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Education Bachelor's degree programmes Applied Mathematics
Header image Applied Mathematics
Bachelor - full-time

Applied Mathematics

How are partially autonomous vehicles controlled? How fast does blood flow through our veins? Why do some cars or aeroplanes experience more drag than others? How do we calculate the orbit of a satellite?

While the degree programme in Mathematics is concerned with abstract matters, the emphasis of the Applied Mathematics programme is on constructing mathematical models to solve problems, simulate practical situations and analyze the results. For example, you may make a model to compute the flow of water or blood, or the flow fields around the wing of an aeroplane. Or, you may work on operating systems for robots, aeroplanes or satellites. While the ability to think abstractly is just as important as it is for Mathematics, in Applied Mathematics you also learn to structure your reasoning and draw conclusions.

The University of Groningen offers degree programmes in both Mathematics and Applied Mathematics. The first year is largely the same for both Bachelor’s programmes, during which you explore the programmes and gradually work towards your specialization. It is possible to switch programmes at the end of the first year.

Applied Mathematics is an international Bachelor’s degree programme. All of the course units are taught in English, which gives Applied Mathematics an extra dimension as many of your fellow students and lecturers will come from abroad.

Listen to the podcast!

Do you want to hear more from people who have a passion for (Applied) Mathematics? Professor Marcello Seri and Master student Marit van Straaten are hosting the podcast “It’s not just numbers” (in English) which features mathematics professors from the University of Groningen talking about the human aspects of mathematics! Episodes 5 and 6 address the differences between applied mathematics and pure mathematics.

Facts & Figures
Degree
BSc in Applied Mathematics
Course type
Bachelor
Duration
36 months (180 EC)
Croho code
56965
Language of instruction
English
Start
September
Faculty
Science and Engineering
Studie in Cijfers
Apply now

Why study this programme in Groningen?

  • In Groningen, you can study Mathematics or Applied Mathematics.
  • You can switch to the other programme at the end of the first year.
  • Applied Mathematics is an international degree programme, which gives you a substantial advantage at the start of your career.

Programme

CoursesCourse Catalog >
Analysis
Calculus 1
Calculus 2
First-year project
Introduction to Graph Theory
Linear Algebra 1
Linear Algebra 2
Linear Systems
Mechanics and Relativity for Maths
Probability Theory
Scientific Programming
Sets and Numbers

Curriculum

The degree programmes in Mathematics and Applied Mathematics have a common first year. This gives you time to familiarize yourself with the two programmes, so that you can make an informed decision at the end of the first year. During the first year, you take course units that are relevant to both Mathematics and Applied Mathematics.

You increasingly specialize in Applied Mathematics during the second and third years. You start to focus on modelling and simulations, and you look at concrete applications in course units such as Project System Theory and Mathematical Modelling. You complete your Bachelor's degree programme with a research project.

Credits per year: 60 ECTS; most courses are 5 ECTS.


Please be advised that students of the Faculty of Science and Engineering are expected to adhere to our Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policy, ensuring seamless integration of personal electronic devices for academic purposes. For more detailed information on our BYOD policy, please visit our webpage .

Study abroad

  • Study abroad is optional
  • Maximum of 30 EC

Exchange: All our science and engineering programmes offer study abroad possibilities at a number of partner institutions. Our partners include top-100 universities in Europe (for example in Germany, UK, and Sweden) and in the USA, China, South-East Asia, and South America. Our exchange programmes have a typical duration of one semester and count toward your final degree.

Entry requirements

Admissible Dutch diploma profiles

  • VWO Natuur & Techniek
  • VWO Natuur & Gezondheid

    wiskunde B
  • VWO Economie & Maatschappij

    wiskunde B
  • VWO Cultuur & Maatschappij

    wiskunde B

Admission requirements

Specific requirementsMore information
language test

Language proficiency certificate for English (except for applicants with a Dutch pre-university education (VWO) as well as the exemptions listed on the language exemptions webpage). More info: https://www.rug.nl/fse/education/admission-application/apply-bsc/language

other admission requirements

Before you apply!

When you cannot fulfil the vwo requirement, due to deficient profile or if you want to be admitted on the basis of a successfully passed first year of HBO or colloquium doctum, you need to submit an additional admission request via the Admission Board Bachelor programmes. Please go to this website for more information.

Please note! The admissions procedure is independent of the matching procedure. Information about the matching procedure can be found here

Choice of degree programme check

More information about matching: https://www.rug.nl/fse/education/matching

Application deadlines

Type of studentDeadlineStart course
Dutch students01 May 202601 September 2026
EU/EEA students01 May 202601 September 2026
non-EU/EEA students01 May 202601 September 2026

Choice of degree programme check

More information about matching: https://www.rug.nl/fse/education/matching

Admission requirements

Specific requirementsMore information
previous education

Secondary education equivalent to Dutch pre-university education (vwo) is required.

A list of qualifications that are considered equivalent to pre-university education in the Netherlands can be found here: https://www.rug.nl/education/application-enrolment-tuition-fees/admission/procedures/application-informatie/with-non-dutch-diploma/entry-requirements/bachelor-entry-requirements/vwo-equivalent-qualifications

If you have any questions concerning admission to the programme, please contact our Admissions Office: https://www.rug.nl/education/application-enrolment-tuition-fees/contact/admission-office

additional subject

Sufficient background knowledge in Mathematics is required.

The Admissions Board will determine whether your background knowledge in this subject is sufficient to start the Bachelor's degree programme of your choice.
language test

You will need to submit proof of English proficiency in accordance with the requirements of the Faculty of Science and Engineering. Please find our English language requirements (exemptions, IELTS, TOEFL, Cambridge and more) on this page: https://www.rug.nl/fse/education/admission-application/apply-bsc/language

other admission requirements

Please note! The admissions procedure is independent of the matching procedure. Information about the matching procedure can be found here

Application deadlines

Type of studentDeadlineStart course
Dutch students01 May 202601 September 2026
EU/EEA students01 May 202601 September 2026
non-EU/EEA students01 May 202601 September 2026

Tuition fees

NationalityYearFeeProgramme form
EU/EEA2025-2026€ 2601full-time
non-EU/EEA2025-2026€ 19800full-time

Practical information for:

Dutch studentsInternational students

After your studies

Job prospects

Applied Mathematics is a broad Bachelor's degree programme, after which you can specialize in a Master's degree programme. You can continue in the academic world or opt for a career in the business world, either in the Netherlands or abroad. Research, consultancy or teaching… there are many fields open to you!

Business
Having finished your degree programme in Applied Mathematics, many opportunities will be open to you for a career in the business sector, for example with an insurance company or a consultancy firm. Multinational companies such as Vestas, Philips and ABN Amro also welcome applied mathematicians enthusiastically, as do smaller and medium-sized enterprises.

During the degree programme, you learn to think logically and to structure your reasoning. An analytical approach becomes second nature – a skill that is highly welcome in the business world. After all, you are able to identify the structure of a large organization, to separate the main issues from the side-issues, and to produce a model to predict how the organization will change as a result of internal and external influences.

Research

Once you have your Master’s degree, you may choose to carry out PhD research at a university. Your Master’s degree will also qualify you for positions at research institutes such as TNO (Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research) and the KNMI (Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute).

Teaching
There is a great demand for mathematicians to work as teachers in secondary education. After the Bachelor’s programme in Mathematics or Applied Mathematics, you can follow the Master’s degree programme in Science Education & Communication (Dutch-taught education track, English-taught communication track).



Job examples

  • Researcher
  • Analyst
  • Positions in the financial world
  • Consultant
  • Teacher

Research

Our Bachelor's degree programme in applied mathematics is connected to the Bernoulli Institute.

The mission of the Bernoulli Institute is to perform outstanding academic research and teaching in Mathematics, Computer Science, and Artificial Intelligence, and to maintain international leadership herein; to foster these disciplines as a living body of knowledge, and to make it relevant to society in its broadest sense. The symbiosis between pure and applied science, and between mono- and multidisciplinary research and teaching, is a distinguishing characteristic of our institute. As an important part of this mission we aim to transfer our results to other areas of science and technology, and initiate and expand inter- and multi-disciplinary research collaborations.

The following research groups within the institute focus on Mathematics:

  • Algebra
  • Computational Mechanics and Numerical Mathematics
  • Dynamical Systems, Geometry and Mathematical Physics
  • Probability and Statistics
  • Systems, Control and Optimization (SCO)
Apply nowBrochureEventsContact
Dutch diplomaInternational diploma

Contact

  • Ask Our Students! (Like to talk about the programme and student life with someone currently studying Maths?)
    Email: mathstudents rug.nl
  • Study Science (For general questions for all prospective students)
    Email: studyscience rug.nl
  • Academic Advisors FSE (For questions regarding the programme)
Testimonial of Cyril Kuchar
I chose this bachelor's programme because I wanted something with real-world applications and liked the challenge of solving complex problems. What I appreciate most is that we are encouraged to find solutions ourselves, which really builds confidence.
– Cyril Kuchar
I chose this bachelor’s programme because mathematics was the one subject I truly enjoyed in high school and felt confident in. I wanted something with real-world applications and liked the challenge of solving complex problems. What I appreciate most is that we are encouraged to find solutions ourselves, which really builds confidence. A teaching assistant once mentioned that struggling with problems is part of developing your thinking, and that really resonated with me.

University-level mathematics is very different from high school, but that’s what I expected. It was challenging at first to adjust, but now I really enjoy the lectures and how the material is taught. Recently, I worked on a group project about dynamics of a bicycle, where we used numerical techniques and coding to simulate the behaviour of a mathematical model of a bicycle.

Moving to a new country has taught me a lot about life and responsibility. I’ve developed important skills like critical thinking and improved my English, which has created many new opportunities. Outside of academics, I enjoy doing sports and joined ACLO for boxing, where I’ve made great friends.

I’m thinking about studying abroad, maybe somewhere else in Europe, though I might also stay in the Netherlands. After finishing my master’s, I don’t plan on staying in academia or doing a PhD, but I’m still discovering which field I want to go into. Right now, I’m looking forward to my new role as a teaching assistant for a mathematics course in AI. I enjoy helping others see the beauty of math, especially those from different backgrounds.
Testimonial of Anna van Gaal
When I think about what I value most about learning in this programme, it is the way of thinking. It's refreshing to have another approach than some other people, and I think that you can really only gain that from a mathematics degree.
– Anna van Gaal
My name is Anna Van Gaal and I'm half Belgian and half Latvian by origin. I spent quite a few years abroad in the United States, so I grew up kind of everywhere. That is also why I looked for universities with an international orientation. I focused on the Netherlands as there are plenty of English taught programmes and also a lot of options in the fields that I'm interested in. Eventually I stumbled upon Groningen and their Applied Mathematics program and I was like: 'this sounds like the one'.

My interests range from the natural sciences to computer science and of course mathematics. Any time I would consider something like computer engineering I would feel like I was missing out on the mathematics. I've been passionate about mathematics all throughout high school and with applied mathematics you are given the tools that you might incorporate in other fields or studies. This ranges from computing science, some physics, and even biology. That combination together with rigorous mathematics is what drew me to applied math.

My favourite courses are project-based courses. Last block this was a 'Systems Theory' course where we ended up doing a project about the cruise controller in cars. I really liked that because it made real what you can do with mathematics and especially applied mathematics. To that end I also really enjoyed 'Differential Equations in Science and Engineering'. It is also very much an applied course where we saw various applications of differential equations. It was really nice to see prospects for the future.

When I think about what I value most about learning in this programme, it is the way of thinking. I definitely think the way I approach problems in the course but also in everyday life has become more logical in a way. It's refreshing to have another approach than some other people, and I think that you can really only gain that from a mathematics degree.
When I'm not studying I'm a big runner and a member of Vitalis, which is the athletics association. I do other activities with them as well, as I have a lot of friends there. I also just like to read in my free time. I mostly read books about nature and climate change, a subject which I'm also quite passionate about.

I look forward to the rest of my studies, and I'm just excited to choose some electives and have more freedom and flexibility to shape my Bachelor's.
Testimonial of Lars Wieringa
Applied Mathematics is an excellent choice for anyone interested in technical subjects, as it opens up many career paths, and you can apply it to fields like biology, engineering, or computer science.
– Lars Wieringa
I grew up in Winsum (a town near Groningen) and chose to study in Groningen because it's a great university that happens to be close to home. Although I was considering studying Applied Mathematics, I actually started out studying Chemistry. However, I found that I most enjoyed the mathematical aspects of chemistry. This led me back to Applied Mathematics, where I also briefly studied Astronomy before focusing entirely on Applied Mathematics.

What surprised me most about the programme was how much more mathematics is than just solving equations. It's a way of thinking. I realized that mathematics is not just about numbers, but about building concepts and proving things from the ground up. The programme at Groningen is more theoretical compared to other universities, which I really appreciate. It also offers flexibility, like the option to choose between General and Applied Mathematics in the first year.

I chose Applied Mathematics because of my broad interests. It allows me to explore a wide range of subjects and keep my options open. I'm considering a Master's in something related to Systems and Control Theory, but I'm still exploring possibilities. My favorite course so far is Metric and Topological Spaces, which generalizes concepts from Analysis. The course is mathematically very interesting and on top of this has many practical applications, for instance in the design and analysis of computer algorithms.

Contrary to popular belief, (applied) mathematics is not just for 'geniuses'. Anyone that's interested in it can become good at it, but the amount of time they need to invest in it may differ from person to person. The most valuable lesson I've learned is not to compare myself to others when it comes to this.

Applied Mathematics is an excellent choice for anyone interested in technical subjects, as it opens up many career paths, and you can apply it to fields like biology, engineering, or computer science.
Testimonial of Margherita Bonan
The flexibility to switch between programmes in the first year was a great advantage, as it gave me the time to figure out my true interests. The international environment at Groningen has been one of the highlights of my experience, and I'm grateful for
– Margherita Bonan
My name is Margherita, and I'm in my second year of Applied Mathematics at the University of Groningen. Originally from Treviso, Italy, I started my studies in both General Mathematics and Physics, but after realising I enjoyed Applied Mathematics more, I switched to focus entirely on Applied Mathematics after the first year. The flexibility to switch between programmes in the first year was a great advantage, as it gave me the time to figure out my true interests.
I chose Groningen somewhat by chance, attracted by its international atmosphere and the bike-friendly culture. Additionally, a friend already studying here helped influence my decision.

My favourite courses from the first year are Analysis and Scientific Programming. I appreciate the rigorous approach in Analysis and the opportunity to apply my programming skills in Scientific Programming. I've enjoyed seeing how different mathematical concepts come together in courses like Analysis, which has deepened my understanding of calculus and other high school topics.
After my Bachelor's, I plan to pursue a Master's, though I'm still exploring different options.

Back in Italy, I was a sprinter, and I still enjoy running occasionally here. I also like to participate in many different ACLO courses, like calisthenics or swimming.
I'm also a mentor for first-year students, which has been a rewarding experience. I've enjoyed organising activities and seeing my group of mentees progress, and I still stay in touch with some of them.
The international environment at Groningen has been one of the highlights of my experience, and I'm grateful for the connections I've made here.
I look forward to continuing my studies in Applied Mathematics and am excited for what comes next.
Testimonial of Irene Castellano Gomez
Since I was little I've always loved solving riddles and puzzles. After my first year, when I got to know different disciplines inside the world of Mathematics, I realized I wanted to follow Applied Math since I loved the courses that have some programmin
– Irene Castellano Gomez

My name is Irene, I’m from Spain and I moved to Groningen 3 years ago to pursue my bachelor in Applied Mathematics. Since I was little I’ve always loved solving riddles and puzzles and along with the fact that math was always my favourite subject, I had no doubt this bachelor was for me. However, as an international student, I understand the perks of moving to a new country and starting this new adventure. This is why choosing this university made me feel so safe, since you don’t have to decide between following General Mathematics and Applied Mathematics until your second year. After my first year, when I got to know different disciplines inside the world of Mathematics, I realized I wanted to follow Applied Math since I loved the courses that have some programming or that deal with some Physics content. During my second year, I especially liked the courses Numerical Mathematics, which teaches you problem-solving skills through programming techniques, and Partial Differential Equations.

Currently I am working on my Bachelor Thesis, which is about how Traffic Flow Theory can be studied using Differential Algebraic Equations. Along with some theoretical background and some simulations that I’m running, I’m developing a system that can model a network of roads with different constraints. This is very useful because it can be applied to many different networks and we can predict if a road will result in traffic jams or not.

Study associations

FMF

The FMF is an association for the Bachelor's programmes Applied Mathematics, Mathematics, Applied Physics, Physics, Astronomy and all of the subsequent Master's programmes at the University of Groningen.
The association pursues three objectives. The first objective is that it wants to contribute to the broadening of the scientific education of its members. This is done by organizing various activities in the scientific field, such as study excursions, lectures and symposiums.
https://www.fmf.nl
(Binding) study advice
  • A minimum of 45 EC in the first 12 months (binding)

You will be issued a study advice at the end of your first year of study. You can expect a positive study advice if you have earned at least 45 ECTS credit points (out of a total of 60 ECTS; most course units are 5 ECTS). If you have earned fewer than 45 ECTS and are issued a negative study advice, you will not be allowed to continue your degree programme.

You will receive a preliminary study advice in December to make sure that you know where you are. Please contact your study advisor as soon as possible if you have any questions about the Binding Study Advice system.

Related master's programmes

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