Selection

First, we will check whether you meet the diploma requirements and the language skills requirements mentioned above. Please note:

• You will not need to have obtained your diploma at the time of applying, but you do need to have obtained the diploma before the programme actually starts. Any admission to the programme will remain conditional until the diploma is awarded and your admission becomes unconditional.
• If meeting the English proficiency requirement depends on taking one of the tests mentioned above, we prefer that you take the test before applying. If you do not, then any admission to the programme will remain conditional until you have met the test requirements.
• For both the diploma requirement and the requirement concerning the level of English (and if needed also Mathematics), you need to provide proof that you meet the requirements as soon as this becomes available to you, and the 31 August 2024 at the latest. If you do not meet this deadline, your application will be rejected.

In case you will not be able to meet this deadline (e.g. because you will not have yet received your diploma) please inform us in time.

Also, in phase one we check if you have submitted all the required documents (see below). If your application is incomplete, it will be rejected.

In this phase we will assess the documents for the PPE Selection procedure that you have sent us when applying:

• Your signed/verified transcript of your grades. This will help us determine your cognitive skills. There is no grade requirement, but given the selective nature of PPE a good grade can be beneficial.
• Your written motivation, which you have filled in when applying. This consists of your answers to a structured set of questions. The written motivation will help us to obtain information about your cognitive skills, communicative skills, and your motivation for the programme.
• We may use the contact details of your referee (a school dean, mentor or tutor) which we have received during your application to ask for a letter of Recommendation (in English). With this letter, we ask information about your performance and skills set, as demonstrated in your school environment.
• The result of the competency profile test which you have submitted. This is a personality test which gives insight into the skills and characteristics necessary for studying successfully. Please note you will receive the invitation between 16-18 January, and you have to complete the test by 22 January 2024, 23:59 CET.

We will use these documents in order to score your suitability to the programme. On the basis of this score, we will rank all applications. Scores will be determined by measuring your application according to the following four criteria, which we consider indicators for your potential to succeed in our programme:

• Your ability to acquire basic knowledge and understanding of academic concepts, theories, methods and results (these skills will be assessed on the basis of the grades you obtained during pre-university education and on the basis of the competency profile test.
• Your ability to analyse and evaluate academic concepts, theories, methods and results, and to create new knowledge in these respects (these skills will be assessed on the basis of data in the written motivation and in the letter of recommendation).
• Your ability to communicate knowledge and to cooperate with others (these will be assessed on the basis of the written motivation).
• Match with the programme, both in terms of its focus (studying political and economic issues from multiple perspectives) and its educational philosophy (small-scale and intensive education) (the match with the programme will be assessed on the basis of data in the written motivation and in the letter of recommendation)

The Admissions Committee may invite you for an interview. These interviews will be held in the week of 9-11 April 2024. The interviews will be held online. If the Admissions Committee decides to invite you for an interview, you will receive the invitation around 22 March 2024.

After the interview, you will receive notification of selection or rejection before the end of April 2024. If you are admitted, you will have to accept our offer within two weeks. If you fail to accept our offer of admittance within two weeks, you will not be admitted to the programme.