Applying for the programme
You are welcome to apply for this master track from 7 September 2026. On this page, we carefully explain the procedure. Please make sure to consult the application dates and deadlines below.
If you need to apply for a scholarship and/or visa, we recommend to submit your application as early as possible. Please note that due to the limited capacity per master track, the admission intake might be closed earlier than the scheduled deadlines in case a master track has reached the maximum number of applicants.
| Date | Label |
|---|---|
| 7 September 2026 - 1 July 2027 | Application intake period for the 2027/2028 cohort. |
| 15 April 2027 | Application deadline for candidates who want to benefit from the €2000 Early Bird tuition fee payment waiver.* The waiver is applicable to admitted candidates who submit their tuition fees by 15 May 2027. It is not applicable to full scholarship awardees. |
| 15 May 2027 | Early Bird tuition fee payment deadline |
| 1 June 2027 | Application deadline for Non-EU/EEA students. |
| 15 June 2027 | Tuition fee payment deadline for Non-EU/EEA students. |
| 1 July 2027 | Application deadline for candidates who do not require an entry visa to the Netherlands. |
| 1 August 2027 | Tuition fee payment deadline for EU/EEA students. |
*Note: EU/EEA students also include the ones who are currently living in the Netherlands who do not require a MVV entry visa.
We deliver the admission decisions depending on the round in which you submit your application. The 'decision available by' dates are the latest dates by which you can expect your outcome. You might receive your outcome earlier than these scheduled dates. Please keep an eye on your spam/junk folder during that period as well.
| Round | Application submitted | Decision Available By |
|---|---|---|
Round 1 Recommended for scholarship dependent candidates (Note: we don't provide scholarship at IHS). | 7 September – 30 November 2026 | 11 December 2026 |
Round 2 Recommended for scholarship dependent candidates (Note: we don't provide scholarship at IHS). | 1 December 2026 - 21 February 2027 | 5 March 2027 |
Round 3 Recommended for candidates who want to benefit from the early bird discount | 22 February - 15 April 2027 | 23 April 2027 |
| Round 4 | 16 April - 31 May 2027 | 11 June 2027 |
| Round 5 (Only for EU/EEA applicants or those who do not require an entry visa) | 1 June - 1 July 2027 | 9 July 2027 |
Application procedure
Below you will find the step-by-step application procedure.
The master track you choose in the application form will be your final choice for the master’s programme. It is not possible to switch to a different track at a later stage.
Bachelor's degree and grade transcripts
- The original copy and copies in the English language should be uploaded. A translated copy should be certified.
- The transcripts must contain all study years and the grading system.
- If your university only offers official transcripts directly to the institution you are applying for, you can request your documents to be sent to admission@ihs.nl.
- If you are expected to graduate in the summer, please upload a letter from your university to confirm your status and the expected graduation date.
- If you have just graduated but haven't received your official diploma, you can upload a "graduation statement" instead.
Master's degree and transcripts (if applicable)
- The requirements for the documents are the same as for the bachelor's degree mentioned above.
Curriculum Vitae
- You can find an example template in the Downloads section. However, it is not necessary to follow our template. You are free to choose your own format.
Application assignment
- The prescribed format can be found at the Downloads section, and this template must be used.
- Plagiarism & using AI chatbots (ChatGPT) will lead to direct rejection.
Proof of English language proficiency
- You must submit a copy of the official test report (see the requirements on the Admission page) or your test registration proof if you still need to take a test.
- Please note that you must register for an English test before 1 May 2027.
Reference letters
- Preferably one academic contact and one professional contact. There is no special format required.
Scholarship offer letter
- In case you have already secured a scholarship.
Additional documents
- Any supporting documents that you think are relevant for your application
Online Application Form
Once you have prepared the required documents, you can submit your online application via the IHS Application Service Center. Please note that it is unfortunately not possible to save your application and continue at a later stage. You don’t need an account to submit your application. However, if you wish to follow up on your application status or upload more documents to your application, you can create an account and log into the Application Center to do so. The form contains the following sections:
- Programme Information
- Personal Information
- Professional Background
- Educational Background
- English Language Proficiency
- Funding Plan
- Attachments
- Terms of Service
- Privacy Terms
- Submission
Confirmation on your submission
After you have submitted your application successfully, you will receive an email confirmation on your submission within 3 working days. If you have not received an email confirmation nor find your application in the Service Center after one week, please contact admission@ihs.nl. You log in to the Application Service Center to check the status of your application submission. Under 'Your requests' you can find the list of applications you have submitted.
The assessment outcome will be sent to you via email. Please make sure to fill out your contact information correctly in the application form. Applicants will be sent one of the following decisions:
- Admitted: If you can be admitted to the programme, you will receive the unconditional admission.
- Conditionally admitted: You can be conditionally admitted if you have not yet received your bachelor's degree, or still need to submit the English language test. You must submit the required documents indicated in your admission letter before the indicated deadline to receive unconditional admission.
- Reserved: Each year we receive a high volume of qualified applications. In some cases, qualified candidates can be added to the reserve list. If there are still spots available after 1 June, we will make a selection from the reserve list. Candidates who do not receive an admission offer by 1 June, are welcome to apply again in the next year.
- Rejected: We use a specific set of criteria to select applicants. If your application is rejected and you wish to apply again in the next year, we kindly advise you to study the selection criteria mentioned above to improve your application.
After you have received the admission to the programme, the next step is to arrange funding and to confirm with us that you accept the offer. This procedure differs depending on the funding circumstances.
1. Complete the Admission Acceptance Form (not for World Bank scholarship candidates)
In your admission letter, you will find the Admission Acceptance Form (AAF). By filling in this form you can indicate your intention to participate in the programme and inform us of your funding plan/desired method of payment. You should return this form within 4 weeks upon the receipt of your admission letter. Please note that there is no financial or legal obligation after you have submitted this form. You are free to withdraw your participation before 1 August 2027.
2. Arrange your funding
The necessary fees and costs can be found here. Kindly note that candidates are required to secure funding by themselves, as this programme cannot offer any financial support. You can make use the information of external scholarships on our website for your funding search.
3. Request an invoice
As soon as your funding is secured, you will need to request an invoice and complete the payment. You can do this either by indicating in the AAF form, or by emailing the Admissions Office.
If you have received a scholarship or student loan to cover your costs, please send us a copy of your sponsorship letter. We can then check the financial conditions and instruct you on the next steps accordingly.
3. Transfer your payment
You can make your bank transfer according to the information in your invoice. As soon as we receive your payment, we will send you a confirmation email. Please note that IHS does not accept payments with a credit card.
4. Start the practical arrangements
In the confirmation email of your payment/sponsorship receipt, you will receive further information about the practical arrangements, such as visa application and Studielink registration. The GUC Admin team at the IHS Educational Management Office is in charge of these practical information and they will get in touch with you after your enrollment has been finalised.
5. Withdraw your participation
If you are no longer able to participate in the programme, you can defer your unconditional admission to the next intake. If there are no major changes to the programme/admissions requirements, you will receive a new admission letter automatically once the new intake has opened. Please note that you cna defer your admission only once.
Got any questions about this programme? We're here to help
- Email address
- courseinquiries@ihs.nl