Master's language requirements

To be eligible for admission you will have to meet the language proficiency requirements applicable to the programme of your choice.

Please also check the Master's entry requirements

! The requirements and exemptions below may be subject to change in the coming weeks!

Overview language requirements per faculty

Validity of certificates

TOEFL, IELTS and Cambridge English certificates are only valid for 2 years.

Campus Fryslân

Cultural Geography

Sustainable Entrepreneurship
Voice Technology

TOEFL iBT*: overall score 90 (min. 18 for Reading and Listening, 20 for Speaking, 21 for Writing)
IELTS (Academic)**: overall score 6.5 (min. 6.0 in all categories)
Cambridge C1/CAE or Cambridge C2/CPE certificate with a min. score of 180.

* TOEFL MyBest Scores are not considered in the Admissions procedure.
** We do not accept IELTS Online certificates.

Faculty of Arts

Arts & Culture - all non-research tracks Classics & Ancient Civilizations - all tracks Communication & Information Studies: Communication and Education Communication & Information Studies: Communication Studies Communication & Information Studies: Information Science History - all non-research tracks International Relations - all non-research tracks Literary Studies: European Literatures and Interculturality Middle-Eastern Studies	TOEFL iBT: overall score 90 (min. 21 in all categories) IELTS (Academic)*: overall score 6.5 (min. 6.0 in all categories) Cambridge C1/CAE or Cambridge C2/CPE certificate with grades A, B or C.
Media Studies: Datafication and Digital Literacy Media Studies: Journalism Media Studies: Media Creation and Innovation Media Studies: Social Media and Society	TOEFL iBT: overall score 100 (min. 25 in Speaking and Writing) IELTS (Academic)*: overall score 7.0 (min. 6.5 in all categories) Cambridge C1/CAE or Cambridge C2/CPE certificate with a min. score of 185
Literary Studies: English Literature and Culture Literary Studies: Writing, Editing and Mediating	TOEFL iBT: overall score 110 (min. 25 in all categories) IELTS (Academic)*: overall score 8.0 (min. 7.5 in all categories) Cambridge C1/CAE or Cambridge C2/CPE certificate with a min. score of 200.
American Studies Archaeology (research) Arts & Culture (research): Arts, Media and Literary Studies Arts & Culture (research): Cultural Leadership Communication & Information Studies: Digital Humanities History (research): Classical, Medieval and Early Modern Studies International Relations (research): Modern History and International Relations Linguistics: Applied Linguistics-TEFL Linguistics: Multilingualism Linguistics: Theoretical and Empirical Linguistics Linguistics (research): European Linguistics Linguistics (research): Language and Cognition	TOEFL iBT: overall score 100 (min. 25 in all categories) IELTS (Academic)*: overall score 7.0 (min. 6.5 in all categories) Cambridge C1/CAE or Cambridge C2/CPE certificate with a min. score of 185.
Archeologie (Dutch) Art & Culture: Landscape History (Dutch) History (Dutch) Linguistics: Neurolinguïstiek (Dutch)	NT2-II test C-test certificate from the UG Language Centre (Dutch native speakers only)

Erasmus Mundus programmes
Clinical Linguistics	TOEFL iBT: overall score 100 IELTS (Academic)*: overall score 7.0 Cambridge C1/CAE or Cambridge C2/CPE certificate
European Studies: Euroculture	TOEFL iBT: overall score 93 IELTS (Academic): overall score 6.5 (min. 6.5 in all sections) Cambridge C1/CAE or Cambridge C2/CPE certificate (test results may be no older than 5 years)* NB: Students from China cannot provide CAE results.
International Humanitarian Action	TOEFL iBT: overall score 93 (min. 24 in Writing) IELTS (Academic)*: overall score 6.5 (min. 6.0 in all sections) Cambridge C1/CAE or Cambridge C2/CPE certificate
Natural Language Processing	TOEFL iBT: overall score 100 (min. 25 in Writing) IELTS (Academic)*: overall score 7.0 (min. 6.5 in all sections)

* TOEFL MyBest Scores are not considered in the Admissions procedure.
** We do not accept IELTS Online certificates.

Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences

Educational Sciences Psychology Pedagogical Sciences	TOEFL iBT: overall score 90 (min. 22 in Speaking, 24 in Writing) IELTS (Academic)*: overall score 6.5 (min. 6.5 in Speaking and Writing) Cambridge C1/CAE or Cambridge C2/CPE certificate with grades A, B or C.
Behavioural and Social Sciences (research)	TOEFL iBT: overall score 100 (min. 25 in Speaking and Writing) IELTS (Academic)*: overall score 7.0 (min. 7.0 in Speaking and Writing) Cambridge C1/CAE or Cambridge C2/CPE certificate with a min. score of 185.
Psychology (Dutch taught)	Babel language test: Nederlands voor medici B2+ (spreken en schrijven) NT2-II C-test certificate from the UG Language Centre (Dutch native speakers only)
LVHO: Educational Masters (Dutch taught) Orthopedagogiek (Dutch taught) Sociologie (Dutch taught)	NT2-II C-test certificate from the UG Language Centre (Dutch native speakers only)

* TOEFL MyBest Scores are not considered in the Admissions procedure.
** We do not accept IELTS Online certificates.

Faculty of Economics and Business

Accountancy and Controlling
Business Administration
Econometrics, Operations Research and Actuarial Studies
International Economics and Sustainable Development
Economics
Finance
Human Resource Management
International Business and Management
International Financial Management
Marketing
Supply Chain Management
Technology and Operations Management

TOEFL iBT*: overall score 90 (min. 20 in Speaking, 24 in Writing )
IELTS (Academic)**: overall score 6.5 (min. 6.0 in Speaking, 6.5 in Writing)
Cambridge C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency: overall score of 176 (min. 169 in Speaking, 176 in Writing

* TOEFL MyBest Scores are not considered in the Admissions procedure.
** We do not accept IELTS Online certificates.

Faculty of Law

Energy and Climate Law
European Law in a Global Context
Global Criminal Law
Health and Technology Law
International Commercial Law
International Human Rights Law
Legal Research
Public International Law
Technology Law and Innovation

TOEFL iBT*: overall score 100 (min. 21 in Reading, Listening and Speaking, 23 in Writing)
IELTS (Academic)**: overall score 7.0 (min. 6.0 in Reading, Listening and Speaking, 6.5 in Writing)
Cambridge C1/CAE or Cambridge C2/CPE certificate with grades A, B or C.

* TOEFL MyBest Scores are not considered in the Admissions procedure.
** We do not accept IELTS Online certificates.

Faculty of Medical Sciences

Clinical and Psychosocial Epidemiology (research)
Molecular Medicine and Innovative Treatment

TOEFL iBT*: overall score 92 (min. 21 in all categories)
IELTS (Academic)**: overall score 6.5 (min. 6.0 in all categories)
Cambridge C1/CAE or Cambridge C2/CPE certificate with a min. score 180

Human Movement Sciences

TOEFL iBT*: overall score 90
IELTS (Academic)**: overall score 6.5 (min. 6.0 in all categories)
Cambridge C1/CAE or Cambridge C2/CPE certificate with grades A, B or C.

Sport Sciences

TOEFL iBT*: overall score 92
IELTS (Academic)**: overall score 6.5 (min. 6.0 in all categories)
Cambridge C1/CAE or Cambridge C2/CPE certificate with grades A, B or C.

* TOEFL MyBest Scores are not considered in the Admissions procedure.
** We do not accept IELTS Online certificates.

Faculty of Philosophy

Philosophy Philosophy and Science	TOEFL iBT: overall score 92 IELTS (Academic)*: overall score 6.5 Cambridge C1/CAE or Cambridge C2/CPE certificate with a min. score of 180
Philosophy (Research Master) Philosophy, Politics and Economics	TOEFL iBT: overall score 100 (min. 22 in Reading and Listening, 26 in Speaking, 24 in Writing) IELTS (Academic)*: overall score 7.0 (min. 6.5 in all categories) Cambridge C1/CAE or Cambridge C2/CPE certificate with a min. score of 185

* TOEFL MyBest Scores are not considered in the Admissions procedure.
** We do not accept IELTS Online certificates.

Faculty of Science and Engineering

Applied Mathematics Applied Physics Artificial Intelligence Astronomy Behavioural and Cognitive Neurosciences (research) Biology Biomedical Engineering Biomedical Sciences Biomolecular Sciences Chemical Engineering Chemistry Computing Science Ecology and Evolution Energy and Environmental Sciences Industrial Engineering and Management Marine Biology Mathematics Mechanical Engineering Medical Pharmaceutical Sciences Nanoscience Physics Systems and Control	TOEFL iBT: overall score 90 (min. 21 in Reading, Listening and Speaking, 24 in Writing) IELTS (Academic)*: overall score 6.5 (min. 6.5 in all categories) Cambridge C1/CAE or Cambridge C2/CPE certificate with a min. score of 180
Science Education and Communication: Communication	TOEFL iBT: overall score 94 (min. 21 in Reading and Listening, 25 in Speaking, 27 in Writing) IELTS (Academic)*: overall score 7 (min. 6.5 in Reading and Listening, 7 in Speaking and Writing) Cambridge C1/CAE or Cambridge C2/CPE certificate with a min. score of 180
Science Education and Communication: Education (Dutch)	NT2-II test C-test certificate from the UG Language Centre (Dutch native speakers only)

* TOEFL MyBest Scores are not considered in the Admissions procedure.
** We do not accept IELTS Online certificates.

Faculty of Spatial Sciences

Economic Geography Environmental and Infrastructure Planning Population Studies Real Estate Studies Society, Sustainability and Planning	TOEFL iBT: overall score 90 (min. 18 in Reading and Listening, 20 in Speaking, 21 for Writing) IELTS (Academic)*: overall score 6.5 (min. 6.0 in all categories) Cambridge C1/CAE or Cambridge C2/CPE certificate with a min. score of 180.
Spatial Sciences (research)	TOEFL iBT: overall score 90 (min. 21 in Reading, Listening and for Speaking, 24 in Writing) IELTS (Academic)*: overall score 6.5 (min. 6.5 in all categories) Cambridge C1/CAE or Cambridge C2/CPE certificate with a min. score of 180.

* TOEFL MyBest Scores are not considered in the Admissions procedure.
** We do not accept IELTS Online certificates.

Faculty of Religion, Culture and Society

Heritage and Religion

Religion and Pluralism; Ancient and Modern

Religion, Conflict, and Globalization

TOEFL iBT*: overall score 90 (min. 18 in Reading and Listening, 20 in Speaking, 21 in Writing)
IELTS (Academic)**: overall score 6.5 (min. 6.0 in all categories)
Cambridge C1/CAE or Cambridge C2/CPE certificate with a min. score of 180.

Theology & Religious Studies (research)

TOEFL iBT*: overall score 100 (min. 21 in Reading ,Listening and Speaking, 24 in Writing)
IELTS (Academic)**: overall score 7 (min. 6.5 in all categories
Cambridge C1/CAE or Cambridge C2/CPE certificate with a min. score of 180.

* TOEFL MyBest Scores are not considered in the Admissions procedure.
** We do not accept IELTS Online certificates.

Overview exemption options

You may be exempted from proving your proficiency in English if:

you are a native speaker and have completed a full secondary education in the USA, UK, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia and Canada (only when taught fully in English)

you will obtain/ have obtained a full-time Bachelor’s degree (at least 3 years) in the USA, UK, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia and Canada (only when taught fully in English)
you have obtained a VWO diploma including English as a subject
you have obtained an EB diploma including English as a medium of instruction (only if L1 and L2)

Some Faculties have additional exemptions - see below:

Faculty of Arts - only European Studies: Euroculture	Students who have studied at least one year full-time in a fully English-taught university programme in a country where English is (one of) the official language(s) Students who completed an entire Bachelor programme in English (duration: 3 years minimum).
Faculty of Economics and Business	you completed and passed the English-language Pre-MSc programme from the Faculty of Economics and Business
Faculty of Science and Engineering	you have obtained an IB diploma including English as the language of instruction
Faculty of Law	you have obtained a full-time Bachelor’s degree (at least 3 years) in the USA, the UK, Ireland, New Zealand, Canada (English-speaking regions only), Australia, Antigua, Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Grenada, the Grenadines, Guyana, Jamaica, Malta, Nevis, Trinidad, Tobago, St Kitts, St Lucia, St Vincent

Last modified:

06 February 2025 12.42 p.m.