch degree
Admission requirements
The Master’s in Human Geography is accessible for students with a completed Bachelor's Degree (or equivalent) from a research university in a Geography-realted discipline, such as: Spatial Planning, Geography, Environment Studies.
Or for students who completed a Bachelor's Degree (or equivalent) from a research university in a related area such as: International Relations, Social Sciences, Anthropology, Psychology, History, Philosophy, Religion Studies, European Studies, Political Science, Public Administration, Economics, Development Studies, Language Studies, Architecture, (Urban) Design Studies, Leisure and Tourism, Conflict Studies and Management Sciences, an intake interview with the Master’s Coordinator could form part of the admission process. This will be communicated in the admission decision.
Your Degree must be equivalent to a Dutch Research University diploma. This will be evaluated once you complete your formal application.
Students who wish to follow a Master's specialisation in Human Geography must have fluency in both written and spoken English. Students must satisfy the English language proficiency requirement, this requirement can be met if the student successfully completed:
- A Bachelor's programme at a Dutch university.
- A Master's or Bachelor's programme at a Dutch university of applied sciences (hbo) and completed a corresponding pre-Master's.
- An English-taught Bachelor's programme in one of the following countries: EU/EEA countries, Australia, Canada (excluding Quebec), New Zealand, United Kingdom and the United States of America.
Alternatively, the English language proficiency requirement can be met via an approved English language certificate (validity 2 years). The approved English language certificates, and required scores are listed below.
TOEFL iBT
A TOEFL (iBT) certificate with a total score of at least 90, with subscores of not less than 22.
IELTS Academic
An IELTS Academic certificate with a total score of at least 6.5, with subscores of no less than 6.0 and a subscore for writing of at least 6.5.
Cambridge C1 Advanced
Overall score ≥ 176, component score ≥ 169, writing component score ≥ 176
Cambridge C2 Proficiency
Overall score ≥ 180 component score ≥ 169, writing component score ≥ 176
Research skills
Because of the academic nature of this programme, we require all our students to have basic training in research processes, e.g. research design and data analysis.
Do you not meet the admission requirements?
Did you complete a Bachelor’s Degree in a different field from a university or a university of applied sciences (hbo)? You may still be eligible for admission to a pre-Master’s programme. A completed pre-Master’s allows you to progress to the Master’s programme and related specialisations.
TOEFL Home Edition exam
We do not accept the TOEFL at Home Edition exam.
Questions or concerns?
If you are hesitating with regards to your application, your enrolment request in Studielink can always be cancelled.
Do you have questions about admissions or are you unsure if you meet all the requirements? Get in touch with master [at] fm.ru.nl (master[at]fm[dot]ru[dot]nl)
Do you have a question about the application procedure, Osiris or tuition fees? Get in touch with the Central Student Admission Office:
- E-mail: admissions [at] ru.nl (admissions[at]ru[dot]nl)
- Phone: +31 24 – 361 23 45
- Click here for the opening hours
If you have a partly Dutch degree, you can register via Studielink. Do you have any further questions? Send an email to admissions [at] nsm.ru.nl (admissions[at]nsm[dot]ru[dot]nl).
Application procedure
To apply for a programme, you need to submit a request for enrolment in Studielink before the application deadline. Before you apply, please check the admission requirements and then follow the steps below.
Steps
Step 1: Submit your enrolment request via Studielink
Apply for your chosen Master’s programme via Studielink. You can apply for a programme for the following academic year from 1 October onwards.
If you completed a Bachelor’s programme at Radboud University that grants you direct admission to your chosen Master’s programme, you can skip the steps below and enrol in the Master’s programme after you have applied in Studielink.
Step 2: Complete the digital questionnaire
If your previous education needs to be assessed, you will receive the login details for a digital questionnaire at the email address that you provided in Studielink. You will need to log in to the questionnaire, and once you have completed it you will need to upload the requested documents.
Please make sure that you submit your questionnaire and the documents before the application deadline. If you do this after the deadline, there is no guarantee that we will be able to process your application for admission in time. You can find the application deadline at the top of the Admission & Application page of the Master's programme.
Step 3: Keep an eye on your inbox
Your request for admission will then be processed. You will be informed of the admission decision by email within approximately three weeks after submitting the digital questionnaire. There are three possible outcomes:
- You will be granted unconditional admission, which means you can enrol for the programme.
- You will be granted conditional admission: there are conditions that you will need to fulfil before definitive admission can be granted. You will receive an email about what these conditions mean.
- You will not be granted admission: your application will then be withdrawn from Studielink and you cannot enrol for this Master's. You will receive further details by email.
The details of this outcome will be forwarded to the email address that you provided in Studielink.
Have you been admitted ?
You can now enrol for the programme.
Application procedure
In order to apply you must first make sure you meet the admission requirements of the Master's programme you would like to apply for. The application procedure then consists of two steps: first, creating an enrolment application in Studielink, then uploading documents in OSIRIS Application.
Steps
Step 1: Create an enrolment application in Studielink
To apply for a Master’s programme, you have to create an account and an enrolment application in Studielink (the national online registration system for Dutch universities). First you will be asked to fill in your previous education, then select the programme you wish to apply for in the list that appears.
Step 2: Upload documents in OSIRIS Application
After you have submitted an enrolment request in Studielink, you will receive an email with personal login details for OSIRIS Application. You have a maximum of 56 days or until the application deadline to upload your documents and submit a complete application. If you have not submitted your application after this period, it will be automatically cancelled.
Which documents are requested depends on the programme. During the application process in Studielink, you will find out which of the following documents you need to submit:
- Bachelor’s diploma or equivalent
In OSIRIS Application, please list the full, official name of the diploma that you have or will receive. Please use the language and name in which the diploma is issued. If you have graduated, you are required to upload your signed and stamped diploma.
- An official transcript of your Bachelor's degree or equivalent
If you have not obtained your degree, upload your most recent signed and stamped transcript of records. If you have graduated, please upload your full and complete transcript of grades. Also, please upload the description of the grading scale that can usually be found at the end of your transcript (if applicable).
If you have already graduated from your previous education and are currently still studying, please upload signed and stamped transcripts and diplomas from all degrees (post-secondary school).
- Sworn translations of diploma and transcript
Translations need to be made by a legally sworn translator. Certified translations are not required if your diploma and transcript are originally in Dutch, English or German. If your school provides English versions of your documents, please upload those along with versions of the documents in the original language.
- Course description for unfinished courses
If you have not yet completed your degree, please upload a list of the courses that you are currently taking or still need to take, including the course content, the number of hours, and the literature used per course; see example below in downloads. Be sure to include information about research courses, practical work and your thesis/internship (if applicable).
- Course description for finished courses
Upload a list of all the courses you have taken during your degree, including the course content, the number of hours, and the literature used per course; see example below in downloads. Be sure to include information about research courses, practical work and your thesis/internship (if applicable).
- Personal statement/motivation letter (depending on programme)
Your personal statement should contain, at least, a brief description of why you have chosen this specific Master's programme and how it fits your previous education.
For the motivation letter please describe your future plans and what you would like to learn and research at Radboud University. What are the topics of the research you would like to do? Please be specific about your ambitions and explain how your previous education prepared you for this specific Master's programme. This will allow us to find out if your previous education is appropriate. Last but not least, include your interest in studying at Radboud University (specific disciplines, facilities or other considerations).
- Reference letter(s)
Reference letters are required if you are applying for a scholarship and/or a selective Master's programme and you will be asked to upload them to OSIRIS Application. Please note; these must be signed and stamped or signed and on official letterhead.
Reference letters are not required for non-selective programmes; however, it is still possible to upload one to your application if you wish.
- Overview of education/experience
Please upload an overview that contains, in chronological order, information about your education and knowledge/experience acquired during an internship, training, or work; for example, a resume.
- English language certificate
You are allowed to apply without a language certificate. However, if you are admitted to the programme and a language certificate is listed as a requirement in your admission email, you will be required to provide proof of proficiency before the enrolment deadline. If you can prove English proficiency through your previous education, a certificate is not required. Visit the language requirements page for full details.
- Handling fee
Non-EU/EEA applicants are required to pay a handling fee before their application can be processed. Visit the handling fee website for full details and how to pay.
- Nuffic Certificate (Chinese students only)
Chinese students are required to apply for a Nuffic Certificate regardless of the level and location of their previous education. The certificate is not required for the application, but if you are admitted to the programme, you will need this certificate by 1 June for the visa procedure. Please find more information about it on the Study in Holland websites.
Step 3: Admission decision
Your request for admission will then be processed. Within approximately 3 weeks after you have submitted the digital questionnaire. Student Admissions will inform you by email about the admission decision. There are three possible outcomes:
- You are unconditionally admitted.
- You are admitted under certain conditions. There are conditions that you must first meet in order to enroll.
- You will not be admitted. Your application in Studielink will be withdrawn.
You will receive the outcome via the email address you entered in Studielink.
Have you been admitted to the Master's?
Congratulations! Then go to the enrolment procedure and follow the steps to enrol.
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Questions?
Please contact us via admissions [at] ru.nl (admissions[at]ru[dot]nl).