Admission requirements
On this page, you will find important details of the application process (such as deadlines, admission requirements, required documents and application assessment) for the bachelor’s programme in Circular Engineering for academic year 2022-2023.
Important deadlines for study programme application
Applicable when starting on 1 September 2022
When you want to apply or are applying for this study programme, it is important that you inform yourself of the deadlines that you need to meet. The important deadlines when applying for this study programme are provided in the table below.
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Date | What you need to know about this date |
---|---|
1 October 2021 | Studielink is open for applications for the academic year 2022-2023 |
Up to and including 1 April 2022, 23:59 CET | Deadline for completing the entire application process for non-EU/EEA applicants (these applicants require a visa or residence permit)
Non-EU/EEA students who need a visa and/or residence permit also must upload the required documents (copy passport and list of grades/diploma) in the MyUM portal before the deadline of 1 April 2022, 23:59 CET. If your file is not completed before the deadline your application will not be considered. |
Up to and including 1 August 2022, 23:59 CET | Deadline for completing the entire application process for EU/EEA applicants. |
Please note: in Studielink you need to choose the starting moment. Please make sure to select September 2022 in the pulldown-menu, so that you will apply for the start of the next academic year.

Prospective students with a Dutch diploma
You are directly admissible if you have one of the following diplomas:
- VWO Natuur en Techniek
- VWO Natuur en Gezondheid + Wiskunde B + Natuurkunde
Maastricht University will decide on your admissibility if you do not have one of the diplomas above.
Need more information?
Feel free to contact us directly in case of questions about the admission requirements: fse-admissions[at]maastrichtuniversity[dot]nl
Prospective students with a non-Dutch diploma
You are directly admissible if you have one of the following diplomas with the following subjects:
German: Zeugnis der allgemeinen Hochschulreife (Abitur)
- Mathematics (Grundkurs up to and including the final year)
- Physics (Grundkurs up to and including the final year)
- Chemistry and / or Biology (Grundkurs up to and including the final year)
Belgium: Diploma van Secundair Onderwijs
- Mathematics (min. 4 hours per week in last two years)
- Physics (min. 2 hours per week in last two years)
- Chemistry and / or Biology (min. 2 hours per week in last two years)
United Kingdom: British A/AS-levels, (I)GCSE’s and/or AICE
- Mathematics (GCE A-level)
- Physics (GCE A-level)
- Chemistry and / or Biology (GCE A- or AS-level)
European Baccalaureate
- Mathematics (at least 5 hours per week in the last 2 years, written or oral exam)
- Physics (up to and including the final year, written or oral examination)
- Chemistry and / or Biology (written or oral examination)
International Baccalaureate
- Mathematics (Analysis and Approaches HL), or
- Mathematics (Analysis and Approaches SL with a minimum grade of 5), or
- Mathematics / Further Mathematics (HL, exam before 2021)
- Physics (SL)
- Chemistry and / or Biology (SL)
If your diploma is not included in this list, Maastricht University must evaluate it first. As this takes time, please apply as early as possible.
List of diplomas equivalent to the Dutch VWO diploma 2022/2023
Additional subject requirement pertaining to non-Dutch entry qualifications 2022-2023
Prospective students who do not meet the subject requirements
Your application will always be checked on admissibility, and you will be informed if you do not meet the requirements.
Eliminating deficiencies
If you have a VWO diploma or international equivalent, but do not meet the subject requirements, you can take additional courses and/or exams at the following institutes:
Mathematics
- CCVX (Wiskunde B)
- Boswell-Beta (Wiskunde B)
- Korteweg-de Vries Institute for Mathematics (Wiskunde B)
- OMPT (OMPT-B or OMPT-D examen)
Physics, Chemistry and / or Biology
For students proficient in Dutch, deficiencies can also be lifted by obtaining 'vwo-deelcertificaten'.
Please note that Maastricht University does not have a corporate agreement with external institutes and therefore cannot help you with applying for courses or exams offered by external parties.
Enrolment before completing prior education (zachte knip regulation)
To help students who have experienced delays in their studies due to COVID-19, we have put the ‘zachte knip’ regulation in place. This regulation means that you can enrol in your next education programme before you have completed your prior education
Were you, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, unable to earn enough credits in the academic year 2021-22 to complete your prior education on time? In that case, you will be given the opportunity to conditionally start your next education programme at UM under certain terms in academic year 2022-23 (study start in September or February)
When are you eligible for the ‘zachte knip’?
Would you like to go from:
- an HBO propedeuse (first-year diploma at a university of applied sciences) to a UM bachelor’s programme?
Read here about the conditions for qualifying for the ‘zachte knip’.
How and when do you file an application for the ‘zachte knip’?
Beginning of July, we will let you know here how and when to apply for the ‘zachte knip’ regulation.
Language requirements for English-language programmes
As English is the language of instruction in this study programme, it is essential that your English language skills are good enough for you to undertake intensive and challenging academic courses that are taught and examined in English.
Answer the questions below to find out if you meet the language requirements.
Prospective students who received their prior education in a non-EU/EEA country (handling fee)
Prospective students applying for this study programme who received their prior education in a non-EU/EEA country will have to pay a handling fee. More information on this handling fee and how to arrange this payment can be found on the Handling fee page.
Documents required for application process
During the application process for this study programme you will need to complete a number of tasks for which you will often have to upload documents. The list below gives you an insight into what documents you will (and might) need to prepare.
Required documents for all applicants to this study programme
- A recent passport picture*
The passport picture must satisfy certain requirements.
- A copy of your valid passport or your EU/EEA identity card*
Make a copy of the page with your personal details. Save this copy as ‘passport copy’ and not as ‘passport picture’.
- A copy of your most recent list of grades
- A certified copy of your diploma if you have obtained it
Documents that might be required depending on your (academic) background
- Evidence of additional courses or tests in the required subjects (if applicable)
-
Outcome of your language test with sufficient result (if applicable).
-
A request for credit transfer (if applicable)
Please note:
Only complete registrations will be taken into consideration.
All documents must be in Dutch, English or German.
How do we assess your application?
Matching Procedure
Maastricht University finds it most important that you choose a study programme and learning environment that suits you well and in which you can be successful. This is why a Matching Procedure is an optional part of the application process, however, you are not required to complete the Matching Procedure to be admitted if you have met all other requirements.
We strongly advise you to participate in the Matching Procedure. You will receive an invitation to complete the questionnaire on your private email address, which you have indicated in Studielink. Please complete this task before 1 May. Read the course descriptions and programme information on our website before you begin. You will receive feedback via email. Based on the outcome, you may receive an invitation to discuss your application with a member of the academic staff and the study advisor.
Privacy statement Matching Procedure
Read more about the privacy statement for the Matching Procedure
Binding Study Advice
This programme has a Binding Study Advice. This means that in your first year of the programme, you must obtain a minimum of 45 out of 60 ECTS credits. Students who fail to meet these criteria will receive a negative Binding Study Advice that leads to exclusion from the programme for a period of six years. All students who are at risk of receiving a negative Binding Study Advice will receive a warning after the first semester.