Biomedical Sciences

If you have one of the diplomas stated below, you qualify for admission:

• VWO diploma with profile ‘Natuur en Gezondheid’ including Physics
• VWO diploma with profile ‘Natuur en Techniek’ including Biology
• VWO diploma other than mentioned above*
• HBO or OU propaedeutic diploma*

* For this study programme, Mathematics A or B, Physics, Chemistry and Biology on VWO level are required. For a propaedeutic or other diploma, the UM Admissions Office will conduct a separate evaluation to determine if you meet the additional subject requirements for your chosen study programme.

As soon as your application has been assessed, you will be informed more specifically about any subject deficiency via the MyApplication portal.

More information about how to eliminate deficiencies.

If you have a non-Dutch diploma equivalent to the Dutch VWO diploma, you qualify - in principle - for admission to this programme. Check in the list below whether this applies to your diploma

List of non-Dutch diplomas equivalent to the Dutch VWO diploma

Please note: if your diploma is not included in this list, it must be evaluated first. UM will assess whether you qualify for admission on individual basis

Additional subject requirements for applicants with a non-Dutch diploma

In addition, your previous education must not only be equivalent to the Dutch VWO level, but must also include specific subjects all with a duration and depth equivalent to the Dutch VWO subjects, in particular, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Biology.
 

See the additional subject requirements for several foreign diplomas

If your diploma is not listed, the UM Admissions Office will conduct a separate evaluation to determine if you meet the additional subject requirements for Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics, and Biology for your chosen study programme and therefore qualify for an exemption (‘sufficiëntieverklaring’) for these subjects on an individual basis. This assessment is based on the attainment aims for final examination in Dutch secondary education (VWO) in the relevant subject and the national agreements made within the Central Commissions Pre-examination (in Dutch: CCVX) and Boswell-Bèta. The assessment takes extra time, so be sure to register as early as possible.

As soon as your application has been assessed, you will be informed more specifically about any subject deficiency via the MyApplication portal.

More information about how to eliminate deficiencies

Please note: taking an exam in a particular subject certainly does not automatically mean that you meet the further previous education requirements. There are strict requirements regarding the number of hours, the content and depth of the material covered and the exams taken.

If you do not have the necessary diplomas, you may still be eligible for admission with an entrance exam (the Colloquium Doctum exam). For this, you must be 21 years of age or older.

The Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences (FHML) of the UM does not organise a Colloquium Doctum exam. You must demonstrate with certificates that you have mastered the required subjects at Dutch VWO-level. These are: English, Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics. 

To find out whether you meet the English language requirements, check out 'Additional requirements' further down this page.

You must arrange obtaining the certificates yourself.

• You can take courses in Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics at Boswell-Bèta
• For the Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics exams, you can go to Boswell-Bèta and/or Central Committees for Entrance Exams (CCVX)
• For the English subject, you can go to the UM Language Centre or Babel (check for the IELTS or Toefl exam training). The accepted exams and required scores can be found at the section ‘Language requirements for English-language programmes’.

To apply for admission with the Colloquium Doctum, start your application in Studielink before the deadline. Complete the tasks in the MyApplication portal and upload the diploma and/or grades transcripts from your previous education - along with a written confirmation that you wish to be admitted based on the Colloquium Doctum - under the task ’Upload diploma / grades transcript’.

Once you pass the exams, you must send a certified copy of the certificates to UM by postal mail or to a designated email address. You will find more information in the MyApplication portal under ‘Send certified copy of diploma’.

Respect the deadline (see table Application deadlines)

• A recent portrait picture
  This picture must satisfy certain requirements. You can find these requirements in the task description 'Upload portrait picture' in the MyApplication portal
   
• 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 grades transcript and a copy of your diploma if you already have obtained it

• Check if you need to pay a handling fee (administration costs) and arrange the payment
  In principle, this only applies if you received your previous education in a non-European country, but please check for exemptions to this rule!
  If applicable: upload the exemption form ‘handling fee’ if you think that you are eligible for exemption based on the above information.
   
• Check if your knowledge of Mathematics is sufficient and provide proof
   
• Check if your knowledge of Biology is sufficient and provide proof
   
• Check if your knowledge of Physics is sufficient and provide proof
   
• Check if your knowledge of Chemistry is sufficient and provide proof
   
• Check if your language proficiency in English is sufficient
  Answer the questions concerning language requirements under ‘Language requirements for English-language programmes’ on this webpage to find out if you need to provide additional documentation. The outcome of your answers will indicate which document(s) you can use to prove your proficiency.
   
• Permission for document verification form
  If your previous education is not verified by DUO (Dienst Uitvoering Onderwijs, the Dutch government agency responsible for education-related matters), you will need to upload the form ‘Permission for document verification’ in the MyApplication portal. This form allows Maastricht University to verify your diploma, grades transcript or other required documents directly with the issuing institution or relevant qualification registry.