Selection procedure Bachelor’s degree programme Psychology

Sign up with Studielink between 1 October 2023 and 15 January 2024
You can sign up for a degree programme in Dutch higher education via the Studielink website. You can already sign up even if you have not yet obtained your diploma or passed your language test. Within Studielink, you can opt for either the Dutch or English-taught programme. Make sure you select 1 September as the starting date to avoid problems in the application process. Carefully follow the instructions.

Admissibility check by the University of Groningen
After you have registered in Studielink, we will check whether you are in principle admissible to the Psychology degree programme or whether we need additional information to assess your admissibility. General information and details about the admissions procedure can be found on the pages for Dutch students / international students.

For holders of non-Dutch qualification(s); once the Admissions Office has processed your application file, you will hear from them within six weeks. If you are admissible to the programme, you will be requested to send certified copies of your high school qualification to the Admissions Office by the required closing date.

Dutch or English programme
The Dutch Bachelor’s degree programme in Psychologie and the English Bachelor’s degree programme in Psychology are registered in the Central Register of Higher Education Programmes as one single degree programme. This means you can only register for one variant at the University of Groningen.

A total of 600 places are available in the degree programme, and all applicants for both the Dutch and English variants will be listed together in one ranking list. The size of each of the language variants can therefore vary, and in strategic terms, it makes no difference which variant you choose.

Fixed quota degree programme
You may apply for a maximum of two fixed quota degree programmes in one academic year. This can also be the same degree programme at two different educational institutions. Please consult the studiekeuze123 website for more information.

Transfer
Applicants transferring from a Psychology bachelor's program from another Dutch university, follow the same application and enrollment steps as other candidates, including selection. This means you need to apply via Studielink as a first-year student. After full enrollment, you can request exemptions through the Examination Board.

You can upload your motivation letter between 1 October and 25 January.

Write a motivation letter in which you explain in a maximum of 1500 characters why you would like to study Psychology in Groningen. The aim of the motivation letter is to stimulate you to make a well-considered choice and to make it clear to both yourself and us why you want to follow this degree programme. We will assess whether you have taken the task of writing this motivation letter sufficiently seriously. The specific content of the letter will not be considered in the selection procedure; this will be based on the selection test.

You will receive an automated confirmation email as soon as you have successfully uploaded your letter. You will be automatically registered for the selection test if we receive your registration and your motivation letter in good time.

Design and objectives of the selection test

The selection test aims to give you a realistic idea of what the degree programme has to offer and what will be expected from you. You will have to study literature representative of the degree programme and watch a video lecture, after which you will take three online multiple-choice tests. The selection test will comprise the topics of Introduction to Psychology, Statistics, and Social Psychology. This ‘curriculum sampling’ will give a good indication of how you will perform in the first year (and in the longer term) and will thus help us select the best students.

Literature

To prepare for the test, you will have to study relevant literature and watch a video lecture. Read on for the study materials you need to prepare for the selection test (this page wille be available from 15 January 2024).

You will receive an email with further information about the selection procedure and the selection test shortly after 15 January. Information about access to the test environment and the practice test will be emailed to you in late February.

No example tests will be provided to practise with the study material. However, to familiarize you with how the test will be administered, you will be given access to the test environment including a short practice test as from late February.

Request extra time

You may request extra time if you have ADD, ADHD, dyslexia, or another functional impairment. The extra time will amount to 10 minutes per test component.

If you need extra time, please send a request to this end, including an official medical statement from an authorized person or institution, to psychology rug.nl before 25 January.

Preparing for the test: general tips

• You will have to understand and be able to apply the theory.

• You will have to remember relevant definitions and formulas and be able to apply and use them when making calculations.

• We will not provide any additional study material, practice questions, or previous exams. Seriously studying the literature provided should suffice to pass the selection test.

• To familiarize you with how the test will be administered, you will be given access to the test environment including a short practice test as from late February 2024.

• Make sure you test your computer/laptop and Internet connection in advance.
  

You will be automatically registered for the selection test if we receive your registration and your motivation letter in good time. 

Make sure you prepare well for the selection test. More information can be found under step 3 on this page. To find out how other students have experienced the selection test, watch this video about the selection test for the Bachelor’s degree programme in Psychology.

Test date
9 March 2024
9 a.m. - 9 p.m. CET
You can take the test whenever you want on this day. It will take about three hours, including breaks.

Location
Online (from anywhere). You will receive a link via email in good time.

Content
The selection test will comprise three tests with multiple-choice questions, covering the topics ‘Introduction to Psychology’, ‘Statistics’, and ‘Social Psychology’.

The weighting of the test components will be as follows:
-Introduction to Psychology: 50%
-Statistics: 25%
-Social Psychology: 25%

The Introduction to Psychology component weighs more heavily because it correlates more strongly to study success.

Language
For students in the Dutch-taught Bachelor’s degree programme, the Introduction to Psychology component will be in English, whereas Statistics and Social Psychology will be in Dutch.

Your results on the test compared to the results of the other participants will determine your ranking number and thus your chances of admission.

You will receive your ranking number via Studielink on 15 April 2024. You will either be offered a place (ranking numbers 1-600) or be placed on the waiting list (ranking numbers over 600). More information about your personal results, ranking number, and the further process will be emailed to you shortly after 15 April. Starting April 15, rank numbers will be shown weekly on this page.

Places can continue to be offered until 31 August. If you are offered a place, you will have to accept it within two weeks in order to keep it.

The table below provides a brief overview of the most important steps and crucial deadlines. Make sure you meet these deadlines, because exceeding them will result in exclusion from participation in the selection procedure.

A total of 600 places are available for the Bachelor’s degree programme in Psychology. Your results on the test will be compared to the results of the other participants to determine your ranking number and thus your chances of admission.

Although, of course, results from the past are no guarantee for the future, below is an overview of numbers from recent years to give an indication of your chances of admission.

Unfortunately, we are unable to give you a personal indication of your chances of admission.

Questions?
Please visit our FAQ page.

For remaining questions about:

• the selection procedure: e-mail to psychology@rug.nl
• additional tests in case of HBO propaedeutic year as previous education: read the general information and/or e-mail to toelatingstoetsen.gmw@rug.nl
• admission based on a Dutch secondary school diploma: read the general information and/or contact Students Information & Administration
• admission on the basis of a foreign previous education: read the general information or contact the Admissions Office.