The application period for Master and Pre-master’s programmes for the 2026–2027 academic year opens on 1 November 2025 for applicants with an international diploma (obtained outside the Netherlands). Submission deadlines vary depending on your nationality:
| Status applicant | Deadline application |
|---|---|
| Non-EU / EEA applicants | 1 April, 2026 |
| EU / EEA applicants | 1 May, 2026 |
The admission requirements for the Master Economics and Business are as follow:
All applicants must hold a Bachelor degree (BSc) in the field of economics, econometrics or business (administration). Your degree has to be equivalent in both level and content to the BSc in Economics and Business Economics offered by Erasmus School of Economics. It is not necessary to have completed your Bachelor degree at the time of application. However, all requirements of your degree must be fulfilled before the start of the academic year.
The Examination Board of Erasmus School of Economics will evaluate your Bachelor degree against the criteria below to determine whether it meets the requirements for admission to your chosen programme.
Your bachelor’s degree must include a solid foundation in economics (micro and macro), business economics, mathematics, and statistics. Please note that an abundance of business courses alone cannot compensate for missing economics courses, and vice versa; there must be a proper balance of all the subjects mentioned.
To check whether your background is sufficient, compare your curriculum with our Bachelor programme in Economics and Business Economics.
Depending on the specific specialisation you are interested in, some additional courses could help you prepare for your desired programme . Please note that these are recommended for your own preparation and are not admission requirements.
Erasmus School of Economics follows the guidance of the Dutch governmental institute Nuffic when comparing foreign degrees to the Dutch educational system to assess the level of your Bachelor degree. We recommend reviewing your country’s educational system on their website.
All applicants must demonstrate proficiency in English. Accepted tests must have been taken within two years prior to your application. Only the following tests and minimum scores are accepted:
| Accepted test | Minimum subscore | Minimum total score |
|---|---|---|
| TOEFL iBT | 22 | 91 |
| Academic IELTS | 6.5 | 6.5 |
| Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE) | 176 | 176 |
| Cambridge C2 Proficiency (CPE) | 176 | 180 |
| Language Cert | 65 | 70 |
| PTE Academic | 65 | 70 |
Please note that online English tests are not accepted for visa and residence permit purposes under IND regulations. If you are a non-EEA student requiring a visa or residence permit, you must take your test at an official test centre. Alternative formats, such as IELTS Indicator, IELTS One Skill Retake, TOEFL Home Edition, or TOEFL MyBest Scores, are not accepted. EEA students may use online test versions.
Your English test scores must meet the minimum requirements before the application deadline. Applications without valid scores will not be considered. Please allow up to 14 days for test results to be published.
Reasons for exemption from an English test are:
- You have obtained your diploma in one of the following countries: Australia, Canada (with the exception of Quebec), Ireland, New Zealand, South-Africa, United Kingdom (with the exception of commonwealth countries and territories) and United States of America.
- English was your first language during your secondary school education for at least 2,5 years in one of the above mentioned countries.
- You have obtained a Dutch VWO diploma in the Netherlands and English was one of your exam subjects.
- You have obtained Dutch four year HBO diploma in the Netherlands including an English language course.
Please note: The Examination Board will make the final decision on granting you an exemption for the English language test based on the above mentioned criteria. Erasmus School of Economics does not offer any preparatory English courses.
An American university in a country that is not mentioned in the list above does not grant you exemption.
The MSc Economics and Business with a specialisation in Health Economics is a joint programme offered by Erasmus School of Economics (ESE) and Erasmus School of Health Policy & Management (ESHPM). A strong foundation in economics and business is essential for admission to the Master via Erasmus School of Economics. If you do not meet this requirement, applying for the Health Economics specialisation via ESHPM may be a better fit for you.
You can find an overview of the differences between the faculties and their expectations for the Master programme here: Comparing HEPL and HE
For more details about the programme and its admission requirements, please visit Health Economics, Policy & Law MSc.
Please review our step-by-step application guide and the required documents before submitting your application.
Questions?
We might have the answer to your questions in our Admissions & Applications Knowledge Base!