Entry Requirements
Please note, the information on this page pertains to admission for the 2026-2027 academic year. This information will be updated in September 2026 for admission in 2027-2028.
Candidates must fit a general profile and meet a set of minimum requirements regarding their diploma and English proficiency to be considered for acceptance. The same assessment criteria hold for all students and are applied fairly and impartially.
University College Utrecht aims to provide knowledge, skills and insight in different academic fields in accordance with the Liberal Arts and Sciences’ philosophy (as explained in our mission statement) and enable a wide range of achievements for students who will step into an open and fast-changing future.
Applicants must exhibit that they fit our general profile in line with the educational philosophy of University College Utrecht:
- Demonstrated academic potential
- Curious and motivated, academically as well as personally
- Broad intellectual orientation and openness to explore beyond disciplinary boundaries
- Affinity with living and studying in a diverse, international campus community and a willingness to contribute and engage with different ideas and perspectives
- Demonstrated social engagement or commitment to others
Applicants must have a Dutch high school diploma at VWO level (any profile) or a foreign equivalent and they must meet the grade entry requirements. You can verify whether your diploma fulfills this requirement on the Diploma Equivalency and English Proficiency Requirements document.
If you do not meet the grade entry requirements, an alternative route to become eligible to apply is to complete one year of university (in an academic subject) with a grade average of at least 70% at a 3-year university OR at least 80% or a 3.5 GPA at a 4, 5, or 6-year university programme.
If you do not meet the requirements listed within the Diploma Equivalency and English Proficiency Requirements document, one of the tests indicated below will provide proof of English proficiency. The tests should not be more than 2 years old at the time of submitting the application.
We advise to take the English Proficiency test at least 2 months before the application deadline. For your application to be complete and considered, all documents, including proof of your English proficiency, must be uploaded before the application deadline. To treat all candidates equally, we cannot make exceptions. Your English proficiency results need to be in form of an official certificate or you need to authorize UCU to verify your results online. Incomplete applications cannot be considered and will be rendered inactive.
Accepted are the IELTS, TOEFL iBT, Pearson PTE, Language CERT, the C1 Advanced and the C2 Proficiency:
| Test | Minimum score | Proof applicants must submit |
|---|---|---|
| Cambridge C1 Advanced | 185 (with no partial score below 176) | Scan of certificate or statement of results with verification or reference number |
| Cambridge C2 Proficiency | 185 (with no partial score below 176) | Scan of certificate or statement of results with verification or reference number |
| IELTS Academic | A minimum average of 7.0 for all components, with no partial score lower than 6.5 | Scan of official score report with TRF number |
| TOEFL IBT (including Home Edition) | A minimum score of 100. (Minimum subscores: Listening 22, Reading and Writing 24, Speaking 25) | Test taker's score with appointment number AND request ETS to send results to University College Utrecht (8420) |
| Pearson PTE Academic | 70 (with no partial score below 60) | Scan of official score report with SRC number |
| Language CERT Academic | 75 (with no partial score below 70) Academic only — ESOL not accepted | Scan of official test report form with certificate number |
All English proficiency tests submitted will be verified online through their respective verification portals.
With the exception of the TOEFL iBT Home Edition, we do not accept the online/home versions of any of the above tests. We also do not accept other tests such as Cambridge CFE/B2 First, Anglia, SAT, ACT, EF, Duolingo English Test, IELTS Online, TOEFL essentials or the IELTS One Skill Retake.