Matching at the Faculty of Science and Engineering

Matching is very common in the Netherlands. A matching activity will give you the chance to find out to what extent your preferred Bachelor’s programme matches your skills and interests. How the matching activity is done, depends on the Bachelor's programme and whether it is mandatory or not.

After the matching activity, you will receive an advice. The advice can indicate that there is either a strong match or that there is a weak match. When you are told that there is strong match, you can confidently start the programme. If there is a weak match, however, you may want to reconsider whether this specific programme is the best choice for you.

For some of our bachelor programmes completing the matching is mandatory. The outcome does not influence your admission to the programme. The main purpose of matching is to help you reflect on your choice of programme and the fit between the programme and you. Consider matching an useful way to prepare yourself for your studies.

Please note! the completion of the online matching class is not connected to the admission procedure. The admission is based on the evaluation of your educational background, whereas matching is based on your skills and motivation.

Please be aware that it is also possible that you have received a positive matching advice but are ultimately rejected for the programme based on your prior education. In this case, you will unfortunately not be able to start the programme.

Only after you have completed the matching class (when it's mandatory) ánd once you have been unconditionally admitted to the programme, your registration can be finalized.

For these Bachelor’s programmes, taking part in matching is a mandatory step in the application process.The matching consists of an online matching class.

• Artificial Intelligence
• Astronomy
• Biomedical Engineering
• Computing Science
• Industrial Engineering & Management
• Life Science & Technology

* Students with an international pre-university degree will also have to upload their application documents in Progress Portal, our online application system. This also needs to be completed before 1 May. More information on how to complete these steps can be found here, more particularly under step 1 (Apply). Students with a Dutch diploma other then VWO: please complete this application form.

The matching process is explained in more detail in the information blocks below.

Apply in time!

Applications received after May 1 will not be processed.

Before you can participate in the matching process, you must register in Studielink by 1 May 2025 at the latest.

The application period for prospective students closes on 1 May 2025 for all bachelor programmes of FSE. If you apply after 1 May, your application will not be processed. Only in exceptional cases your request for application will be continued. If any of the following applies to you, please contact our team immediately, but on 31 July at the latest:

• If you have previously been registered for the same bachelor's degree programme;
• If you have applied in time for a different bachelor’s degree programme;
• If you have received or expect to receive a negative or postponed binding study advice for your current degree programme in the academic year 2024-2025;
• If you are currently enrolled for a university bachelor’s degree programme in a university in the Netherlands;
• if you want to switch to another bachelor's degree programme;
• If you can prove with supporting documents that you could not have applied by 1 May 2025 on the grounds of compelling special circumstances.

Please note that the application period in case of one of the above exceptions will close on 31 July 2025.

Please note! that matching and admission are two separate processes. If you already missed a deadline in the admission process, the above-mentioned exceptions do not apply!

We do not make exceptions for the deadline based on:

• Leave period, holiday, exam trip, family visit, internship, etc.;
• Work;
• Sport and other competitions, wedding, other feasts;
• Current education/study obligations;
• Technology that is not working, unreceived emails (including spam).

N.B. If you have been registered for the same bachelor's degree programme at the University of Groningen before, you do not have to do matching. If you have received our matching advice for the same programme last year, you do not have to do matching. If this applies to you, send us an email with proof. Otherwise, you will still have to complete the matching process.

Within three weeks after completion of the entire matching process, you will receive an email advising you on your choice of bachelor’s degree programme. The aim of this advice is to help you to decide whether the programme is a good fit for you. The advice is not binding. Therefore, you cannot be rejected based on the advice.

Please note! After you have received our matching advice, your personal matching status on the student portal will be updated. This does not happen automatically and can take a few days.

Matching is mandatory for all prospective students who apply for one of the degree programmes listed on our webpage. There are a few other steps you have to take before the enrollment can be finalized. Check Studielink to see which steps you will have to take next in order to complete the registration process.

Please click the links below for information on:

• the procedure for candidates with a Dutch diploma

• the procedure for candidates with a non-Dutch diploma

The matching activitivities are offered whether you are registered or not. The programmes listed in the overview below believe that you as a prospective student can properly prepare yourself in making a study choice by reading through the available bachelor programme information on the website or by participating in one (or more) of the activities listed below. Please check how to register on the different websites.

We strongly encourage you as a prospective student to exercise your right to be matched with a bachelor programme and make sure you make a well-informed study choice. Since a good orientation on your study programme is advisable, we do recommend you to take part by choosing one (or more) of the offered activities.

Please note! We don’t offer matching if you applied after 1 May.

No, mandatory matching is not the same as admission. These are two separate processes, each with their own deadlines, both of which you need to meet in time. These processes are not related. Please check the website about the admissions procedure. Candidates with a VWO-diploma, with sufficient profile are admissible. In case of deficiencies check:

• the procedure for candidates with an insufficient Dutch diploma

• the procedure for candidates with a non-Dutch diploma

Check Studielink to see which steps you will have to take next in order to complete the registration process.

The mandatory matching process will be available as of 3 March and closes on 31 May. After you have received our invitation, you are free to participate when it suits you, but before 31 May. We do not make exceptions for the deadline based on:

• Leave period, holiday, exam trip, family visit, internship, etc.;

• Work;

• Sport and other competitions, wedding, other feasts;

• Current education/study obligations;

• Technology that is not working, unreceived emails (including spam);

• A notification that you have not been able to do matching after the last matching round.

In very special, personal circumstances of force majeure, which must be reported to us immediately, we can make an exception to the deadline. Those circumstances must then be demonstrated with evidence. Please contact us as soon as possible.

Please note! This is information is not relevant when you have applied for a bachelor programme with non-mandatory matching. When you have applied for multiple bachelor programmes please make sure you know which matching procecedure applies. Not sure? Please contact matching.fse@rug.nl.

The matching process consists of an online matching class. The matching class includes a mathematical skills test and one (or more) programme-specific tests. Please check yourself if you have completed both parts:

The mandatory matching class test(s) can be found at the bottom of the sidebar on the right side of the SOWISO home page. You have completed the matching class in SOWISO if there are no tests shown under the heading 'Tests' at the bottom of the sidebar. Please note that if you see test links and 'Attempts 0/1' under the heading 'Tests' at the bottom of the sidebar on the right side of your screen, you have not yet finished the corresponding mandatory test(s). You do not receive an confirmation email after completion of the matching class.

Please note ! that the status on your personal matching page will not be updated immediately after you have completed the matching process, but within a few days of receipt of the matching advice by email.

As of December 2024, we will send out the first email to inform you about the matching process when you've applied for a bachelor programme with mandatory matching. As of 1 March 2025, we will be sending out invitations by email to participate in our matching process regularly. This process opens on March 3 and closes on 31 May. In this email, you will find a link to the matching process, and all necessary information about your account, the deadline, etc. Make sure to add us to your list of contacts and look out for this email and check your spam box regularly.