FAQ on coronavirus for prospective students

You can submit your application without the results of GMAT/GRE/IELTS/TOEFL/Cambridge exams. If you meet our other admission requirements, you will be conditionally admitted but must provide these test results at a later point in time. Most test centers are offering tests online until test centers can reopen. For both the January and September 2021 intake we accept the results of the following online tests: TOEFL IBT Special Home Edition test, TOEFL IBT Plus for China (for applicants living in Mainland China), the GRE General Test and the GMAT Online exam. We do not accept the IELTS Indicator test. 

More information about GMAT

More information about GRE

More information about TOEFL

If your university is able to send your Transcript of Records directly to your International Admissions Coordinator, please ask them to do so.  However, if that is not possible, please upload an unofficial version from your university’s student information system if you are applying for the January 2021 intake. If you meet our admission requirements, you will be admitted conditionally, and you must hand in an official Transcript (and diploma) at a later stage.

If you are applying for the September 2021 intake and you still have sufficient time until the application deadline of the program of your choice, we advise you to wait with your application until you can get an official copy of your transcript of records.

If your documents are in English, Dutch, French or German, we can accept these for your application for the January 2021 intake without a translation. If you are admitted, you must hand in an official Transcript and diploma with a certified translation (if the documents are not issued in English or Dutch) at a later stage.

If your documents are not in English, Dutch, French, or German, please ask the certified translator to e-mail the translation to your International Admissions Coordinator directly, if you are applying for the January 2021 intake.

If neither of the above applies to you, unfortunately, you will not be able to apply at this stage.

If you are applying for the September 2021 intake AND you still have sufficient time until the application deadline of the program of your choice, we advise you to wait with your application until you can get a certified translation.

We are working with both the Dutch Immigration Service (IND) and the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs (who are responsible for our embassies/consulates) to arrange that visas will be processed and issued on time for your arrival in Tilburg during January/February.  If there is continued disruption to services offered by the IND and/or Dutch embassies/consulates due to the coronavirus pandemic, we will inform you.

•  If you were enrolled in an academic Bachelor's program in 2019/2020, you will be admitted to the corresponding Master's program if you have not yet completed the entire program, but still have to complete a maximum of 12 EC from your previous program. The Bachelor's thesis must be completed and you must meet the other admission requirements.

• This regulation applies to Tilburg University Bachelor’s students and to Bachelor’s students of other universities (within the European Economic Area, EEA). Students from an institution outside the EEA will be admitted to the Master's program only upon presentation of their diploma of admission.

• You must complete the Bachelor's program before September 1, 2021. If you do not meet this requirement, you will be de-registered from the Master's program.

• You cannot graduate in the Master's program if you have not obtained your Bachelor's degree.

• You have to register for both the Bachelor’s and the Master’s to be able to complete your bachelor. When you pay the statutory fee, you only pay once for both enrollments.

• If you were enrolled in a pre-Master’s program in 2019/2020, you will be admitted to the corresponding Master’s program if you have not yet completed the entire pre-Master’s program, but still have to complete a maximum of 6 EC from your previous program. You must meet the other admission requirements.

• You must complete the pre-Master’s program before September 1, 2021. If you do not meet this requirement, you will be de-registered from the Master's program.

• You cannot graduate in the Master's program if you have not completed your pre-Master’s program.

• In order to complete your pre-Master’s program, you need to sign up for both the pre-Master’s and the Master’s program. When you pay the statutory fee, you only pay once for the master and no fee for the pre-Master. If you pay an institutional fee (non-European students), you also pay a fee of € 214 for a pre-Master's course of 6 EC.

• Please keep in mind that the standard for the BSA is 24 credits. If you still have to complete the higher professional education (hbo), these courses are on top of the 42 points you have to obtain in your first year at university.

• If you were enrolled in a university of applied sciences in 2019/2020 and you have experienced a delay in the final phase of your Bachelor's program due to the corona measures, you are eligible for admission to the corresponding pre-Master’s program on the basis of a positive “completion advice” (afrondingsadvies). You must meet the other admission requirements.

• This “completion advice” must be issued by your from your university of applied sciences (hbo) and should be handed in to the Student Desk.

• Of course you should also follow the application procedure as indicated on the website. Based on your positive "completion advice", it will be decided whether you can be admitted.

• You must submit your completed Bachelor’s diploma before September 1, 2021. If you do not meet this requirement, you will be de-registered from the Master's program.

• Enrollment in the subsequent Master's program is only possible after you have submitted your Bachelor's diploma.

• This regulation applies to Tilburg University Bachelor's students and to Bachelor's students of other universities (within the European Economic Area, EEA).

Due to the COVID-19 situation, you might consider deferring your application, even though all programs of study will be offered online throughout the academic year 2020/2021. If you wish to do so, please see below how to proceed: 

If you wish to defer to the academic year 2021-2022, starting in September 2021, this is possible.

• Tilburg University will be changing to a new online application system called OSIRIS Aanmeld. 
• Therefore, you will have to apply again by following the new application procedure as indicated on the application and admissions webpage of the program of your choice.  
• Important: it is not possible to defer your admission for our Bachelor’s program in Psychology
• Please contact your International Admissions Coordinator as soon as possible to confirm your deferral.  You must cancel your Studielink registration yourself.

PLEASE NOTE: we cannot guarantee the admission criteria will remain the same for the next intake. Admissions requirements might change and, should this be the case, you would need to meet them for the new intake in order to be admitted. 

We understand that at the moment it can be more difficult to properly orientate yourself on your choice of study, since you cannot visit our campus or attend an information session or lecture in one of our lecture halls. In order to help you as much as possible, we offer several online options for your orientation. Using these options, you can get to know both the programs and students of Tilburg University.

If you are looking towards a Bachelor’s program, we recommend you to visit our Bachelor’s Open day on February 27. We preferably welcome you on campus. If this is not possible, we will organize the Open day online. On campus ór online, that day you can find out all you need to know about our Bachelor's programs, what it's like to study in Tilburg and feel free to ask all your questions to our students, teachers and study advisors. Read more information and register yourself for this event.

For students looking to find a Master’s program, we organize the Master’s Open day on March 13. We preferably welcome you on campus. If this is not possible, we will organize this Open day online. Learn all about our Master’s programs and find out which program suits you. Teachers, students, study advisors and International Admission Officers will be available to answer all your questions. Read more information and register for this day.

In addition, on our website ‘Study in Tilburg’ you can watch videos of our green campus and the student city Tilburg, partake in a virtual campus tour and get in touch with our Bachelor’s students.

More specific information about our study programs, including programs, courses, application and admission can be found through the overview pages of our Bachelor's and Master's programs.

Education in the academic year 2020-2021 has started on August 31. We are happy to welcome you at Tilburg University! Our campus has limited access due to the coronavirus. The government is monitoring closely how the coronavirus is developing, and will relax the intelligent measures step by step, as soon as circumstances permit.

We go on the principle that education takes place as much as possible on campus, for students who want to come to the campus and are able to do so. The other point of departure is always: safety first. Classes will only be offered within the frameworks and guidelines set by the government.

We guarantee that all education in this academic year will also be offered online. Since we think that meeting physically is an important part of academic education, educational activities will be organized on campus if the situation permits.

To help smooth the transition to higher education, priority will be given to first-year Bachelor’s students who are able to follow some components of their program on campus. These components will most likely be combined on 1 day per week. We encourage students to make use of this opportunity. Should the corona measures announced by the government prevent you from coming to campus, online education options are available.

How many small-scale educational activities will also be available for new (pre-) master students and our current bachelor and (pre-) master students, depends very much on the possibilities given to us by the Dutch government and the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment and our on-campus capacity. 

In any case, keep in mind that education, activities and exams also take place online this academic year. This means that you must have a stable wifi connection (pay attention to this if you are looking for a room!) and a suitable PC or laptop with up-to-date software. Make sure you meet the minimum requirements. Also make sure your table or desk and your chair are suitable for study, and that it is not noisy.

Yes, the university guarantees that you can follow education online during academic year 2020/2021 if you are unable to come to our campus.

That will depend on how the situation develops during the next period of time. We guarantee that you can follow education online this academic year 2020/2021.

If it is apparent that it is still not possible for everyone to come to campus next academic year (2021/2022) we will continue to offer our education online. However, if the situation will improve such that more or all restrictions are removed, we will switch back to on-campus education.

Student Career Services is happy to help you. Also during the measures of COVID-19, we still offer you our services but in an alternative way.

• Are you unsure about how to prepare for your career during these troubling times? Please read more useful information and tips!
• Are you a first-year student at Tilburg University and are you considering choosing a different study program? Our Career Coaches will help you prepare to choose a new study program during this online workshop.
• If you are a Bachelor’s student and you want to choose a Master’s program, but you are not sure about which one, our Career Coaches offer you individual guidance via telephone or Skype.
• Take a look at our web page to check out or other workshops.
• Would you like specific, practical tips for successful job applications? Join the job consultation hours. Every Monday and Thursday between 13:00 and 14:00 hrs we offer you advice on your LinkedIn profile, your application letter or CV. Register through the Career Portal. This will also be via telephone or Skype.
• Do you want to talk about your career orientation? You can make an appointment via the Career Portal with the Career Services Officer of your school. Your appointment will be via telephone or Skype instead of in person.
• Are you looking for an internship or a job? Or do you want to discover what the possibilities are? Take a look at the Career Portal.

Deposit your copy or copies in the white mailbox of the Student Desk at the reception of Academia building. Opening hours on working days from 08:30 - 17:30 hrs. You may also send your copy to: Tilburg University, Student Desk, P.O. Box 90153, 5000 LE Tilburg, the Netherlands.

All classes (especially tutorials) and exams will be scheduled according to Dutch standard time. This means that if you live outside the Netherlands, your classes and exams may be scheduled at unusual hours (early morning, late evening, or nighttime, depending on your location). Most lectures will be recorded so they can be followed at a time convenient to you, for tutorials this is not the case.

All programs will be offered online, so you don’t need to come to campus to attend lectures and tutorials. We strongly urge you not to come to campus during the period of self-quarantine, as we must protect the health of all our students and staff.  

For more information about the accessibility of the campus, please check the FAQ on coronavirus on campus and events.

No, you will not be required to apply for a visa/residence permit if you will be starting the program online.

However, if you would like to arrive during the second semester, we would strongly advise you to continue with the appropriate immigration procedure. Tilburg University will provide some small-scale classes (e.g., seminars) on campus if possible because of the importance of the physical proximity of the University community for academic education. We would encourage students to make use of this opportunity if at all possible.

In case you have already applied for your MVV (entry visa)/residence permit, we advise you to try to make an appointment with the embassy/consulate to collect your MVV only once you are within three months of travelling to the Netherlands, not before!

In case you have already collected your MVV, you have to travel to the Netherlands within 3 months.

If you do not travel within 3 months when restrictions are lifted, your MVV (entry visa) will expire and you may be required to apply for your visa/residence permit again when you do decide to travel to the Netherlands.  We cannot guarantee what the fee will be at that time, as this is subject to change. 

See also the question 'Do I need to go into quarantine upon arrival in Tilburg? in the category Practical matters below.

For further information, please go to Netherlandsandyou.nl, which includes the latest information about travelling from high-risk regions.

Please visit the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for more information on entry visa/MVV collection issues caused by the coronavirus situation.

Firstly, you can try to ask the embassy/consulate where you have to collect your entry visa/MVV to contact another embassy/consulate (in your home country only) and ask if you can collect it there. You will have to contact this new embassy/consulate yourself as well in order to be able to arrange this (please find information on the contact details of all Dutch embassies/consulates). There is no guarantee that this will work however.

Secondly, please visit the website of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs for more information on entry visa/MVV collection issues caused by the coronavirus situation.

The study progress requirements depend on the ‘valid from’ date on your Dutch residence permit, which is linked to the intended date of your travel to the Netherlands. The study progress requirements will therefore be calculated pro-rata from the ‘valid from’ date on your residence permit.

After approval from the IND, you normally have 90 days to collect your MVV at the Dutch consulate/embassy.

However, the IND has indicated that you can collect your MVV within 180 days after the original date of approval, if it is likely that you were unable to collect your MVV on time because of corona and/or the closure of the consulate. Please visit the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website for more information.

Your MVV is valid for three months from the date of collection, which means you have to travel to the Netherlands within three months.

However, if you are unable to travel to the Netherlands within those three months due to corona restrictions (such as border closures) and your MVV has expired, you can make a new appointment with the Dutch embassy/consulate (if it is open). Within 90 days after the expiry date of your MVV, the consular department is authorized to re-issue the MVV, provided corona did not allow you to leave on time.  

If you are unable to travel to the Netherlands by the end of that extension period due to corona restrictions, you must apply for a new visa and pay the immigration fee again. Please keep checking Netherlandsandyou.nl.

Tilburg University is making every effort to offer the same quality of online education as we would on campus. We are investing in online tools and solutions, and we will offer our teaching in a hybrid form: online and where it is possible and permitted, on campus, including online alternatives if you cannot or may not yet come to the campus yourself. Therefore the normal tuition fees apply.

It is very important to arrange accommodation before arriving in Tilburg. Tilburg University does not own any housing itself. It is your own responsibility to arrange accommodation. However, the Housing Office is happy to assist you in your search. Some students prefer to book a room in one of the reserved accommodations and some find their new home in the private market. Please make sure to fully read and understand your contract, especially the cancellation policy, before signing. Most of the time, the start dates of the contracts are set, but in the private market there might be some room for negotiation.

Take a look at the accommodation for international students website for safety instructions, useful tips and lots of information. Or contact the Housing Office via e-mail: studenthousing@tilburguniversity.edu. 

PLEASE NOTE: there is no financial compensation for students who are having problems paying their rent due to the coronavirus crisis. However, landlords must try to look for solutions. Are you in doubt about your rights and duties? Please contact the Housing Hotline of the Dutch Student Union for advice.

We ask you to consult the landlord with whom you have reserved your accommodation whether the accommodation and its sanitary facilities are suitable for self-quarantine. If your accommodation is suitable for self-quarantine, make sure to always keep 1.5 meters distance from other people, such as housemates, and to wash your hands often, either with soap or hand sanitizer. Take your personal health into account at all times. If your landlord does not provide facilities, make sure you bring enough face masks with you to last for a period of 10 days (if you are using a shared facility) and hand sanitizer.

What should I do if my accommodation is not suitable for self-quarantine?

If this is the case, we would strongly recommend that you find accommodation which is suitable for the 10-day period yourself. 

We recommend Hotel Mercure or ibis hotel Tilburg, as the hotels welcome guests who require self-quarantine. A condition they have is that you buy all meals via their room service. Costs relating to the self-quarantine period are at your own expense and are generally not covered by health or travel insurance.

If you would like to stay in Hotel Mercure or ibis Hotel for the duration of the quarantine, a reservation is required via groups@heuvelpoort.nl.

This is a decision which you have to make for yourself, taking into account the situation in your country of residence and requirements in the Netherlands regarding entry.  If you require a visa before you travel to Tilburg, we strongly recommend that you do not book your journey until you have collected your visa from the appropriate Dutch embassy/consulate.

Negative PCR test required when travelling to the Netherlands

From December 29, 2020 onwards,

1. People arriving from countries in the EU/Schengen area are required to present a negative COVID-19 PCR test result (not a rapid test)
2. People arriving from countries outside the EU/Schengen area are required to present negative COVID-19 PCR test result (not a rapid test) and a printed negative test declaration form

The requirement does not apply to people coming from the EU safe country list or for people travelling by car.

Read the updates before traveling.

Self-quarantine

All students traveling from countries and regions mentioned on the following website of the Dutch government  are strongly urged to self-quarantine for 10 days upon arrival. You are requested to stay in your accommodation during those 10 days and not to leave it at any time. More information about what a self-quarantine means, can be found on the website of the Dutch government.

If you have COVID-19 symptoms, you must get tested. Contact the GGD (the Municipal Health Authority, phone 0800 - 1202 or +31 (0)850 - 659 063 if you are calling from abroad) to register for a test (free of charge)*. If you have COVID-19 symptoms, the Dutch government requires both you and all those sharing your accommodation to stay in quarantine until test results are negative and it has been proven that you do not have COVID-19. A negative result means that the people you share your accommodation with no longer need to stay in quarantine. However, you must still complete the 10-day quarantine period.

Please regularly look at the website of the RIVM (National Institute for Public Health and the Environment) and the Dutch government. The website of the European Center for Disease Control might also be helpful. If you have any questions, please call the GGD at +31 (0)900 - 364 6464.

*You need to fill in a BSN number when you register. If you do not have a BSN (yet), you can just fill in something else, for instance your passport number.

After arrival in the Netherlands, you are allowed to travel to your accommodation. If you decide to make use of public transport, coaches or taxis, you must wear a face covering at all times. We recommend you to take a corona proof taxi (wearing a face covering).

In order to pick-up the key to your accommodation, try to make an appointment with your landlord in advance in order to make sure that you meet as few people as possible and wear a face mask at all times. After arrival at your accommodation, we ask you to stay inside for the full duration of the 10-day quarantine period. If it is essential that you leave your accommodation (opening a Dutch bank account or collecting your residence permit) you are allowed to leave your accommodation briefly. In that case, you should always make sure to make an appointment in advance, explain about the self-quarantine you’re in, to avoid using public transport, to wear a face covering at all times, and return to your accommodation immediately afterwards.

Generally Tilburg University expects that arranging these practical matters can be postponed until after your 10-day quarantine period and we therefore ask you to postpone them whenever possible. Non-essential trips outside, including shopping for food and other necessities, are not allowed and we ask you to make use of the assistance we have made available to students by contacting our chaplaincy: helpmij@protonmail.com (see question “If I need to stay in self-quarantine, how can I get groceries?”).

Several supermarkets do home delivery, such as Albert Heijn and Jumbo. You can also ask housemates who do not need to stay in quarantine or anyone else you know. If you don’t yet have a social network in Tilburg to support you, or you would simply like someone to talk to, please contact our Chaplaincy: helpmij@protonmail.com.

If you have taken out the AON complete+ insurance, your medical costs will be covered by your insurance. If you are not planning to take out this insurance package, check the conditions of the insurance policy you have taken out to find out whether or not these costs are covered. It is your responsibility to make sure you have the correct medical insurance for your complete stay in the Netherlands.

If you or any of your housemates have COVID-19 symptoms, everyone must go into quarantine until the test results of the person having the symptoms have returned negative. If one of your housemates is in self-quarantine, but does not have COVID-19 symptoms, it is important that you always stick to the 1.5 meter rule and take good care of your personal health, but you don’t need to go into quarantine with him/her.

For a translation of the Dutch news please visit

• www.iamexpat.nl/expat-info/dutch-expat-news/news
• nltimes.nl/
• www.dutchnews.nl
• or the student initiative www.facebook.com/NOSinEnglish/

Lastly, the “corona portal” of the Holland Expat Center South also contains a lot of useful information and links. 

Please, see the following website from the Dutch government about the measures and rules which apply to everyone in the Netherlands.