HomeEducationMasterPre-masterContinue after Dutch HBO

From HBO to a UT-master's

Which (pre-)master's can I follow with my bachelor's?

Are you enrolled in or finished with a bachelor’s programme at a university of applied sciences (HBO) and are you considering doing a university-level master’s (wo)? There are two ways for you to transfer by doing a pre-master’s. The University of Twente (UT) offers a wide range of (pre-)master’s programmes, and lots of possibilities to specialise in various fields, ranging from engineering and natural and health sciences to behavioural and management sciences.

Get support in choosing your future master's
Study choice calendar
Get in touch with former HBO students during the Master Open Day or an online meet-up

Transferring from Dutch HBO to WO by doing a pre-master’s

A university-level master’s allows you to supplement the practical knowledge you acquired in your HBO-bachelor’s with the kinds of academic skills you develop at a research university. You conduct research, learn to make critical decisions and gain specialist knowledge in a specific field. You get the best of both worlds! 

Differences between HBO and WO 

A university-level master’s degree can be a valuable supplement to your HBO-bachelor’s. Are you wondering if studying at a research university is the right choice for you? Below, we’ve listed the most important differences.

HBO

WO

Focus on the 'how' of things

Focus on the 'why' of things

Profession-oriented

Research-oriented

Applying knowledge

Developing knowledge

Improving what exists

Designing things that don't exist yet

Slower pace of study and less reading

Higher pace of study and more reading

Clear career trajectory

No clear career trajectory

Two ways of making the transfer

If you have a bachelor’s diploma from a Dutch university of applied sciences, you can transfer to a one- or two-year master’s programme at UT. However, because of the gap between HBO-bachelor’s and WO-master’s, you must first complete a pre-master’s programme. Each master’s has its own pre-master’s. For students who completed their bachelor’s at a university of applied sciences, this is a predetermined curriculum, ranging from 30 to a maximum of 60 credits. There are two ways to complete a pre-master’s: after or during your bachelor’s.

  • Doing a pre-master's after your bachelor's

    After you have completed your bachelor’s at a university of applied sciences, you can choose to transfer to a master’s at a research university. To make this transition, you must first do a pre-master’s. When you apply for a master’s, the gaps between your bachelor’s and the master’s in question will be assessed, and whether these gaps can be bridged through a pre-master’s. After you have been admitted, and once you have successfully completed the corresponding remedial programme (the pre-master’s), you can start your master’s.

    Tuition fee

    Most pre-master’s at UT consist of 30 EC. This equates to six months of study. That means that, depending on which master’s you choose, you can complete your master’s within 1.5 or 2.5 years. The tuition fee for the pre-master’s depends on the length of the programme. You pay a fixed fee per credit. 

    How to apply

    It is important to know that if you choose to do a pre-master’s after completing your current programme, you need to register for the master’s – not for the corresponding pre-master’s. To apply for a master’s, go to Studielink. Our admission board will assess your application and then change your registration to a pre-master’s. To learn more about admission requirements, application deadlines and other details, go to the programme page for the master’s you want to enrol in.

  • Doing a pre-master's during your bachelor's

    As a bachelor’s student at a university of applied sciences, you can choose to complete (part of) your pre-master’s by doing a transfer minor while completing your bachelor’s. In essence, this transfer minor is the same as doing a pre-master’s – the only difference is that you complete it during your bachelor’s, instead of after. The transfer minor offers you a unique opportunity to not only save time, but also a considerable amount of money, as you are already paying a tuition fee for your bachelor’s. Moreover, by doing the transfer minor, you can get a better sense of what the master’s is like and find out if it matches your expectations.

    Most pre-master’s at UT consist of 30 EC, which means they can be completed in six months – making it the perfect minor!  

    How to apply

    Before you register, check the admission requirements and application deadlines for the master’s you want to enrol in. If you are eligible for admission, you can apply for a transfer minor on the Kies Op Maat website.

Am I eligible for admission?

In order to be admitted to a master’s or pre-master’s, you must meet certain requirements. In many cases, there are specific admission requirements with regard to your mathematics and English language skills, so it may be wise to brush up your knowledge in these areas before starting your pre-master’s. The admission requirements for each (pre-)master’s are available through the programme pages

It should also be noted that you might not be eligible for admission to every pre-master’s programme. You are only eligible for admission if your bachelor’s is in a similar field of study. Do you want to know which (pre-)master’s you can enrol in with your bachelor’s degree? Find out with our transfer tool!

Need more information?
View all (pre-)master's
Chat offline (info)
To use this functionality you first need to:
Accept cookies