Start your application procedure on time  

You need to submit your enrolment request in Studielink, activate your UvAnetID and submit your complete application in SIS before the deadline stated below. It may take several days to complete all these steps. We recommend that you register in Studielink at least 48 hours before the deadline. 

Application deadlines

The application deadlines for students that are not from the EEA and thus require a visa to study in The Netherlands are:

• 1st of March (01-03) for starting the premaster in September, and 
• 1st of August (01-08) for starting the premaster in February

The application deadlines for Dutch students, and students from the EEA that do not require visa to study in The Netherlands are:

• 15th of May (15-05) for starting the premaster in September, and 
• 1st of October  (01-10) for starting the premaster in February

Applications can be submitted via Studielink. Search for the program name 'Medical Informatics – Premaster program' and follow the instructions for submitting your documents.

Admission requirements

• Previous education 
• English language 
• Possible outcomes of evaluation 

Previous Education 

All applicants other than those from the UvA Bachelor in Medical informatics must first apply via Studielink, and then upload documents to our portal (instructions for uploading documents will be sent via email). These documents will be evaluated by the Admissions Committee. 

To start in our premaster you need to have a completed Dutch bachelor’s degree or a degree that is considered equivalent to a completed Dutch bachelor degree (or higher degree). Holders of a Dutch vocational degree (hbo) or equivalent international degree can also apply with full details of their qualification and the curriculum. In most cases, these students are admitted to the master, subject to successful completion of the conversion programme. 

Students may join the premaster's programme from a range of relevant backgrounds. All applications will be evaluated individually by the Admissions Committee We accept applicants from a variety of backgrounds, including: 

• Medicine
• Health Sciences
• Biomedical Sciences
• Computer Science
• and relevant vocational degree courses.

English proficiency test

All students with qualifications from outside the Netherlands (EEA and non-EEA) are required to have passed an English proficiency test, or meet one of the following requirements:   

• You have completed secondary of tertiary education in one of the following English-speaking countries: Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom, or the United States of America. 
• Or you hold an English-language International Baccalaureate.  
• Or you passed the final examination for the subject of English as part of one of the following diplomas: VWO, Dutch HBO, German Abitur, Belgian ASO (Flemish), etc.  
• Or you hold three GCE A-levels and passed three GCSE/IGCSE subjects  
• Or you completed the:  TOEFL, IELTS, Cambridge FCE, Cambridge CPE test 

The following tests are accepted as proof of proficiency in English: 

• TOEFL, minimum score: 100, sub scores Reading 24, Listening 22, Speaking 25 and Writing 24. 
• TOEFL iBT 1-6: minimum overall score 5, with sub score 5 for each section 
• Cambridge C1 advanced, minimum score 190 
• IELTS, minimum score: 7, sub scores 6,5.  
• For admissions in September 2027 or later: we will also accept the PTE Academic test and a minimum of 76 as overall score for the test, and a minimum of 71 for each test component. 

Please note: We only accept English language proficiency test results that are no more than two years old on the day you submit your application in SIS.  

* In most cases, the TOEFL ITP test (Institutional Testing Program) and the TOEFL iBT Home Edition are NOT accepted. Please note that we do not accept TOEFL MyBest scores. The required scores need to be obtained in one attempt. 

** In most cases, the IELTS Academic Online, IELTS General Training and IELTS Indicator are NOT accepted. Please note that we do not accept the IELTS One Skill Retake. The required scores need to be obtained in one attempt. 

If you would like to apply but you cannot obtain any of these test results before the application deadline and do not qualify for an exemption, then please contact us via email. 

Possible outcomes of evaluation 

There are 3 possible results of evaluation by the admissions committee: 

1. unconditional admission;  
2. conditional admission, subject to successful completion of a conversion program of a maximum of 30 ECTS; 
3. rejection of the application. 

Application is not the same as enrolment, and it does not oblige you to actually enrol in the programme. In consultation with the master’s coordinator, the Examination Board first decides whether your existing qualifications entitle you to unconditional admission to the programme and, if not, which additional courses you require and how this can be provided.

The necessary conversion programme is designed on an individual basis and is worth a maximum of 30 European study credits (EC). Once you meet all the prerequisites for the master, you will receive an admission certificate. This entitles you to enrol in the Master’s programme in accordance with the standard UvA procedures. 

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 (username and password) 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 that you apply for your DigiD at least three weeks before the application deadline.

During the application on Studielink you will be asked to provide information about yourself and your previous education. If you are a Dutch student, information on previous education will be linked through the DUO database. Foreign students are required to upload scans of Authenticated copies of relevant qualifications (Bachelors’ and/or Masters’ degree certificates). 

Choose your programme 

When submitting your enrolment application, set language to English and choose 'Medical informatics – Premaster's programme'.  

Read the step-by-step guide to Studielink 

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

Submit your application

After submitting an enrolment request in Studielink, you will receive an email within 24 hours with a link to submit your application. To log in to SIS you need your activated UvAnetID.  

Required documents 

Only complete applications will be processed. An application consists of the following documents:  

• A copy of your university diploma (if it has already been obtained)
• A copy of university transcripts including grades (to date, if your degree is not yet complete).
• Reference letter: Enter your referee’s details in SiS. Your referee will then receive an email with a link to a page in SiS, where they can upload the reference letter. (1 reference letter is required; 2 additional reference letters are optional) 
• A curriculum vitae describing the candidate’s educational and employment history, as well as any additional courses taken.  
• Motivation letter  
• For international applicants: proof of English proficiency  (see notes above)
• A form for requesting exemptions. 

Requesting exemptions

We are changing our exemption request process. Exemptions are based on your previous education and you will need to supply official course descriptions (e.g. from the University web site). To get an idea of the information we will need, you may view the old exemption request form; however, you should expect that you will need to submit a new form once the new forms are available.

Exemptions are important for two reasons: 

1. You only have to pay for the ECTS that you have to follow, and 
2. Exemptions mean that you do not have to do those courses and exams. We strongly advise that you apply for any exemptions that you (might) qualify for. Taking all topics is quite a heavy course load, and planning to take all topics increases the risk that you will fail one or more topics and thus not pass the pre-master. Getting exemptions gives you more flexibility in your study planning. Please fill in this form and upload it with the other required documents. For more information on how to fill in this form please see the instructions in the form itself.  

If any of the above-mentioned documents are missing or submitted after the deadline, your application will will not be evaluated.  

Paying the application fee 

All students applying for a Master’s degree 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 your €100 application fee by credit card (Mastercard, Visacard), PayPal, Bancontact or iDEAL/WERO. Only after paying the fee, will you 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 academic year 2027-2028.  
• If your tuition fees for the academic year 2027-2028 will be paid by the Foundation for Refugee Students (UAF). If so, your application fee will be refunded. 
• The application fee is otherwise non-refundable. You are not entitled to a refund even if you do not submit your application form, or if your application cannot be evaluated (because it was submitted after the deadline) is incomplete application.

The application is evaluated to determine whether it meets the requirements of our programme in terms of evidence of relevant background education, academic skills, and motivation. An in-person or telephone/online interview can be scheduled to supplement the information in the application. 

Based on the information provided by the candidate and the interview it is determined whether the prior education of the candidate is comparable to or exceeds the requirements of a Bachelor degree of our university. Any specific deficiencies in the Medical informatics knowledge of the candidate are identified, and the relevant premaster topics selected to compensate for these deficiencies. 

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. You need to accept the offer in order to take the next steps for your enrolment. Please note that accepting the offer does not oblige you to start the programme. 

Defer  

You are allowed to defer the start of your studies for up to one year, provided the entry requirements remain unchanged from the previous year. To defer, you must cancel your current enrolment request in Studielink. When applications open for the next academic year, submit a new enrolment request in Studielink. You will also need to submit a new application in SIS, for which you can use the same documents as the previous year. Additionally, upload your letter of (conditional) acceptance from the previous year to ensure your application is recognised as a deferral. You will not need to pay the application fee again. 

Decline  

If you decline the offer in SIS, please do not forget to also cancel your enrolment request in Studielink. 

If you have been (conditionally) admitted to our Master's programme, we need to verify your previous education. This means that we have to check whether you have successfully completed your Bachelor’s programme.  

For instructions on how to submit digital documents, please go to this webpage. Please note that we cannot accept digital documents submitted by students themselves. 

If you are an international student, you will be informed about housing opportunities and visa/residence permit procedures (if applicable), after you have been admitted. 
Please click on the link to read information about visa or residence permit, insurance and housing. 

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. 

The tuition fees for your pre-Master’s programme depend on the number of ECTS credits you need to obtain. Please take into account that it is not possible to arrange payment of your tuition fees until the programme has officially admitted you to the pre-Master’s programme.

The Education Desk will register you for the courses you are required to take. You will only be enrolled in courses for which you have not received an exemption. 

Shortly before the start of each Topic, the relevant course will be made available on Canvas (the learning management system used by the UvA). This will give you access to the course materials and other information related to the course. 

Please note that courses are not necessarily made available on Canvas at the same time. Each course is generally opened shortly before the start of the relevant Topic. 

You can find the dates, times, and locations of your courses on rooster.uva.nl. 

You can personalise your schedule by selecting the courses you want to see and deselecting courses that are not relevant to you. This allows you to focus on the courses you are required to take during your pre-master. 

For international students, moving to another country, while exciting, can also be overwhelming. Plan your arrival date and find out what you need to do once you arrive in the Netherlands.  

To help you get started, the premaster Medical informatics organises an Introduction Day for all new premaster students, in the week that teaching starts. You will receive information on the Introduction Day before you start your studies in September or February.

More information on scholarships can be found on https://www.uva.nl/en/education/fees-and-funding/masters-scholarships-and-loans/scholarships-and-loans.html 

When you submit an incomplete application file, we will remind you to provide us with the missing document(s). In case you do not provide us with the missing document(s) before the indicated deadline, we will close your application file. You are welcome to apply again with a complete file as long as you submit your application file before the application deadline that applies to youfor the next semester. 

In order to finalise your enrolment, you need to complete all the items on your enrolment checklist in SIS.