How to choose a Bachelor's Degree

With over 45 bachelor’s and 160 master’s programmes to choose from, there are plenty of ways to challenge yourself at the University of Groningen. But how do you know which study will get you happily on track to a successful career?

1. Start by asking questions

It may seem obvious, but a great place to begin your orientation towards a future bachelor’s degree is to consider what you’re already good at. Take your high school experience, for example. Which subjects do you like the most? What areas do you excel in? The answers to these questions are a good point of departure. Do also keep your extra-curricular interests in mind. Ask yourself what your strengths and weaknesses are. Consider what type of person you are. After this soul searching you may start to get a general idea of the field of study that will suit you.

2. Find your criteria

When imagining your perfect study, try creating a list of criteria to help you along the way. You may want to consider the teaching styles of the programme, the size of seminars or classes, and the number of hours required per week. Then, check out the English-language degrees available in our 11 faculties to get an overview of the various courses offered. After this, we advise you to visit University Fairs in your country and make the most of them. These fairs allow you to learn more about the challenges, opportunities and rewards of academic and social life at the University of Groningen. What’s more, our representatives are available to help guide you through the application process. If you cannot make one of the fairs, go to the Virtual UG to get a better feel of our University and the programmes we offer.

3. Explore your options

One way to aid your search is by checking out all the requirements for our degree programmes, such as application deadlines, course requirements, and language tests. Or, if you already know what you’d like to study, find out more about the undergraduate degree you’re interested in by checking out Ocasys, which offers an overview of all our courses. The best way to get a feeling for the university is to explore our exciting campus and our historic city on one of our Bachelor's Open Days, and possibly signing up to be a Student for a day. Of course, visiting in person isn’t always a practical option for internationals. But, remember that you can always join one of our webinars or Virtual UG instead.

4. Narrow down your options

Now all you need to do is narrow down your options. Create a list of all the studies you are considering and think about how they relate to your ideal study and all the research you’ve done into course requirements. Channel your Open Day and Student for a Day experiences and think about what you found most thrilling. Do you have any additional questions that may help to clarify your decision? Would it be useful to hear from other students? If so, you can read testimonials on our programme pages or contact one of our International Alumni Ambassadors to find out more about their time in Groningen and what it’s like to study here. Perhaps you’re interested in your future employability and the practical aspects related to your studies? Our Career Services offers courses to help prepare you for your future career and hosts events to connect current students with possible employers. After gathering this extra information, you should be able to select a major best suited to you and a minor that excites you.

5. Enrol

Once you’ve decided on your study, you can start the application process through Studielink. Keep in mind that while you can apply for up to four undergraduate programmes via Studielink, some studies have a limited number of seats (numerus fixus) available. You can only apply to two numerus fixus studies a year and only once to the medicine programme. We look forward to receiving your applications.

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