utrecht university phd admission requirements

How to become a PhD candidate

To become a PhD candidate you can apply to a specific PhD position that can be found on our vacancy website . If you can't find vacancies fitting your research interest, please consider sending an open application to the secretary of the research department of your interest .

Admission requirements

To apply for a PhD position you must:

• Be familiar with the theory and methodology of the research field
• Have a Dutch master’s degree (or a foreign equivalent)
• Be proficient in English

Please read the job description carefully for any additional requirements. 

English language requirement

Doing a PhD at TU Delft requires English proficiency at a certain level to ensure that you are able to:

• Communicate and interact well
• Participate in English-taught Doctoral Education courses
• Write scientific articles and your dissertation
• Successfully defend your PhD dissertation

Here's the minimum requirement if you want to apply for a PhD or EngD programme at TU Delft:

• IELTS Overall band score is 7.0 (with scores of at least 6.5 for all sections)
• TOEFL Overall band score is 100 (with scores of at least 21 for all sections) Note: The TOEFL iBT Home Edition is accepted for the English proficiency, the TOEFL MyBest scores is not accepted.

You do not need to present the test results as part of your application; these results will be requested at a later stage during the selection procedure.

Exemptions from English proficiency test

Native speakers will be exempt from the English test requirement, as well as, in principle, non-native applicants who have obtained an English-taught Master’s degree. If during the selection process it is deemed that the English proficiency of the candidate with an English-taught Master’s degree does not meet the requirements, they may also be asked to do a test. 

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• Doctoral regulations & Implementation Decree

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University College Utrecht

Deciding on a specific program and university is the first step that one needs to take in the process of starting your Master’s. The second hurdle that needs to be overcome is the application procedure.

The formalities for the application procedure are different for all Master’s programs; however, some components appear in almost all applications. Many Master’s programs require you to submit a well written résumé and a motivation letter. Recommendation letters can play an important role in steps towards getting accepted into the program of your choice as well. Finally, interviews often drastically increase your chances of getting accepted into selective programs, so getting them is very important. Remember, all these pieces of information are part of one larger picture that the University you’re applying to wants to form of you. The University you’re applying to will take many factors into account, so make sure that you provide them with a coherent and complementing story.This page aims to cover the most typical situations when applying for Master's programs.

Almost all Master's programs require a résumé and a motivation letter. More information on how to write these can be found on the tab "CV and Motivation Letter".

The interview is the final stage in many application procedures. The interview is your opportunity to impress the interviewer on a personal and academic level. It is often your final possibility to distinguish yourself from other students. Reading your motivation letter again is a good start before the interview, but doing a role play with a teacher, tutor or just a friend can prove helpful as well. As a last note, it always helps to be in control of the conversation, so that you limit the possibility of being surprised by difficult questions. Using the answer that you give to one question to lead into one of your competences or a particular interest in the Master’s discipline can make you come across as more confident. Make sure to leave enough room for the interviewer to ask all questions he or she wants to ask you and prevent that the interview changes into a monologue.

Transcripts & GPA Requirements

Your transcript contains information about the courses you have taken, the grades attained for these courses and your general GPA. A transcript filled with a 4.0 GPA is not necessarily better than one comprised of lower grades. The committee of the graduate program you apply to usually takes into account that an A for a general 100-level will generally not be more impressive than a B for a 300-level literature or economics.

Your GPA gives an overview of the average grade you obtained for your courses. It is not simply a measure of intelligence, but also of motivation and long term performance. Whereas in the Netherlands you can always enter a graduate program after completing your Bachelor's regardless of your GPA, foreign universities often require a minimum GPA. More prestigious universities ask for a higher GPA. These minimum requirements can vary officially from 3.0 to as much as 3.5, and in practice might be even higher. However, remember that your transcript is only 1 aspect of your application and that extracurricular activities on your CV, an extraordinary motivation letter or a very positive recommendation letter help the application committee in assessing your application.

You can request these documents from the reception by filling in the Document Request form.

Pre-Master's

Certain programs require you to take certain courses or have a number of credits in a specific field. As Liberal Arts & Sciences students you have had a very broad education and might not have taken enough courses in a specific field to be admitted straight into a Master's program. Therefore, you might be required to take a pre-Master's to make up for those courses you were not able to take at UCU.

Fried Keesen, the director of education of UCU, has the following tips for avoiding a pre-master's:

"Now that over 10 cohorts of UCU graduates have found their way into highly rated graduate schools, UCU’s name is established and some programs that were once reluctant are now actively recruiting at UCU. But in some places you may still have trouble getting in, especially in programs that are geared toward entry into a specific professional community, such as barristers or clinical psychologists. If you don’t want to lose time and/or money on a premaster before enrolling in a master program after your graduation from UCU being proactive is the key. You can be proactive in your strategies in two ways:

• First and foremost: make sure that you are well prepared content wise. Start orientating on your master’s no later than your third semester. Look at the entry requirements and plan your study program accordingly. Take off campus courses and/or courses on exchange if there are gaps in the UCU curriculum with regards to the prerequisites. Tailor your thesis subject towards the criteria and use your report as your show case in the admissions process. And - especially if you want to do your master at UU – it may also be a good idea to have your work supervised by a professor who is involved in your envisioned master program, thus connecting strategies 1 and 2.
• Be an actor in the application process. Do some research into the practices of the admissions committee of the master’s that you want to get admitted to. Some still count the number of EC in courses of “their own bachelor”, while others have moved towards a more generic approach of assessing skills and knowledge. The former category may be troublesome, while UCU students are usually welcomed by the latter. That is: if they know UCU at all, so find out and make sure they know. Ask UCU alumni who went the same way for their experiences and advice. Get in contact with faculty and staff of the master program and maintain relationships, so that you become a person they remember instead of a number they can overlook.

Be flexible, especially if you want something that is difficult. For certain programs neither strategy will give you a 100% guarantee to avoid premaster’s programs completely. But if you do a bit of work on both, the worst case scenario is that you will at least be aware of extra requirements timely to make arrangements and minimize the extra requirements. Or you could consider a similar program at another university."

GRE and other standardized exams

American graduate programs in particular can require you to take a standardized exam. The different tests are the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), which tests verbal, quantitative and analytical abilities for graduate programs in general, and the following tailor made tests for specific programs: Law School Admission Test (LSAT) for law school, Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) for medical colleges and the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) for graduate business programs. These exams are aimed at helping the admission committees determine which students are best fit for doing the Master's program. The philosophy behind these standardized tests is that different universities might have varying grading standards, which makes it hard to compare two students with similar GPAs from different universities. The standardized exam is there to compare these students in an equal setting. Next to that they are also used to determine which students should receive a fellow- or scholarship.

The requirements for a specific program you can find on the website of the University you’re applying to; sometimes specific programs require a certain score for one of the tests. You can often take these tests at fixed times during the year, you can also retake the tests a number of times a year if you have not reached the envisioned score. You can for example take the LSAT 3 times within 2 years and the GRE 5 times a year and not more often than once a month. However, keep in mind that taking one of these tests will costs between 150 and 250 euro per test, so study and only retake the test if you feel that you can improve your previous score.

Recommendation Letters

Recommendation letters are often a required part of your application procedure. They are usually written by one of your professors, tutor or your thesis supervisor and discuss your qualities, your experiences and your motivation. Make sure that the person who writes your recommendation letter is someone who knows you well and can provide detailed and valuable information to the application committee. However, keep in mind that a professor has a professional integrity; you should choose a teacher in whose course you performed well. A professor or thesis supervisor will have to be honest about your scores and performances and it is not likely that your professor will lie or hide these results in order to get you accepted into a certain Master’s program.

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Utrecht University: Statistics

Updated: February 29, 2024

Quick Review

Acceptance rate & admissions.

We've calculated the 22% acceptance rate for Utrecht University based on the ratio of admissions to applications and other circumstantial enrollment data. Treat this information as a rough guide and not as a definitive measure of your chances of admission. Different programs may have significantly varying admissions rates.

Research profile

Utrecht University is a world-class research university with 146,703 scientific papers published and 5,088,003 citations received. The research profile covers a range of fields, including Biology, Chemistry, Medicine, Liberal Arts & Social Sciences, Environmental Science, Engineering, Physics, Computer Science, Genetics, and Biochemistry.

Utrecht University majors

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Programs and degrees.

The table below displays academic fields with programs and courses that lead to Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctorate degrees offered by Utrecht University.

Note that the table provides a general overview and might not cover all the specific majors available at the university. Always visit the university's website for the most up-to-date information on the programs offered.

Utrecht University alumni

René Descartes

René Descartes was a French philosopher, scientist, and mathematician, widely considered a seminal figure in the emergence of modern philosophy and science. Mathematics was central to his method of inquiry, and he connected the previously separate fields of geometry and algebra into analytic geometry. Descartes spent much of his working life in the Dutch Republic, initially serving the Dutch States Army, later becoming a central intellectual of the Dutch Golden Age. Although he served a Protestant state and was later counted as a deist by critics, Descartes was Roman Catholic.

Wilhelm Röntgen

Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen was a German mechanical engineer and physicist, who, on 8 November 1895, produced and detected electromagnetic radiation in a wavelength range known as X-rays or Röntgen rays, an achievement that earned him the inaugural Nobel Prize in Physics in 1901. In honour of Röntgen's accomplishments, in 2004 the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) named element 111, roentgenium, a radioactive element with multiple unstable isotopes, after him. The unit of measurement roentgen was also named after him.

William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham

William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham, PC, FRS was a British Whig statesman who served as Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1766 to 1768. Historians call him Chatham or William Pitt the Elder to distinguish him from his son William Pitt the Younger, who was also a prime minister. Pitt was also known as the Great Commoner, because of his long-standing refusal to accept a title until 1766.

Princess Irene of the Netherlands

Princess Irene of the Netherlands is the second child of Queen Juliana of the Netherlands and Prince Bernhard.

Utrecht University faculties and divisions

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• 18002102030
• Utrecht University

Utrecht, Netherlands

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Utrecht university's admission, utrecht university's ranking, popular courses view all, bsc (bachelor of science) in economics & society with chemistry and physics, utrecht, netherlands course duration : 3 years, exam accepted, intake session, about university.

Utrecht University Heidelberglaan 8 3584 CS Utrecht The Netherlands

Founded in 1636

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More About Utrecht University

Only 4% of applicants are accepted at Utrecht University.  Admission into graduate programs at Utrecht University is competitive.

Top Courses Offered at Utrecht University

Undergraduate courses:, postgraduate courses:.

One can locate the university at:

Heidelberglaan 8, 3584 CS Utrecht, Netherlands

According to the QS World University Rankings, Utrecht University’s ranking is at 110th position. The World University Rankings bumps up the university’s place further to the 69th position. 

Placements at Utrecht University

Graduates of Utrecht University are well-equipped for a wide range of career opportunities, thanks to the institution's strong academic programs and reputation. Career prospects vary based on the chosen course of study, but Utrecht University alumni often succeed in academia, research, industry, government, and more.

Infrastructure at Delft University of Technology

Utrecht leads its high-quality, groundbreaking research and teaching activities through three campuses. 

One is situated in the historic city center of Utrecht, which serves as an official university quarter. Another campus, the most significant section of the university, is situated in Utrecht Science Park/De Uithof. The third campus is located in Prins Hendriklaan, which acts as an international campus.

Utrecht University also has an extension in Middelburg named International Honours College University College Roosevelt. 

Research Facilities at Utrecht University

The campuses are built to offer their students excellent quality innovative facilities. One such is AI labs, which allow students to apply academic and practical knowledge, thus providing well-rounded training and education.

These laboratories include:

• The National Police Lab AI
• AI & Mobility Lab
• AI & Sustainability Lab
• AI & Media Lab
• AI Lab for Chemistry and Catalysis

Besides its labs, the university offers a conducive environment to conduct research. 

The university mainly targets four strategic research themes:

• Dynamics of Youth
• Institutions for Open Societies
• Life Sciences
• Pathways to Sustainability

Under these themes, fall ten focus research areas, namely:

• Applied Data Science
• Centre for Complex System Studies
• Game Research
• Governing the Digital Society
• Higher Education Research
• Human-centred Artificial Intelligence
• Integrative Bioinformatics
• Migration and Societal Change
• Professional Performance
• Sports and Society

These 10 focus areas are bifurcated into over 135 groundbreaking research areas:

• Art History
• Behaviour and Welfare
• Centre for humanities
• Communication studies
• Cultural history

Overall, the university extends 20 hubs within the four strategic research themes that deal with societal challenges. 

The university’s primary language of instruction for the bachelor’s program is Dutch, and for the master’s program, where appropriate, is English or any other language. 

Due to the influx of international students in the university, it aims to create a comfortable and conducive learning environment. Thus, it offers over 200 courses for exchange students and several bachelor’s and 80 master’s programs, all taught in English.

Academics at Utrecht University

Utrecht university rolls out its admission in two cycles – one in spring and another in fall. 

The Utrecht university admission process is relatively simple. So, if a candidate is planning to apply here, they should make some notes!

Before starting with their university application, they should:

• Check the entry requirements,
• Double-check the deadlines for the application,
• Gather all the necessary documents,
• Apply through Studielink
• Apply for financial aid via Osiris online application
• Submit the application

Admissions at Utrecht University

For the application to be considered in the race, a candidate must meet all the basic Utrecht university admission requirements. The university keenly judges a student’s profile to ensure it matches its standards. They generally scout for students who:

• Demonstrate academic potential,
• Are curious and motivated, both personally and academically,
• Have a broad intellectual orientation and the keenness to explore past the disciplinary boundaries,
• Have an inclination to study on a culturally diverse campus, and contribute to the growth of the community
• Display their commitment and social engagement with others

Admission Requirements for Utrecht University

Besides the student profile, the university demands a foreign equivalent of a VWO level Dutch high school diploma. The students can find the document available on the university’s website to check whether the certificate meets the university’s requirements.

Additionally, they need to submit proof of English proficiency which they should take two months before the application submission. The accepted tests are C1 and C2 proficiency, TOEFL tests, and IELTS.

Besides these, a candidate needs to submit:

• Proof of identity (PASSPORT)
• Copy of their final transcript and official diploma
• Or a copy of their latest report card and grades for the first quarter, term, and semester of the final school year, if they haven’t yet graduated
• Statement of academic purpose and motivation
• Properly filled UCU activities form
• One academic recommendation letter

After the application is submitted, it is thoroughly checked by Admissions Office to ensure its completeness and admissibility. It is then holistically reviewed and assessed by a committee of appointed readers.

When a candidate is selected, they will receive an interview invitation via e-mail which the academic staff members conduct. 

They may either receive an offer of admission or a letter of rejection based on the decision and recommendation of the UCU Admission Board.

The institution does not reveal the Utrecht university acceptance rate.

The candidates should note that the university offers 58 bachelor’s programs and 161 master’s programs. In addition to that, it also extends 226 programs for working professionals. 

Popular Courses at Utrecht University

Some of the most popular courses with attractive rankings (as per QS World University Rankings) at Utrecht University are:

• Veterinary Science (3rd rank)
• Geology (23rd rank)
• Earth and Marine Sciences (26th rank)
• Geography (26th ranking)
• Geophysics (28th rank)
• Psychology (31st rank)
• Pharmacy & Pharmacology (32nd rank)
• Education and Training (35th rank)
• Social Policy & Administration (36th rank)
• Development Studies (41st rank)

Credit System at Utrecht University

Let’s look at the breakdown of credits required to fulfil some of the well-liked courses:

Here is a brief about the top programs offered by the university:

• Arts & Humanities
• Clinical, Pre-clinical & Health
• Social Sciences

Academic Calander of Utrecht University

If enrolled in this university, the academic calendar will be split into two semesters. For the batch of 2022-2023, the calendar will look like this:

• Semester I: September 5-November14
• Semester II: February 6-April 24.

Extracurriculars and Diversity at Utrecht University

Academics aren’t the only thing that Utrecht university excels at. The university places a great emphasis on the importance of student organizations. It is here that friendships are forged for life. 

The university has about 150 student-led clubs, which are filtered under the following broad categories:

• Social Activities
• Creative arts
• Career-oriented
• International
• Academic skills
• Study and faculty

Besides the student organizations, there are over 30 sports organizations, and the university also regularly conducts cultural events.

Furthermore, a Parnassos Cultural Centre offers theatre, music, photography, dance, arts, etc. There is a University Museum Utrecht where students can find a new exhibition every season.

The university is home to 1500 international students from over 118 nations who operate in a conducive international environment. Moreover, the university actively advocates for equality, diversity, and inclusion. 

It has an EDI program set in place with five main objectives:

• Increasing awareness both inside and outside the university through training in academic leadership
• Offering better and more accessible university buildings and environment
• Setting a particular target of intaking and selecting students from culturally and ethnically diverse backgrounds
• Stimulating a safe, open, and inclusive environment with an emphasis on an inclusive curriculum
• Actively monitoring the progress of the diversity and inclusivity objectives undertaken

Career/Professional at Utrecht University

The university extends a career services portal, which offers training, CV checks, personal coaching sessions, and relevant alumni information and their careers.

Several attractive employers hop onto the career services portal, offering side jobs, internship opportunities, job vacancies, event promotions, and activities. Students can explore all the listed openings to match the one that feels most suitable. 

Apart from this, the university conducts an annual careers day, which offers students a reasonable chance to familiarize themselves with the job market and future career opportunities. 

The companies hold many workshops, individual sessions, and company fairs, allowing students to have a sneak peek into what could be their future.

Wondering who might have graduated from this prestigious university? Let’s take a look!

• Christian Eijkman- Pathologist, Physician, and Nobel Prize laureate
• Clarence Barlow- Composer
• Els Borst- former Dutch minister of Health
• Lulzim Basha- Mayor of Tirana and former Albanian minister
• Peter Debye- Physicist and Nobel Prize laureate
• Henk J. M. Bos- Math historian
• Maung Maung- 7th president of Burma
• Marcel Minnaert- Astronomer
• Jacob Emil van Hoogstraten- Director Department of Economic Affairs in colonial Indonesia
• Anne Wyllie- The scientist who developed the saliva test for coronavirus

Financials at Utrecht University

Before a student sends the application and dreams of studying in the safe, happy country of the Netherlands, they should take note of the expenses they have to bear. 

Here’s a list of Utrecht University fees for different programs:

Besides the tuition fees, they would require decent financial support to live in Utrecht. Here’s a breakdown of the cost of living in Utrecht.

Overall, this information can prove a valuable guide if a student decides to study at the esteemed campus of Utrecht University, Utrecht.

Disclaimer! All figures are indicative

Popular Universities in Netherlands

• Amsterdam Business School
• Wageningen University & Research
• Radboud University
• Delft University of Technology
• Eindhoven University of Technology
• Erasmus University
• School of Business and Economics Maastricht University
• United International Business Schools
• Rotterdam School of Management

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it hard to get to utrecht university.

The selection of applicants for admission to Utrecht University is based on their whole academic and otherwise application. However, preference is given to those having UG GPAs of at least 75% and Class XII GPAs of at least 85%.

What is the fees of Utrecht University in rupees?

Utrecht University's average tuition costs for undergraduate programs are INR 9.5 Lakhs, and for graduate programs are INR 15 Lakhs.  

What is the acceptance rate of Utrecht University?

The acceptance rate of Utrecht University is 4%.

How many Indians study at Utrecht University?

With almost 10% of its 40,000 students hailing from India, Utrecht has one of the highest student populations in the Netherlands.

Is Utrecht University private or public?

Utrecht University is a public institution.

What are the popular majors at Utrecht University?

The humanities, social and behavioral sciences, law, finance and governance, geosciences, healthcare, animal health, and science are some of the popular majors at Utrecht University.

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