Admission and application for BSc Econometrics and Operations Research

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.

You can review a list of most commonly accepted diplomas on our website, or, if your diploma is not listed, submit an application request.

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 2 years at the time of application:

• Academic IELTS (minimum score 6.0 overall and a minimum score of 5.5 for all subscores);
• TOEFL (minimum score of 80 for the internet based test, 550 no paper based test accepted). TOEFL institutional code of Tilburg University is 9860)
• Cambridge Proficiency in English (CPE, score A, B or C) or Cambridge Advanced English (CAE, score A, B or C).

For a full overview and exceptions, review our paragraph on English language requirements.

Mathematics requirements

Mathematics plays a very large role in the Econometrics and Operations Research program. This means that besides having a secondary school diploma which prepares you for research university, you must be able to prove that you have a sufficient level of Mathematics.

Are you unsure whether the level of maths 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.

More information about the required level of mathematics is given on our mathematics requirements page.

Do you meet the requirements? Then you are ready to apply! You can apply for Econometrics and Operations Research through our online application system, MySAS.

You will be requested to upload the following documents:

1. Your diploma(s) and grade list(s). If you have not yet obtained your diploma, please upload your most recent list of grades and/or predicted grades.
   • Please note that we only accept official grade lists which have been issued 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.
   • 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.
2. A legalized translation of all documents, transcripts, certificates and grade lists if these are not already in Dutch, English, French or German.
3. A curriculum vitae
4. A motivation letter
   We are looking for students who are passionate about mathematics, and who thrive in this subject as well. But in addition, we’d like to know why you want to study econometrics, and why at Tilburg University? Use the motivation letter to discuss these topics, as well as tell us a little bit about yourself and your (academic) background. Please make sure to include the topics you’ve covered in mathematics. It is not mandatory to include a motivation letter in your application package, but it will help you in the process of finding a fitting study program and will give us the opportunity to determine whether you are a good fit for the Econometrics and Operations Research program.
5. The results of an English language test.
6. A copy of your passport (or EEA national ID card). If you have dual citizenship, please upload both ID’s.
7. If you are a non-EEA national and already live in the Netherlands: your Dutch residence permit (back and front).
8. 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.

The application process begins the moment you click on the submit button in MySAS and may take up to eight weeks. This depends on several factors, such as the total number of applications in process, the time of year you apply, your availability for the matching interview 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 Econometrics and Operations Research in two different places.

• Register via Studielink

When registering in Studielink, make sure you pick the correct program. For this program it’s not difficult; in Studielink, Econometrics and Operations Research is listed as: Econometrics and Operations Research.

• Submit your application via our online application system, MySAS

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: Outcome of the admission process

You will be informed about the decision of the Admissions Committee. At this stage, you will receive either positive or negative admission advice.

• Positive admission advice means that we believe that this program will be a good match for you and you will proceed to Phase 4.
• Negative admission advice means that we do not feel that this program is a good match for you and we would advise against you starting this program of study. We strongly encourage you to follow this advice.

We will inform you of the Admission Committee’s advice via e-mail.

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.

We have a rolling admissions procedure, which means that you can apply for the program any time between October 10, 2018 and May 1, 2019.  

We strongly advise you to apply for the program as soon as possible. If you apply right before the deadline it will be more difficult to collect missing documents, or respond to messages from our admissions office about possible problems with your application. It is better not to leave your application to the last moment.

Econometrics and Operations Research only offers a fall intake (September). It is not possible to start the program in spring.

Accepted? Congratulations! We hope you are excited about your move to Tilburg.

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 introduction week called 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!