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Education Bachelor's Bachelor's international students Admission and application Admission bachelor's degree programme Entry requirements

Language requirements per faculty

Possible exemptions for all faculties

Want to know if you can be exempted from the language requirement? Check this page for an overview of our generally accepted exemptions from the language proficiency requirement.

Additional exemptions may apply for the programme of your choice, however this is at the discretion of the Admissions Board and will be assessed when your application has been received by the Admissions Office.
Also check your specific faculty below.

Validity of certificates

Keep in mind that TOEFL and IELTS certificates are only valid for 2 years. Cambridge certificates do not have limited validity.

Faculty of Arts

American Studies
Art History
Arts, Culture and Media
Communication and Information Studies
English Language and Culture
European Language and Cultures
History
International Relations and International Organization (IRIO)
Media Studies
Minorities & Multilingualism

  • TOEFL iBT*: 90 (min. 21 every item)
  • IELTS (Academic): 6.5 (min. 6.0 every item)
  • Cambridge C1 CAE or Cambridge C2 CPE Certificate with grade A, B or C
* TOEFL MyBest Scores are not considered in the Admissions procedure
Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences
TOEFL internet-based*

90 (min. 19 on Speaking, min. 21 on Writing)

TOEFL paper-based

550

TOEFL computer-based

213

IELTS (Academic) - overall score

6.5 (min. 6.0 on Speaking & Writing)

Cambridge C1 Advanced


Cambridge C2 Proficiency


* TOEFL MyBest Scores are not considered in the Admissions procedure
Faculty of Economics and Business

You can find the requirements on the page Language Requirements.

Faculty of Law

You can find the requirements on the page Language Requirements.

Faculty of Medical Sciences

You can find the requirements in the document Language Requirements.

Faculty of Philosophy

You can find the requirements on the programme page.

Faculty of Science and Engineering

You can find the requirements on the page Language Requirements.

Faculty of Spatial Sciences
  • Human Geography & Urban and Regional Planning
  • Spatial Planning and Design
  • TOEFL iBT*: 80 (reading: min. 18; listening: min. 18; speaking: min. 20; and writing: min. 21)
  • IELTS (Academic): 6.0 (min. 6.0 on each section)
  • Cambridge English: C1 Advanced (CAE) or C2 Proficiency (CPE): min. score of 169

* TOEFL MyBest Scores are not considered in the Admissions procedure

Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies
Religious Studies
  • IELTS (Academic): 6.0 (min. 6.0 on Speaking and Writing)
  • TOEFL iBT* 80 (min. 20 on Speaking, min. 21 on Writing)
  • Cambridge English: C1 Advanced (CAE) or C2 Proficiency (CPE) with min. score of 169
Theology (Dutch only) NTII-2 test needed
* TOEFL MyBest Scores are not considered in the Admissions procedure
Campus Fryslân
BSc Global Responsibility & Leadership
  • TOEFL iBT*: 90 (min. 18 on section scores)
  • IELTS (Academic): 6.5 (min. 6.0 on section scores)
  • Cambridge C1/CAE or Cambridge C2/CPE Certificate with grade A, B or C
BSc Data Science & Society
  • TOEFL iBT*: 90 (min. 18 on section scores)
  • IELTS (Academic): 6.5 (min. 6.0 on section scores)
  • Cambridge C1/CAE or Cambridge C2/CPE Certificate with grade A, B or C
* TOEFL MyBest Scores are not considered in the Admissions procedure

Additional exemption possibility
- Minimum final grade of 7 for the English course for the Dutch VWO diploma
- Minimum final grade of 10 for the English course at Leistungskurs (LK) / erhöhtem Anforderingsniveau (eA) for the German Zeugnis der Allgemeinen Hochschulreife (however, please note that taking an English language proficiency test meeting the minimum requirements for this programme is strongly recommended)
University College Groningen
Qualification Score
IELTS (Academic) 6.5 - no less than 6.5 on each section
TOEFL IBT (Internet Based Test)

90 - reading: min. 21; listening: min. 21; speaking: min. 21; and writing: min. 24

Cambridge English Cambridge C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency
Please note that certain exemptions* from the above-mentioned requirements may apply in the following cases:
  • Applicants with a Dutch VWO diploma and a 7 or higher in English;
  • Applicants with a German Zeugnis der Allgemeinen Hochschulreife, including English PF, eA or LK with a minimum grade of 10

* Exemptions are granted at the discretion of the Admissions Office.

Last modified:06 December 2022 10.07 a.m.