Subsidiary courses

Non-Degree Seeking Student Programme

At the Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience (FPN), you can take one or more bachelor’s or master’s courses as a subsidiary student.

We distinguish between:

UM students: enrolled at another faculty of Maastricht University who wish to take a course at FPN.
Non-UM students: enrolled at another Dutch research university or university of applied sciences who wish to take a course at FPN.

The distinction between UM and non-UM students lies primarily in the registration procedure required to enrol in a course at FPN.

Course Offerings

FPN offers a range of bachelor’s and master’s courses for subsidiary students.
Detailed information, including learning objectives and prerequisites, is available in the Maastricht University course catalogue.
Minor Psychology: Only available to UM students.

Admission Requirements

Have experience with Problem-Based Learning (PBL). To help you prepare, you can access the bachelor Psychology introductory newsletter and our Canvas platform. An online PBL module is available on Canvas, offering a flexible and digital way to get ready for PBL.
Meet the admission requirements of the bachelor's or master's programme. Some modules may have additional criteria.
In exceptional cases, demonstrate sufficient prior knowledge if requirements are not fully met.
Meet criteria based on prior education, work experience, and module availability.
Obtain final approval from the FPN non-regular coordinator.
Be aware that courses with limited seats give priority to regular bachelor, master, and pre-master students at FPN.

Students enrolled at another Dutch research university or university of applied sciences who wish to take a course at FPN must moreover:

Registration procedure for subsidiary students

Registration is allowed once per academic year.
You may register for up to four courses (24 ECTS) per programme.
Once approved, you are automatically registered for both the initial exam and resit.

Submit your request via the Special Course Approval procedure in the MyUM Portal.
Your home faculty’s Board of Examiners will review the request before forwarding it to the FPN non-regular coordinator.

Apply using the subsidiary registration form and follow the application manual for subsidiary students.
Applications will only be processed once all required documents have been received.
Required documents:
- Completed subsidiary registration form
- Proof of experience with Problem-Based Learning (PBL), if available
- Certificate of enrolment at a CROHO-registered Dutch higher education institution from the year in which the requested course(s) take place;
- Certified transcripts of previous study results
- Certified documents of relevant professional experience, if applicable
- Passport/ID copy and portrait photo
- Valid Dutch visa (for non-EU students)
- Approval from the Board of Examiners of your home programme
- Proof of paid tuition fee for the academic year in which the requested course(s) take place (sent to fpn-nonregular@maastrichtuniversity.nl)

Application deadlines

Your application must be submitted and completed at least six weeks before the start of the requested module.

Rights and responsibilities

Registration allows you to participate in the course and its two scheduled exams. After exams and review sessions, your rights and obligations as a subsidiary student end. No additional exam opportunities are available.
Once registered, non-UM students will have access to the Student Portal, a temporary UM email account, and a UM card, and will be able to submit assignments and take exams, just like UM students.
As a subsidiary student, you are not entitled to receive a diploma from the program in which you take an elective course.

Certified transcript

After passing the exam, you can request a certified transcript from the Board of Examiners, showing your results and earned ECTS credits.

Education period	Registration period ends at midnight CET
Education period 5	22 February 2026
Education period 6	19 April 2026