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 research master Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience - specialisation Fundamental Neuroscience for the academic year 2026-2027. Questions about admission requirements? Contact us via fpn-researchmaster@maastrichtuniversity.nl
- The information on this page is for students who would like to start in the academic year 2026-2027.
- See the admission requirements for the academic year 2025-2026.
Application deadlines
The research master's in Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience starts in September. The deadlines below apply to applicants who want to start their studies in September 2026.
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| Date | What you need to know about this date |
|---|---|
| As soon as possible after 1 October 2025 | Apply via Studielink* (open for applications for the academic year 2026-2027 from 1 October) |
| 1 February 2026, 23:59 CET | Application deadline for applicants with a non-EU/EEA nationality who want to be considered for the UM NL-High Potential Scholarship or the UM Brightlands Talent Scholarship |
| 1 March 2026, 23:59 CET | Deadline for completing the entire application process for all applicants (both applicants who have an EU/EEA or Swiss nationality, and applicants who have a non-EU/EEA nationality) Note: In most cases, applicants with a non-EU/EEA nationality will need to apply for a visa or residence permit. |
| 1 August 2026 | Strongly recommended deadline for paying the tuition fee. |
| 31 August 2026, 23:59 CET | Deadline for completing all tasks in the MyApplication portal** If you need a visa or residence permit, you must complete most tasks by an earlier date. |
*Studielink is the national registration system for higher education,
**The MyApplication portal is Maastricht University’s application and enrolment platform.
Are you a non-EU/EEA nationality requiring a visa/residence permit for study?
Please note that Maastricht University can only formally apply for your visa/residence permit if you have met all admission and enrolment requirements.
This means you have to have completed all admission and enrolment tasks in the MyApplication portal (except the ‘visa/residence permit’-task and the ‘send certified copy of diploma’-task) before we can send your application to the IND (Dutch Immigration and Naturalization Service).
We have to send the application to the IND before 1 July if you are starting your studies in September. Please note: a few pre-master and master programmes offer a start in February. If you’re study programme offers a start in February and you want to start your studies in February, we have to send the application to the IND before 1 December. You can find out if your study programme offers a start in February on the admission requirements web page of that programme (pre-master’s, master’s).
Therefore, we strongly recommend that you reconsider applying for this study programme if you are not sure that you will meet the following requirements before 1 July/1 December (if applicable in your situation):
- Having remedied all subject and/or language deficiencies (if applicable) ·
- Having qualified for admission to your study programme, including being selected (if applicable to your study programme) AND
- Having paid the tuition fee for your study programme
General requirements: previous education
The admission requirements for academic year 2026-2027 for the research master Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience depend on your previous education. Please check below which requirements apply to you.
| Bachelor's degree | Remarks | |
|---|---|---|
| Dutch and non-Dutch university (WO) bachelor | Will be assessed by the Board of Admissions | Check below for additional requirements |
| University of applied sciences (HBO) bachelor’s | You do not qualify for admission | - |
| University of applied sciences (HBO) bachelor’s + pre-master Psychology | You do not qualify for admission | - |
| University of applied sciences (HBO) bachelor’s + master’s degree (WO) | Will be assessed by the Board of Admissions | Check below for additional requirements |
The Board of Admissions of this programme assesses applications holistically on a broad range of criteria. Because we aim to create an interdisciplinary mix of students, we cannot state which university bachelor’s degree is suitable for the research master and which one is not. Students with university bachelor’s degrees as diverse as political sciences, philosophy, liberal arts, psychology, psychobiology, physiotherapy, neuroscience, biology, biotechnology, health sciences, biomedical engineering and economics have successfully applied in the past.
Clearly, some bachelor’s degrees are intrinsically more suitable for specific specialisations. For example: a molecular biology bachelor’s degree fits better with the 'Fundamental Neuroscience' or 'Drug Development and Neurohealth' specialisations than with the 'Clinical Psychology' or 'Neuropsychology' specialisations.
The reverse is true for a bachelor’s degree with a focus on clinical psychology. At the same time, there are no strict exclusives. To give an example: an applicant with a bachelor’s degree in political sciences or history may have taken a one-year break to work in a neuroscience lab, where he/she might have shown great talent for experimental work, statistics and programming, as evidenced by an excellent motivation letter, and perhaps even a co-authorship on a conference abstract or paper. An application of this applicant to for example the 'Cognitive Neuroscience' specialisation may well be competitive. Such applications are exceptional, but some have been successful in the past. Therefore, you should highlight in your application all aspects and strengths of your background that make you a fitting candidate for your chosen specialisation.
Equivalent bachelor's or master's degree
Applicants need to have a bachelor’s or master’s degree that is equivalent to a Dutch university bachelor’s or master’s degree. In order to determine if a bachelor’s or master’s degree is equivalent to a Dutch university bachelor’s or master’s degree, the Board of Admissions follows NUFFIC diploma recognition. NUFFIC issues recommendations on the value of higher or secondary education diplomas obtained outside the Netherlands. Where possible, the foreign diploma is compared to a Dutch diploma. As well as evaluating the diploma, NUFFIC is also able to determine whether a study programme or an educational institution is officially recognised. Bachelor’s or master’s degrees that NUFFIC judges as non-equivalent to a Dutch university bachelor’s or master’s degree will not be admitted. If you are uncertain whether your degree is equivalent to a Dutch university bachelor’s or master’s degree you are strongly advised to submit a request via the NUFFIC website to have this checked prior to submitting your application.
Important note: The Board of Admissions cannot give any advice about your admission chances on the basis of email information. If you want to know if you qualify for admission, you must apply in Studielink/MyApplication portal.
Additional requirements
Language requirements for English-language master's programmes
As English is the language of instruction in this study programme, it is essential that your English language skills are sufficient 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.
Applicants who received their previous education in a non-EU/EEA country (handling fee)
Applicants for this study programme who received their previous 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 have to upload several documents in the MyApplication portal. The list below gives you an insight into what documents you need to prepare.
Required documents for all applicants to this study programme
- A recent passport picture*
The passport 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/OR a copy of your bachelor’s and/or master's diploma
If you have not graduated yet, you can upload the official grades transcript of your bachelor's and/or master's programme.
- A curriculum vitae
List your education, relevant extracurricular activities and internship/professional experience.
- A motivation letter (max. 500 words)
You are requested to upload the motivation letter in the MyApplication portal under the task 'Upload motivation letter'. In this letter, you specify why you want to follow this master’s programme and the specialisation of your choice. You must explain how you fulfil the admission requirements for this master's programme and how your background fits with the specialisation of your choice.
- An Academic Background Form
You are requested to complete the 'Academic Background Form'. You will find this form in the MyApplication portal under the task ‘Proof your academic capabilities’.
*As a UM student it is not necessary to upload this document in the MyApplication portal. Unless your passport is not valid on 1 September 2026; in that case you do have to upload a copy of your passport.
Documents that might be required depending on your (academic) background
- Document(s) that demonstrate your proficiency in English
Answer the questions concerning language requirements under ‘Language requirements for English-language master’s 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 diploma 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.
Uploading your documents
- The documents must be uploaded in the MyApplication portal until the application deadline.
- The documents must be in PDF or Word format. We do not accept ZIP files.
- All documents must be in English.
- Important: Only complete applications will be taken into consideration. Applications that are incomplete at the time of the deadline, will not be considered.
We recommend that you start your application on time, as you will not be able to revise your application after the deadline.
How do we assess your application?
When you want to apply or are applying for this study programme, it is useful for you to know how we assess your application. You can find more information about this in this section.
The research master Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience is a selective programme with a maximum enrolment of 24 new students per specialisation each year.
Selection procedure
The selection procedure involves an assessment of your application that may result in an invitation for an interview. Upon completion of the selection procedure, a message will be sent to you about your application status (details below).
Assessment of your application
After receipt of all required documents by the time of the application deadline, the Board of Admissions will carefully assess your application. Using all your submitted documents, the Board will assess your application on a number of criteria, which include:
- knowledge, skills and experience in the area of your chosen specialisation that you acquired in the past;
- your motivation for choosing a specialisation and ability to acquire new knowledge and skills in the area of that specialisation;
- general motivation and ability for conducting research;
- attitude and communication skills necessary for functioning in a Problem-Based Learning teaching environment, and for the development of a research career in academic, industrial, clinical, governmental and other settings;
- openness to learning within an international academic environment;
- excellent command of written and spoken English.
Interview
Based on the assessment of your application you might be invited for an (online) interview as part of the further selection procedure. The interview consists of a further assessment of the above-listed criteria. Interviews will take place in March/April.
Message about your application status
Based on the documents you have submitted and the selection procedure for your chosen programme, the Board of Admissions decides on whether to offer you a place in this study programme. Once the board has taken this decision, you will be informed about it by email. We strive to let you know if you are offered a place or not within eight weeks after the application deadline.
If there are more candidates than places, candidates who qualify for admission may be placed on a waiting list and the final decision regarding their acceptance will be delayed.