Coronavirus - international admissions
We recognise that these are highly unusual times and understand that you may have concerns and questions about your application for Utrecht University. We are working hard to answer your questions and are committed to supporting you and ensuring that the admissions process continues as smoothly as possible. It is our intention to follow the normal application process, while allowing for flexibility where we can.
Applications for September 2021 are now open. Below you will find the answers to frequently asked questions concerning several topics in relation to coronavirus developments. This FAQ offers the answers (as far as possible) to the most frequently asked questions. The list will be updated continuously.
It is possible to apply for a Bachelor’s programme for the academic year 2021-2022 from 1 October 2020 onward. We have not made changes to the application procedure and deadlines. It is our intention to follow the normal application process, while allowing for flexibility where we can.
Information about the application procedure can be found here.
For students who have applied to a non-fixus (unlimited enrolment) programme, the deadline to meet the criteria in your conditional letter of acceptance is 1 September 2021. All documents must have reached Utrecht University by this date.
For students who have applied to a fixus (limited enrolment) programme, the deadline to meet the criteria in your conditional letter of acceptance is 31 August 2021. All documents must have reached Utrecht University by this date.
You can find the conditions of your admission, the relevant deadline and sending instructions in your letter of conditional acceptance.
If you have already graduated, we strongly recommend you to send your certified hard copies as soon as possible. The sooner we receive these, the sooner you can receive your letter of unconditional admission.
If you are graduating in the summer of 2021 and your diploma will not be issued before 31 August 2021, please contact us at admissionsoffice@uu.nl.
The deadline to meet the criteria in your conditional letter of acceptance is 15 June 2021. All documents must have reached Utrecht University by this date.
If you have already graduated, we strongly recommend you to send your certified hard copies as soon as possible. The sooner we receive these, the sooner you can receive your letter of unconditional admission.
If you are graduating in the summer of 2021 and your diploma will not be issued before 15 June 2021, please contact us at admissionsoffice@uu.nl.
Utrecht University is actively monitoring these developments, and we are aware of many exam sessions having been cancelled in the spring and summer of 2021. If you are able to graduate and will receive your diploma despite the cancellation of the exam session, this event will not have an impact on your eligibility. Therefore as long as you meet the conditions in your letter of admission (in a timely manner), you can be unconditionally admitted.
Do note that if you applied for a limited enrolment or selective programme, you will still need to be selected by your programme.
Non-EU students have until 15 June 2021, and EU/EEA students until 31 August / 1 September 2021, to send us sufficient test results. As test centres have reopened in many locations, we remain hopeful that it will be possible to take the necessary exams in time.
If you were planning to take a TOEFL test, you can opt for taking the TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition. We accept this test as an alternative to taking TOEFL in a test centre. Please check with ETS whether this test is available in your location.
Should circumstances change, we will review the situation again.
As the deadline for us to receive the certified copies is 15 June 2021 for non-EU students, and 31 August / 1 September 2021 for EU/EEA students, we suggest you wait and keep in touch with your school about when they can make the certified copies for you. In case your school will not be able to open in time, we can also accept certified copies made by a public notary.
Due to COVID-19, we are exceptionally also accepting digital documents sent directly by your secondary school, as long as they are sent from an official school email address. Please ask your institution to submit such documents on your behalf via admissiondocuments@uu.nl. Sworn or certified translations can also be sent to us in this manner, however the digital documents must be sent to us separately by the translators themselves, via their official email addresses. Otherwise, we must receive the original translations as hardcopies through post.
Please do not send us your original documents. All hardcopy documents that are sent to us become the property of Utrecht University, and we cannot guarantee that we can return them to you.
In accordance with the guidelines of the Dutch government, most of our staff will be working remotely until further notice, and will only come in to the office periodically to process post. This will unfortunately result in the slower processing of physical documents that are being sent to the office of International Student Admissions.
Regardless of this delay, we do advise you to send us the required documents as instructed in your letter of conditional admission. We will confirm their arrival as soon as possible.
The Dutch government has announced that the central exam component of the State Exams will be cancelled. Candidates will, however, still be able to take part in the so-called ‘college-exams’ and certificates will be awarded based on the results of this component. For more information, we suggest you contact DUO.
For the latest updates about courses and/or exams at Boswell Beta and CCVX please refer to their respective websites.
Our goal is to minimize study delay as much as possible for all our admitted students. If you are unable to travel to Utrecht due to travel or other restrictions, please contact the programme coordinator in your faculty to explore your options.
You may also consider deferring your application to the next available start date of your programme. For limited enrolment and selective programmes please contact the coordinator of your programme to learn about possibilities for deferral. For other programmes please contact International Student Admissions for more information.
It is also possible to cancel your application completely. You can do this even if you have previously accepted the offer of admission in OSIRIS Online Application. Make sure that you cancel your application in Studielink before 1 September 2021. If you authorized a direct debit collection of the tuition fee, this will then also be cancelled automatically. In case you have already paid the tuition fees, we will refund this amount fully (provided you cancelled before 1 September 2021).
Please note that the application fee is non-refundable. However, if you defer your current application or submit a new one for the next academic year, you will not have to pay this fee again.
Utrecht University’s new academic year 2021-2022 starts on 1 September 2021. You will then be able to start your bachelor's programme or continue your current programme. We follow the instructions of the Dutch government and know that the measures taken due to the coronavirus have a major impact on education. Currently, Utrecht University is offering education online for students who are not able to attend Utrecht University physically, because of travel restrictions or other difficulties caused by the corona pandemic. It is currently still unclear whether these arrangements will continue into the academic year 2021-2022, but one thing we know for sure: your studies will continue, even during the corona crisis.
Study programmes will not be offering face-to-face matching activities this year. However, it is mandatory for all students (including internationals) who live in the Netherlands on 1 June 2021, to hand in an online matching form. Please visit our Matching information page for more details.
International students who will only move to the Netherlands after 1 June are still welcome to participate in online matching activities. See the above mentioned page for more information.
The university is working hard in these uncertain times to answer all relevant questions. If you have any specific questions about your application process, please contact admissionsoffice@uu.nl
It is possible to apply for a Master's programme for the academic year 2021-2022 from 1 October 2020 onward. We have not made changes to the application procedure and deadlines. It is our intention to follow the normal application process, while allowing for flexibility where we can.
Information about the application procedure can be found here.
The deadline to meet the criteria in your conditional letter of admission is 1 September 2021. All documents must have reached Utrecht University by this date.
If you have already graduated, we strongly recommend you to send your certified hard copies as soon as possible. The sooner we receive these, the sooner you can receive your letter of unconditional admission.
If you are graduating in the summer of 2021 and your diploma will not be issued before 1 September 2021, please contact us at admissionsoffice@uu.nl.
The deadline to meet the criteria in your conditional letter of admission is 15 June 2021. All documents must have reached Utrecht University by this date.
If you have already graduated, we strongly recommend you to send your certified hard copies as soon as possible. The sooner we receive these, the sooner you can receive your letter of unconditional admission.
If you are graduating in the summer of 2021 and your diploma will not be issued before 15 June 2021, please contact us at admissionsoffice@uu.nl.
Even if you are unsure whether you have the right documents or all of the required documents, make sure to submit your application as soon as possible and before the application deadline. We will then check if your application file is complete as it is. If we find that a document is missing from your application or does not meet the required standards, we will let you know by email and you will be able to upload a new document in OSIRIS Online Application.
You may also contact International Student Admissions at admissionsoffice@uu.nl for specific advice. Please be aware, however, that while we are working continuously to answer emails, there may unfortunately be some delays in our response due to the high number of applications and emails we are receiving at this time.
EU/EEA students have until 1 September 2021 to send us sufficient test results. As test centers have reopened in many locations across Europe, we remain hopeful that it will be possible to take the necessary exams in time.
The deadline for non-EU/EEA students to send the results of English proficiency tests or other additional exams is 15 June 2021. Unfortunately, it is not possible to extend this deadline due to visa regulations.
If you were planning to take a TOEFL test, you can opt for taking the TOEFL iBT Home Edition. We accept this test as an alternative to taking TOEFL in a test center. Please check with ETS whether this test is available in your location.
Should circumstances change, we will review the situation again.
In accordance with the guidelines of the Dutch government, most of our staff will be working remotely until further notice, and will only come in to the office periodically to process post. This will unfortunately result in the slower processing of physical documents that are being sent to the office of International Student Admissions.
Regardless of this delay, we do advise you to send us the required documents as instructed in your letter of conditional admission. We will confirm their arrival as soon as possible.
As the deadline for us to receive the certified copies is 15 June (non-EU/EEA) / 1 September 2021 (EU/EEA), you may wait and keep in touch with your university about when they can make the certified copies for you. Alternatively, we can also accept certified copies made by a public notary.
If your university issues certified digital versions of diplomas and transcripts we can accept those instead of hard copies sent by post, as long as the digital documents can be verified online. Scans of your documents without a safe and reliable way to digitally verify them are not sufficient. You can find our guidelines and requirements on this page.
Due to COVID-19, we are exceptionally also accepting digital documents sent directly by your university’s registrar, as long as they are sent from an official university email address. Please ask your institution to submit such documents on your behalf via admissiondocuments@uu.nl. Sworn or certified translations can also be sent to us in this manner, however the digital documents must be sent to us separately by the translators themselves, via their official email addresses. Otherwise, we must receive the original translations as hardcopies through post.
Please do not send us your original documents. All hardcopy documents that are sent to us become the property of Utrecht University, and we cannot guarantee that we can return them to you.
If you are unable to obtain certified copies of your diploma and transcript, please send an email to admissionsoffice@uu.nl
Please visit the website of Utrecht Summer School for the latest updates.
In case your summer school course is cancelled, please contact your Graduate School to find out which consequences this has for your admissibility.
To reapply for the upcoming academic year, please submit a new enrolment request in Studielink. You will receive new login information for Osiris Online Application, however you do not have to submit an application nor upload your documents again.
After submitting a new enrolment request, please contact your Graduate School. They will issue a new conditional acceptance letter, including a new deadline to meet the conditions. Once you fulfill the conditions specified in your conditional acceptance letter, your enrollment can be completed.
If you previously have not requested permission from the Graduate School to defer your application, please see the next question.
Please contact your Graduate School to inquire whether you can be accepted conditionally again without having to submit a new application.
If the Graduate School grants you permission, please submit a new enrolment request in Studielink. You will receive new login information for Osiris Online Application, however you do not have to submit an application nor upload your documents again. The Graduate School will issue a new conditional acceptance letter, including a new deadline to meet the conditions. Once you fulfill the conditions specified in your conditional acceptance letter, your enrollment can be completed.
If the Graduate School will not grant you permission to be admitted based on your previous application, you will need to submit a new application. To reapply, please submit a new enrolment request in Studielink. You will receive new login information for Osiris Online Application, where you can reupload your documents, and request an exemption for the application fee. You do not have to pay the application fee again.
Our goal is to minimize study delay as much as possible for all our admitted students. If you are unable to travel to Utrecht due to travel or other restrictions, please contact the programme coordinator in your faculty to explore your options.
You may also consider deferring your application to the next available start date of your programme. Please contact the coordinator of your programme to learn about possibilities for deferral.
It is also possible to cancel your application completely. You can do this even if you have previously accepted the offer of admission in OSIRIS Online Application. Make sure that you cancel your application in Studielink before 1 September 2021. If you authorized a direct debit collection of the tuition fee, this will then also be cancelled automatically. In case you have already paid the tuition fees, we will refund this amount fully (provided you cancelled before 1 September 2021).
Please note that the application fee is non-refundable. However, if you defer your current application or submit a new one for the next academic year, you will not have to pay this fee again.
Utrecht University’s new academic year 2021-2022 starts on 1 September 2021. You will then be able to start your master's programme or continue your current programme. We follow the instructions of the Dutch government and know that the measures taken due to the coronavirus have a major impact on education. Currently, Utrecht University is offering education online for students who are not able to attend physically, because of travel restrictions or other difficulties caused by the coronavirus pandemic. However, it is still unclear whether these arrangements will continue for Master programmes into the 2021-2022 academic year. One thing we know for sure is that your studies will continue, even during the corona crisis. If you have any questions regarding the possibility of pursuing your studies online, we recommend you contact your Graduate School for further information.
The university is working hard in these uncertain times to answer all relevant questions. If you have any specific questions about your application process, please contact admissionsoffice@uu.nl
The application procedures will be started up in May. We will send an email inviting you to start your digital application as soon as the procedure has been started up.
You will receive instructions on how to submit your visa/residence permit application in May. Information about the application procedure will become available on our website at that time.
We strongly recommend you to submit your application as soon as possible, and well in advance of the deadline, as it takes time to process your application.
Once your application (including payment) is complete, we can submit it to the IND. Due to the current corona situation, it may take the IND longer than the usual 2-5 weeks to process the application. As soon as we receive the decision from the IND, we will inform you by email. This email will also include information on the next step, including scheduling an appointment at the embassy or consulate for your visa.
We cannot predict whether changes will be made to travel regulations, the availability of Dutch embassies/consulates in affected areas, and so on. The Visa Office will monitor this, and provide information on measures that may have an impact on the application procedure.
No. There is no refund of the visa/residence permit application fee once the application has been submitted to the IND.
If you need an MVV entry visa: we strongly recommend not to book your flight until you have received the MVV entry visa in your passport. This advice remains the same even if the processing times at the Dutch embassy/consulate are longer than customary due to the corona crisis.
If you do not need an MVV entry visa: we strongly recommend not to book your flight until you have received the IND approval letter on your residence permit application.
Before booking your flight, you should also check the latest travel policies of your own government for any restrictions about leaving (and returning to) your country. Be aware that as long as there are travel restrictions in place, the availability of flights to and from the Netherlands may be limited.
Please note that travelers arriving from certain countries and regions are strongly advised by the Dutch government to self-quarantine upon arrival. For more information, please visit this webpage.
Please already submit your digital application in Osiris in the meantime, so we can start checking your other documents. You may upload the Aon confirmation email as proof of insurance for now. Once your Aon Certificate is available, you can send it by email to visa@uu.nl .
Holders of a valid MVV entry visa are currently exempt from the entry ban for the Netherlands.
However, please note that the Dutch government has introduced several travel restrictions and requirements in response to COVID-19. Visit this website for a checklist, to make sure you can (still) travel to The Netherlands.
Please note that the travel restrictions may be subject to change. Please visit the website of the Dutch Government for the latest information on travel restrictions and entry requirements, before booking your flight. You should also check the latest travel policies of your own government for any restrictions about leaving (and returning to) your country. Be aware that as long as there are travel restrictions in place, the availability of flights to and from the Netherlands may be limited.
It depends on your situation when you may enter the Netherlands. Currently, the following categories apply:
1. You have a valid residence permit from another Schengen country
If you hold a valid residence permit from a Schengen country, the EU entry ban does not apply to you and you may enter the Netherlands. We recommend you to bring your IND approval letter with you when you travel.
However, please note that the Dutch government has introduced several travel restrictions and requirements in response to COVID-19. Visit this website for a checklist, to make sure you can (still) travel to The Netherlands.
2. You are a resident of a safe country with a low COVID-19 risk
If you live in one of the safe countries, the EU entry ban does not apply to you and you may enter the Netherlands. We recommend you to bring your IND approval letter with you when you travel.
However, please note that the Dutch government has introduced several travel restrictions and requirements in response to COVID-19. Visit this website for a checklist, to make sure you can (still) travel to The Netherlands.
3. You are a resident of another non-EU country
Students from non-EU countries that are not on the safe country list, may only enter the Netherlands if they have the IND approval letter for their residence permit for study.
We will send you the IND approval letter by email, as soon as we have received it from the IND. You must bring the letter with you when you travel to The Netherlands, and you should travel directly to The Netherlands (no transit).
Please note that the Dutch government has introduced several travel restrictions and requirements in response to COVID-19. Visit this website for a checklist, to make sure you can (still) travel to The Netherlands.
Please note that for all categories described above the travel restrictions may be subject to change. Please visit the website of the Dutch Government for the latest information on travel restrictions and entry requirements, before booking your flight. You should also check the latest travel policies of your own government for any restrictions about leaving (and returning to) your country. Be aware that as long as there are travel restrictions in place, the availability of flights to and from the Netherlands may be limited.
Please keep checking the embassy/consulate's website regularly, and schedule in your appointment as soon as this is possible. You should travel to the Netherlands as soon as possible, after receiving your MVV entry visa.
If you decide not to come to the Netherlands this fall semester, but to study online from your home country instead: Please inform us as soon as possible via visa@uu.nl. In that case, your current visa/residence permit must be cancelled. You would need a new residence permit procedure to come to the Netherlands for the spring semester (February 2022).
You will have to wait until you can travel to the location of the embassy again. As soon as this is possible, book your appointment and travel to the embassy to collect your MVV. Travel to the Netherlands with your MVV as soon as possible upon receiving it.
If you decide not to come to the Netherlands this fall semester, but to study online from your home country instead: Please inform us as soon as possible via visa@uu.nl. In that case, your current visa/residence permit must be cancelled. You would need a new residence permit procedure to come to the Netherlands for the spring semester (February 2022).
If you can soon travel to the Netherlands but your MVV is no longer valid, you can make a new appointment at the Dutch embassy/consulate. The appointment must take place within 90 days after your current MVV expires. At the appointment you will have to explain that you could not travel with your MVV because of the corona measures. The embassy or consulate can then reissue your MVV.
You should collect your MVV and travel to the Netherlands as soon as this is possible. Contact your study programme about the form of education (online/on campus) that will be available after your arrival in The Netherlands.
If you decide not to come to the Netherlands this fall semester, but to study online from your home country instead: Please inform us as soon as possible via visa@uu.nl. In that case, your current visa/residence permit must be cancelled. You would need a new visa/residence permit procedure to come to the Netherlands for the spring semester (February 2022).
Please inform us as via visa@uu.nl as soon as possible. Answer the following questions in your email:
- why did you decide to stay in your home country?
- are you continuing your studies online?
- when do you expect to come to The Netherlands (approximately)?
- if applicable: have you already collected your MVV visa, and if so, until when is it valid?
We will inform you about the consequences for your visa/residence permit, after your email is processed.
When you hold a residence permit for study purposes, you may only spend a limited period abroad for your studies. Before this maximum period has passed, you must return to live in the Netherlands again. The maximum period you may stay abroad, depends on when you left the Netherlands:
- Students who left the Netherlands before September 2020 due to Covid-19:
For your residence permit to remain valid, you must return to the Netherlands within 12 months of your departure date. You must have a registration at the municipality (BRP), or register again as soon as possible upon your return.
- Students who left the Netherlands between 1 September 2020 and 1 March 2021 due to Covid-19:
For your residence permit to remain valid, you must return to the Netherlands before 1 September 2021. You must have a registration at the municipality (BRP), or register again as soon as possible upon your return.
If you will not meet (one of) these requirements, you must contact us via visa@uu.nl as soon as possible if you haven’t done so already. Include the following information in your email:
- your name & student number
- your departure date from the Netherlands (dd/mm/yyyy)
- your intended date of return to the Netherlands (dd/mm/yyyy)
- if you are currently registered at a municipality (BRP) (Yes/No)
The university is working hard in these uncertain times to answer all relevant questions. If you have any specific questions about your visa/residence application process, that are not answered in this FAQ or on this website, please contact visa@uu.nl
All programmes for the academic year 2021-22 at Utrecht University will start as scheduled. To ensure student and staff safety we closely follow the regulations and instructions from the Dutch government. Your programme coordinators are working hard to organise a feasible and attractive programme in this respect. You will hear more from them in the coming period, including more details about the activities planned on-campus and online.
Please consult the programme coordinator in your faculty or graduate school for further information.
The mode of education (on-campus/online) and travel difficulties do not affect our tuition fees or tuition fee payment deadlines. All tuition fees need to be paid according to the regular university regulations as outlined in your admission letter.
On the page about Health, safety and quarantine (for students) you will find information about whether you should go into quarantine after arriving in the Netherlands, how you can support someone in quarantine or if you can attend classes when you are in quarantine. You will also find information about the implementation of the coronavirus vaccination.