We require candidates to have at least a bachelor’s degree from a recognised university in a field related to urban development. Below you can find an overview of all relevant fields. If you have a degree which is not listed below, please feel free to contact Admissions Office for advice.
- Architecture
- Civil Engineering
- Community Studies
- Development Studies
- Ecology
- Economics
- Environmental Engineering
- Environmental Science
- Geography
- Infrastructure
- Law
- Natural Resources
- Public Administration
- Political Science
- Real Estate
- Spatial Planning
- Social Sciences
- Urban studies
- Urban Planning
- Business Administration
- Forestry
- Rural Studies
- Tourism
If you have a degree which is not listed on this page, please feel free to contact Admissions Office for advice.
Please do keep in mind that this is not a pre-check service, nor offering a pre-admission.
Option 1: Email admission@ihs.nl with your background information. We usually reply within 2-3 working days.
Optino 2: Make a 10-minute appointment via this link for an online talk to discuss about your case
We require our candidates to have obtained at least 6.5 (Dutch grading system), 3.0 (out of 4.0), second class lower, B or an equivalent.
Please make sure to include the grading system in your transcripts or upload a supporting document providing relevant information
You do not need to prove your English language proficiency if:
- You are from or have obtained your Bachelor's diploma from one of the following countries: Australia, Canada (except for Quebec), Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, United Kingdom and the United States of America;
- You have obtained a bachelor's or a master's diploma from a university in the Netherlands;
- You have obtained a pre-university education (VWO) diploma, and English was one of the subjects included in the assessment, which conferred that diploma and you were graded a 7.0 or higher;
- You have obtained a diploma of International Baccalaureate (valid for 5 years).
If you do not meet the above criteria, an English language test is required. Below you find an overview of the accepted language tests, which should be no older than 2 years at the time of your application submission. Alternative formats such as IELTS Indicator or TOEFL MyBest Scores are not accepted.
You can submit your application while still waiting for your test result. As a non-EU/EEA candidate, you should upload the proof of your test registration, and the test should take place no later than 1 May 2027. For EU applicants, the test results can be uploaded by 1 August 2027.
| Language test | Minimum total score | Minimum sub-score |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS Academic | 6.5 | 6.0 |
| TOEFL iBT (taken before 21 January 2026) | 90 | 20 |
| TOEFL iBT (taken after 21 January 2026) | 4.5 | Reading: 4 Listening: 4.5 Writing: 4 Speaking: 4.5 |
| Language Cert | 70 | 65 |
| Pearson Academic | 70 | 65 |
| Cambridge EFL | Level B2 |
Working experience in a relevant field is considered an important asset during the selection procedure, especially if you do not possess a fully relevant degree. However, it is not a prerequisite.
Each year our programme welcomes participants from more than 45 countries. It is important to have the ability to interact and work with people from diverse cultures and backgrounds.
It is important that each participant has adequate knowledge on Microsoft Office tools as they will be used on regular basis during the study programme.
How to make sure your application is complete?
Check the application requirements before submitting your online application.
Selection Criteria
The IHS Academic Selection Committee will review your application and decide on admission to the programme. Please note that fulfilling all admission requirements does not directly guarantee admission. While assessing your application, we use the following selection criteria to determine whether you can be admitted to the Master’s programme.
- Relevance of your education
- Quality of the university where you obtained your education
- Academic performance
- Relevant professional experience
- Quality of your GUC Application Assignment
- Command of English language
- The overall quality of the application package
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- Email address
- courseinquiries@ihs.nl