Applications for enrolment in September (the start of the new academic year) must be submitted between 1 October and 1 March (23:59 CET, Amsterdam time).

The application process can take several days to complete, so we strongly recommend starting early. To meet the deadline, you must complete both:

• Your application in Studielink
• Your application in our online application system (SiS)

Important: You may apply before completing your Bachelor's degree. However, you must obtain your degree and provide valid proof of graduation no later than 31 August .

Early Bird

If you submit your application between 1 and 15 October, you will be considered an Early Bird applicant. We aim to inform you of the outcome of your eligibility assessment by January. This may be helpful if you are offered a pre-master's programme, as most pre-master's programmes start in the second semester.

If you apply for a Psychology Master’s, you must meet the basic admission requirements as well as the specific requirements for your chosen track.

You can demonstrate that you meet these requirements through successfully completed courses within an accredited academic programme. These courses must provide the required number of study credits (EC) and a minimum grade of 5.5 for each course. Please note that work experience, independent research and other activities outside an accredited academic programme cannot be used to meet these criteria.

Below, you can find all the requirements for admission.

Basic requirements

You must have passed all required courses with a grade of at least 5.5.

If you do not meet this requirement, you may be able to make up the missing credits by completing an additional course, during your bachelor’s or, if you are eligible, as part of the pre-Master’s programme:

Introductory Psychology (6 EC) (part of a larger course Introductory Psychology and Brain & Cognition of 12 ec; if you only wish to do part A you can do so)

The books Discovering Statistics Using SPSS by Andy Field and Discovering statistics using JASP’ by Andy Field, Eric-Jan Wagenmakers and Johnny van Doorn provide good indications of the expected level of statistical knowledge.

If you have 18–23 EC in Methods & Statistics, you may be able to make up the missing credits by completing an additional course as part of the pre-Master’s programme, if you are eligible.

MODA (Methodology: Operationalization, Design and Analyses), for the tracks:

• Cultural Psychology 
• Coaching and Vitality in Organisations 
• Consultancy and Organisational Development 
• Human Resource and Career Management 
• Social Influence 
• Sports and Performance Psychology

Behavioural Research Toolbox, for the tracks:

• Brain and Cognition in Society 
• Behavioural Data Science

Evidence-based Clinical Practice: Research Methods, for the track:

• Health Promotion and Behaviour Change

If you have completed fewer than 18 EC in Methods & Statistics, you cannot make up the deficiency through a pre-Master’s programme.

Applicants with a qualification from outside the UvA: In addition to the course description, please also upload:

• The research report, or
• The research proposal

If you do not meet this requirement, you are not eligible for a pre-Master's programme.

With which previous education do I comply with these basic requirements?

You automatically meet the basic admission requirements if you have completed, or will complete before 31 August, one of the following programmes:

• Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from any university in the Netherlands 
• UvA Bachelor’s degree in Psychobiology 
• UvA Bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Social Sciences 
• UvA Bachelor’s degree in PPLE with a Psychology major 
• UvA Bachelor’s degree in Bèta-Gamma with a Psychology major 
• UvA Bachelor’s degree in Pedagogical Sciences* 

* Students following the University Pabo Amsterdam (UPvA) programme do not automatically meet the requirements and must demonstrate this during the application process.

Track specific requirements

Courses already used to fulfil the basic requirements cannot be counted again for this track-specific requirements.

With which pre-education do you fulfil this track-specific requirement?

• UvA Bachelor in Psychology including the course Current Topics: Introduction to Sport and Performance Psychology (previously known as “Introduction to sport psychology”)
• UvA Bachelor Interdisciplinary Social Sciences with a minor in Sport and Performance Psychology

If you do not meet this requirement, you may be able to make up the missing credits by completing an additional course as part of the pre-Master’s programme, if you are eligible:

Current Topics: Introduction to Sport and Performance Psychology (6 EC)

If you do not meet this requirement, you may be able to make up the missing credits by completing an additional course in a topic of your choice, as part of the pre-Master’s programme, if you are eligible:

Motivation (6 EC) 

Groups and Intergroup Behaviour (6 EC) 

Attitudes and Behavioural Change (6 EC) 

Current topics: Stress in health and disease (6 EC)

Teams in Organisations (6 EC) 

Leadership and Organisational Culture (6 EC)

With which pre-education do you fulfil this track-specific requirement?

• Bachelor in Psychology at any university in The Netherlands

• UvA Bachelor Interdisciplinary Social Sciences with a minor in Psychology
• UvA bachelor PPLE with a major in Psychology
• UvA bachelor Bèta Gamma with a major in Psychology
• UvA bachelor Psychobiologie

If you have other prior education, please show in your application how you meet this requirement. You can do this by referring to one or more courses that you have obtained in the area of this requirement and by enclosing the course catalogue description of these subjects with your application.

English language proficiency

International applicants who are non-native English speakers must submit official proof of English language proficiency test scores.

You do not need to submit an English test if you:

• Have completed a Dutch university-level Bachelor’s degree, or
• Are a native English speaker and completed secondary education in Australia, Canada (except Quebec), Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom or the United States of America, or
• Completed secondary or tertiary education in one of the following countries: Australia, Canada (except Quebec), Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, or the United States of America.

Accepted English language tests

Only the tests listed below are accepted. No other tests are allowed.

Your test results must be no older than 2 years at the start date of your programme.

Requirements regarding English language level are: 

Deadline

You must submit your English language certificate by 1 March if you wish to start the programme in September. For an Early Bird application, the deadline is 15 October.

Your application is not complete without a valid English language certificate (if required for your situation). Make sure to book your test early.

Academic level

Admission is based on the academic level and content of your previous education, not solely on the title of your degree. Each application is assessed individually. Your previous education must be comparable in both academic level and content to the Bachelor's programme in Psychology at the University of Amsterdam (UvA) and assessed as equivalent to the academic level required for admission to this Master's programme.

International degrees are assessed by professional credential evaluators at the University of Amsterdam (UvA). Because education systems differ across countries, not all Bachelor's degrees are considered equivalent. During the application process, you will be asked to upload the required documents for this evaluation.

What if you don’t meet all the requirements?

Pre-Master’s programme

If you do not meet all admission requirements for a Master’s track, you may be eligible for a pre-Master’s programme. Based on your previous education, we will decide which courses you still need to complete, up to the maximum number of courses allowed.

To find out if you are eligible, apply for your chosen Master’s track. During the admissions process, we will assess whether you need to take a pre-Master’s programme.

3.1 Apply for a first-choice Master’s track

Before applying to the UvA, you must first submit an enrolment application through Studielink, the national application system for Dutch universities.

Check your DigiD (before starting in Studielink)

• A DigiD is a secure digital identification (username and password) used to access Dutch government and education systems.
• Students who do not live in the Netherlands can use Studielink without a DigiD.
• Students who do live in the Netherlands must use a DigiD to access Studielink.
• If you need a DigiD, we strongly recommend applying for it at least three weeks before registering in Studielink.

Choose your programme

When submitting your enrolment application, choose 'WO Master Psychology. You will be able to choose the Master's track of your choice in step 4.

Step-by-step guide to Studielink

3.2 Apply for a second-choice Master’s track (optional)

Master’s tracks in Psychology have a limited number of places. Therefore, it is recommended to have a second choice. You may apply for a second track if you meet the admission requirements.

How to apply for two tracks

• First choice (Studielink): The track you select in Studielink is your first choice. This cannot be changed after submission, so choose carefully.
• Second choice (via SiS): You can indicate your second choice here.

You will receive a maximum of one offer. Your second-choice track will only be considered if you are not admitted to your first-choice (pre-)Master’s track.

3.3 Apply for a consecutive second track in a new academic year (optional)

If you completed a different track in the previous academic year and wish to apply for another track within the same Master’s programme, you cannot follow the standard application procedure.

Instead, you must email the Admissions Office at admissions-psy@uva.nl with:

• Your name and student number
• The track you started in the previous year
• Your most recent transcript
• A completed Proof of Qualifications document for the specific requirements of the second track.

If you are admitted to a second track in the following academic year, you must arrange your own re-enrolment in Studielink.

After submitting your enrolment application in Studielink, you will receive an email with your UvAnetID. Follow the instructions in the email to activate your ID as you will need it to complete your UvA application.

All students applying for a Master’s programme in Psychology with an international Bachelor’s diploma are required to pay a non-refundable €100 application fee*. Only after you have paid this fee the UvA can start to process your application. You can do so via the application portal SIS, as the final step. Submitting your form without paying the application fee is not possible.

You can pay your €100 application fee by credit card (Mastercard, Visacard), 
GooglePay, ApplePay, Paypal, Bancontact or iDEAL.

Please note: Registration of the payment fee takes up to 24 hours. Make sure you pay well in time. 

You do not have to pay the application fee if:

• you have or will obtain a bachelor’s degree from a Dutch university or graduate school.
• you have already applied and have paid the application fee for another Master’s programme at the UvA for the same academic year.
• you are applying through the Foundation for Refugee Students (UAF)

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

Make sure your complete application is submitted before the deadline.

After registering in Studielink, you will receive an email from the UvA Central Student Administration with a link to SIS (the online application system). Through SIS, you complete your application for the Master’s programme and upload the required documents.

Please note: completing your application takes time. We strongly recommend that you start your application well before the deadline to ensure you have enough time to gather the required information and complete alle documents carefully.

During your application, you will be asked to upload the following documents:

• Completed Proof of Qualifications
• Course descriptions from your university’s course catalogue
• Transcript of records
• Grading scheme
• CV
• English language proficiency test score
• Copy of your diploma or graduation statement (if already obtained)
• If case you apply for a second mastertrack: please also upload the Proof of Qualification and course descriptions for that track.

Proof of Qualifications

Please complete this form carefully and in full, and read all instructions thoroughly before submitting it. The Proof of Qualification is an essential part of your application and is used to assess whether you meet the admission requirements for this Master's programme.

For each admission requirement, clearly indicate which course(s) from your previous education meet the requirement. Each credit (EC) may only be used once to meet an admission requirement. Enter course titles exactly as they appear on your official transcript.

Only complete applications, including a fully completed Proof of Qualification and all required documents, can be assessed. Make sure to submit your complete application by the deadline. Please start your application well in advance. It may take several days to complete all required steps, and you may need to locate or request certain documents from your educational institution.

Only credits (ECs) obtained as part of an accredited higher education programme can be used to demonstrate that you meet the admission requirements. Courses, research projects, work experience, professional training, or other activities completed outside an accredited degree programme cannot be taken into account during the assessment of your application.

Course descriptions

You must upload the official university course descriptions for every course listed in your Proof of Qualification, including the literature covered. Please combine all course descriptions into one single PDF file (This is not required for courses completed at the University of Amsterdam (UvA)).

Selection procedure

The Psychology Master’s is a selective programme. In case the number of candidates exceeds the number of places in the programme, students will be ranked in groups based on their study results; admission will be decided by drawing lots for equally ranked candidates. Eligible students who are not allotted a place in the programme will be put on a waiting list in case a place becomes available later on. Placement from the waiting list can still happen until mid-August.

When will I know if I've been admitted?

All applications are assessed individually to determine whether applicants meet the admission requirements. Admission decisions are communicated only after all applications have been assessed. Applicants who submit a complete application on time can normally expect to receive the outcome of their application around mid-May.

Please note: Your application must be completed and submitted before the deadline in both Studielink and the UvA application system (SIS). Please make sure to check your UvA email (including your spam folder) regularly throughout the admissions process and until you have received your admission decision, as we may contact you with important updates or requests for additional information. If you do not respond within the specified timeframe, your application may be closed.

Will I be offered a pre-Master's programme?

If you do not meet the admission requirements for the Master's programme, your application will be assessed to determine whether you are eligible for a pre-Master's programme. If applicable, this will be stated in your admission decision.

Early bird applications (1 October – 15 October)

Applicants who submit a complete application during the early bird period will receive an early eligibility decision by the end of December. If you are not directly admissible but are eligible for a pre-Master's programme, you will receive a pre-Master's offer at that time.

This early decision gives you the opportunity to start a pre-Master's programme in the current academic year, provided that the required pre-Master's courses are offered in the second semester.

Regular applications (16 October – 1 March)

Applicants who submit a complete application between 16 October and 1 March will receive their admission decision around mid-May. If you are eligible for a pre-Master's programme, this will be communicated in that decision. Because these decisions are issued after the start of the second semester, you may receive a pre-Master's offer for the following academic year.

Should you be admitted to the programme, you will receive an email with the official offer. This email will include the deadline by which you must accept or decline the offer: within two weeks.

Please ensure that you respond before this deadline, as failure to respond in time will result in your application being automatically closed.

If you have accepted your offer but later decide not to start the programme, please withdraw your application in Studielink as soon as possible. This allows us to offer your place to a candidate on the waiting list.

Ask your university to send official documents directly by email to: admissions-psy@uva.nl.

Required documents

• Transcripts
• Degree certificate
• Graduation statement

The graduation statement must confirm that you have met all graduation requirements and have graduated from the Bachelor’s or Master’s programme. It must also state the exact graduation date.

Your graduation date may be no later than:

• 31 August for September intake
• 31 January for February intake

What is an official document?

An official document is a copy of the original document, issued by:

• your educational institution, or
• a notary.

Please note:

• A photo or scan you make yourself of an official document does not count as an official document.
• Documents must be in Dutch, English, German or French.
• Documents in other languages must be submitted in the original language together with an official translation by a sworn translator.
• We do not accept documents that you email yourself.

Did you obtain your degree at the UvA?

Then you do not need to submit any documents yourself. The Admissions Office will manually check whether you have graduated:

• in August for September intake
• in January for February intake

Once your graduation has been confirmed, your conditional admission will be converted into final admission. You must have graduated by:

• 31 August for September intake
• 31 January for February intake

What happens after we have received your documents?

After receiving your official documents, we aim to verify them within 3 to 4 weeks.

After successful verification, you will receive an email confirming your final admission. The status of your Enrolment checklist will also be updated to ‘Completed’. In the Enrolment checklist you can see which steps you still need to complete, such as paying your tuition fees.

You will receive information about course registration by email. You will then be able to register for the courses that are part of your Master’s programme and that you are required or expected to take.

Please note: always check whether you need to enroll separately for any courses. Deadlines for course enrolment may fall before 1 September or 1 February.

If you are an international student, you will need to arrange a variety of practical matters before starting your studies. This includes your visa or residence permit, insurance and housing. You will receive an email with more information about this after you have been admitted.

Please get more information about visa or residence permit, insurance and housing, practical matters for international students.

You will need to pay the tuition fee in order to complete your enrolment for a degree programme at the UvA. 

You are only officially enrolled once:

• you have been admitted to the programme
• you have met all enrolment requirements
• your tuition fees have been paid

Only after your enrolment has been completed, you can:

• make use of the University's educational and student facilities
• take exams

In addition to tuition fees, there are other costs to consider, such as books, a laptop and study materials.
 

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.

There will be several introduction events during the second half of August. The Graduate School of Psychology will organize an introduction event on the last Thursday in August. If you’re admitted, you will receive more information in due time.