Pre-Master’s programme in Psychology

Please note

• Due to the high costs of the pre-master program and the budget cuts that the University of Groningen will need to implement in the coming years, combined with the consistently higher demand from students in the university’s bachelor's programme for clinical tracks, fewer pre-master spots will be available for clinical tracks starting in September 2025. In 2026, the number of spots for Clinical (Neuro)psychology will even drop to 0, and to 2 for Developmental Psychology.
• It is possible that at a certain point in time there will be a reorganization of GZ-oriented master tracks with an additional selection procedure for a track leading directly to the post master GZ programme.
  This is all still very uncertain, but if it happens, premaster students who complete their premaster in time, can still do a masters in the original track for which they did the premaster or a suitable substitute for it.

• A Bachelor HBO Toegepaste Psychologie from a Dutch university of applied sciences.
• For English-taught tracks: satisfying the language requirements.
  See the section ‘Language requirements’.
• 20 ECTS worth of knowledge in the field of psychology within a university Bachelor’s degree programme in Psychology. This concerns courses on psychological theories and/or applications (i.e. not general courses such as philosophy, history, or general skills courses). These courses can for example be taken at:
  • University of Groningen via Open Modules
  • Open University
    Courses that will always be approved can be found on the list of OU course units. Many of these courses are also offered by Kies Op Maat through of e-minors.
• Knowledge of statistics at the level of the first year of a university degree programme in Psychology.
  
  You can satisfy this requirement by completing Onderzoekspracticum Inleiding Onderzoek or Onderzoekspracticum Inleiding data-analyse (taught in the past by the Open University).

Other courses: to be assessed by the Admissions Board.

Please note
Students of the Bachelor’ HBO Toegepaste Psychologie at the Hanze University of Applied Sciences Groningen can satisfy the above-mentioned admission requirements by completing a schakelminor [transfer minor]. For more information, please contact contacthbotp@org.hanze.nl.

Depending on your background and the language of instruction of your chosen track, you may have to present proof of proficiency in Dutch or English before the start of the Master’s degree programme.

Dutch-taught tracks

For the Dutch-taught tracks Ontwikkelingspsychologie, Klinische Psychologie and Klinische Neuropsychologie, the following qualifications will be accepted as sufficient proof of proficiency in Dutch at native-speaker level:

• Babel language test in Dutch for medical professionals B2+ (speaking and writing). Check the website for more information and how to register for the Babel language test. When registering indicate that this is related to a Master's in Psychology at the University of Groningen.
• Diploma from a Dutch-language secondary school.

English-taught tracks

• Candidates who have completed an entire secondary school programme or Bachelor’s degree programme in the US, at an English-taught institution in Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, or Australia, will be deemed to have satisfied the language requirements.
• Dutch and foreign Bachelor’s students at Dutch universities will be deemed to have satisfied the language requirements.
• University of applied sciences students of Applied Psychology as well as Bachelor’s students from foreign universities will have to present proof of having passed one of the standard tests listed below.
  

Accepted tests

A sufficient test result in one of the following tests will constitute proof of English proficiency.

Please note:
Test results that are older than two years cannot be accepted (except vwo-diplomas).

1. A maximum number of places are available in the pre-master’s programme for each track. You can apply for a maximum of two tracks (first and second choices).
2. If you qualify for admission to the pre-master’s programme, lots will be drawn to decide whether you can be admitted to the programme for the track of your first choice.
3. If you are not admitted, you will be placed on the waiting list for your first choice and you will participate in the ballot for the pre-master’s programme for the track of your second choice. Here, too, you may be placed on the waiting list if you are not admitted.

4. You can move up the waiting list as places open up over time, and eventually you may secure a place in the pre-master’s programme for one of your chosen tracks.

Pre-master’s programme
Once you have been assigned a place in a certain track, the Admissions Board will define your pre-master’s programme.

Costs
An overview of pre-master’s programme fees can be found on Fees for pre-Master’s programmes.

Start of Master’s degree programme
You will be admitted to a master’s track if you complete the pre-master’s programme for this track within two years. You can extend the pre-master’s programme into a second year if you successfully complete 50% in the first year.

Application is open between 15 January and 1 March.

1. Apply for the pre-master's programme in Psychology on the Studielink  website for the track of your first choice.
2. Apply with the University of Groningen via the Application form pre-master Psychology- HBO TP (available from 15 January). Using this form, you can also apply for a possible second track.
3. Make sure you make a well-considered choice, because you can only graduate in one master’s track. Once you have been placed in a track, you cannot switch to another one before the start or during the master's programme. We also advise against discontinuing your current track to apply for a different one, as you would not be permitted to begin a new skills course, thesis, or internship in the new track if you have already started these. This would mean that you cannot graduate in that track.
4. You can apply before you complete your bachelor's degree, but must have obtained your Bachelor’s degree before the start of the master's programme.

After your application

A few weeks after the application deadline, you will be told whether you are eligible for the pre-master's track of your choice and what the next steps will be.

Admission requirements for the pre-Master’s programme

• A deficit of no more than 60 ECTS compared to the admission requirements for the Master’s degree programme (general and trackspecific criteria and language requirements).
• Adequate basic knowledge of statistics (at the level of the first year of a Dutch university degree programme in Psychology).
• Proficiency in Dutch or English – see the section under the heading ‘Language requirements’ on this page.

Procedure for admission to the pre-Master’s programme

1. A maximum number of places are available in the pre-Master’s programme for each track. You can apply for a maximum of two tracks (first and second choices).
2. If you qualify for admission to the pre-Master’s programme, lots will be drawn to decide whether you can be admitted to the programme for the track of your first choice.
3. If you are not admitted, you will be placed on the waiting list for your first choice and you will participate in the lotterty for the pre-Master’s programme for the track of your second choice. Here, too, you may be placed on the waiting list if you are not admitted.
4. You can move up the waiting list as places open up over time, and eventually you may secure a place in the pre-Master’s programme for one of your chosen tracks.

Depending on your background and the language of instruction of your chosen track, you may have to present proof of proficiency in Dutch or English before the start of the Master’s degree programme.

Dutch-taught tracks

For the Dutch-taught tracks Ontwikkelingspsychologie, Klinische Psychologie and Klinische Neuropsychologie, the following qualifications will be accepted as sufficient proof of proficiency in Dutch at native-speaker level:

• Babel language test in Dutch for medical professionals B2+ (speaking and writing). Check the website for more information and how to register for the Babel language test. When registering indicate that this is related to a Master's in Psychology at the University of Groningen.
• Diploma from a Dutch-language secondary school.

English-taught tracks

• Candidates who have completed an entire secondary school programme or Bachelor’s degree programme in the US, at an English-taught institution in Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, or Australia, will be deemed to have satisfied the language requirements.
• Dutch and foreign Bachelor’s students at Dutch universities will be deemed to have satisfied the language requirements.
• University of applied sciences students of Applied Psychology as well as Bachelor’s students from foreign universities will have to present proof of having passed one of the standard tests listed below.
  

Accepted tests

A sufficient test result in one of the following tests will constitute proof of English proficiency.

Please note:
Test results that are older than two years cannot be accepted (except vwo-diplomas).

Pre-master’s programme
Once you have been assigned a place in a certain track, the Admissions Board will define your pre-master’s programme.

Costs
An overview of pre-master’s programme fees can be found on Fees for pre-Master’s programmes.

Start of Master’s degree programme
You will be admitted to a master’s track if you complete the pre-master’s programme for this track within two years. You can extend the pre-master’s programme into a second year if you successfully complete 50% in the first year.

Application is open between 15 January and 1 March.

1. Apply for the pre-master's track Psychology on the  Studielink  website for the track of your first choice.
2. Apply with the University of Groningen via the Application form pre-master Psychology (available from 15 January). Using this form, you can also register for a possible second track.
3. Make sure you make a well-considered choice, because you can only graduate in one Master’s track. Once you have been placed in a track, you cannot switch to another one before the start or during the master's programme. We also advise against discontinuing your current track to apply for a different one, as you would not be permitted to begin a new skills course, thesis, or internship in the new track if you have already started these. This would mean that you cannot graduate in that track.
4. You can apply before you complete your bachelor's degree, but must have obtained your Bachelor’s degree before the start of the master's programme.

After your application

A few weeks after the application deadline, you will be told whether you are eligible for the pre-master's track of your choice and what the next steps will be.