Entry requirements
The Admissions Office will evaluate your eligibility based on:
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1. Your academic Bachelor’s degree
Track: Managerial Economics and Strategy
You are eligible to apply to this Master’s programme if you are holding an academic Bachelor's or Master's degree in Business Economics or Economics. If you have an academic Bachelor’s or Master’s degree with a strong quantitative orientation in another field you are also welcome to apply.
You must have proven knowledge of all the following topics at an intermediate level:
- Microeconomics*
- Econometrics or Quantitative research methods
- Mathematics and statistics
*Your coursework in Microeconomics must cover market structure (Industrial Organisation) and Game Theory.
Track: Neuroeconomics
You are eligible to apply to this Master’s programme if you are holding an academic Bachelor's or Master's degree in Business Economics or Economics, or if you have an academic Bachelor’s or Master’s degree with a strong quantitative orientation in another field.
If you have no coursework in microeconomics or industrial organisation, but you have a strong quantitative background, you may apply to the track Neuroeconomics. In this case, you must have proven knowledge in at least one of the following topics:
- Behavioural economics
- Affective neuroscience
- Cognitive neuroscience
- Game theory
- Introductory psychology
Track: Sustainability
You are eligible to apply to this Master’s programme if you are holding an academic Bachelor's or Master's degree in Business Economics or Economics, or if you have an academic Bachelor’s or Master’s degree with a strong quantitative orientation in another field.
If you have no coursework in microeconomics or industrial organisation, but you have a strong quantitative background, you may apply to the track Sustainability. In this case, you must have proven knowledge in at least one of the following topics:
- Behavioral Economics
- Earth sciences
- Environment or Climate change
- Biodiversity or Ecosystems
- Renewable energy
- Responsible business innovation
Students from other UvA faculties
You have direct admission to our MSc in Business Economics without any further conditions such as a minimum GPA or GMAT, if you have:
- The BSc Beta-Gamma (Natural and Social Sciences - UvA) with the major Economics
Pre-Master's programme
If your previous education does not fulfill this programme’s requirements you might be eligible to apply for the pre-master’s Business Economics programme.
Selection
Meeting the entry requirements alone is not a guarantee for admission. Besides the entry requirements you need to meet the selection criteria. This means that your application will be compared with other applicants. The selection is based on your GPA and motivation letter.
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1. Your Grade Point Average (GPA)
Applicants who meet the entry requirements are required to have an overall GPA of at least 7.0 (rounded), with good grades on econometrics/quantitative research methods and micro economics, in order to be eligible.
If your GPA is lower than 7.0, we will take your application into account, but you will need excellent grades on the above mentioned courses.Your GPA should be calculated over:
- all Bachelor's degree results (year 1-3). Any additional Bachelor’s courses have to be included as well.
- your Bachelor’s or Master’s, if you have a Bachelor’s as well as a Master’s degree. You need a GPA of at least 7.0 in the Bachelor’s or the Master’s.
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2. Your motivation letter
The motivation letter (max. one A4) allows you to explain why you would be a good fit for the Master’s programme and which experiences have led you to this decision.