Pre-master's in Economics

Students with a related university of applied sciences degree (EU/EEA)

Do you have a related EU/EEA university of applied sciences bachelor’s or master’s degree? If so, you are eligible to apply. 
 

Required documents if your GPA is 7.0 or higher

Does your country use a different grading scale? Please see the list of equivalent GPA calculations.

• Grades transcript of your bachelor’s programme
  Upload an official grades transcript of all completed bachelor’s courses so far, including your overall GPA, plus a translation if the original is not in English. This document needs to be signed and stamped by your university.
• GPA-statement: please use the standard format 
• Motivation letter
• Certified copy of your diploma (if already obtained)
• A recent passport picture
• A copy of your valid passport or your EU/EEA identity card
   

Required documents if your GPA is lower than 7.0

• Proof of academic capabilities
  Demonstrate your academic capabilities by choosing one of the options below:

   

  • Option 1: GMAT Exam with a test score of 515 or higher
  • Option 2: GMAT Exam (old version) with a total score of 550 or higher
  • Option 3: GRE test with a score that is equivalent to the minimum GMAT scores.
    More information about the GMAT/GRE test
• Grades transcript of your bachelor’s programme
  Upload an official grades transcript of all completed bachelor’s courses so far, including your overall GPA, plus a translation if the original is not in English. This document needs to be signed and stamped by your university.
• Motivation letter
• Certified copy of your diploma (if already obtained)
• A recent passport picture
• A copy of your valid passport or your EU/EEA identity card

Students with a university degree (EU/EEA or non-EU/EEA)

Do you have an EU/EEA or non-EU/EEA university bachelor’s or master’s degree in either a related or unrelated field to the pre-master’s programme? If so, you are eligible to apply. The Board of Admissions will check your eligibility.
 

Required documents if your GPA is 7.0 or higher

Does your country use a different grading scale? Please see the list of equivalent GPA calculations.

• Grades transcript of your bachelor’s programme
  Upload an official grades transcript of all completed bachelor’s courses so far, including your overall GPA, plus a translation if the original is not in English. This document needs to be signed and stamped by your university.
• GPA-statement: please use the standard format 
• Motivation letter
• Certified copy of your diploma (if already obtained)
• Proof of English proficiency (if applicable)
• A recent passport picture
• A copy of your valid passport or your EU/EEA identity card
   

Required documents if your GPA is lower than 7.0

• Proof of academic capabilities
  Demonstrate your academic capabilities by choosing one of the options below:

   

  • Option 1: GMAT Exam with a test score of 515 or higher
  • Option 2: GMAT Exam (old version) with a total score of 550 or higher
  • Option 3: GRE test with a score that is equivalent to the minimum GMAT scores.
    More information about the GMAT/GRE test
• Grades transcript of your bachelor’s programme
  Upload an official grades transcript of all completed bachelor’s courses so far, including your overall GPA, plus a translation if the original is not in English. This document needs to be signed and stamped by your university.
• Motivation letter
• Certified copy of your diploma (if already obtained)
• Proof of English proficiency (if applicable)
• A recent passport picture
• A copy of your valid passport or your EU/EEA identity card

Important deadlines

It is important that you inform yourself of the deadlines that you need to meet for a successful application.

Note: if you are viewing this webpage on your phone, we recommend that you use landscape mode.
 

Start programme: February 2026

Phase 1: Apply via Studielink

To start the application process for this pre-master's programme, you first need to apply via Studielink. Studielink is the Dutch central organisation that keeps track of applications and enrolments at institutions of higher education in the Netherlands. In Studielink, you can apply by indicating which study programme at Maastricht University (UM) you would like to apply for, whether you’d like to start the programme in September or February, what previous education you followed, and you might need to provide a number of other details.

Studielink offers two methods of signing in: with or without using DigiD:

• If you live in a Dutch municipality, you can only register using your DigiD. If you live in a Dutch municipality, but do not yet have a DigiD yet, you will need to request one (Apply for a DigiD).
• If you do not (yet) live in the Netherlands, you can register by creating a Studielink account (without DigiD). As your personal details will not have been verified through DigiD, UM will check your personal details.

Apply via Studielink  

Please note:

• You have to select your ‘starting moment’ in Studielink. Please make sure to select the right month and year in the dropdown-menu, so that you are applying for a start of the study programme in next academic year. 
• You will receive an email from UM within 24 hours of having applied in Studielink. This email contains your username/UM student number and a link to create your personal password. You can use these login details to access the MyApplication portal, the online environment in which the rest of your application process will take place. The portal will provide you with a clear overview of all the tasks you need to complete, such as uploading documents and paying your study fees.

Phase 2: Admission

MyApplication portal

To allow UM to assess whether you qualify for admission to the study programme of your choice, you need to complete a number of tasks in the MyApplication portal, the online environment in which the rest of your application process will take place. All the tasks you need to complete, such as uploading certain documents, will be presented here in a clear overview. You can log into the portal using your username/UM student number and the password you have created (your login name and an explanation on how to create your own password are provided in the email you received from us after your application in Studielink).

Make sure you fulfil the tasks indicated in the MyApplication portal on time. This means that you should upload documents as soon as you have finalised them and/or have them in your possession. The sooner you complete a task, the sooner we can give you feedback if you need to add or correct anything. Please pay attention to the deadlines indicated, as they can differ per study programme.

Once you have completed all of your admission tasks, your application dossier is ready to be presented to the Board of Admissions. Depending on your programme, this will be done immediately when it is complete (rolling basis), or after an indicated deadline.
 

Required documents

During the application process for this pre-master's programme, you will need to complete a number of tasks for which you will often have to upload documents in the ‘MyApplication portal’.

Status updates about your application

From now on, you will receive important information and calls to action regarding your application in the message inbox in the MyApplication portal. We recommend that you regularly log in to the portal to make sure you stay updated. However, we will also notify you of important changes via the email address you provided to Studielink. 

Phase 3: Enrolment

Once you have been offered a place in the pre-master's programme, you need to arrange your enrolment. The tasks you need to complete to be enrolled are listed in the MyApplication portal under ‘Enrolment tasks’. You can find a brief overview below.
 

Pay your study fee

Every applicant will need to pay their study fee. More information on how to go about arranging your study fee payment is provided in the task description in the MyApplication portal.

Once you’ve received an invite to pay your study fee, it is important that you indicate how you wish to arrange your payment (in Studielink). Do so on time (in any case before the start of your studies). Please also make sure that you pay (the first instalment of) your study fee in a timely manner. Otherwise, you won’t be able to start your studies.

Allow UM to verify your diploma

Dutch diplomas
Did you acquire the diploma on the basis of which you have been offered a place in your study programme in the Netherlands? Then DUO will pass on their verification of your diploma to UM. No further action on your part is required.

Non-Dutch diplomas
Did you acquire the diploma on the basis of which you have been offered a place in your study programme outside of the Netherlands? Then you will need to send a certified copy of that diploma.

Have you completed your previous education outside of the Netherlands and will you not receive your diploma before the start of your study programme? Then you can send a certified graduation statement.

More information on the requirements for a certified copy of a diploma and for a certified graduation statement, as well as the address these documents should be posted to, is provided in the task description in the MyApplication portal.
 

Make sure all application and enrolment tasks are fulfilled

UM can only enrol you if you have completed all the tasks in the MyApplication portal. Please make sure this is the case, so that your application and enrolment can be completed and you’ll be ready to start preparing for your studies as soon as possible.
 

Confirmation of Enrolment

When you have been enrolled for your study programme at UM, you will receive confirmation of this from UM (in the message inbox in the MyApplication portal) and from Studielink (by email).

UM email account
Before you start your studies, you will receive the login details for your UM email account. Your UM email address will be used for all correspondence about your introduction programme and the start of your studies. Your private email address will only be used to inform you about the application and enrolment process.