How to apply for the Research Master Sociology of Culture, Media and the Arts
As of 1 October you can register for this programme. You need to start in Studielink, which is the Dutch national registration system for higher education.
Subsequently, you continue your application in the Admission Portal of Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR). After you have submitted your application, the programme’s admission committee will assess your request for admission. You will be informed about the outcome by email. Once you are admitted, you can finalise your registration.
On the pages below, you will find information about the different steps you need to take to apply and enrol for the Research Master Sociology of Culture, Media and the Arts.
If you still have questions after checking these pages, you can send an e-mail to the Admissions Office.
Information needed to start your application
Dutch students need their DigiD to log in on Studielink. (Non-Dutch students can log in on Studielink right away.) If you have not yet taken an English language test, you will be asked to fill in your planned test date. You can choose either IELTS academic or TOEFL.
- Copy of your bachelor's degree certificate – if already available
If you have not yet obtained your bachelor diploma, you may already apply. However, in that case, any offer made to you will be conditional until you have obtained your degree. You will have until 1 August to submit your diploma (or graduation statement). - Translation of your diploma in English
If the original is not in Dutch, English, French, Italian, Spanish or German. Self-made translations will not be accepted. - Recent official transcript of records.
The transcript must show all your grades during the entire programme. - Translation of your transcript of records in English
If the original is not in Dutch, English, French, Italian, Spanish or German. Self-made translations will not be accepted. - GPA (Grade Point Average) - if available
Your GPA is based on the weighted average of all grades from your programme. - Language test results
Preferably an IELTS academic or TOEFL iBT test.
If not yet obtained, we will consider your application anyhow. However, any offer made to you will be conditional. Please plan your test as soon as possible. - Curriculum vitae in English.
- Essay or paper written in English
You are free to choose the subject of the essay. You may send a paper you have written during your Bachelor’s degree programme. The purpose is to give the programme’s selection committee an impression of your academic writing and analytical skills. The required length is 5-10 pages. Do not forget to include a reference list. - Motivation letter in English
No more than two pages! - Reference letter
- Copy of passport or ID card.
| Application | Deadline |
| Non-EEA students | Before 15 April |
| EEA and Dutch students | Before 15 May |
In view of the time needed to arrange visa and housing, applicants from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) need to apply ultimately by 15 April.
You will receive the outcome of the admission procedure ultimately by 1 July. We do have a rolling admissions procedure, which means we review applications as they are sent in. That also means that when you apply early you can already receive an answer early. It usually will take about 6-8 weeks before you receive the outcome of the admission procedure.
Applications will be evaluated as from January at the earliest.
Step 1: Enrol in Studielink (the Dutch national enrolment system for higher education programmes)
Step 2: Finalise your application in the EUR Admission Portal
After you have enrolled in Studielink , you will receive an email with your ID and password to log in on the EUR Admission Portal. You can start working in the Portal, save your entries and use your login information to return to the Portal later. In the Portal you are invited to finalise your application by uploading the required documents and answering some additional questions. Once you have done this, you need to submit your application before the application deadline.
We will only start processing your application after you have submitted it in the Portal (by clicking on the 'submit' button on the last page of the questionnaire).
Please be aware that automatically generated emails may end up in your spam or junk folder. Therefore, check these folders!
If after enrolling in Studielink you do not receive an email from us with your login details for the Portal, please contact our ICT service desk.
The programme’s admissions committee will assess your application. You will be informed by email whether or not you are admitted to the programme.You can check your application status at any time by logging in on the EUR Admission Portal.
After assessment of application
The admission committee will inform you about the decision, the offer can be one of the following:
Approved
You are unconditionally admitted to the programme. Please indicate within three weeks in the EUR Admission Portal whether or not you accept the offer.
Conditionally approved
You are conditionally admitted to the programme, your offer mentions the conditions of your admission. Please indicate within three weeks in the EUR Admission Portal whether or not you accept the offer.
Furthermore, you are requested to email any missing documents before the deadline. This could be:
- Certified copy of diploma and/or transcript: ultimately before 1 August
- English language test results:
- EEA ultimately before 1 August
- Non-EEA ultimately before 15 May (due to the time needed to arrange visa and housing)
Once we have approved the documents, your status will change to ‘approved’.
Declined
You will receive an e-mail informing you about the reason(s) for rejection.
If you still have questions after checking this page, you may find the answer in our FAQ section. You can also send an email to the Admissions Office.
An application at Erasmus University is only complete if next to the admission documents you also have arranged payment of your tuition fee. If you are a Non-EEA student, you also need to meet all immigration requirements. Our central immigration desk will assist international students with arranging immigration formalities. Once you are selected for the programme, our immigration officers will reach out to you.
As of approximately mid-June, you will be able to arrange payment of tuition fees. You start with entering your payment details in Studielink (see your 'to do list' in Studielink). On our practical matters page you will find all the information you need regarding payment of your tuition fees. If you still have questions, please contact Erasmus Student Service Centre.
The ultimate date for finalising your registration is 31 August, but please do not wait until the last minute!
Once you have completed all the steps of admissions and enrolment you can download a proof of enrolment from Osiris Student.
- Log into Osiris with your ERNA id and password.
- Click on the menu (three stripes on top left-hand side) to select ‘My details’.
- Click on ‘Enrolment degree programme’.
- You will find the programme you applied for with a button below stating ‘Declaration of enrolment’.
- Click this button to download your proof of enrolment.
It is advisable to arrive in Rotterdam well in time for the first lectures.
ESN Introduction Days and the EUReka week are planned for mid-August and are a nice way to get settled before classes start.
Looking for information on practical matters such as housing and insurance? Information on these subjects can be found in our practical matters page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can apply and we will consider your application. However, if you receive an offer, it will be conditional until you meet all of the entry requirements. If admitted, you will be granted permission to submit your diploma (or graduation statement) after the last application deadline, but ultimately 10 August.
Only if you apply for our Research Master, you are required to submit two reference letters.
For all other programmes these documents are not mandatory. However, you may include additional documents if you believe this will contribute to your profile.
Studielink is the Dutch national registration system for higher education programmes. We can only register you as a student at our university if you enrol through this system.
Subsequently, you need to finalise your application in the Admission Portal of Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR).
Please note: once you have enrolled in Studielink, you will receive an email with your login details for the EUR Admission Portal.
In the EUR Admission Portal you need to answer some additional questions and upload the required documents.
After checking your entries, you need to submit your application. Please note: only applications with the status ‘submitted’ will be processed.
Please contact our ICT service desk at servicedesk@ict.eur.nl and ask them to provide your login details as soon as possible. Please be aware that automatically generated emails may end up in your spam or junk folder. Therefore, please check these folders!
Go to the login page of the Portal and click on ‘forgot username’ and/or ‘forgot password’ (upper right corner of the screen). Subsequently, follow the instructions. If that does not work, please contact Erasmus Student Service Centre.
Yes, you do. However, you will improve your chances if you apply in the first or second round.
Please note: candidates from outside the European Economic Area (non-EEA), are required to apply earlier than EEA-candidates. This is to ensure that non-EEA candidates will have sufficient time left to apply for a visa if they are admitted to the programme.
- Please email your document to masteradmission@eshcc.eur.nl if you are applying for History and Arts and Culture Studies;
- Please email your document to mediastudies@eshcc.eur.nl for Media Studies.
Some universities do not issue diplomas until late summer or even early autumn - even if technically you have already graduated. If this applies to your university, please ask them to issue an official graduation statement, confirming you have indeed met all requirements needed for graduation. This document should be submitted to Master Admission (see programme’s website) no later than 10 August. It should be a certified document, i.e. it should carry the university’s stamp, signature and a date.
- Please email your document to masteradmission@eshcc.eur.nl if you are applying for History and Arts and Culture Studies;
- Please email your document to mediastudies@eshcc.eur.nl for Media Studies.
- Please email your document to masteradmission@eshcc.eur.nl if you are applying for History and Arts and Culture Studies;
- Please email your document to mediastudies@eshcc.eur.nl for Media Studies.
Yes, if you cannot submit your language test report before the application deadline, we will consider your application anyhow. However, any offer made to you will be conditional until you meet all of the entry requirements. Please plan your test as soon as possible.
Bear in mind that it will take several weeks before you receive an official copy of your test results.
If you are admitted, we do need the test report ultimately 10 August. Without official proof of your English language proficiency at the required level, we cannot register you as a student for the programme!
A certified copy is a copy of a filed document, legal or other, which contains a seal and a signature that establishes that the document is genuine, a true copy. A document may be certified by an official authorised person (a university, a notary, a sworn translator etc.). Applicants with Dutch prior education do not have to send us certified copies, we are able to verify your previous education online.
You are free to choose the subject of the essay. You may send a paper you have written during your Bachelor’s degree programme. The purpose is to give the programme’s selection committee an impression of your academic writing and analytical skills.
The minimum length is 2,000 words (approximately 5 pages). The paper must be written in English. Do not forget to include a reference list.
An official translation is normally done by a registered sworn translator normally associated with a notary. Alternatively, an institution issuing the respective document may be rightful to issue official translations. Please note that you must send a copy of the documents in the original language along with the translation.
The purpose of the essay is to enable the programme’s admission committee to quickly assess your academic writing and analytical skills. Hence, the request to submit an essay of approximately 5 pages. Therefore, please always upload a short essay. You can submit an essay you have written during your previous studies.
In addition, you may upload your thesis under ‘additional documents’.
GPA stands for Grade Point Average. This average is based on the weighted average of all grades from your bachelor programme.
In many countries official academic transcripts contain a GPA (Grade Point Average) - one calculated per semester, and one calculated over the entire study programme. In some cases a GPA will only be calculated once the programme has been completed.
Within 8 weeks after the deadline* we will let you know by email whether or not you have been accepted to the programme.
*see schedule with deadlines and response times on the programme’s website