Bachelor's language requirements and exemptions

In order to be eligible for admission you will have to meet the language proficiency requirements applicable to the programme of your choice.

You can find an overview of generally accepted exemptions at the bottom of this page.

Overview language requirements per faculty

Each faculty has its own language requirements.

Validity of certificates

Keep in mind that TOEFL and IELTS certificates are only valid for 2 years. Cambridge certificates do not have limited validity.

Campus Fryslân

Bachelor's programme	Requirements
BSc Global Responsibility & Leadership BSc Data Science & Society	TOEFL iBT: overall score 90 (min. 18 in all categories) IELTS (Academic)*: overall score 6.5 (min. 6.0 in all categories) Cambridge C1/CAE or Cambridge C2/CPE Certificate with a min. score of 180

* TOEFL MyBest Scores are not considered in the Admissions procedure.
** We do not accept IELTS Online certificates.

Additional exemption possibility

Minimum final grade of 7 for the English course for the Dutch VWO diploma
Minimum final grade of 10 for the English course at Leistungskurs (LK) / erhöhtem Anforderingsniveau (eA) for the German Zeugnis der Allgemeinen Hochschulreife (however, please note that taking an English language proficiency test meeting the minimum requirements for this programme is strongly recommended)

Faculty of Arts

Bachelor's programme

Requirements

English-taught programmes
American Studies
Art History
Arts, Culture and Media (English track)
Communication and Information Studies (English track)
English Language and Culture
European Language and Cultures
History (English track)
International Relations and International Organization (IRIO)
Media Studies
Minorities & Multilingualism

TOEFL iBT*: overall score 90 (min. 21 in every category)
IELTS (Academic)**: overall score 6.5 (min. 6.0 in every category)
Cambridge C1 CAE or Cambridge C2 CPE Certificate with a min. score of 180

Dutch-taught programmes

Archaeology
Arts, Culture and Media (Dutch track)
Classical Studies
Communication and Information Studies (Dutch track)
Dutch Language and Culture
History (Dutch track)
Linguistics
Middle Eastern Studies

NT2-II Diploma

C-test certificate from the UG Language Centre (Dutch native speakers only)

* TOEFL MyBest Scores are not considered in the Admissions procedure.
** We do not accept IELTS Online certificates.

Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences

Bachelor's programme

Requirements

English-taught programme

Psychology (English track)

TOEFL iBT*: overall score 90 (min. 22 in Speaking and Writing)
IELTS (Academic)**: overall score 6.5 (min. 6.0 in Speaking and Writing)
Cambridge C1 or CAE or Cambridge C2 or CPE Certificate with grades A, B or C

Dutch-taught programmes

Pedagogische Wetenschappen

Psychologie (Dutch track)

Sociologie

Academische Opleiding Leraar Basisonderwijs (AOLB)

NT2-II Diploma

C-test certificate from the UG Language Centre (Dutch native speakers only)

* TOEFL MyBest Scores are not considered in the Admissions procedure.
** We do not accept IELTS Online certificates.

Faculty of Economics and Business

Bachelor's programme

Requirements

Econometrics and Operations Research
Economics and Business Economics
International Business

TOEFL iBT*: overall score 80 (min. 20 in Speaking and Writing)
IELTS (Academic)**: overall score 6.0 (min. 6.0 in Speaking, 5.5 in Writing)
Cambridge C1 CAE or Cambridge C2 CPE Certificate with grades A, B or C

Bedrijfskunde (Dutch taught)

NT2-II Diploma

C-test certificate from the UG Language Centre (Dutch native speakers only)

* TOEFL MyBest Scores are not considered in the Admissions procedure.
** We do not accept IELTS Online certificates.

Faculty of Law

Bachelor's programme	Requirements
International and European Law	TOEFL iBT: overall score 100 (min. 21 in every category) IELTS (Academic)*: overall score 7.0 (min. 6.0 in every category) Cambridge C1 CAE or Cambridge C2 CPE Certificate with grades A, B or C

* TOEFL MyBest Scores are not considered in the Admissions procedure.
** We do not accept IELTS Online certificates.

Faculty of Medical Sciences

Bachelor's programme

Requirements

Medicine (Dutch)
Dentistry (Dutch)
Human Movement Sciences (Dutch)

NT2-II Diploma
Certificate Dutch as a Foreign Language (Certificaat Nederlands als Vreemde Taal(CNaVT)) – STRT en EDUP profielen - minimum B2-level

C-test certificate from the UG Language Centre (Dutch native speakers only)

You are exempted from proving your proficiency in English if you apply on the basis of:

a (to be obtained) IB diploma with ‘Dutch A’ (SL or HL);

a (to be obtained) A-level in Dutch
you have obtained a VWO diploma including Dutch as a subject
a Dutch HAVO diploma (in combination with a (to be obtained) HBO propaedeutic certificate or another qualification leading to VWO-equivalency)

Faculty of Philosophy

Bachelor's programme

Requirements

Philosophy of a specific discipline

TOEFL iBT*: overall score 90
IELTS (Academic)**: overall score 6.5
Cambridge C1 CAE or Cambridge C2 CPE Certificate with a min. score of 200

Filosofie

NT2-II Diploma

C-test certificate from the UG Language Centre (Dutch native speakers only)

* TOEFL MyBest Scores are not considered in the Admissions procedure.
** We do not accept IELTS Online certificates.

Faculty of Science and Engineering

Bachelor's programme

Requirements

Applied Mathematics
Applied Physics
Artificial Intelligence
Astronomy
Biology
Biomedical Engineering
Chemical Engineering
Chemistry
Computing Science
Industrial Engineering and Management
Life Science & Technology
Mathematics
Physics

TOEFL iBT*: overall score 90 (min. 21 in Reading, Listening, and Speaking, 24 in Writing)
IELTS (Academic)**: overall score 6.5 (min. 6.5 in every category)
Cambridge C1 CAE or Cambridge C2 CPE Certificate with a min. score of 180

Pharmacy (Dutch taught)

NT2-II Diploma

C-test certificate from the UG Language Centre (Dutch native speakers only)

* TOEFL MyBest Scores are not considered in the Admissions procedure.
** We do not accept IELTS Online certificates.

NB: If you have been diagnosed with dyslexia, please contact the relevant test providers directly.

Faculty of Spatial Sciences

Bachelor's programme	Requirements
Human Geography & Urban and Regional Planning Spatial Planning and Design	TOEFL iBT: overall score 80 (min. 18 in Reading and Listening, 20 in Speaking, 21 in Writing) IELTS (Academic)*: overall score 6.0 (min. 6.0 in each section) Cambridge English: C1 Advanced (CAE) or C2 Proficiency (CPE)

* TOEFL MyBest Scores are not considered in the Admissions procedure.
** We do not accept IELTS Online certificates.

Faculty of Religion, Culture and Society

Bachelor's programme

Requirements

Religious Studies

TOEFL iBT*: overall score 80 (min. 18 in Speaking, 21 in Writing)
IELTS (Academic)**: overall score 6.0 (min. 6.0 in Speaking and Writing)
Cambridge English: C1 Advanced (CAE)

Theology (Dutch only)

NT2-II Diploma

C-test certificate from the UG Language Centre (Dutch native speakers only)

* TOEFL MyBest Scores are not considered in the Admissions procedure.
** We do not accept IELTS Online certificates.

University College Groningen

Bachelor's programme	Requirements
Liberal Arts & Sciences	TOEFL iBT: overall score 90 (min. 21 in Reading, Listening, and Speaking, 24 in Writing) IELTS (Academic)*: overall score 6.5 (min. 6.5 in every category) Cambridge C1 CAE or Cambridge C2 CPE Certificate with a min. score of 180

Exemptions are granted at the discretion of the Admissions Office.

*TOEFL MyBest Scores are not considered in the Admissions procedure.
** We do not accept IELTS Online certificates.

Please note that certain exemptions* from the above-mentioned requirements may apply in the following cases:

Applicants with a Dutch VWO diploma and a 7 or higher in English;
Applicants with a German Zeugnis der Allgemeinen Hochschulreife, including English PF, eA or LK with a minimum grade of 10

Exemption options

Overview exemption options

You are exempted from proving your proficiency in English if you apply on the basis of:

a (to be obtained) upper secondary qualification obtained in one of the following countries: USA, UK, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, Canada (English speaking provinces/territories), Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia and St Vincent and the Grenadines and meet our general end level requirements for that specific qualification;
a (to be) completed Bachelor's programme in one of the following countries: USA, UK, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, Canada (English speaking provinces/territories), Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia and St Vincent and the Grenadines;
at least 3 (to be obtained) academic GCE A2-level certificates with grades A* to C from an accredited British examination board;
an (to be obtained) International Baccalaureate diploma, with English as the medium of instruction;

a (to be obtained) European Baccalaureate diploma from a European School or one of the Accredited European Schools and have (completed) English as an L1 or L2 subject;

a (to be obtained) French Baccalauréat Francais Internationale (BFI) - British version;

a (to be obtained) South African National Senior Certificate in combination with an IEB Advanced Programme Certificate in English (with minimum result 55% in case this is the only IEB AP certificate; otherwise with a passing grade) or in combination with an IEB Further Studies (Certificate) in English (with minimum result 55% in case this is the only IEB certificate; otherwise with a passing grade);
(to be obtained) Singapore/Cambridge A-levels in at least 3 H2 and 1 H1 content* courses (of which at least 1 course in a contrasting discipline) together with either the course General Paper or Knowledge and Inquiry (5 courses in total).

Additional exemptions

Additional exemptions may apply for the programme of your choice, however this is at the discretion of the Admissions Board and will be assessed when your application has been received by the Admissions Office.

The following faculties offer additional options for an exemption to the English requirement:

the Faculty of Arts
the Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences
the Faculty of Economics and Business
the Faculty of Spatial Sciences

If you are applying to a programme at one of these faculties make sure to check the list below to see if an exemption applies.

Check the list

Last modified:

28 October 2024 11.52 a.m.