Admission and application

Application period

Please select your nationality and previous education to view the application periods.

Application period

Please select your previous education to view the application periods.

Application period

September intake

Applications open from

01 October 2025

Application deadline

01 May 2026

This Master's programme has an admission and a placement procedure. After the Admissions Committee has determined that you can be admitted based on the level and content of your previous education, your application is automatically transferred to the placement procedure.

Placement procedure
In the placement procedure for the Master's Historical Studies, the Admissions Board will look at your study results, your motivation for this Master’s, your affinity with academic research and your reference letters. Afterwards, the committee will decide if you will be offered a place in the Master’s programme.

Application period

September intake

Applications open from

01 October 2025

Application deadline

01 May 2026

Application period

Please select your previous education to view the application periods.

Application period

September intake

Applications open from

01 October 2025

Application deadline

01 May 2026

Apply by 1 May at the latest if you want to receive housing assistance by Radboud University. If you don’t want to receive housing assistance, then apply by 1 July at the latest.

Application period

September intake

Applications open from

01 October 2025

Application deadline

01 May 2026

Apply by 1 May at the latest if you want to receive housing assistance by Radboud University. If you don’t want to receive housing assistance, then apply by 1 July at the latest.

Application period

Please select your previous education to view the application periods.

Application period

September intake

Applications open from

01 October 2025

Application deadline

01 April 2026

Application deadline with scholarship

31 January 2026

Application period

September intake

Applications open from

01 October 2025

Application deadline

01 April 2026

Application deadline with scholarship

31 January 2026

Please select your previous education to view the admission requirements and application procedure.

Admission requirements

Research university (WO)

Before you read the admission requirements, please note the following:

The Admission Board has the authority to impose additional admission requirements.
In principle, it is possible to gain admission to the Research Master's with qualifications other than those outlined on this page, subject to the discretion of the Admission Board. So, if you have Bachelor's degree that is comparable in content and methodology, as well as meeting all of the other requirements, you may submit a well-motivated request for admission.

Bachelor's degree

In order to get admission to this Master’s you’ll need a completed Bachelor's degree obtained at a research university in History or a related area.

If you are unsure if you meet the requirements, please apply via Studielink. Submitting an application is without obligation and free of charge for Dutch and EU/EEA students.

Additional requirements

In addition you must fulfill the following requirements:

Good grades
Your average grade during the second and third years of your BA studies has to have been at least a 7.5.
Affinity with research
Your Bachelor's thesis or a dedicated research proposal will need to demonstrate that you are sufficiently talented for scientific research.
Strong motivation
You have to be able to demonstrate your motivation for and affinity with international and interdisciplinary academic research. A selection committee will evaluate the motivation of each applicant separately.
Proficiency in English
In order to take part in this specialisation, you’ll need to be fluent in written and spoken English.

University of applied sciences (HBO)

Do you have a university of applied sciences (HBO) degree? Then you cannot be admitted to the Master's programme in Historical Studies. Unfortunately, there is no pre-Master's or bridging programme.

Partially Dutch degree

Please send a detailed email to the admissions [at] ru.nl (Admissions Office), stating clearly which diplomas you have achieved and in which country you have achieved them. We will then advise you which procedure to follow in your specific situation.

Admission requirements

International

Bachelor requirements

Before you read the admission requirements, please note the following:

The Admission Board has the authority to impose additional admission requirements.
In principle, it is possible to gain admission to the Research Master's with qualifications other than those outlined on this page, subject to the discretion of the Admission Board. So, if you have a Bachelor's degree that is comparable in content and methodology, as well as meeting all of the other requirements, you may submit a well-motivated request for admission.

Bachelor's degree

In order to get admission to this Master’s you’ll need a completed Bachelor's degree obtained at a research university in History or a related area.

If you are unsure if you meet the requirements, please apply via Studielink. Submitting an application is without obligation and free of charge for Dutch and EU/EEA students.

Language requirements

In order to take part in this programme, you need to be proficient in both written and spoken English. Students with a Bachelor's degree obtained in Australia, Canada (excluding Quebec), Ireland, New-Zealand, Singapore, the United Kingdom or the United States, where the language of instruction was English, are exempted from the language requirements. Other candidates need to have obtained one of the certificates below before the enrolment deadline (you will not be needing these certificates when you apply at Radboud University).

Language tests and scores

TOEFL iBT

A TOEFL (iBT) certificate with an overall score of ≥ 100 and all subscores ≥ 4.5, except for Listening ≥ 5.

Note: we do not accept the TOEFL at Home Edition exam.

TOEFL iBT Test

IELTS Academic

An IELTS Academic certificate with an overall score of ≥ 7,0 and subscores ≥ 6,5.

Note: we do not accept the IELTS Online exam.

IELTS Academic Test

Cambridge C1 Advanced

A Cambridge C1 Advanced certificate with an overall score of ≥ 185 and subscores ≥ 176.

Cambridge C1 Advanced Test

Cambridge C2 Proficiency

A Cambridge C2 Proficiency certificate with an overall score of ≥ 185 and subscores ≥ 176.

Cambridge C2 Proficiency Test

Pearson PTE Academic

A Pearson PTE Academic certificate with an overall score of ≥ 67 and subscores ≥ 61.

Note: we do not accept the Pearson PTE Academic Online exam.

Pearson PTE Academic Test

LanguageCert Academic

A LanguageCert Academic certificate with an overall score of ≥ 75, and subscores for listening ≥ 65, reading ≥ 65, writing ≥ 70, speaking ≥ 75.

Note: we do not accept the LanguageCert Academic Online exam.

LanguageCert Academic Test

Additional requirements

In addition you must fulfill the following requirements:

Good grades
Your average grade during the final two years of your BA studies has to have been at least a 7.5 (Grades in the Netherlands are out of 10. For more information see Conversion of international grades).
Affinity with research
Your Bachelor's thesis or a dedicated research proposal will need to demonstrate that you are sufficiently talented for scientific research.
Strong motivation
You have to be able to demonstrate your motivation for and affinity with international and interdisciplinary academic research. A selection committee will evaluate the motivation of each applicant separately.

Partially Dutch degree

Application procedure

Master's application with placement procedure - Dutch previous education

You must first make sure you meet the admission requirements of the Master's programme you would like to apply for. To apply for a programme, you need to submit an enrolment application in Studielink before the application deadline and follow the steps below.

Steps

Step 1: Submit an enrolment application in Studielink

You can apply for a Master’s programme at Radboud University via Studielink. You can apply for a programme for the following academic year from 1 October onwards.
Apply in Studielink
Step 2: Complete the digital questionnaire

If your previous education needs to be assessed by the Admissions Committee, you will receive login details for a digital questionnaire, OSIRIS Application, 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 complete the questionnaire and upload 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 completed questionnaire will 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:
1. You are admitted to the placement procedure.
2. You are admitted to the placement procedure under certain conditions. There are conditions that you will need to fulfil before you will be able to enrol in the study programme.
3. You will not be admitted to the placement procedure. Your application in Studielink will be withdrawn. You will receive further details by email about why your application was rejected.
The details of this outcome will be sent to the email address that you provided in Studielink.
Step 4: Participate in the placement procedure
Have you been admitted to the placement procedure? Then you will receive an email from the Master's programme about what the placement procedure looks like and what actions are expected of you. Based on the placement procedure, it will be assessed whether you will be selected for the Master’s. There are two possible outcomes:
1. You are offered a place in the Master’s.
2. You are not offered a place in the Master’s. Your application in Studielink will be withdrawn and, unfortunately, you cannot enrol for this programme.
Have you been offered a place in the Master's programme?
Go to the enrolment procedure and follow the steps to enrol.

Application procedure

Master's application with placement procedure - International previous education

In order to apply you must first make sure you meet the admission requirements of the Master's you would like to apply for. The application procedure then consists of three steps: creating an enrolment application in Studielink, uploading documents in OSIRIS, then the placement procedure.

Steps

Step 1: Submit 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. In order to submit an enrolment request in Studielink, you will need the following:
- Your own DigiD account. If you do not (yet) live in the Netherlands, you cannot use DigiD and you will need to log in with a Studielink username and password. Do you live in the Netherlands but do not have a DigiD account? Make sure that you apply for an account well before the application deadline. It usually takes 5 working days for a DigiD account to be activated.
- Contact information, such as your phone number and email address.
Apply in Studielink
Step 2: Upload documents in OSIRIS Application
After you have created an enrolment application 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. After this period, if you have not submitted your application, 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, list the full, official name of the diploma that you have or will receive. Use the language and name in which the diploma is issued. If you have graduated, we require you to upload your diploma.
- An official transcript of your Bachelor's degree or equivalent
If you have not obtained your degree, upload the list of grades received so far. If you have obtained your degree, upload your full and complete transcript of grades. Also, upload the description of the grading scale on the overleaf page of your transcript (if applicable).
If you have already graduated from your previous education and are currently still studying please upload transcripts and diplomas from all degrees (post-secondary school).
- Sworn translations of diploma and transcript
Translations need to be made by an officially recognised translator. Official 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, 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, 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 a 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 a 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 Masters programme and you will be asked to upload them to your OSIRIS Application. Please note, these must be signed and stamped or signed and on official letterhead.
- 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 permitted 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 website for full details.
- Handling fee
Non-EU/EEA applicants must pay a handling fee before their application can be processed. Visit the handling fee page for full details and how to pay.
Step 3: Participate in the placement procedure
After you have completed your application in OSIRIS Application, the Admission Board will assess your application. Keep in mind that next to eligibility you must also participate in a placement procedure.
Have you been admitted to the placement procedure? Then you will receive an email from the Master's programme about what this placement procedure looks like and what actions are expected of you. Based on the placement procedure, it will be assessed whether you will be selected for the Master’s. There are two possible outcomes:
1. You are offered a place in the Master’s.
2. You are not offered a place in the Master’s. Your application in Studielink will be withdrawn and unfortunately you cannot enrol for this programme.
You will receive the outcome via the email address you entered in Studielink.
Have you been offered a place in the Master's?
Congratulations! Then go to the enrolment procedure and follow the steps to enrol.

Downloads

Course description example

docx 93.02 KB

Example of a detailed course description of all the courses taken during your degree, including the course content, the number of hours and the literature used per course.

Required documents for applicants

Motivation Letter

Your motivation letter should contain the following information:

A description of your future plans.
What you would like to learn at Radboud University.
The specific topics you would like to research.
Explanation of how your previous education prepared you for this specific Master's programme.
Your interest in studying at Radboud University (specific disciplines, facilities or other considerations).

This information will allow us to find out if your previous education and experience is appropriate. Please make sure your letter contains around 500 words maximum.

Curriculum Vitae

In the Curriculum Vitae you should include your language qualification, academic qualifications as well as detailed information on research and relevant working experience that you have.

Bachelor’s or Master’s Thesis

Please upload a copy of your BA or MA Thesis. If you have not yet finished your Bachelor’s thesis or if your programme does not require a thesis, you should submit another relevant academic paper that you have written individually during your studies.

Reference Letters

Submit two letters of recommendation from your BA thesis supervisor and another relevant teacher that can evaluate your development in the course of your academic career.

Please share the below instructions with your referees:

We kindly request referees to write their reference letters based on the four points below so that we can compare the letters for students as fairly as possible. Please respond succinctly (max. 150 words per question), using specific examples where possible.

What is your assessment of the candidate’s academic skills and aptitude for original research (e.g. fluency with theory and method, source analysis, etc.)?
Please describe the candidate’s academic attitude (e.g. independence, ability to respond well to feedback, reflexivity about learning trajectory, etc.)?
Why do you expect the candidate to be successful in this particular Research Master program?
Is there anything else you would like to mention that could affect the candidate’s application? (optional)

Reference letters that can be accepted must adhere to the following guidelines. The letter must be:

Written in English and typed on a computer
Signed by the author physically by hand or a signature verifiable in Adobe. Images of a signature will not be accepted.

Please note: For legal reasons, we prefer students adding the letter(s) to their application themselves. Should the referee have any strong objections to this, please have the reference letters sent to toelatingscommisie [at] let.ru.nl (toelatingscommisie[at]let[dot]ru[dot]nl). Referees should note that according to Dutch law (the General Data Protection Regulation), the student has the legal right to view any letter concerning them, upon request.

Apply now

Admission and application

Application period

Have you been offered a place in the Master's programme?

Have you been offered a place in the Master's?

Required documents for applicants

Motivation Letter

Curriculum Vitae

Bachelor’s or Master’s Thesis

Reference Letters