Academic level

International degrees are evaluated by professional credential evaluators of the UvA. The minimum level of the degree should be equivalent to a Dutch academic Bachelor’s degree. Education systems vary considerably across the world; some Bachelor's degrees are valued at three years of a Dutch university education, while others are valued at two years or less. During the application process we will ask you to upload the documents needed for the credential evaluation.

Proficiency in English

International candidates who are non-native English speakers* are required to submit official English proficiency test scores according to the criteria mentioned below.

^{*Native speakers of English who completed their undergraduate degree in another language than English have to demonstrate that they finished high school in Australia, Canada (except Quebec), Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom or the United States of America.}

Non-native English speakers have to submit one of the following tests. No other tests are accepted. Your test score may not be more than 2 years old with respect to the start date of your programme.

• International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
  Required score: at least 7.0 on the academic module, with a minimum score of 6.5 for the separate components of the test.
• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Our TOEFL code is 9011 University of Amsterdam. 
  Required score: at least 100 (internet based test) with a minimum score for the separate components of the test:
  • Reading: 24
  • Listening: 22
  • Speaking: 25
  • Writing: 24
• Cambridge International Examination.
  Required score: at least 190 on C1 Advanced.

Deadline

The deadline for submitting a certificate of English for the master's in psychology is 1 March if you want to start in September. Please note, if you think you need a pre-master's programme and you apply between 1 October and 1 November, the deadline for the certificate is 1 November. Make sure you have booked the test on time. We cannot accept applications without the certificate.

Exemption applies to candidates who obtained an academic Bachelor's diploma in the Netherlands, as well as to candidates who completed an entirely English-taught academic Bachelor’s or Master’s programme (in which case we ask for a proof that the language of instruction is English).

Hbo-bachelor / undergraduate degree programme with an applied emphasis

An undergraduate degree programme with an applied emphasis (Dutch: hbo-bachelor) is not equivalent to an academic Bachelor’s degree, and therefore gives no access to the Psychology Master’s nor to the pre-Master’s programmes. This is because one not only needs knowledge of psychology to succeed in the master’s programme, but also skills/knowledge of scientific research methods and other scientific skills like critical thinking, academic writing, etc.

In our premaster programmes for students with an academic bachelor’s degree in a relevant subject we are able to correct deficiencies in specific knowledge needed for the master’s programme. However, student holding an undergraduate degree also need to correct their deficiencies in academic skills and this takes more than a year. Since a premaster’s programme legally can not be longer than one year, we are unable to provide a premaster’s programme.

We advise students holding an undergraduate degree to do the bachelor’s programme in Psychology at UvA, or elsewhere. Also, it is worthwhile to check other psychology master’s programmes since some do have premasters for students holding an undergraduate degree.