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 and no later than a week before the mentioned dates 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.

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

Deadlines

Applying is possible from 1 October on.

*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. 

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.

1. Prior education

To be eligible for the Medical Biology tracks of the Master's programme in Biomedical Sciences, you must hold a Bachelor's degree in Biomedical Sciences or Psychobiology or equivalent from a Dutch or foreign university.

2. Grade point average and additional requirements

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

• 6.5+ (according to the Dutch grading system)

The GPA is the average of the bachelor’s course grades weighed by course/study load.
Admission, however, will not be granted based on a sufficient grade point average alone.

Mandatory additional requirements. Final decision of admission is made after careful consideration of the dossier by the admissions committee.

• Advanced knowledge in Physiology, Molecular and Cellular biology.
• Basic experimental biomedical laboratory skills.
• Completed an independent and individual research project in the field of basic, biomedical sciences of at least 15 EC that is concluded with a written report in English.
• Obtained the Bachelor’s degree with a maximum delay of one year

Selection criteria 

Up to, but no more than,  240 students are admitted to the Master’s Programme Biomedical Sciences. If more than the maximum number of candidates are found suitable, candidates will be selected on (in random order):

• Study programme
• GPA score
• Study progress Bachelor’s programme
• Subject of Bachelor’s thesis
• Motivation

There is no  pre-Master's programme available.

3. 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 enrolment application through Studielink. Studielink is the national online system for students who aim to roll in a degree programme at a Dutch research 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.

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 wll 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 English. 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 adresses 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 letter 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 31. 

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.