Master's language requirements and exemptions

To be eligible for admission, you will have to meet the language proficiency requirements applicable to the programme of your choice.

Please also check the Master's entry requirements

Language requirements per faculty

Validity of certificates

Keep in mind that IELTS, LanguageCert, Pearson PTE, and TOEFL certificates are only valid for 2 years.

Cambridge certificates do not have limited validity.

Campus Fryslân

Cultural Geography

Speech Technology
Sustainable Entrepreneurship

Cambridge C1/C2 certificate: overall score of 180
IELTS Academic*: overall score 6.5 (min. 6.0 in all categories)
Pearson Academic: overall score 66 (min. 62 in Reading, 54 in Reading and Listening, 62 in Writing)
LanguageCert Academic: overall score 70 (min. 65 in all categories)
TOEFL iBT**: overall score 90 (min. 18 for Reading and Listening, 20 for Speaking, 21 for Writing)

* We do not accept IELTS Online and One Skill Retake certificates.
** TOEFL MyBest Scores are not considered in the Admissions procedure.

Faculty of Arts

Arts & Culture (all non-research track) Classics & Ancient Civilizations (all tracks) Communication & Information Studies: Communication Studies Communication & Information Studies: Information Science History (all non-research tracks) International Relations (all non-research tracks) Middle-Eastern Studies	Cambridge C1/CAE or Cambridge C2/CPE certificate with a min. score of 180 IELTS (Academic): overall score 6.5 (min. 6.0 in all categories) LanguageCert Academic: overall score 70 (min. 65 in every category) Pearson PTE Academic: overall score 66 (min. 62 in Reading and Writing, and 54 in Listening and Speaking) TOEFL iBT*: overall score 90 (min. 21 in all categories)
Media Studies: Journalism Media Studies: Media, Cultural Industries and Innovation Media Studies: Media, Digital Transformations and Society	Cambridge C1/CAE or Cambridge C2/CPE certificate with a min. score of 185 TOEFL iBT: overall score 100 (min. 25 in Speaking and Writing) IELTS (Academic): overall score 7.0 (min. 6.5 in all categories) LanguageCert Academic: overall score 75 (min. 70 in all categories) Pearson PTE Academic: overall score 71 (min. 64 in Reading, 58 in Listening and Speaking, 70 in Writing) TOEFL iBT*: overall score 100 (min. 25 in Speaking and Writing)
Literary Studies: English Literature and Culture Literary Studies: Writing, Editing and Mediating	Cambridge C1/CAE or Cambridge C2/CPE certificate with a min. score of 200. IELTS Academic: overall score 8.0 (min. 7.5 in all categories) LanguageCert Academic: overall score 85 (min. 80 in all categories) Pearson PTE Academic: overall score 82 (min. 74 in Reading, Listening and Speaking, 80 in Writing) TOEFL iBT*: overall score 110 (min. 25 in all categories)
American Studies Archaeology (research) Arts & Culture (research): Arts, Media and Literary Studies Arts & Culture (research): Cultural Leadership Communication & Information Studies: Digital Humanities History (research): Classical, Medieval and Early Modern Studies International Relations (research): Modern History and International Relations Linguistics: Applied Linguistics-TEFL Linguistics: Multilingualism Linguistics: Theoretical and Empirical Linguistics Linguistics (research): European Linguistics Linguistics (research): Language and Cognition	Cambridge C1/CAE or Cambridge C2/CPE certificate with a min. score of 185. IELTS Academic: overall score 7.0 (min. 6.5 in all categories) LanguageCert Academic: overall score 75 (min. 70 in all categories) Pearson PTE Academic: overall score 71 (min. 64 in Reading, 58 in Listening and Speaking, 70 in Writing) TOEFL iBT*: overall score 100 (min. 25 in all categories)
Archeologie (Dutch) Art & Culture: Landscape History (Dutch) History (Dutch) Linguistics: Neurolinguïstiek (Dutch)	C-test certificate from the UG Language Centre (Dutch native speakers only) NT2-II test

Erasmus Mundus programmes
Clinical Linguistics	TOEFL iBT: overall score 100 IELTS (Academic)*: overall score 7.0 Cambridge C1/CAE or Cambridge C2/CPE certificate
European Studies: Euroculture	TOEFL iBT: overall score 93 IELTS (Academic): overall score 6.5 (min. 6.5 in all sections) Cambridge C1/CAE or Cambridge C2/CPE certificate (test results may be no older than 5 years)* NB: Students from China cannot provide CAE results.
International Humanitarian Action	TOEFL iBT: overall score 93 (min. 24 in Writing) IELTS (Academic)*: overall score 6.5 (min. 6.0 in all sections) Cambridge C1/CAE or Cambridge C2/CPE certificate
Natural Language Processing	TOEFL iBT: overall score 100 (min. 25 in Writing) IELTS (Academic)*: overall score 7.0 (min. 6.5 in all sections)

* TOEFL MyBest Scores are not considered in the Admissions procedure.
** We do not accept IELTS Online and One Skill Retake certificates.

Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences

Behavioural and Social Sciences (research) Educational Sciences Psychology Pedagogical Sciences	Cambridge English C1 with min. score 180 or Cambridge English C2 with min. score 200 IELTS (Academic): overall score 6.5 (min. 6.0 in Reading and Listening, and 6.5 in Speaking and Writing) LanguageCert Academic: overall score 70 (min. 65 in Reading and Listening, and 70 in Speaking and Writing) Pearson PTE Academic: overall score 66 (min. 62 in Reading, 54 in Listening, 58 in Speaking, and 70 in Writing) TOEFL iBT*: overall score 90 (min. 18 in Reading, 20 in Listening, 22 in Speaking, and 24 in Writing)
Psychology (Dutch taught)	Babel language test: Nederlands voor medici B2+ (spreken en schrijven) C-test certificate from the UG Language Centre (Dutch native speakers only) NT2-II
LVHO: Educational Masters (Dutch taught) Orthopedagogiek (Dutch taught) Sociologie (Dutch taught)	C-test certificate from the UG Language Centre (Dutch native speakers only) NT2-II

* We do not accept IELTS Online and One Skill Retake certificates.
** TOEFL MyBest Scores are not considered in the Admissions procedure.

Faculty of Economics and Business

Accountancy and Controlling
Business Administration
Econometrics, Operations Research and Actuarial Studies
International Economics and Sustainable Development
Economics
Finance
Human Resource Management
International Business and Management
International Financial Management
Marketing
Supply Chain Management
Technology and Operations Management

TOEFL iBT*: overall score 90 (min. 20 in Speaking, 24 in Writing )
IELTS (Academic)**: overall score 6.5 (min. 6.0 in Speaking, 6.5 in Writing)
Cambridge C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency: overall score of 176 (min. 169 in Speaking, 176 in Writing

* TOEFL MyBest Scores are not considered in the Admissions procedure.
** We do not accept IELTS Online and One Skill Retake certificates.

For Pre-Master's English language requirements, see this page.

Faculty of Law

Energy and Climate Law
European Law in a Global Context
Global Criminal Law
Health and Technology Law
International Commercial Law
International Human Rights Law
Legal Research
Public International Law
Technology Law and Innovation

Cambridge C1 or C2 certificate with a min. score of 180
IELTS Academic*: overall score 7.0 (min. 6.0 in Reading, Listening and Speaking, 6.5 in Writing)
Pearson Academic: overall score 71 (min. 62 in Reading, 54 in Listening and Speaking, and 62 in Writing)
LanguageCert Academic: overall score 75 (min. 65 in all categories)
TOEFL iBT**: overall score 100 (min. 21 in Reading, Listening and Speaking, 23 in Writing)

* We do not accept IELTS Online and One Skill Retake certificates.
** TOEFL MyBest Scores are not considered in the Admissions procedure.

Faculty of Medical Sciences

Clinical and Psychosocial Epidemiology (research)
Molecular Medicine and Innovative Treatment
Sport Sciences

Cambridge C1/C2 certificate: overall score 180
IELTS Academic*: overall score 6.5 (min. 6.0 in all categories)
LanguageCert Academic: overall 70 (min. 70 in all categoies)
Pearson Academic: overall 66 (min. 64 in Reading, 58 in Listening and Speaking, 70 in Writing)
TOEFL iBT**: overall score 92 (min. 21 in all categories)

Human Movement Sciences

Cambridge C1/C2 certificate: overall score 180
IELTS (Academic)*: overall score 6.5 (min. 6.0 in all categories)
TOEFL iBT**: overall score 90

* We do not accept IELTS Online and One Skill Retake certificates.
** TOEFL MyBest Scores are not considered in the Admissions procedure.

Faculty of Philosophy

Philosophy
Philosophy and Science

Cambridge C1/CAE or Cambridge C2/CPE certificate with a min. score of 180
IELTS Academic*: overall score 6.5
LanguageCert Academic: overall score 70
Pearson PTE Academic: overall score 66
TOEFL iBT**: overall score 90

Philosophy (Research Master)
Philosophy, Politics and Economics

Cambridge C1/CAE or Cambridge C2/CPE certificate with a min. score of 185
IELTS Academic*: overall score 7.0 (min. 6.5 in all categories)
LanguageCert Academic: overall score 75 (min. 70 in every category)
Pearson PTE Academic: overall score 71 (min. 64 in Reading, 58 in Listening and Speaking, 70 in Writing)
TOEFL iBT**: overall score 100 (min. 22 in Reading and Listening, 26 in Speaking, 24 in Writing)

* We do not accept IELTS Online and One Skill Retake certificates.
** TOEFL MyBest Scores are not considered in the Admissions procedure.

Faculty of Science and Engineering

Applied Mathematics Applied Physics Artificial Intelligence Astronomy Behavioural and Cognitive Neurosciences (research) Biology Biomedical Engineering Biomedical Sciences Biomolecular Sciences Chemical Engineering Chemistry Computing Science Ecology and Evolution Energy and Environmental Sciences Industrial Engineering and Management Marine Biology Mathematics Mechanical Engineering Medical Pharmaceutical Sciences Nanoscience Physics Systems and Control	Cambridge C1 CAE or Cambridge C2 CPE Certificate with a min. score of 180 IELTS (Academic): overall score 6.5 (min. 6.5 in every category) LanguageCert Academic: overall score 70 (min. 70 in every category) Pearson PTE Academic: overall score 66 (min. 64 in Reading, 58 in Listening and Speaking, and 70 in Writing) TOEFL iBT*: overall score 90 (min. 21 in Reading, Listening, and Speaking, 24 in Writing)
Science Education and Communication: Communication	Cambridge C1 CAE or Cambridge C2 CPE Certificate with a min. score of 180 IELTS (Academic): overall score 7 (min. 6.5 in Reading and Listening, 7 in Speaking and Writing) LanguageCert Academic: overall score 75 (min. 70 in Reading and Listening, and 75 in Speaking and Writing) Pearson PTE Academic: overall score 71 (min. 64 in Reading, 58 in Listening, 64 in Speaking, 75 in Writing) TOEFL iBT*: overall score 94 (min. 21 in Reading and Listening, 25 in Speaking, 27 in Writing)
Farmacie	NT2-II certificate Certificate Dutch as a Foreign Language (Certificaat Nederlands als Vreemde Taal (CNaVT)) – STRT and EDUP profiles - min. B2 level
Science Education and Communication: Education (Dutch)	NT2-II certificate

*We do not accept IELTS Online and One Skill Retake certificates.
** TOEFL MyBest Scores are not considered in the Admissions procedure.

Faculty of Spatial Sciences

Economic Geography
Environmental and Infrastructure Planning
Population Studies
Real Estate Studies
Society, Sustainability and Planning

Cambridge C1/C2 certificate: overall score 180.
IELTS Academic*: overall score 6.5 (min. 6.0 in all categories)
LanguageCert Academic: overall score 70 (min. 65 in every category)
Pearson PTE Academic: overall score 66 (min. 62 in Reading and Writing, and 54 in Listening and Speaking)
TOEFL iBT**: overall score 90 (min. 18 in Reading and Listening, 20 in Speaking, 21 for Writing)

Spatial Sciences (research)

Cambridge C1/C2 certificate: overall score 180
IELTS Academic*: overall score 6.5 (min. 6.5 in all categories)
LanguageCert Academic: overall score 70 (min. 70 in every category)

Pearson PTE Academic: overall score 66 (min. 66 in Reading, 58 in Listening and Speaking, and 70 in Writing)
TOEFL iBT**: overall score 90 (min. 21 in Reading, Listening and for Speaking, 24 in Writing)

* We do not accept IELTS Online and One Skill Retake certificates.
** TOEFL MyBest Scores are not considered in the Admissions procedure.

Faculty of Religion, Culture and Society

Theology and Religious Studies (one-year Master)

Cambridge C1/CAE or Cambridge C2/CPE certificate with a min. score of 180.
IELTS Academic**: overall score 6.5 (min. 6.0 in all categories)
LanguageCert Academic: overall score 70 (min. 65 in every category)
Pearson PTE Academic: overall score 66 (min. 62 in Reading and Writing, 54 in Listening and Speaking)
TOEFL iBT*: overall score 90 (min. 18 in Reading and Listening, 20 in Speaking, 21 in Writing)

Religious Diversity in a Globalized World (EM Research Master)

Theology & Religious Studies (Research Master)

Cambridge C1/CAE or Cambridge C2/CPE certificate with a min. score of 180.
IELTS Academic*: overall score 7 (min. 6.5 in all categories
LanguageCert Academic: overall score 75 (min. 70 in every category)
Pearson PTE Academic: overall score 71 (min. 64 in Reading, 58 in Listening and Speaking, 70 in Writing)
TOEFL iBT**: overall score 100 (min. 21 in Reading ,Listening and Speaking, 24 in Writing)

* We do not accept IELTS Online and One Skill Retake certificates.
** TOEFL MyBest Scores are not considered in the Admissions procedure.

Exemption options

Overview exemption options

You may be exempted from proving your proficiency in English if:

you are a native speaker and have completed a full secondary education in the USA, UK, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia and Canada (only when taught fully in English)

you will obtain/ have obtained a full-time Bachelor’s degree (at least 3 years) in the USA, UK, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia and Canada (only when taught fully in English)
you have obtained a VWO diploma including English as a subject
you have obtained an EB diploma including English as a medium of instruction (only if L1 and L2)

Some Faculties have additional exemptions - see below:

Faculty of Arts - only European Studies: Euroculture	Students who have studied at least one year full-time in a fully English-taught university programme in a country where English is (one of) the official language(s) Students who completed an entire Bachelor programme in English (duration: 3 years minimum).
Faculty of Economics and Business	you completed and passed the English-language Pre-MSc programme from the Faculty of Economics and Business
Faculty of Science and Engineering	you have obtained an IB diploma including English as the language of instruction
Faculty of Law	you have obtained a full-time Bachelor’s degree (at least 3 years) in the USA, the UK, Ireland, New Zealand, Canada (English-speaking regions only), Australia, Antigua, Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Grenada, the Grenadines, Guyana, Jamaica, Malta, Nevis, Trinidad, Tobago, St Kitts, St Lucia, St Vincent

Last modified:

02 October 2025 12.34 p.m.