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Do you want to start a Master's programme, but does your previous education not not fully meet the entry requirements? Some Master’s programmes offer a bridging programme (pre-Master's programme) to help you bring your knowledge and skills to the required level in six months to a year.

Every programme at the University of Amsterdam has its own entry requirements, application procedure and deadlines. Check the Pre-Master's list below or select your Master’s programme to see if they offer a pre-Master’s programme.

View list of Pre-Master's programmes
View list of Master's programmes

Admission and application

You can apply for a pre-Master’s programme through the Master's programme itself. In your application for the Master’s programme, our admission officers will determine whether there are deficiencies in your prior education and which additional courses you need to take in order to meet the entry requirements for the Master’s programme.

To qualify for a pre-Master’s programme, you are allowed to have a maximum of 60 EC in deficiencies. If you have successfully completed the pre-Master’s programme, you will receive a confirmation of admissibility to the related Master's programme. Please note, a pre-Master’s programme is not a Bachelor’s degree, it is a six-month to one-year  bridging programme.

Admission via second bachelor

A pre-Master’s programme cannot contain more than 60 credits. If you have a greater deficiency, you are required to follow a second Bachelor's programme in order to be admitted to the Master's programme. You may in some cases be granted exemptions for parts of this second Bachelor's programme, depending on your previous education.

Tuition fees

The tuition fees for your pre-Master’s programme depend on the number of credits (EC) you need to obtain. You can calculate the tuition fee on our website to see how much it will cost. If you also follow courses outside the pre-Master’s programme in question, you will be required to pay the institutional tuition fee.
Restitution is not possible for pre-Master's programmes.

Entry visa and residence permit

In order to be able to study in the Netherlands, you may need to apply for a residence permit and/or an entry visa. This depends on your nationality.

If you want to do a pre-Master’s programme and you’re not sure if you require a residence permit and/or entry visa, check the list of degree programmes to see what the requirements are for your programme.

More information about visa and residence permits is available at uva.nl/visa.