Admission and application
Admission period
Dutch degree
- Start date
- End date
International degree, EEA student
- Start date
- End date
International degree, non-EEA student
- Start date
- End date
Two-step selection procedure
The specialisation Microbiology within the Master’s Biology has a two-step selection procedure, which is different from the other specialisations. Please read more detailed information about this process at the bottom of this page.
Would you like to apply for a scholarship? Please note that the application deadline for most scholarships is 1 March.
Admission requirements
In order to get admission to the specialisation Microbiology, you’ll need the following:
1. A completed Bachelor’s degree in one of the following fields:
- Biology
- Medical Biology
- Molecular Life Sciences
- Microbial Biochemistry
- or a related area
2. Passed (preliminary) examinations containing the following subject matter:
- Microbiology: environmental or medical or physiological (12 credits)
- Biochemistry (6 credits)
- Cell Biology (6 credits)
- Molecular Biology / Genomics (6 credits)
- Metabolism (6 credits)
Also, basic understanding of the following subjects is required:
- Metagenomics or Genomics (3 credits)
- Bioinformatics (3 credits)
- Immunology (3 credits)
3. Motivation letter
Please also supply a motivation letter (maximum 2 pages) that includes:
- A short description of your previous education, BSc thesis, internships, lab experiences
- An explanation of why you want to take part in this specialisation
- An indication of your future ambitions
4. Letter of reference
You also need to include at least one letter of reference from an expert in a relevant field, preferably your Bachelor’s thesis advisor.
University of Applied Sciences (HBO)
In order to get admission to this Master’s programme, you’ll need a relevant HBO Bachelor’s degree, in combination with a completed (Kies op Maat) minor or pre-Master’s programme. All information can be found on the pre-Master's page of Biology.
Other previous education
Students with different previous education who lack just a part of the admissions criteria on the above-mentioned subjects might be eligible for a customised pre-Master’s programme. Please contact the admissions officer if you have queries about whether your prior education will give admittance to this Master’s specialisation or to the pre-Master’s.
In order to get admission to the specialisation Microbiology, you’ll need the following:
1. A completed Bachelor’s degree in one of the following fields:
- Biology
- Medical Biology
- Molecular Life Sciences
- Microbial Biochemistry
- or a related area
2. Passed (preliminary) examinations containing the following subject matter:
- Microbiology: environmental or medical or physiological (12 credits)
- Biochemistry (6 credits)
- Cell Biology (6 credits)
- Molecular Biology / Genomics (6 credits)
- Metabolism (6 credits)
Also, basic understanding of the following subjects is required:
- Metagenomics or Genomics (3 credits)
- Bioinformatics (3 credits)
- Immunology (3 credits)
3. Personal statement
Please also supply a personal statement (maximum 1 page) that includes:
- A short description of your previous education and your BSc thesis
- An explanation of why you want to take part in this specialisation
- An indication of your future ambitions
4. Letter of reference
You also need to include at least one letter of reference from an expert in a relevant field, preferably your Bachelor’s thesis advisor.
5. Proof of English proficiency
See more information about our language requirements below.
Check your eligibility
You can do the E-Check to find out if you are eligible to be admitted to the programme. By answering a few questions that take approx. 2-3 minutes, you receive an indication of your chances of being admitted.
If you have queries about whether your prior education will give admittance to this Master’s programme, you can contact the admissions officer.
You need to have fluency in both written and spoken English. You can prove that with a language test (TOEFL iBT, IELTS Academic, or Cambridge) or with a Bachelor's degree from a research university in one of the following countries: Australia, Canada (excluding Quebec), New Zealand, United Kingdom and the United States of America.
IELTS Academic
≥ 6,5 overall + subscores ≥ 6,0 + writing subscore ≥ 6,5
Please send a detailed email to the admissions officer, 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 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 the 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 completed questionnaire and the required documents by 1 July at the latest. If you complete the questionnaire after 1 July, there is no guarantee that we will be able to process your application for admission in time.
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.
- You will be granted conditional admission. This means that 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 unfortunately you cannot enrol for this programme.
The details of this outcome will be forwarded to the email address that you provided in Studielink.
Have you been admitted to the Master's?
Congratulations! Then go to the enrolment procedure and follow the steps to enrol.
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 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.
You will be asked to upload the following documents:
- 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.
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 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 page for full details.
- Handling fee
Non-EU/EEA applicants must 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. 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.
Questions?
Please contact us via admissions [at] ru.nl.
Links
Selection procedure
This programme is designed for highly motivated and ambitious students that are passionate about environmental or medical Microbiology and want to achieve a (research) career in this field. The selection procedure consists of two steps:
- A thorough assessment of the application documents, in which prior education and the qualification of the candidate will be evaluated.
- After a positive outcome of this assessment, an individual interview (in English and online) with the Selection Committee consisting of two lecturers.
The interview assesses motivation, communication abilities, team-working skills, self-reflection of the candidate, solution-oriented and innovative thinking, and scientific reasoning. Furthermore, a standard set of questions is asked to assess whether the background knowledge of the student conforms to the required content and level.
The interviews will be conducted in batches:
- Batch 1: Non-EU/EEA candidates running an application for Radboud Scholarship Programme (RSP), Radboud Encouragement Scholarship (RES) and/or Orange Tulip Scholarship Programme (22 March - 5 April 2023).
- Batch 2: Non-EU/EEA candidates without a scholarship application (26 April - 3 May 2023).
- Batch 3: EU/EEA candidates, candidates with a Dutch Bachelor's degree or a Pre-Master's degree (31 May - 14 June 2023).
After the Batch 1 interviews, the Selection Committee will rank all applicants and offer scholarships to the top candidates. Applicants awarded a scholarship are also directly admitted to the programme. All other admissions will be decided after the Batch 2 interviews. Here, all applicants interviewed earlier that did not receive a scholarship offer and all new applicants will be ranked according to their qualifications and performance during the interview. We will then directly admit the highest ranked candidates to a maximum of 50% of our capacity. All other applicants will be placed on a waiting list. In the final interview round Batch 3 we will interview the EU/EEA candidates and applicants with a Dutch Bachelor's degree or Pre-Master's degree. These will be ranked together with the candidates on the waiting list, and the remaining places in our programme will be filled with the highest ranked candidates. Subsequently, applicants on the waiting list will be informed in order whenever places became available.
You will learn whether you are admitted, placed on the waiting list or rejected shortly after your interview. If you are placed on the waiting list, you will be updated after each interview round about the latest status of your application.
Additional interview dates are not possible and late applications will not be considered.
The Selection Committee holds the right to decide in special cases to directly admit candidates into the programme.
Enrolment
Once you have received your admission letter, you can officially enrol as a student at Radboud University. To enrol you must send certified hard copies of the documents mentioned in your admission letter before the enrolment deadline.
Please secure your place by enrolling as soon as possible! Due to the limited number of places, we will handle a batch-wise admissions procedure (see selection procedure above). Therefore, we advise admitted students to hand in their required documents as soon as possible in order to secure their places in the programme.