Have you decided to apply for our program in Data Science? On this page, you will find a description of our admission and application procedure.
Deadline for application: May 1st, 2020
The Bachelor's program in Data Science is a joint program by Tilburg University and Eindhoven University of Technology. You only need to apply to one of these universities.
Once you complete your application, that university will take care of your application at the partner university. You can make your own choice about where to apply.
The information on this page is intended for international applicants: students who have a non-Dutch educational background.
Studielink, the Dutch national registration system for admission to higher education. When registering in Studielink, make sure you pick the correct program. In Studielink, Data Science is listed as:B Data Science (joint degree).
Since an application in both systems is necessary when you start working on your application, we encourage you to register in both systems right away.
Step 1: Check the Admission requirements
When you apply for one of our English-taught Bachelor’s programs, there are several admission requirements which you must meet with regards to your diploma, English language skills and mathematics skills.
Diploma requirements
To be eligible for admission to a research university, you must have a high school diploma that is considered equal to the highest level of secondary education in the Netherlands (the Dutch vwo diploma). Examples of diplomas which are accepted for admission include the
Dutch vwo diploma,
International Baccalaureate,
European Baccalaureate.
Most European high school diplomas which allow direct access to a university in your own country, such as the Zeugnis der Allgemeinen Hochschulreife (Germany), Diplôme du Baccalauréate Général (France), Apolytiron (Greece), Diploma za Zavarsheno Sredno Obrazovanie (DZSO) (Bulgaria), or Diploma de Baccalaureate - Filiera Tehnologică/ Teoretică.
Haven’t obtained your diploma yet? You are welcome to apply when you are in the final year of your secondary education, but only if you will graduate before the start of your program at Tilburg University (at the end of August).
English language requirements
As our Bachelor’s programs are taught entirely in English, you will need to demonstrate your English language proficiency. Tilburg University accepts one of the following tests, which cannot be older than two years at the time of application:
Academic IELTS (minimum score 6.5 overall, 6.0 for parts);
TOEFL (minimum score of 90 overall for the internet based test, 21 for parts. TOEFL institutional code of Tilburg University is 9860)
Cambridge English test results: C1 advanced (formerly CAE) or C2 proficiency (formerly CPE). For both C1 and C2, we accept a score of A, B or C.
Mathematics plays a very large role in the Data Science program. This means that besides having a secondary school diploma which prepares you for a research university, you must be able to prove that you have a sufficient level of mathematics.
Are you unsure whether the level of math you took is sufficient? Or perhaps you already know that you are just below what we require? If you are interested in our program, we encourage you to apply. By submitting an application, our admissions office can check your level and give you further advice.
If you have not yet obtained your secondary school diploma, you must upload the Statement of Educational Institution in your application. This statement provides information we need to assess your eligibility for admission correctly. Please ask your School Counsellor / Representative to complete it as requested, sign it and stamp it.
If you are selected for the program, you must send in a certified copy of your diploma once you get it, and before you start your studies at Tilburg University.
Your grade list(s). If you have not obtained your diploma yet, please enclose your most recent list of grades.
Please note that we only accept official grade lists which have been given out by your school and/or academic advisor. A screenshot of your school’s digital environment where you can review your academic progress is not accepted.
A legalized translation of all documents, transcripts, certificates and grade lists if these are not already in Dutch, English, French or German.
The results of an English language test.
A copy of your passport (or EEA national ID card). If you have dual citizenship, please upload both ID’s.
If you are a non-EEA national and already live in the Netherlands: your Dutch residence permit (back and front).
For Chinese applicants only: Nuffic (formerly NESO) certificate. For information on how to obtain a Nuffic certificate, please go to the NESO China website.
Please do not send hard copies of your documents to us at this stage. You must apply via the online application system MySAS and upload your documents there. The university maintains the right to request certified copies during the admission process, if this is necessary to evaluate your application. If you are accepted onto the program, you will be requested to send us certified copies of your documents, which are required for your unconditional admission and enrollment.
Step 3: The Application and Matching process
The application process begins the moment you click on the submit button in MySAS and may take up to ten weeks. This depends on several factors, such as the total number of applications in process, the time of year you apply and the completeness of your application. We therefore advise you to apply as soon as possible, rather than waiting until the deadline is really close!
During the admissions process, your Admissions Officer will contact you via e-mail. It is therefore important to keep an eye on your mailbox, and check your spam folder as well.
Please read this paragraph carefully, so that you fully understand the process and are aware of all relevant deadlines and other important information.
Phase 1: Submitting your application
As mentioned above, you must register for Data Science in two different places.
When applying through MySAS, make sure to select the correct program.
Within one week, the Admissions Officer will check whether your application in MySAS is complete. If your documents are incomplete, you will be asked to submit the missing document(s).
When your application is complete, you will receive confirmation via e-mail, and you will enter Phase 2.
Phase 2: After submitting your application
When your application is complete, the Admissions Committee will determine whether your academic background meets our admission requirements, based on your application documents.
If your application does not meet our admission criteria, you will receive a letter via e-mail informing you that your application does not meet our requirements, and that you cannot be admitted to the program. The application process for you will not go further.
If your application meets our admissions criteria, you will move to Phase 3 of the process.
Phase 3: Invitation for matching (study-choice-check)
You will be invited to do the study-choice check which consists of:
An online questionnaire
An advice report
An interview with a representative of our program about the report
Completing the study-choice check is mandatory, but the outcome does not influence your admission to the program. Consider the check a useful way to prepare yourself for your studies.
If the outcome is positive, you can take it as a good sign.
If the advice is negative, that means we recommend that you do further research into this program and others.
If you live in the Netherlands, the interview with the representative about the report will be a part of an in-person event with activities such as a lecture, an assignment and the opportunity to meet your fellow prospective students. You have the following dates to choose from:
Monday 30 March 2020 (Eindhoven)
Tuesday 2 June 2020 (Eindhoven)
Thursday 18 June 2020 (Tilburg)
If you live outside the Netherlands, you will get an invitation to do the interview about the report with a presentative of our program by phone or Skype.
Phase 4: Unconditional admission
From the beginning of July onwards, you will receive further instructions regarding official enrollment. Your admission remains conditional until you have met the conditions given in your conditional admission letter. This can be, for example, submitting the results of your English proficiency test, or a certified copy of your diploma and/or final list of grades.
After you have met all the requirements, you will receive your unconditional admission letter via e-mail. Conditional admission always means you have to fulfill a requirement, which means turning it into an unconditional acceptance is in your own hands.
To ensure you don’t miss any important messages, please keep a close watch on your e-mail and use an e-mail address which you check regularly. Add the e-mail address of the Admissions Officer to your safe sender list, and check your spam mailbox regularly to ensure you receive all messages sent by our Admissions Officer. Make sure you don’t lose your Studielink password, and regularly check your Studielink account for updates and messages.
Stap 4: Admitted, what's next?
Accepted? Congratulations! We hope you are excited about your move to Tilburg (or Eindhoven).
Before you start your studies here, there are some things you need to arrange, such as housing, payment of your tuition fees, visa, and more. To help you, we have created a "Welcome to Tilburg University" guide - specifically for our international students. This guide will take you through the process and the preparations you need to make before you come to Tilburg.
All Tilburg University students are encouraged to arrive to Tilburg during our Registration Days. After that, you can take part in the Tilburg Orientation Program (TOP Week): a great way to get to know your fellow students and the city of Tilburg. It is the best way to start your studies in Tilburg!
Do you have any questions?
Please feel free to contact us with any personal queries about the program, admissions and enrollment. You can contact us before, during or even after you have submitted your application. Our team will be glad to answer all your questions about studying at Tilburg University and provide you with detailed practical information.
