Admission requirements

To be admissible, a secondary school diploma equivalent to the Dutch VWO level is required. The country list shows the minimum admission requirement to become admitted. However, admission to the ATLAS programme will be granted to students who convincingly demonstrate to the Board of Admissions to be talented and have a genuine interest in the ATLAS educational approach. Therefore, additional requirements may be set beside the requirements mentioned in the country list. The application will be reviewed on an individual basis, depending on the personal situation, extracurricular activities, or experiences. 

The admissibility will be based on the diplomas which are obtained or will be obtained before 1 September of the year you want to start your study. These diplomas have to be officially recognized and accredited in the specific country and a certificate/diploma should be awarded after completion. 

Since ATLAS is a programme with a strong technology component, good proficiency in mathematics is needed. Mathematics is at least required up until the final year of your secondary school and/or final (state/school) exam (depending on the country) with a final score of 75% in the subject mathematics. The knowledge that is needed from the start of the programme is Dutch VWO-level Mathematics B. The Dutch Government has a website with the components of this (only available in Dutch). For information about this level, in English see; James Boswell-Bèta or CCVX.

Your mathematical knowledge will be reviewed during your application. If you do not (yet) have this level, you might be eligible to do an additional mathematics test. Please submit your application to the University of Twente before you make a reservation for one of the tests. The University of Twente assesses on individual bases whether or not you are eligible for such a test and inform you via email after a submitted application.

Since ATLAS is a programme with a strong technology component, good proficiency in science (Physics/Chemistry) is needed. Where Physics is preferable over Chemistry. Physics and/or Chemistry is at least required up until the final year of your secondary school and/or final (state/school) exam (depending on the country) with a final score of 75% in the subject. If the educational system of your country has a difference in Physics/Chemistry level, like higher or standard level, the higher level is required. For information about this level, in English see; James Boswell-Bèta or CCVX.

Your science knowledge will be reviewed during your application. If you do not (yet) have this level, you might be eligible to do an additional test. Please submit your application to the University of Twente before you make a reservation for one of the tests. The University of Twente assesses on individual bases whether or not you are eligible for such a test and inform you via email after a submitted application.

Students applying for the ATLAS bachelor’s programme have to meet the English language requirements. Please note that you have to meet the English language requirement before the application deadline. Students can meet the language requirements by one of the following documents as proof of their English language proficiency:

• Dutch VWO-diploma with English as an exam subject.
• IELTS (academic) with an overall score of 7.0 and a certificate not older than two years.
• TOEFL iBT (internet-based) with an overall score of 100 and a certificate not older than two years. Please note that the University of Twente does not accept the MyBest scores of the TOEFL test.
• Non-native speakers with an International Baccalaureate (IB) or European Baccalaureate (EB) are exempt from this requirement.

Other requirements

• Make sure you have obtained a valid English test result before the application deadline. If your application is accompanied by a language test score report with a test date after our deadline, we will not process it. Therefore, make sure to do the test in advance, as it will take time for you to get the official certificate.
• The language requirements when applying for a scholarship may be different because scholarship providers may have different requirements.
• If you are a native English speaker and/or you have (fully) completed your education in English, you also have to meet the specific English language requirement.

Higher education in the Netherlands
In the Netherlands, we distinguish between two types of higher education:

1. Research-oriented higher education (wetenschappelijk onderwijs or WO in Dutch)
2. Higher professional education (hoger beroepsonderwijs or HBO in Dutch)

Research-oriented education
Research-oriented education is traditionally offered by research universities, such as the University of Twente. The programmes at research universities focus on theoretical aspects of the field of study and prepare students for undertaking independent research. These lead to a so-called WO bachelor’s or WO master’s degree. It is also possible to pursue a PhD degree at a research university.

Higher professional education
Higher professional education is offered by universities of applied sciences. The programmes at universities of applied sciences prepare students for particular professions and tend to be more practically oriented. They lead to either a so-called HBO bachelor’s or HBO master’s degree.

Direct access to a bachelor’s degree at a research university
Your prior education will need to correspond with the pre-university level of a Dutch VWO diploma, to be granted direct access to a bachelor’s degree at a research university. However, if your prior education level is not equivalent to the Dutch VWO, you may still be admissible to a university of applied sciences which also provides higher education. Here you can find out more about the education system of the Netherlands.

The University of Twente decides if a student is admissible based on the diplomas which are obtained or will be obtained before 1 September of the year you want to start your bachelor’s degree. These diplomas have to be officially recognised and accredited in the specific country and a certificate/diploma should be awarded after completion and should be at least equivalent to Dutch pre-university education (called ‘VWO’ in Dutch). Students with a secondary education, which is not equivalent to Dutch pre-university education, cannot be admitted directly.

NOTE: the Dutch VWO diploma has a duration of education of at least 14 years. This does not mean that every foreign diploma with a duration of 14 years is comparable to the Dutch VWO level, several different aspects are reviewed to assess the admissibility.

To become possibly eligible for admission, the following options are suggested:

You can become eligible for admission if you successfully complete the Twente Pathway College International Foundation Year, provided by Navitas. Navitas offers a Twente Pathway College International Foundation Year for prospective students at the University of Twente who do not meet the entry requirements. If you believe this option provides you with the opportunities you are looking for, then check the admission requirements if your diploma is eligible for admission and if the bachelor’s of your interest offers the pathway. Please know that admission is also regulated by Dutch national law, which influences the admission requirements.

Alternatively, you can complete a bachelor’s degree in a country outside the Netherlands and apply for a master’s programme afterwards, please see the master’s admission requirements.

Lastly, you can apply for a bachelor’s degree at a University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands. As the Netherlands has a binary higher educational system there are two different types of bachelor’s degrees. There are two optional routes:

1. Complete the bachelor’s degree at a University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands and apply for a master’s programme afterwards, please see the master’s admission requirements.
2. Complete the first year of the bachelor’s degree at a University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands successfully (60ECTS) and apply for a bachelor’s programme at the University of Twente. This degree is called HBO Propedeuse (HBO-P), completing does not give you guaranteed access to a bachelor’s at the University of Twente. As stated in the admission requirement, the applications are assessed on individual bases and in most cases, additional test(s) are required.