To apply for this Master’s programme you will need to register in Studielink AND apply for the programme at the Faculty of Science through DataNose before the mentioned dates, even if you have not completed your Bachelor’s programme yet.

Start your application procedure on time

We strongly advise international students to apply as early as possible, at least a week before the deadline as the registrations in Studielink and DataNose and getting all documents ready will take several days. Additionally, affordable accommodation is scarce in Amsterdam. Although the University of Amsterdam can assist in finding accommodation but cannot give any guarantees regarding housing, early applicants do have a slightly bigger chance in finding a room through the UvA than late applicants.

Deadlines

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.

• Applicants must hold a Bachelor's degree in life sciences, exact sciences, natural sciences, computer sciences, engineering or other beta related fields (see overview below for examples).
• Admissibility depends on the composition of the programmes and the type of courses, academic level, motivation and grade point average.
• Statistics and preferably probability theory must be part of your Bachelor’s programme.
• The master’s programme Forensic Science does not offer a Pre-Master’s programme as the programme is suitable to follow for all bèta science backgrounds.
• Please note that admission is not automatically granted to all candidates fulfilling the above criteria. In former years, about 40% of the candidates have finally been admitted to the Master’s programme.
   

Grade point average and additional requirements

In addition to the admission requirements referred to above, the student has to comply with the following requirements.

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

• 3.0 (American system)
• 2.1 (a second class upper/division one degree in the British system)
• C (ECTS-system)
• 7.0 (Dutch BSc)
• 7.0 (Dutch Bachelor of Higher professional education)

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

Admission will not be granted based on a sufficient grade point average alone. Applicants are also assessed on the basis of their motivation and the content of their prior coursework.

Additional remarks

The second year of the Master's programme involves a professional internship in an organisation in which forensics plays a role. A Certificate of Good Conduct (Verklaring Omtrent Gedrag) is required for the majority of these internships, in particular for projects with the Dutch police force or the Netherlands Forensic Institute.

English language proficiency

Your ability to write and speak in English must be at an academic level. To prove your level of English please provide us with your scores of one of the following tests:

• the TOEFL Test

• the test of the International English Language Testing Service (Academic IELTS)

• a Cambridge Examination Score  (C1 Advanced (CAE) and C2 Proficiency (CPE).

Important note

The TOEFL Home Edition is not allowed. Please note, Toefl Home Edition can only be used if you are residing in a country where all test centers of ETS (Toefl) are closed due to internal problems.

The IELTS Online Academic, Indicator and One Skill Retake test are not accepted.

MyBest™ Scores are not accepted.

TOEFL and IELTS Test results should not be older than two years.  After this date results cannot be verified anymore by the testing organizations. Applicants are therefore advised to submit a TOEFL or IELTS English proficiency test result which is not older than two years before the start of the academic programme.

Cambridge English Qualifications older than two years will be accepted.

Deadlines for English test results

For both non-EU and EU/EEA+Swiss students: the application deadline for the Master programme of your choice will also be the deadline for submitting an English proficiency test result.

In addition: your application will be dealt with when we receive a sufficient English proficiency test result (see English language requirements under the (‘Application and Admission’ page).  Our International Admissions Team will keep your application on hold until we have received this test result.

Note that if you want to apply for a scholarship from the UvA other deadlines (may) apply.

Before you can apply to the UvA, you will need to submit an enrolment application in Studielink. Studielink is the national online system for students who would like to pursue a degree programme at a Dutch university.

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.

Read the step-by-step guide to Studielink

Before starting your enrolment application in Studielink, read the 'Step-by-step guide to 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.

Within 48 hours after submitting your enrolment application in Studielink, you will receive an email with your UvAnetID and an email with instructions for the next step of the application process. You need your UvAnetID to continue with your application. Follow the instructions in the email to activate your UvAnetID as you will need it to complete your UvA application.

If you apply for a master’s programme organized by the Faulty of Science of the University of Amsterdam, you first need to pay your application fee in SIS. You can pay your non-refundable €100 application fee by credit card (Master or Visacard) or iDEAL. Only after paying the fee, can you start your application in DataNose. It is not possible to start an application without paying the application fee.

Note that it can take up to 24 hours for your fee payment to be registered in SIS. Only after this registration is complete, you can submit your application in Datanose. Make sure to pay your application fee in time and at least 72 hours before the application deadline of your programme.

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 academic year 2024-2025.
• If you are an exchange student.
• If you are applying through the Foundation for Refugee Students (UAF).

Please direct all your questions about the payment of the application fee to the Central Student Service Desk.

Only after activating your UvAnetID, you can submit your UvA online application via DataNose. Please make sure to upload the required documents in PDF format. Applicants who (will) hold more than one academic degree must merge copies of both (or more) academic transcripts into one PDF.

In DataNose we expect you to upload the following documents:

1. A self-written motivation letter in English (max. 500 words, strong advise: do not use AI tools to write your letter for you)
2. Your Curriculum Vitae in English
3. A copy of your high school grade list and diploma
4. A copy of your Bachelor’s transcript, including an explanation of your university’s grading system.
5. A copy of your Bachelor’s diploma/certificate (or, if you have not yet finished your current academic programme, a list of courses of your final year)
6. An abstract of your bachelorthesis/project (max. 200 words)
7. Two academic reference letters using the reference form
8. Proof of English proficiency

NOTE: all items need to be in English in order for the selection committee to assess the application

Motivation

Motivation is assessed on the basis of a written letter of intent. In this letter, please describe in max. 500 words your motivation for studying the Master's Forensic science. Please go into the following questions:

• What is your motivation to apply for the master Forensic science?
• What kind of forensic topics are you interested in?
• Please describe your interest in interdisciplinary thinking and give some examples to proof that.
• Which of your personal strengths makes you suitable to follow our master?

Reference letters

​Applicants must submit two letters of reference from an academic staff member at their degree institution testifying to the applicant's ability to perform in a multidisciplinary environment. During the online application procedure, students have to provide the contact information of the referees. The referees will then receive a link where he/she can fill in the reference letter online.

If you have any questions about these documents as a foreign student, please contact master-science@uva.nl.

As soon as you have submitted the (sufficiently) complete online form in DataNose, your application file will be acknowledged. It differs per programme how long it takes before you are informed via email about the decision on admission. However it will not take longer than 6 weeks. An admission will always be conditional as we must still verify your documents (consult step 8).  You can track the status of your admission using the checklist in DataNose.

Based on the contents of your application file you hear whether you are:

1. Directly eligible: you receive an admission letter with instructions for further processing of your admission.
2. Invited for an assessment interview: you receive a letter with the date and time of the assessment interview.
3. Not eligible: you receive a letter with a reason for the rejection.

Please note that in former years, about 40% of the applicants have been admitted to the Master’s  programme.

Assessment interview

Applicants may be invited to an assessment interview with the programme manager. This interview is used to determine students' motivation, academic potential and progress and ambition. Applicants can be assessed on behavioural characteristics required for working in the forensic field, such as: analytical skills, communication skills, entrepreneurship, organisational sensitivity and ability to perform under pressure.

If you are conditionally admitted to the Master’s programme you will receive an admissions letter by means of email. In the letter you will find a link to DataNose to accept or decline your place in the programme. This has to be done within two weeks. If you have questions about this, please contact the International Team

If you are conditionally admitted please consult DataNose for details on which exact documents are required and when and how to send them.

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

After your application 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.