English Language requirements
A good command of English is essential. Therefore, you must submit proof of English proficiency in your application.
- You have obtained a bachelor's diploma from a university in the Netherlands; or
- You have obtained a pre-university education (VWO) diploma and English was one of the subjects included in the assessment, conferring that diploma and graded a 7.0 or higher; or
- You have obtained a diploma of International Baccalaureate (valid for 5 years); or
- You are a native speaker of English (i.e. a national of one of the following countries: Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom or the United States of America) and you have obtained a diploma of secondary education in English for at least 2,5 years in one of the above countries; or
- You have obtained your diploma of higher education in English (the entire programme) in one of the following countries: Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom or the United States of America.
- We usually consider the level of English bachelor's programmes at Western European or Scandinavian universities sufficient.
Please note that if you meet one or more of the above-mentioned English language requirements, you must present proof of your compliance. For example, suppose you have obtained your higher education diploma in English. In that case, we need to see written evidence of it in either a passage in the certificate, grade list, or a letter from the university stating that the language of instruction was English for the entire programme.
Please note that the test may not be older than two years at the time of application. Also, note that it takes several weeks before the results of the tests are known.
| Language Test | Minimum Score | Minimum Sub-scores |
|---|---|---|
| Internet-based (iBT) TOEFL (our TOEFL ID Code 5971)* | 90 (internet based) | 20 |
| IELTS Academic** | 6.5 | 6.0 |
| CEF (Common European Framework) | C1-level | |
| Cambridge EFL (English as a Foreign Language) Examinations | CAE level B CPE level C |
* Please note that Institutional (ITP) TOEFL tests and the Home Edition are not accepted.
** Please note that we do not accept the IELTS Academic online test.
Would you like to take a language test at Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR)? Based on CEF, the language test is organised by the Language & Training Centre of EUR and tailored specially for our applicants. More information can be found on the language centre's website.
If you do not meet our language requirements for the upcoming academic year, but already study at ESSB as a pre-master student, we offer a special arrangement: you can take the English assessment at the Language & Training Centre of EUR at our expense once.
If you wish to do so, please email master@essb.eur.nl (subject “English assessment for pre-master students”) and mention your name, student number, the master's programme and specialisation you want to apply for. We will inform you on how to register for the English assessment.
The English assessment test rounds will occur in November, March, and May, so please email us as soon as possible.
Please note: This test is only valid for our master's programmes, and you will not receive a certificate for other purposes.