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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 linkOpens external 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.
Tip: Please make sure the information about your grading system is included in your transcripts or upload a supporting document providing information on this topic so that we can judge your performance as fairly as possible.
If English is not your mother tongue, an English language test or, in some cases, other proof of English proficiency is required.
We only accept certificates from TOEFL and IELTS as official language tests. The test report should be valid within two years by the starting date of the Master programme.
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 2025. For EU applicants, the test results can be uploaded by 1 August 2025.
Kindly note that we only accept test reports that meet all of our minimum requirements as sufficient proof of English language proficiency. This is not negotiable.
Exemptions from English language testing are possible, but not guaranteed, if:
You have previously completed a full university degree through the English medium less than 3 years prior to the starting date of the master programme and the duration of your degree programme is minimum 1 year. In such cases, students can submit the following twocompulsory documents for consideration (not guaranteed):
An example of a previously submitted, substantial essay or thesis in English.
Confirmation from the institution that the language of instruction was entirely in the English medium.
Required scores:
90 Internet based test with a minimum of 20 on each sub-test
Important note:
For the TOEFL IBT test, MyBest™ scores report is accepted as a supporting document. If your sub-test score is lower than the minimum requirement, we use this report to evaluate whether you can be exempted from taking a new test.
TOEFL ITP test is NOT accepted as an official test
We require a result of 6.5 overall for IELTS Academic test, with a minimum of 6 on each sub-test.
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 very diverse cultures and backgrounds.
In addition, it is important that each participant has adequate knowledge on Microsoft Office tools as they will be used on regular basis during the study. Should you be not so confident with your knowledge on these, please make sure to have completed some courses yourself before the programme starts.
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 your admission status to the programme. Please be aware that this programme is very selective. Fulfilling all the above-mentioned admission requirements does not necessarily guarantee you an admissions offer. While assessing your application, we use the following selection criteria to determine whether you can receive admission to the Master’s programmes.
Note: Plagiarism is not appreciated, and it will lead directly to rejection.
Relevance of your previous education
The quality of the university where you obtained your previous education
Academic performance
Relevant professional experience in the urban field
Motivational essay (with our prescribed template)
Command of English language
The overall quality of the application package
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