FAQ admissions
- What kind of support can I expect to get from Tilburg University before my arrival in Tilburg?
- Which students need to take an English proficiency test?
- I have already studied English during secondary school and I did an internship in the United States. Do I still need to pass the Academic IELTS, TOEFL or Cambridge test?
- My Academic IELTS / TOEFL / Cambridge score was lower than the minimum requirement. Can I still be admitted?
- What is decentralized selection and numerus fixus?
- I want to follow a Dutch taught programme at your university. Is this possible?
- I already have a degree. Can I start in the second, third or fourth year of the Bachelor programme?
- Do I need a visa to study at Tilburg University?
- I have a residence permit in one of the EEA member states. What should I do?
- Will I need to apply for accommodation as I am moving to Tilburg? How or when should I do it?
- What is the tuition fee for my programme?
- How can I apply for a scholarship?
- What does the Introduction Week offer?
What kind of support can I expect to get from Tilburg University before my arrival in Tilburg?
We strongly believe that the quality of the services we provide are of equal importance to you as the quality of the degree programmes we offer. Therefore, we do our utmost to support you before and after your arrival in Tilburg. Before your arrival, we will assist you with the admissions procedures, the visa application process (if applicable), and two housing agencies in Tilburg will help you to find suitable accommodation. For a complete overview of our support services, please have a look at our international student services.
Which students need to take an English proficiency test?
You are exempt from an English test:
- if English is your mother tongue, or
- if you are an EEA citizen who has studied in an English-taught secondary school or undergraduate programme, or
- if you had your secondary or university education in English for at least three years in a native English-speaking country, and
- for the Bachelor's programme: if you obtained an IB or EB diploma with English as the language of instruction; and if you obtained a Dutch VWO diploma
I have already studied English during secondary school and I did an internship in the United States. Do I still need to pass the TOEFL or Academic IELTS test?
This depends on your secondary school diploma. If you obtained an IB or EB diploma with English as the language of instruction and if you obtained a Dutch VWO diploma, you are exempt from an English test. Some other European secondary school diplomas are exempt from an English test as well, such as the German Abitur. For more information, contact the Admissions Office. All other students need to submit
All other students will need to demonstrate proficiency in English by submitting a TOEFL certificate (BSc: minimum of 550 paper-based / 213 computer-based / 80 internet-based; MSc: minimum of 575 paper-based / 233 computer-based / 90-91 internet-based) or an Academic IELTS certificate (BSc overall minimum score of 6.0 and a minimum score of 5.5 on each of the parts; MSc overall minimum score of 6.5 and a minimum score of 6.0 on each of the parts), or Cambridge Proficiency results.
My Academic IELTS / TOEFL score was lower than the minimum requirement. Can I still be admitted?
NO! Unfortunately we cannot make any exceptions. If you are not an English native speaker or not a citizen of an EEA member state with English as their first foreign language at secondary school, you will have to meet the minimum English proficiency requirements.
What is decentralized selection and numerus fixus?
Decentralized selection means that the programme is allowed to select a certain number of its students by means of criteria set by the programme. A decentralized selection procedure is used for the BSc in International Business Administration and the BSc in Economics programmes at Tilburg University. Of the total number of places for these two programmes, 50% is allotted by means of the decentralized selection procedure and 50% is allotted by means of a drawing-lots procedure. For more information, please see the admission and applications web pages of the BSc in International Business and BSc in Economics programmes on this website.
A numerus fixus means that their are limited places available in a programme (so-called quota studies) and that a draw takes place. The higher your secondary school average, the more 'lottery' tickets you get, therefore the more chance to be offered a place. Tilburg University, however, does not use a numerus fixus.
I want to follow a Dutch taught programme at your university. Is that possible?
In order to be admitted to a Dutch taught programme, you should have sufficient knowledge of the Dutch language and of course meet the 'regular' entry requirements. Therefore you must pass the national exam in 'Dutch as a Second Language', called NT-2. The University Language Center provides excellent preparation for the national exam. If you are registered as a student, you are eligible to take these courses for free. If you have no knowledge of Dutch, you must take into account that it will take at least one year to obtain a sufficient command of the language. More information can be found at the Language Center.
I already have a degree. Can I start in the second, third or fourth year of the Bachelor's programme?
In order to assess whether you can be exempted for part of the degree programme, you will have to send us a separate formal request for exemptions. You can either send in the request together with your application or after you have started the programme at Tilburg University.
What to do:
First of all, you should carefully compare the courses of the Dutch programme with the courses you already took and successfully passed. If you think there is an overlap, you can apply for exemption of the(se) course(s) by including the following in your request:
- a list with titles of the courses from the Dutch programme you want to be exempted for and
- a list of course titles, including course descriptions and literature used, of the corresponding courses you already successfully passed in your previous programme.
Do I need a visa to study at Tilburg University?
To enter the Netherlands, all non-EU/EEA citizens (except for those from Australia, Canada Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, South Korea, Switzerland, USA and Vatican City State) will require a single-entry visa ('Machtiging voor Voorlopig Verblijf').
The countries of the EU/EEA are:
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Malta, Norway, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.
Tilburg University will apply for this visa on behalf of all students not coming from one of the countries mentioned above.
EU/EEA member state citizens do not need a visa.
Certain nationalities are also required to apply for a Residence Permit. More information about Residence Permits can be found here
I have a residence permit in one of the EEA member states. What should I do?
If you have a residence permit in The Netherlands, please contact the Foreigners Police to extend your permit.
If you have a residence permit in any of the other EEA member states, please
contact the Dutch Embassy or Consulate in that country.
Will I need to apply for accommodation as I am moving to Tilburg? How or when should I do it?
Two housing agencies in Tilburg (Wonenbreburg and KamerBemiddeling Tilburg) arrange accommodation for international students who apply before the deadline. Please have a look at the accommodation website.
What is the tuition fee for my programme?
Tuition fees can be found here.
How can I apply for a scholarship?
To apply for one of the scholarships, please see what the requirements and procedures are for each of the scholarships.
What does the Welcome Week (TOP-week) offer?
During this week we offer you
- Information about class schedules
- Administrative affairs like opening a bank account and registration at City Hall
- Information about buying your books
- A tour around campus
- Possibility to buy a second hand bicycle
- Social activities to meet fellow Dutch and international students
In case you did not find the answer to your question, please do not hesitate to contact us.
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