Matching at the Faculty of Science and Engineering

Please note! This page is still being updated. As of 1 October the information on this page will be up to date!

Choosing the right Bachelor’s degree programme increases your chances of study success. The matching process (study-choice check) helps you to check whether you have made the right choice.

What is matching?

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 a 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.

Conversely, 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 ánd once you have been unconditionally admitted to the programme, your registration can be finalized.

How does it work?

We offer you this matching activity after you have registered for one or more programmes in Studielink before 1 May. If your programme requires a matching activity, you will automatically receive an invitation to take part. Not all of our bachelor programmes require a matching activity. If you apply for multiple programmes, you may be invited to multiple matching activities.

Mandatory matching

For some Bachelor’s programmes, taking part in matching is a mandatory step in the application process.You can check whether or not matching is mandatory for the programme of your choice in the overview below.

Bachelor programme	Mandatory Matching	Activity
BSc Artificial Intelligence	Yes	Online class
BSc Astronomy	Yes	Online class
BSc Biomedical Engineering	Yes	Online class
BSc Computing Science	Yes	Online class
BSc Industrial Engineering & Management	Yes	Online class
BSc Life Science and Technology	Yes	Online class

Apply in time!

Applications received after May 1 will not be processed.

There are exceptions:

- applicants who did not pass the selection or draw for a numerus fixus program and

- applicants who received a negative BSA for an unrelated programme will be processed.

These students will receive a request form for participation in the additional ‘August round’.

Non-mandatory matching

We offer you this matching activity after you have registered for one or more programmes in Studielink before 1 May. 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, by visiting the Open Days, and/or by participating in a Webclass and/or Student for a Day.

Bachelor programme	Mandatory Matching	Activity (your choice)
Biology	No	Web class , Open Day , Student for a Day
Chemistry/Chemical Engineering	No	Web class , Open Day , Student for a Day
(Applied) Mathematics	No	Web class , Open Day , Student for a Day
Pharmacy	No	Web class , Open Day , Student for a Day
(Applied) Physics	No	Web class , Open Day , Student for a Day

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 program is advisable, we do recommend you to take part.

Please note! We don’t offer matching if you applied after 1 May. When you have doubts or questions about the programme please contact the academic advisor of your chosen programme.

More information

Do you have any questions about matching for a specific program? Feel free to contact us via matching.fse@rug.nl. Add us to you list of contacts to make sure you don't miss any of our messages.

More information

Registration for matching

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 request for 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 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 bachelorporgramme;
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).

Participation in the matching process

From 1 March we will be sending out invitations by email regularly to participate in our matching process which opens on 3 March 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 look out for this email and check your spam box regularly.

The matching consists of an online matching class. The matching class includes a mathematical skills test and one (or more) programme-specific tests. If the scores on the matching tests are sufficient, you will receive a positive matching advice.

Completing the matching process will take about 3 hours on average.

No preparation is required for the matching process.

All emails regarding matching will be sent from matching.fse rug.nl. Add this mail address to your lists of contacts.

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.

Receiving the matching advice

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.

What else do I have to do to be enrolled?

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

Questions?

If you cannot find the answer to your question below, please check the university FAQ or send an email to matching.fse@rug.nl. Make sure to include your student number in this email.

Is matching the same as admission?

No, 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.

Can my deadline for the matching process be postponed?

The 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.

How can I check if I completed the matching process?

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.

When will I receive an invitation for the matching process?

As of December 2024, we will send out the first email to inform you about the matching process. 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.

Last modified:

12 September 2024 4.41 p.m.