Wish to follow the Master's in Computer Science? you might need to follow a pre-master's first.
After you have sent in your application for the Master's in Computer Science, a committee will check your eligibility. An outcome of this assessment may be that you first have to complete a pre-master's before being admitted.
Please note: to qualify for the (Pre-)Master's in Computer Science, you have to meet certain conditions. Find out if you meet the admission requirements.
What is a pre-master's?
A pre-master's is a transfer programme for students of a Dutch university of applied sciences ('hbo' in Dutch) or an (international) research university who cannot be admitted directly to the master's they wish to follow. The goal is to bridge the gap between your current bachelor's (in a related field) and your future master's. Once you have successfully completed the pre-master's, you will be admitted to the master's. Learn more about pre-master's in general.
The Pre-Master's for Computer Science is taught entirely in English. The costs of the Pre-Master's depends on the amount of EC of your programme. You pay a fee per EC, and, depending on your previous education, the Pre-Master's programme for Computer Science can range from 15-30 EC. Each academic year, the amount per EC will be reassessed. Visit the tuition page for the current fees.
What applies to you?
Do you want to get insights into the Pre-Master's? The programme you need to take depends on your previous or current education. What kind of education do or did you follow?
University of applied sciences (Dutch HBO) If you followed a (sufficiently related) bachelor's at a Dutch university of applied sciences (HBO), it is mandatory to follow a pre-master's first to prepare you for this Master's. You are taught scientific research skills as well as mathematics, and you will gain knowledge in the domain of computer science. If you manage to successfully complete this Pre-Master’s within one year, you are able to enrol.
Contents
For HBO students, the Pre-Master's is a six-monthly, full-time study programme of 30 EC and starts in September. You can follow the Pre-Master's during your bachelor's as a transfer minor or after obtaining your bachelor’s degree. The content is the same, but the way of enrolling is different. After completing the Pre-Master's, you can enter the Master's in Computer Science in either February or September.
Admission requirements and how to apply
To be able to enrol in the (Pre-)Master's in Computer Science, you have to meet certain conditions. For example, your bachelor's should be sufficiently related. Find out more about your admission and application as an HBO student.
Dutch research university As a bachelor's student at UT or another Dutch research university, you might be admitted into the Master's in Computer Science under the condition that you complete a Pre-Master's first. This might be the case when your bachelor's is in a (slightly) different field of study than the Master's in Computer Science.
Contents
The Pre-Master's for university students is tailor-made, there is no fixed format. The content and study workload (number of EC) depend on your previous education. The Pre-Master's for university students ranges from 15 to 30 EC. Thus, the gap between the knowledge you've obtained in your previous study programme and the required knowledge for the Master's in Computer Science should be less than 30 EC.
During or after your bachelor's
If you have elective space in your current bachelor's, you have the option to follow (part of) the Pre-Master's during your bachelor's. It's an option worth considering as it saves you time and money: after all, you have already paid tuition fees for your bachelor's. A second option is to first get your bachelor's degree and then transfer to this Master's via the Pre-Master's.
Admission requirements and how to apply
To be able to enrol in the (Pre-)Master's in Computer Science, you have to meet certain conditions. For example, your bachelor's should be sufficiently related. Find out more about your admission and application as a Dutch university student.
What is expected of you?
The Pre-Master's is designed not only to address any deficiencies in your prior knowledge, but it is also an efficient way to find out whether studying at a research university in the field of Computer Science is right for you. Therefore, the following rules apply:
- We ask you to fulfil the requirements of the pre-master’s programme within one year. Since the amount of 30 credits is equivalent to half a year of full-time study, this should not pose a problem.
- You must earn sufficient marks with one re-sit per course. This means you need to take the Pre-Master’s seriously
You cannot expect to be successful in the Pre-Master’s if you approach it half-heartedly: it is meant as a half-year, full-time study programme. That said, in practice, almost all motivated students complete the programme in the allotted time.
Contact
If you have any questions about the (Pre-)Master's in Computer Science, contact us!
