How to Apply

Who can apply?

In principle, all FEB bachelor students can apply to participate in the Honours Bachelor programme. However, there are some minimal requirements in order for students to be eligible for admission to the programme. These are the following:

1. You should be formally registered as a student in the first year of a bachelor's degree programme at one of the faculties of the University of Groningen.
2. You should be progressing in your studies at a satisfactory rate, having already completed 80% of your first semester course credits.
3. You should have obtained good results in the first course semester with a weighted grade point average of 7 or above.
4. You should have a good command of the English language in terms of reading, writing and speaking.
5. You should be able to convincingly explain your motivation and suitability for the programme.
   

Admission to the Honours College requires a good level of English proficiency, as all courses and activities are conducted in English. Students following an English-language bachelor programme are considered to automatically satisfy this requirement. Students following a Dutch-language bachelor programme can document their English proficiency either by having a grade of 6 or higher in their secondary school diploma or by providing any other certificate indicating that they have achieved a comparable level.

More information about the whole application procedure can be found on the Honours College website.

Application process and required documents

If you would like to be considered for admission to the Honour Bachelor programme, you need to submit an online application by filling the application form prior to the application deadline, which is typically in the beginning of March of every academic year. As part of the application form you need to provide the following information:

• a short curriculum vitae,
• some basic information about your studies and your progress in your degree programme,
• an overview of all your exam results and course grades in your bachelor degree programme available until the application date, including intermediate grades. In addition to that, you can optionally submit a transcript of records from your secondary education or your high school diploma.
• A motivation for applying in the form of short responses to the following three questions:

1. What aspects of the programme attract you the most?
2. What could be your contribution to the programme?
3. When did you last challenge yourself to get outside your comfort zone?

• At least one personal reference letter from a qualified expert, such as a high school teacher or a (former) employer demonstrating your suitability for the programme. Ideally, that letter should be written in English. If not possible, you can submit a translation.

In addition to the required reference letter from a qualified expert, it is allowed to ask staff members from your faculty to serve as a second reference for your application. This person will not have to write a formal recommendation letter. Instead, after receiving their consent, you can provide their name and contact information as part of your application. The Honours College can contact that staff member directly, if necessary, for additional information regarding your application.

More information about how to apply for the programme, the link to the application form and the current application deadline can be found on the Honours College website.

Selection procedure

The selection of all students who are admitted to the Honours Bachelor programme is made centrally by the Admissions Board of the Honours College for the whole University. The admission decisions of the Board are formally made after a careful assessment of the application material of each student considering both their academic performance as well as their personal motivation, and to what extent those are in line with the criteria stated above.

After submitting their application material, student applicants will have follow-up communications with the FEB programme coordinators, who review their application material and their eligibility. The typical steps in the procedure are the following:

1. Within a short period after the application deadline it will be decided whether you are eligible for the next round in the procedure based on your submitted application.
2. If you are not selected for the next round, you will be informed as soon as possible.
3. If you are selected for the next round, you will be notified about the next steps. This will involve submitting a short video to present yourself and your motivation for applying.
4. As the number of positions in the Honours Bachelor programme available for FEB students is limited to about 50 per cohort, in case there are too many qualified applicants the allocation of positions may need to be made based on a lottery.

Soon after finishing the selection procedure, we will let you know whether you have been admitted to the Honours College. This will be happening before the official start of the Honours Bachelor programme, which will be taking place in early April with a welcoming ceremony organised by the Honours College in the Academy Building.