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 master's programme in Sustainability Science, Policy and Society for the academic year 2025-2026.
Application deadlines
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| Dates for a start in September 2025 | What you need to know about these dates |
|---|---|
| 1 October 2024 | Studielink is open for applications for the academic year 2025-2026 |
| 1 May 2025* | Deadline for completing the entire application process for non-EU/EEA applicants (these applicants require a visa or residence permit) |
| 1 June 2025* | Deadline for completing the entire application process for applicants from the EU/EEA or Switzerland |
* All deadlines are 23:59 Central European Time
Questions?
If you have any questions regarding the equivalence of your bachelor's degree, please contact us at:
admissions-ssps@maastrichtuniversity.nl
Are you a non-EU citizen 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
Required documents based on your educational background
International diploma
To be eligible for admission to this master's programme, you need to have a bachelor's or master's degree that is equivalent to a Dutch university bachelor's degree and a written thesis of at least 8 ECTS. The Board of Admissions will determine the equivalence of your degree*. Applicants with a degree that is not equivalent to a Dutch university degree or who do not have a written 8 ECTS thesis will receive instructions from the Board of Admissions on how to compensate for this deficiency.
* To assess if your bachelor’s or master’s degree is equivalent to a Dutch university bachelor’s or master’s degree, the Nuffic comparison tool for education systems on www.nuffic.nl will be used. If there is no clear comparison possible, Nuffic will assess your degree separately. The verdict of Nuffic is final.
- Grades transcript of your bachelor’s programme
Upload an official grades transcript from each university you have attended, plus a translation if the original is not in English. - Copy of your diploma (if obtained)
Only if you already have completed your bachelor's degree - Curriculum vitae
List your education, relevant extracurricular activities, internships and (professional) experience. - Motivation letter
Write a convincing letter of motivation in which you discuss the following.- Why specifically this master's programme? Please elaborate how it builds upon your previously gained knowledge and/or experience concerning sustainable development. (max. 300 words)
- What do you expect to gain from completing this master's programme (max. 300 words)
- Proof of English proficiency
Check if you meet the language requirement - A recent passport picture
- A copy of your valid passport or your EU/EEA identity card
In addition:
- If you have received their prior education in a non-EU/EEA country, you will need to pay the €100 handling fee
Dutch HBO diploma + Academic Minor or SBM programme
If you have successfully finished the Academic Minor or ICT preparatory programme at Zuyd University of Applied Sciences, or SBM-programme at Breda University of Applied Sciences, you meet the admission requirements for this master's programme. The following documents are required for your application:
- Grades transcript of your bachelor’s programme
Upload an offical grades transcript from each university you have attended, plus a translation if the original is not in English. - Copy of your diploma (if obtained)
- A positive recommendation from Zuyd University of Applied Sciences
- A statement from your school indicating that you have completed the Academic Minor or SBM-programme successfully
- A recent passport picture
- A copy of your valid passport or your EU/EEA identity card
Dutch HBO diploma
If you have a Dutch HBO degree with a written thesis of at least 8 ECTS you are eligible for admission to this master’s programme.
The following documents are required for your application
- Grades transcript of your bachelor’s programme
Upload an official grades transcript from each university you have attended, plus a translation if the original is not in English. - Copy of your diploma (if obtained)
Only if you already have completed your bachelor's degree - Curriculum vitae
List your education, relevant extracurricular activities, internships and (professional) experience. - Motivation letter
Write a convincing letter of motivation in which you discuss the following:- Why specifically this master's programme? Please elaborate how it builds upon your previously gained knowledge and/or experience concerning sustainable development. (max. 300 words)
- What do you expect to gain from completing this master's programme (max. 300 words)
- Proof of academic capabilities (choose one of the options listed below):
- Option 1
Upload your GMAT Exam test scores with a minimum score of 515. - Option 2
Upload your GMAT Exam (old version) results with a minimum score of 550, including a minimal Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA) score of 4.0. - Option 3
Upload your GRE test score that is equivalent to the minimum GMAT scores (old exam). - Option 4
Upload the official certificate(s) proving that you’ve completed the required courses of the bridging programme. These courses are offered by Coursera.
Please register for and complete the following courses of the Understanding Arguments programme:
Course 1: Think Again I: How to Understand Arguments,
Course 2: Think Again II: How to Reason Deductively,
Course 3: Think Again III: How to Reason Inductively and
Course 4: Think Again IV: How to Avoid Fallacies
- Option 1
- Proof of English proficiency
Check if you meet the language requirement - A recent passport picture
- A copy of your valid passport or your EU/EEA identity card
For more information on the content, arrangement, duration, and costs of the courses we refer you to the Coursera website.
If you have a Dutch HBO degree without a written thesis of at least 8 ECTS you are eligible for admission.
The following documents are required for your application:
- Grades transcript of your bachelor’s programme
Upload an official grades transcript, signed and stamped by your university, plus a translation if the original is not in English. - Copy of your diploma (if obtained)
Only if you already have completed your bachelor degree - Curriculum vitae
List your education, relevant extracurricular activities, internships and (professional) experience. - Motivation letter
Write a convincing letter of motivation in which you discuss the following.- Why specifically this master's programme? Please elaborate how it builds upon your previously gained knowledge and/or experience concerning sustainable development. (max. 300 words)
- What do you expect to gain from completing this master's programme (max. 300 words)
- Proof of academic capabilities (choose one of the options listed below):
- Option 1
Upload your GMAT Exam test scores with a minimum score of 515. - Option 2
Upload your GMAT Exam (old version) test results with a minimum score of 550, including a minimal Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA) score of 4.0 - Option 3
Upload your GRE test score that is equivalent to the minimum GMAT scores (old exam) - Option 4
Upload the official certificate(s) proving that you’ve completed the required courses of the bridging programme. These courses are offered by Coursera.
Please register for and complete the following courses of the Understanding Arguments programme:
Course 1: Think Again I: How to Understand Arguments,
Course 2: Think Again II: How to Reason Deductively,
Course 3: Think Again III: How to Reason Inductively and
Course 4: Think Again IV: How to Avoid Fallacies
AND
The following courses of the Academic English programme:
Course 3: Advanced Writing and
Course 4: Introduction to Research for Essay Writing
For more information on the content, arrangement, duration, and costs of the courses we refer you to the Coursera website. - Option 5
Upload a research paper equivalent to a bachelor's thesis AND upload the official certificate(s) proving that you’ve completed the Coursera courses of the ‘Understanding Arguments programme’:
Course 1: Think Again I: How to Understand Arguments,
Course 2: Think Again II: How to Reason Deductively,
Course 3: Think Again III: How to Reason Inductively and
Course 4: Think Again IV: How to Avoid Fallacies.
You can register for these courses by clicking on the links. For more information on the content, arrangement, duration, and costs of the courses we refer you to the Coursera website.
- Option 1
- Proof of English proficiency
Check if you meet the language requirement - A recent passport picture
A copy of your valid passport or your EU/EEA identity card
With which degree are you applying?
Good to know
Over the years, we have learned that there are a few factors that are important in determining whether a student is able to successfully complete the master's programme:
- English language skills
- Basic proficiency in research skills (from your previous education)
- High motivation and full-time dedication to the programme
How do we assess your application?
When you want to apply or are applying to this study programme, it is useful to know how we assess your application. You can find more information about this here.
The admissions decision is based on the documents provided by you. Selection will take place on the basis of your quality and suitability. In this respect your motivation, prior qualifications as well as your professional experience are important. The English language requirements and the requirement that you need to have obtained a bachelor's degree at the start of the programme in September (regardless of relevance) are strictly applied.
No one will be admitted to this programme directly. In some cases, the Board of Admission may request additional documents or an interview. The decision will always be made on a case-by-case basis to determine whether there are sufficient grounds for admission.
You will receive the decision on your admissibility within 4 weeks after your application has been submitted to the Board of Admissions.
Note: only complete applications will be assessed. We therefore recommend that you adhere to the deadlines provided in the table under ‘Important deadlines for application to this study programme’ on this page.