Make sure you are on time!
Enrolling at a higher education institution is no joke – it requires time and effort from both yourself and the educational institution where you want to study. You must therefore bear in mind the following key application deadlines:
- until 23:59 on 15 January for numerus fixus programmes
- until 23:59 on 1 May for programmes without a numerus fixus
Why is there an application deadline of 1 May and what does this mean?
All Bachelor's programmes without a numerus fixus apply the same national application deadline, which is 1 May. This application deadline is to ensure that students give sufficient thought to their choice of study programme on time and enrol in the right programme.
Consequences of the application deadline
The 1 May deadline is important to you as a student, because:
- You have the right to be admitted if you meet the admission requirements for the study programme AND submit your first enrolment application through Studielink on or before 1 May. NB: for some study programmes, you need to complete a mandatory study choice check. If you fail to take part, you will lose your right to be admitted
- An educational institution may refuse to enrol you if you submit your first enrolment application through Studielink after the 1 May deadline. This is subject to clear rules in the institution’s Teaching and Examination Regulations.
Study choice check
The study choice check is designed to help you as a student determine whether a study programme is right for you and meets your expectations. It could involve attending an interview with a representative of the study programme, taking part in a taster session of completing a digital questionnaire. Ask the institution about the possibility of completing a study choice check.
If you submit your first enrolment application for a Bachelor's programme through Studielink on or before 1 May, you will have the right to a study choice check and the ensuing study choice advice. Alternatively, the educational institution may declare that the study choice check is mandatory. You should therefore make sure that you apply in good time and are familiar with the application process for the study programme of your choice.
Right to be admitted
With regard to the right to be admitted, the following two key conditions apply:
- You must apply on time AND meet all other admission requirements for the study programme.
- If there is a mandatory study choice check for the study programme of your choice, you must take part. If you fail to take part in a mandatory study choice check without a valid reason, you will lose your right to be admitted.
NB: an institution may declare that the study choice check is mandatory. Ask the institution of your choice about this ahead of time! For more information on the study choice check and the 1 May deadline, go to the Dutch government website.
