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
Application after 1 May
It's still possible to submit an application after 1 May, but then the Admissions Office will assess whether you are still admissible.
Admission and placement
This Master’s programme has separate admission and placement procedures. After the Admissions Board has determined you may be admitted based on the level and content of your previous education, your application will be automatically entered into the placement procedure.
In the placement procedure for the Research Master’s in Linguistics and Communication Sciences, the Admissions Board will consider your grades, your motivation letter, your recommendation letters, your cv and your thesis or another academic writing sample.
If the Board feels your application sufficiently shows your motivation and affinity for academic research in the field of Linguistics and Communication Sciences, you will be directly offered a place in this Master’s.
Admission period with non-Dutch degree and Dutch nationality
Application after 1 May
It's still possible to submit an application after 1 May, but then the Admissions Office will assess whether you are still admissible.
Admission and placement
This Master’s programme has separate admission and placement procedures. After the Admissions Board has determined you may be admitted based on the level and content of your previous education, your application will be automatically entered into the placement procedure.
In the placement procedure for the Research Master’s in Linguistics and Communication Sciences, the Admissions Board will consider your grades, your motivation letter, your recommendation letters, your cv and your thesis or another academic writing sample.
If the Board feels your application sufficiently shows your motivation and affinity for academic research in the field of Linguistics and Communication Sciences, you will be directly offered a place in this Master’s.
Admission period
Please select your previous education to view the admission periods.Admission period with Dutch degree and nationality EU/EEA country
?
Application after 1 May
It's still possible to submit an application after 1 May, but then the Admissions Office will assess whether you are still admissible.
Admission and placement
This Master’s programme has separate admission and placement procedures. After the Admissions Board has determined you may be admitted based on the level and content of your previous education, your application will be automatically entered into the placement procedure.
In the placement procedure for the Research Master’s in Linguistics and Communication Sciences, the Admissions Board will consider your grades, your motivation letter, your recommendation letters, your cv and your thesis or another academic writing sample.
If the Board feels your application sufficiently shows your motivation and affinity for academic research in the field of Linguistics and Communication Sciences, you will be directly offered a place in this Master’s.
Admission period with non-Dutch degree and nationality EU/EEA country
?
Application after 1 May
It's still possible to submit an application after 1 May, but then the Admissions Office will assess whether you are still admissible.
Admission and placement
This Master’s programme has separate admission and placement procedures. After the Admissions Board has determined you may be admitted based on the level and content of your previous education, your application will be automatically entered into the placement procedure.
In the placement procedure for the Research Master’s in Linguistics and Communication Sciences, the Admissions Board will consider your grades, your motivation letter, your recommendation letters, your cv and your thesis or another academic writing sample.
If the Board feels your application sufficiently shows your motivation and affinity for academic research in the field of Linguistics and Communication Sciences, you will be directly offered a place in this Master’s.
Admission period
Please select your previous education to view the admission periods.Admission period with Dutch degree and nationality non-EU/EEA country
?
Non-EU/EEA applicants with scholarship
Non-EU/EEA applicants* who wish to be considered for a scholarship must submit a complete application before 1 February.
*EU/EEA countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands (including the Dutch Caribbean), Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland.
Application after 1 May
It's still possible to submit an application after 1 May, but then the Admissions Office will assess whether you are still admissible.
Admission and placement
This Master’s programme has separate admission and placement procedures. After the Admissions Board has determined you may be admitted based on the level and content of your previous education, your application will be automatically entered into the placement procedure.
In the placement procedure for the Research Master’s in Linguistics and Communication Sciences, the Admissions Board will consider your grades, your motivation letter, your recommendation letters, your cv and your thesis or another academic writing sample.
If the Board feels your application sufficiently shows your motivation and affinity for academic research in the field of Linguistics and Communication Sciences, you will be directly offered a place in this Master’s.
Admission period with non-Dutch degree and nationality non-EU/EEA country
?
Non-EU/EEA applicants with scholarship
Non-EU/EEA applicants* who wish to be considered for a scholarship must submit a complete application before 1 February.
*EU/EEA countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands (including the Dutch Caribbean), Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland.
Application after 1 May
It's still possible to submit an application after 1 May, but then the Admissions Office will assess whether you are still admissible.
Admission and placement
This Master’s programme has separate admission and placement procedures. After the Admissions Board has determined you may be admitted based on the level and content of your previous education, your application will be automatically entered into the placement procedure.
In the placement procedure for the Research Master’s in Linguistics and Communication Sciences, the Admissions Board will consider your grades, your motivation letter, your recommendation letters, your cv and your thesis or another academic writing sample.
If the Board feels your application sufficiently shows your motivation and affinity for academic research in the field of Linguistics and Communication Sciences, you will be directly offered a place in this Master’s.
Dutch degree
Admission 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’s 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, we recommend you contact us.
Bachelor's degree
In order to get admission to this Master’s you’ll need a completed Bachelor's degree from a research university, in:
- Linguistics;
- Communication Studies;
- a modern language or a related area.
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 and your Bachelor’s thesis had to have received a grade of at least 8.0. Your Bachelor's thesis or a dedicated research proposal will also need to demonstrate that you’re sufficiently talented for scientific research. - 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 should be able to demonstrate your motivation for and affinity with scientific research. The Admission Board will evaluate the motivation of each applicant separately. - Proficiency in English
In order to take part in this programme, you’ll need to be fluent in English, both in speaking and in writing.
Students who have achieved their qualifications partially in The Netherlands
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.
Non-Dutch degree
Admission 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’s 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, we recommend you contact us.
Bachelor's degree
Your admission to this programme depends on your previous education. You are admissible if you have a completed Bachelor's degree from a Research University, in:
- Linguistics;
- Communication Studies;
- a modern language or a related area.
The Admission Board will determine if an international student has the required knowledge to be admitted.
In order to take part in this programme, you need to have fluency in both written and spoken English. Applicants without a Dutch Bachelor's degree or VWO diploma need one of the following:
- TOEFL iBT score of ≥100 , subscores ≥22. Please note: TOEFL home edition is not accepted;
- IELTS Academic (note: not IELTS online) score of ≥7.0, subscores ≥6.5;
- Cambridge C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency Overall score ≥ 185, component score ≥ 176, writing component score ≥ 176
- Bachelor’s degree from a Research University in Australia, Canada (excluding Quebec), Ireland, New-Zealand, United Kingdom or the United States of America, where the language of instruction was English.
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 and your Bachelor’s thesis must have received a grade of at least 8.0. (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 also need to demonstrate that you’re sufficiently talented for scientific research. - Strong motivation
You should be able to demonstrate your motivation for and affinity with scientific research. A selection committee will evaluate the motivation of each applicant separately.
Students who have achieved their qualifications partially in The Netherlands
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.
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 an enrolment application in 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.
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 56 days to upload your documents and submit a complete application. If you have not submitted your application after this period, it will be automatically cancelled.
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, you will be notified by email whether you have been admitted to the placement procedure. You will receive all emails at the email address you entered in Studielink. There are three possible outcomes:
- You are admitted to the placement procedure.
- You are admitted to the placement procedure under certain conditions. There are conditions that you must first meet in order to be admitted.
- You will not be admitted to the placement procedure. Your application in Studielink will be withdrawn.
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 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:
- You are offered a place in the Master’s.
- 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?
You can now enrol for the programme.
Links
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 three steps: creating an enrolment application in Studielink, uploading documents in OSIRIS, then the placement procedure.
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. 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.
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.
- 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. Find more information about it on the Study in Holland and Neso China websites.
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:
- You are offered a place in the Master’s.
- 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.