To apply for this Master's programme, you will need to register in Studielink and subsequently apply through the application system SIS before the mentioned dates, even if you have not yet completed your Bachelor's programme. 

Start your application procedure in time 

If the UvA needs to assist with applying for a residence permit, we strongly advise you to apply far before the official deadline of 30 April.

Make sure your registration in both systems is completed on time. Registrations in Studielink and DataNose and getting all documents ready will take several days. Therefore, we strongly recommend to start the application procedure at least a week before the deadline.

Please note that applications received after the deadline will not be considered for admission.

Deadlines 

Applying is possible from 1 October on. 

EU/EEA students: 30 April 23.59 CET 

Non-EU/EEA students: 31 January 23.59 CET * 
 
* Are you a current Bachelor's or Master's student at a Dutch higher education institution? Then the deadline mentioned under “EU/EEA students” applies, i.e. 30 April 23.59 CET. 

• More about visas and permits 

Deadline with a UvA Scholarship 

Please note that if you want to apply for a UvA Scholarship, other deadlines for application to the Master's programme apply. 

Entry requirements

Admission to the Master's programme Information Studies: Track Human Computer Interaction is possible for students with the following qualifications:

A Bachelor's degree, and an affinity for data and technology. 
Students from various disciplines are eligible, such as: Artificial Intelligence, Business Studies, Communication Studies, Computer Science, Information Science, Information Studies, Media Studies or Psychology

Academic Skills (6EC)

Knowledge on the following topics at university level is required (adequacy will be determined by the Admissions board):

• Bachelor thesis
• Literature research
• Academic writing
• The ability to make abstractions from different contexts based on analytical thinking 
• Research skills, scientific reasoning 
• Reflection: critical assessment on general accepted theories 
• Ability to framing: the use of different interpretation schemes (frames) to reason about reality 
• Empirical research

Programming skills - 12 EC (formal higher education only)
Examples: Anything with programming, Applied Machine Learning, Coding Lab

Databases, data structures & algorithms -  6EC (formal higher education only) 

Examples: Anything with Database or Algorithms in the name, Fundamentals of Data Science, Algorithms and Data Structures, Big Data Analytics 

Statistical literacy - 6EC (formal higher education only) 

Examples: Statistics, Introduction to statistics, Probability Theory, Probability & Statistics, Basic Skills in Mathematics, Programming & Statistics, Statistics in Linguistics and Communication, Biostatistics, Psychometrics 

Specific requirements for the track Human-Computer Interaction: 

Human-Computer Interaction and Interaction Design – 6EC (formal higher education only):   

Examples: User-Centred Design, Design Thinking, Prototyping, Ubiquitous Computing, Human Media Perception, Computer-Supported Collaborative Work, Game Design, User Experience Design, Psychology of Technology, Data Visualisation 

Please note that we require formal academic European Credits (EC), or its equivalent, from a higher education institution. Online courses, work experience and other forms of experience will not be accepted. 

Students with HBO background

If you are a Bachelor graduate from a University of Applied Sciences (in Dutch HBO) we still welcome you to apply if you meet the requirements and have taken academic skills courses on a university level and/ or have a well written final thesis 

Additional requirements

In addition to the admission requirements referred to above the student has to comply with the following additional requirements:

You have an overall grade point average (GPA) equivalent to at least:

• 6.5 (according to the Dutch grading system)
• 3.0 (American system)
• 2.1 (a second class upper/division one degree in the British system)

The GPA is the average of the Bachelor's course grades weighed by course/study load.

Limited programme capacity and ranking criteria

A maximum of 150 (75 students each track) students are admitted to the entire Master's programme Information Studies (Data Science and Human-Computer Interaction  track) each academic year. 

Candidates will be selected in the following way. First, candidates will have to meet the requirements and additional requirements as stated above. Subsequently all the candidates eligible for admission to the programme will be ranked by the ranking criteria. Each ranking criterion will be classified/assessed according to five categories: excellent, very good, good, sufficient, insufficient.

Selection will be based on the following ranking criteria:

• GPA score (minimum of 6.5)
• Academic skills
• Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) experience and/or Programming skills
• Data and Information modelling skills
• Relevant interdisciplinary Human Computer Interaction project(s) completed 
• Relevant work experience or community outreach and engagement experience

The ranking criteria apply to all candidates who have met the requirements and additional requirements as stated above.

The Admissions Board will judge requests for admission on criteria mentioned above and select students on an individual basis and in comparison to the other applicants. These criteria will not be applied mechanically, but manually with careful consideration and judgement. For example, the value of the GPA may depend on a students' curriculum, publications may be more or less high ranked, etc.

The top 150 candidates on the ranking list will be admitted to the Master's programme. The Admissions Board will grant admission to the selected candidates. Students who aren’t ranked in the top 150 will be placed on a waiting list in case a student who is placed decides to not take the spot.

English language proficiency

All information regarding the English language proficiency obligations can be found here:

Deadlines for English test results

The deadline for submitting a sufficient English proficiency test result is the same as the application deadline for the selected Master's programme. Applications submitted without a sufficient English proficiency test result will be kept on hold.

Before you can apply to the UvA, you will need to submit an enrollment application through Studielink. Studielink is the national online system for students who aim to enroll in a degree programme at a Dutch institute of higher education. 

Check your DigiD (before starting in Studielink) 

A DigiD (Digital Identification) is an online ID that provides access to government administration websites. 

• Students who do not live in the Netherlands can use Studielink without a DigiD. 

• Students who currently live in the Netherlands will need their DigiD to use Studielink. We strongly recommend you to apply for your DigiD at least three weeks before registering in Studielink. 

Important: While selecting the Master's programme of your interest in Studielink, make sure to select the regular programme (option 1). Do not select option 2 (after a temporary termination of enrolment) or option 3 (elective) if you are a degree seeking student. You will select the track of your interest later on in SIS. 

After submitting your enrolment application in Studielink, you will receive an email with your UvAnetID. This can take up to 48 hours. Follow the instructions in the email to activate your UvAnetID as you will need it to complete your UvA application. 

After submitting an enrolment request in Studielink, you will receive an email within 48 hours with a link to submit your application in SIS. To log in to SIS, you will need your activated UvAnetID. Please fill out the application form, upload the required documents, pay the application fee (if applicable), and submit your application before the application deadline. 

Please note: Completing all the steps may take a few days. You might also need to look for or request certain documents. We therefore strongly recommend that you start well in advance. 
 
Documents should be uploaded in PDF format. A complete application consists of the following documents:

1. A self-written motivation letter in English (max. 500 words). 
2. Your curriculum vitae in the English language. Please ensure that all previous education, including high school, is included. 
3. A copy of your Bachelor's transcript in Dutch, English, German or French and in the original language. 
4. A copy of your Bachelor's diploma/certificate or an official graduation statement in Dutch, English, German or French and in the original language. Please include a (self-made) list of courses in your final year, if you have not yet completed your current academic programme.  
5. A summary of your Bachelor's thesis/project in English (if applicable).  
6. Two email addresses of referees. Please make sure they are notified and available for contact via email. We need to receive the reference letters within two weeks after submitting your application. Important: no reference letters will be accepted or dealt with after the application deadline. 
7. Proof of English proficiency.  

In case any of the above-mentioned documents are missing, your application will be considered incomplete, and we cannot continue with your application.   

All students applying for a Master’s programme with an international Bachelor’s diploma are required to pay a non-refundable €100 application fee. Paying the application fee is the last step in submitting your application. 

You can pay the €100 application fee by credit card (Mastercard, Visacard), PayPal, Bancontact or iDEAL/Wero. Only after payment of this fee, you will be able to submit your application. 

You don't have to pay the application fee:  

• If you have of will obtain a Bachelor’s degree from a Dutch research university or university of applied sciences (HBO).  

• If you have already applied and have paid the application fee for another Master’s programme at the UvA for the same academic year.  

• If your tuition fee will be paid by the Foundation for Refugee Students (UAF). If so, your application fee will be refunded. 

The application fee is non-refundable. You are not entitled to a refund even if you do not submit your application form, or if you submit an application form after the deadline (which will not be taken into consideration), or if you submit an incomplete application.   

As soon as you have submitted the (sufficiently) complete online application in SIS, it will be evaluated by our Admissions Board. We strive to process each application within 6 weeks. Important: For this selective programme, you will first be informed about your eligibility and whether you can participate in the selection procedure which will take place in the second half of May. You can track the status of your admission using the checklist in SIS. 

Important: Students from outside the EU/EEA (including Switzerland) who are not selected for a place in the programme following the selection procedure in May, may not be eligible for the waiting list if the deadline for visa and residence permit applications has passed. 

Accept  

If you meet all the entry requirements and the Admissions Board has approved your application, we will send you a letter of conditional acceptance by email. Please accept your offer in SIS within 2 weeks. If you do not respond to your offer within 2 weeks, we cannot continue with your admission process (and visa request if applicable). Please note that accepting the offer does not oblige you to start the programme. You will still be able to withdraw your enrolment request in Studielink until August 31st. 

Decline  

Please remember to cancel your Studielink enrolment request if you reject the offer in SIS. 

Defer  

It is not possible to defer your admission to the next academic year. A new enrolment is required for each academic year as entry requirements may change. 

If you are (conditionally) admitted to a Master's programme, we must verify your previous education. Please click on the link below for more information on how to do this.

You will need to arrange a variety of practical matters before starting your Master's programme. This includes your visa or residence permit, insurance and housing.

After your (conditional) admission you will receive information by means of email on how to complete your registration and how to apply for a visa or residence permit, if needed. 

A student ID card is a personal card which serves as proof of identity for examinations or borrowing library books. You will receive instructions on how to request your student ID card.

In order to complete your enrolment for a degree programme at the UvA, you will need to pay the tuition fee.