Application

Admission to the Research MA programme will be made on the basis of careful selection. Final responsibility for the selection and admission procedure rests with the Admissions Board of the research master in question. The selection and assessment requirements are incorporated in the Teaching and Examination Regulations of the relevant programme. The Board consists of:

• a member, also the chairperson, selected from the professors who will teach the degree programme.
• two or three members selected from the academic staff who will teach the degree programme.

The Admissions Board will nominate a secretary from among its members.

Students with a Dutch degree

Deadline 15 October

Prospective students with a Dutch degree register for the admissions procedure by filling in our online application form.

Note that you will be asked to attach the following documents to complete the form:

• a motivation letter outlining your reasons for selecting the programme, including your expectations, academic interests and ambitions.
• curriculum vitae.
• an overview of the results achieved so far within the Bachelor’s degree programme and/or other university degree programmes.
• two personal recommendations from relevant experts. If the experts prefer to keep their letters of recommendation confidential, they can also send their letter directly to Manou Jonink (rema.arts@rug.nl).
• BA thesis. In case you have not yet obtained your BA degree at the time of application, but plan on graduating before the Research MA programme begins, you may be granted provisional admission. You are required to attach a different sample of academic writing, in case your BA thesis is not yet completed.
• other documents which can highlight your eligibility for the programme (f.i. already published academic articles).

In case you have questions regarding this application procedure, you can get in contact with the Course Manager Research Masters, Manou Jonink (rema.arts@rug.nl).

Student with a non-Dutch degree

Deadline for non-EU students: 15 October

Deadline for EU/EER students: 15 October

Please note: As of the 2023-2024 academic year, all applicants with a non-Dutch qualification will have to pay an application fee. Please consult the admission and application page and the International Application Guide for more information.

To apply, please go through the online application procedure.

During this procedure, you are asked to upload the following documents:

• curriculum vitae.
• an overview of the results achieved so far within the Bachelor’s degree programme and/or other university degree programmes.
• a motivation letter outlining your reasons for selecting the programme, including your expectations, academic interests and ambitions.
• two personal recommendations from relevant experts.
• BA thesis. In case you have not yet obtained your BA degree at the time of application, but plan on graduating before the Research MA programme begins, you may be granted provisional admission. You are required to attach a different sample of academic writing, in case your BA thesis is not yet completed.
• other documents which can highlight your eligibility for the programme (f.i. already published academic articles).

If you cannot upload these documents digitally, you can send them to Ms. Manou Jonink, Course Manager Research Masters, Faculty of Arts, University of Groningen, PO box 716, 9700 AS Groningen, The Netherlands

Admission procedure

The Admissions Board will assess the written documentation and determine whether the prospective student can be admitted directly to the programme. In the event of doubt, the student will be invited to an admissions (skype) interview. The interview will be based on the submitted written documentation and may comprise an approx. 15-minute presentation on an academic subject related to the chosen degree programme.

If, on the basis of the submitted documentation, the Board is of the opinion that the student does not qualify for admission and that there is therefore no need for an interview, the student will be notified accordingly. This is a provisional decision only. Prospective students may still request an interview, provided they do so within 15 working days. If prospective students do not avail themselves of this option, the provisional decision will become definitive. In the case of prospective students who are granted an interview, a formal decision will not be made until after the interview has taken place. Rejections will in all cases be substantiated in writing.

Most Admissions Board process applications on a rolling basis. In these cases, students will be notified within approx. 4-6 weeks whether or not they have been accepted. Students applying to the Language & Cognition research master will be informed at a set time: applicants for the September start will receive the decision at the end of May; applicants for the February start will receive the decision at the beginning of December.

Proof of admission is discussed in Article 7.30b of the Higher Education and Research Act (WHW).

Students who have not yet obtained their BA degree at the time of the selection process but who would normally do so before the Research MA programme begins may be granted provisional admission. This is based on the assumption they:

• a) obtain their BA degree in time
• b) have written a BA thesis with the required level to follow the Research MA.

Students who already have a relevant university MA degree may also apply for admission to the Research MA programme. The procedure as set out above will also apply to them. If they are admitted, the Board of Examiners will decide whether they can be granted exemptions on the basis of that MA degree.

Appeals against the decisions of the Admissions Board may be lodged with the Examination Appeals Board.

More information on Admissions for the MA programmes

• Archaeology
• Arts, Media and Literary Studies
• Classical, Medieval and Early Modern Studies
• Cultural Leadership
• Language and Cognition
• Modern History and International Relations