Update August 18: Currently, the highest rank number issued is 925. Rank numbers will no longer be issued from mid-August. This is a daily, automatic process that runs through Studielink.
The International Bachelor's in Psychology is a numerus fixus programme. This means that we have a limited number of places available (600), that a Selections Assessment is part of the application procedure and that you have to be selected for the programme.
This page provides more information about the entry requirements for our bachelor's programme. You can also find more information about the application and selection procedure here.
Please note that the admission and application information for the next academic year may change in the coming months.
Diploma requirements
As a rule, you are eligible to apply for our bachelor's programme if you have obtained or will obtain a secondary school diploma such as the Dutch vwo-diploma, an hbo-propedeuse or a foreign equivalent.
If you have doubts about your eligibility, please refer to the list of the most common diplomas that grant you access to studies at a research university. Whether or not your diploma is at the required level will be determined upon receipt of your application and documents. We cannot guarantee your eligibility via email.
If you have not graduated yet on the day of application, you can apply with a diploma statement in your application.
Language requirements
To be able to participate in the small-scale education, a good command of English is essential. You therefore have to prove your proficiency in English in your application.
You meet our English language requirements when:
- You went to secondary/ high school with English as the language of instruction for at least 2,5 years in one of the following countries: USA, UK, Canada (with the exception of Quebec), Ireland, Australia, New Zealand or South Africa. (Please note that possessing a passport from an English-speaking country without attending school in one of the countries mentioned above does not grant exemption).
- You hold an International Baccalaureate Diploma, English A (HL or SL 4 or higher), English B (HL 4 or higher).
- You hold an European Baccalaureate and took English as L1 or L2 with a minimum of 7.0 (not with L3).
- English was part of your final exam of the following diplomas and you have obtained an average of at least 70% of the maximum score: Dutch vwo, Belgian ASO (in the Flemish and German-speaking part of Belgium), German Abitur (at least 11 points), Norwegian Vitnemal, Swedish Slutbetyg, Finnish Ylioppilastuskintotodistus, Icelandic Studentprof, Danish Studentereksamen, Swiss Maturität (in the German-speaking part of Switzerland), Austrian Maturazeugnis, French Option Internationale du Baccalauréat (Anglo-American section).
- You have obtained an hbo diploma at a University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands, where the language of instruction of the complete programme was English. Please submit proof thereof by uploading a statement from the university confirming this (not applicable when you have only completed the first year/propaedeutic).
- The GCSE O-level English as a first language is only accepted for students who apply based on British GCSE O-levels + GCE A-levels.
- You have obtained a diploma of higher education in English in of one of the following countries: Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and South Africa (the entire programme lasted for at least 2.5 years) and will submit proof or a statement by the university that your degree was taught fully in English.
If you do not meet these requirements, you must demonstrate your English skills with an English proficiency test and submit the results along with your application. We accept the following language tests and results:
| Test | Minimum score | Minimum sub-scores |
|---|---|---|
| TOEFL iBT (code: 5971) | 95 | 20 |
| IELTS (we do not accept IELTS online) | 7.0 | 6.0 |
| Cambridge C1 Advanced (formerly: CAE) | 180 | |
| Cambridge C2 Proficiency (formerly: CPE) | 200 |
If you are a Dutch applicant and do not meet the language requirements, we offer a special arrangement: you can take the English assessment at the EUR Language & Training Centre at our expense. If you wish to do so, please email bachelor@essb.eur.nl (subject “English assessment for Dutch applicants”) and mention your name, student number and the bachelor's programme you have applied for. We will inform you on how to register for the assessment. The test will take place in November, and it is your responsibility to contact us on time. *This test is only valid for our bachelor's programmes, and you will therefore not receive a certificate for other purposes.
IMPORTANT
- Test score reports must be included along with your application. Without the results, we will not be able to assess your application. It is not possible to upload the test results after the application deadline.
- Only the Internet-Based TOEFL is accepted (not the Institutional TOEFL test).
- We do not accept TOEFL iBT home edition and IELTS online.
- Test results may not be older than two years at the time of application.
- We do not accept any other language proficiency tests.
Participating in the selection procedure
You can participate in the selection procedure for this programme a maximum of three times. There is one selection procedure per year.
A selection attempt is listed when:
- You have (had) an active application in Studielink after January 15.
- You have not completed the selection procedure, but have had an active application after January 15.
- You withdraw your application after January 15.
If you fail a required examination between 1 September 2025 and 31 August 2026, you may ask the university to cancel your selection attempt for academic year 2026-2027.
Please note! You may submit this request from 1 July to 31 August 2026 at the very latest via bachelor@essb.eur.nl.
Yes, you are eligible when you have completed an associate degree or obtained a Dutch hbo propedeutic at a recognised educational institution.
A transfer of grades is not possible. Due to the special educational build-up of the curriculum, which mainly consists of obligatory as opposed to optional courses, we, unfortunately, cannot accept transfer students.
Our programme is an English-taught programme. All lectures and literature are in English. This requires that you can read, write, speak, and understand English at an academic level; thus, we need proof thereof from our applicants. This applies to our Dutch and non-Dutch applicants.
Yes, in some cases, you might be exempted from presenting the results of an English proficiency test. Please look at the admission page to determine your eligibility for exemption. Keep in mind that if you believe you qualify for an exemption, you need to present proof thereof.
The eligibility of your prior education can only be determined after you have submitted an application and only after we have received all requested documents. Initial inquiries will be purely hypothetical. For this reason, we encourage you to apply for admission officially. You can also assess your eligibility by looking at the detailed admissions criteria on this page. We have tried to make the criteria as transparent as possible.
No, the bachelor's programmes from ESSB do not have any math requirements. However, please note that statistics is an important subject in this programme.
The programme is only offered on campus. Unfortunately, we do not offer distance or online courses. Due to the teaching method of the programme, active participation in class, and therefore, active preparation, and mandatory class attendance are required.
We do our best to inform you about your application within two weeks. Please note that this might take longer during the holiday season.
Yes, you can still be selected for the programme even though you are not one of the first 600 candidates. Last year, all candidates up to number 925 were offered a place. Please note that you can receive an offer until August 15th; this is an automatic (daily) process via Studielink.
A registered sworn translator usually does an official translation, generally associated with a notary. Alternatively, an institution issuing the respective document may be entitled to issue official translations. Please note that you must send a copy of the documents in the original language and also the translation.
A certified copy is a copy of a filed document, legal or otherwise, that 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 (e.g., a university, a notary, a sworn translator, etc.). Applicants with Dutch prior education do not have to send us certified copies; we can verify your previous education online.
The new German Law (PsychThG §, 01.09.2020) requires students to have an "approbationskonformer“ (licensed) bachelor's degree to be eligible to enter the master’s programme of psychotherapy in Germany.
This licensed (German) Bachelor’s degree has a different focus and build-up of the curriculum compared to our International Bachelor in Psychology. This means you may not be eligible for a German master's with the International Bachelor in Psychology. We would, therefore, advise you to check the admission requirements of the master's of your preference very carefully, before you decide to apply for the International Bachelor in Psychology.