Application procedure
Business Information Systems (MSc Information Studies)
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Application procedure
- You fill out and submit the application form (see below), along with the required documents.
- Within a few days, you receive a confirmation of your application from the faculty’s Education Service Centre. This confirmation email will indicate if you are directly accepted to the programme (this generally only pertains to people with a Dutch academic Bachelor's degree in Information Studies), or if an interview is required to determine your motivation and to identify any gaps in necessary knowledge or skills.
- If an interview is required: You come by for a 30 minute interview, conducted in English (for foreign applicants, online means such as Skype or Google Hangout can be used). This interview will determine if you are directly accepted to the programme, or if you need to complete a pre-Master's programme of one or more of three available e-modules, to cover any gaps in necessary knowledge or skills. If you need to cover more than these e-modules, you cannot be accepted to the programme.
- If a pre-Master's programme is required: We provide you with a detailed explanation about the learning and testing process, and together with you we plan the date when you will be tested. You will be accepted to the programme if you complete and pass the exam for each assigned e-module.
- If your application is accepted, we will let you know, and send a letter of approval for admission to Studielink and an admission statement to the UvA Student Administration. If your application is rejected (before or after the interview and/or e-module testing), we will send you a motivated explanation why.
Pre-Master's programme
The BIS pre-Master’s programme is designed to cover any gaps in knowledge or skills that are necessary to follow the BIS programme. Please check the section 'Pre-Master's programme' for details.
Application form
Required documents
Along with your application form, you need to send in the following (up-to-date) documents:
- curriculum vitae (CV)
- information about your Bachelor's programme(s): descriptions of all relevant courses (copy-pasted or scanned from a course catalogue – please do NOT send in complete course catalogues), grades, ECTS credits, summary of your Bachelor's research project or internship (250 – 500 words)
- motivation letter (max. 300 words): why you want to enrol in this programme, what topics related to the programme you are interested in, which personal strengths make you suitable for it
- copy of your Bachelor's degree (if already in your possession)
Please note that only complete applications – with all the documents mentioned above – will be taken into consideration, and that you can only be admitted to a Master’s programme if all the documents (including the copy of your Bachelor’s degree) are received before the programme starts. In other words: you must complete your Bachelor’s programme before you can start your Master’s programme.
Extra requirements for applicants with a foreign Bachelor’s degree
If you have a foreign (non-Dutch) Bachelor’s degree, you must meet three additional requirements:
- overall grade point average: at least 3.0 (American grading system), 2:1 or upper second class honors/division one (British grading system), or C (ECTS system)
- English proficiency: minimum TOEFL score of 98 (internet-based test), or minimum IELTS test score of 7.0, with sub-scores on writing and speaking at least 7.0 and on listening and reading at least 6.5, or minimum CAE score of B, or minimum CPE score of C
- certified (and if needed: translated) copy of your secondary certificates/degrees.
The TOEFL-code for the UvA Faculty of Science is 8628.
If you are Chinese, you are required to take an IELTS test or TOEFL internet-based test (as these are the only two tests accepted by the Nuffic, which provides certificates for Chinese students who wish to study in the Netherlands).
Please don't hesitate to contact the faculty's International Team if you have any questions.