From 1 October, you can apply for this programme. You need to start in Studielink, which is the Dutch national registration system for higher education. Subsequently, you need to continue your application in the Application Portal of Erasmus University Rotterdam. After you have submitted your application, the programme’s admissions committee will assess your application. You will be informed about the outcome by email. Once you are admitted, you can finalise your registration.

Below we explain the different steps you need to take to apply for and enroll in the programme. If you still have questions after checking this page, then please contact the ESHCC Admissions Office.

Important: only applications submitted in the Application Portal will be taken into consideration. If after applying in Studielink you do not receive an email from us with your login details for the Application Portal, then please contact the IT Service Desk.

Application deadlines

The application deadline to submit your application in the Application Portal:

Non-EEA students: 15 April
EEA students: 15 May

Please note: the curricula of the pre-master tracks differ. Each pre-master track is designed to fit one specific master specialisation (i.e. the corresponding master specialisation). Therefore, it is not possible to enroll in a master specialisation different from the pre-master track that you followed. For example, if you follow the pre-master track Media & Creative Industries, then you will only be admitted to the master specialisation Media & Creative Industries, and not to any of the other master specialisations.

Application

Copy of your bachelor's degree certificate – if already available
If you have not yet obtained your bachelor diploma, then you may already apply. However, in that case, any offer made to you will be conditional until you have obtained your degree. You will have until 1 August to submit your diploma (or graduation statement).
Translation of your bachelor’s degree certificate in English
If the original is not in Dutch, English, French, Italian, Spanish, or German. Only official translations will be accepted.
Recent official transcript of records
The transcript of records must show all your grades during the entire programme.
Translation of your transcript of records in English 
If the original is not in Dutch, English, French, Italian, Spanish, or German. Only official translations will be accepted. 
GPA (Grade Point Average) – if available
Your GPA is based on the weighted average of all grades from your programme.
Language test results
Preferably an IELTS Academic or a TOEFL iBT (you need to take the test in a test centre, online IELTS and TOEFL tests are not allowed). If not yet obtained, we will consider your application anyhow. However, any offer made to you will be conditional. Please plan your test as soon as possible.
Curriculum vitae in English
Essay or paper written in English
You are free to choose the subject of the essay. You may send a paper you have written during your bachelor programme. The purpose is to give the programme’s admissions committee an impression of your academic writing and analytical skills. The required length is 5 to 10 pages. Do not forget to include a reference list. 
Motivation letter in English
No more than two pages!
Copy of passport or ID card

Application	Deadline
Non-EEA students	15 April
EEA students	15 May

In view of the time needed to arrange visa, applicants from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) need to apply ultimately by 15 April. 

You will receive the outcome of the admission procedure ultimately by 1 July. We do have a rolling admissions procedure, which means that we review applications as they are sent in. That also means that when you apply early you can already receive the outcome early.

Applications will be evaluated from January at the earliest. 

Step 1: Apply in Studielink (the Dutch national registration system for higher education). As the pre-master programme is part of the International Bachelor Communication and Media (IBCoM), you need to choose ‘bachelor programme’ first. After that, you can find the Media Studies pre-master programme.

Step 2: Complete your application in the Application Portal 
After you have applied in Studielink, you will receive an email with your login details for the Application Portal. You can start working in the Application Portal, save your entries and use your login details to return to the Application Portal later. In the Application Portal you are invited to complete your application by uploading the required documents and answering some additional questions. Once you have done this, you need to submit your application by the application deadline.

We will only start processing your application after you have submitted it in the Application Portal (by clicking the 'Submit application' button on the last page of the questionnaire). 

Please be aware that automatically generated emails may end up in your spam or junk folder. Therefore, check these folders!

If after applying in Studielink you do not receive an email from us with your login details for the Application Portal, then please contact our IT Service Desk. 

The programme’s admissions committee will assess your application. You will be informed by email whether or not you are admitted to the programme. You can check your application status at any time by logging in to the Application Portal.

After assessment of application 

The admissions committee will inform you about their decision. The outcome can be one of the following:

Approved 
You are unconditionally admitted to the programme. Please indicate within three weeks in the Application Portal whether or not you accept the offer.

Conditionally approved
You are conditionally admitted to the programme; your offer mentions the conditions of your admission. Please indicate within three weeks in the Application Portal whether or not you accept the offer. 

Furthermore, you are requested to submit by email any missing documents by the deadline. This could be: 

Certified copy of diploma and/or transcript: ultimately by 1 August 
English language test results:
- Non-EEA students: ultimately by 1 May (due to the time needed to arrange visa) 
- EEA students: ultimately by 1 August

Once we have approved the documents, your status will change to ‘Approved’.

Declined
You will receive an email informing you about the reason(s) for rejection. 

If you still have questions after checking this page, then you may find the answer in our FAQ section. You can also send an email to the ESHCC Admissions Office.  

Your registration as a student at Erasmus University Rotterdam is only complete if next to the admission documents you have arranged payment of your tuition fee. If you are a non-EEA student, then you also need to meet all immigration requirements. Our immigration officers will assist international students with arranging immigration formalities. Once you are admitted to the programme, our immigration officers will reach out to you. 

As of approximately mid-June, you will be able to arrange payment of tuition fees. You start with entering your payment details in Studielink (see your 'to do list' in Studielink). On our website you will find detailed information regarding payment of your tuition fees. If you still have questions, then please contact the Erasmus Student Service Centre. 

The ultimate date for finalising your registration is 31 August, but please do not wait until the last minute! This deadline does not apply to students that need a visa and/or a residence permit to study in The Netherlands; this deadline will be communicated to you by the immigration office.

Once you have completed all the steps of admissions and enrolment you can download a proof of enrolment from Osiris Student.  

Log into Osiris with your ERNA id and password. 
Click on the menu (three stripes on top left-hand side) to select ‘My details’.
Click on ‘Enrolment degree programme’.
You will find the programme you applied for with a button below stating ‘Declaration of enrolment’.
Click this button to download your proof of enrolment.

It is advisable to arrive in Rotterdam well in time for the first lectures.  

ESN Introduction Days and the Eurekaweek are planned for mid-August and are a nice way to get settled before classes start.  

Looking for information on practical matters such as housing and insurance? Information on these subjects can be found on our practical matters website.

Frequently Asked Questions

Unfortunately, you cannot apply directly for a Master’s degree programme. You will have to apply for a pre-master’s programme first (if available). After finishing the one-year pre-master’s programme, you will be automatically admitted to the related Master’s degree specialisation.

If you hold an academic (not an applied/HBO) bachelor degree in social sciences or humanities, you can apply for the master Media Studies. Depending on your exact curriculum the Admissions Committee will decide if you could be admitted directly to the master or would need to follow the premaster trajectory first.

If you meet all programme requirements except sufficient background in social scientific research methods you may be admitted to the programme on condition that you follow a preparatory intensive methods course offered by our department shortly before the start of the academic year (this course is €50).

Your eligibility can only be determined after you have submitted an application together with the required documents. Prior assessments would be merely hypothetical. For this reason, we encourage you to apply officially for admission. Your application will then be assessed by the programme’s admissions committee.
Of course, you can also check the detailed admission criteria on the programme’s website.

No, it is not possible to transfer grades or credits obtained at another university

Yes, you can apply and we will consider your application. However, any offer made to you will be conditional until you meet all of the entry requirements. If admitted, you will get permission to submit your diploma (or graduation statement) after the application deadline, but ultimately 10 August.

Yes, you can apply and we will consider your application. However, any offer made to you will be conditional until you meet all of the entry requirements. Please plan your test as soon as possible. Bear in mind that it will take several weeks before you receive an official copy of your test results. If you are admitted, please send us your language test results no later than the deadline mentioned in your admissions offer. Without official proof of your English language proficiency at the required level, we cannot register you as a student for the programme!

If you have not yet taken any English test, we recommend that you take TOEFL -iBT or IELTS academic.

Check the programme’s entry requirements to see which scores you need to obtain in the language test. A Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English (CAE - grade B or A) or a Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE) will also be accepted.

Please note:

Test results of the First Certificate in English (FCE) and the TOEIC-test are not accepted!
Please plan your test as soon as possible. Bear in mind that it will take several weeks before you receive an official copy of your test results.
If you are admitted, please send us your language test results no later than the deadline mentioned in your admissions offer. Without official proof of your English language proficiency at the required level, we cannot register you as a student for the programme!

You are free to choose the subject of your paper, but an essay on a topic or issue in the field of Media Studies is preferred.
The essay should demonstrate your academic writing and analytical skills. It could be your bachelor thesis, a research paper or a course paper written during your bachelor study (or an extensive summary thereof if it was not in English).
The minimum length is 2,000 words (approximately 5 pages).
The paper must be written in English.
It is also possible to write an essay specifically for your application: in that case it should still be academic in nature, drawing on relevant academic sources.
Don’t forget to include a reference list.

English tests must be less than two years old at the time of application.

No, we do not. Therefore, you need to submit a digital copy of your English language test report.

For native speakers and graduates of recognised academic programmes taught entirely in English, the obligation to take a language test may be dropped after considering their academic performance.

In the Admission Portal you need to upload an official document stating the language of instruction of your Bachelor’s degree programme.

Studielink is the Dutch national registration system for higher education programmes. We can only register you as a student at our university if you enrol through this system.
Subsequently, you need to finalise your application in the Admission Portal of Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR).

Please note: once you have enrolled in Studielink, you will receive an email with your login details for the EUR Admission Portal.

In the EUR Admission Portal you need to answer some additional questions and upload the required documents.
After checking your entries, you need to submit your application. Please note: only applications with the status ‘submitted’ will be processed.

We currently request no handling fee for the applications.

Go to the login page of the Portal and click on ‘forgot username’ and/or ‘forgot password’ (upper right corner of the screen). Subsequently, follow the instructions. If that does not work, please contact Erasmus Student Service Centre.

Please contact the programme’s admission officer and ask for assistance.

You can start working in the Portal, save your entries and use your login information to return to the Portal later. We will only start processing your application after you have submitted it in the Portal, by clicking on the ‘submit’ button at the bottom of the last page of the questionnaire. Thus, the status of your application will change to ‘submitted’. If that does not work, please contact the programme’s admission officer and ask for assistance.

In that case, please add a document stating your planned test date and indicate whether you will take an IELTS or a TOEFL test.

As of October you can apply for the academic year starting in September of the following year.

That is not possible. All our programmes start only once a year, on 1 September.

There are several deadlines and so-called ‘rounds’ for each programme. Check the programme’s website for the exact dates.

Please note: candidates from outside the European Economic Area (non-EEA), are required to apply earlier than EEA-candidates. This is to ensure that non-EEA candidates will have sufficient time left to apply for a visa if they are admitted to the programme.

Applications submitted before a given deadline, will be assessed within 8 weeks after this date. Of course, we always try to let you know the outcome as soon as possible. Eight weeks after the deadline is the ultimate response date.

This is to ensure that non-EEA candidates will have sufficient time left to apply for a visa if they are admitted to the programme.

Yes, you do. However, you will improve your chances if you apply in the first or second round.

Yes, you can apply and we will consider your application. However, if you receive an offer, it will be conditional until you meet all of the entry requirements. If admitted, you will be granted permission to submit your diploma (or graduation statement) after the last application deadline, but ultimately 10 August.

Please email your document to masteradmission@eshcc.eur.nl if you are applying for History and Arts and Culture Studies;
Please email your document to mediastudies@eshcc.eur.nl for Media Studies.

Our Admission's Officer will add them to your file.

Some universities do not issue diplomas until late summer or even early autumn - even if technically you have already graduated. If this applies to your university, please ask them to issue an official graduation statement, confirming you have indeed met all requirements needed for graduation. This document should be submitted to Master Admission (see programme’s website) no later than 10 August. It should be a certified document, i.e. it should carry the university’s stamp, signature and a date.

Please email your document to masteradmission@eshcc.eur.nl if you are applying for History and Arts and Culture Studies;
Please email your document to mediastudies@eshcc.eur.nl for Media Studies.

Our Admission's Officer will add it to your file.

Please email your document to masteradmission@eshcc.eur.nl if you are applying for History and Arts and Culture Studies;
Please email your document to mediastudies@eshcc.eur.nl for Media Studies.

Our Admission's Officer will add them to your file.

Yes, if you cannot submit your language test report before the application deadline, we will consider your application anyhow. However, any offer made to you will be conditional until you meet all of the entry requirements. Please plan your test as soon as possible.

Bear in mind that it will take several weeks before you receive an official copy of your test results.

If you are admitted, we do need the test report ultimately 10 August. Without official proof of your English language proficiency at the required level, we cannot register you as a student for the programme!

A certified copy is a copy of a filed document, legal or other, which contains a seal that establishes the document is genuine. Thus, it should have a stamp and signature stating that it is a true copy. Only an officially authorised person can certify a document (for example a notary or a university official).

You are free to choose the subject of the essay. You may send a paper you have written during your Bachelor’s degree programme. The purpose is to give the programme’s selection committee an impression of your academic writing and analytical skills.

The minimum length is 2,000 words (approximately 5 pages). The paper must be written in English. Do not forget to include a reference list.

A sworn translator can provide an official translation. Nowadays, most universities provide separate translations or bi-lingual degree certificates and transcripts of records. These documents are regarded as official translations as well.

Please note: you must send a copy of the documents in the original language along with the translation.

Only if you apply for our Research Master, you are required to submit two reference letters.
For all other programmes these documents are not mandatory. However, you may include additional documents if you believe this will contribute to your profile.

The purpose of the essay is to enable the programme’s admission committee to quickly assess your academic writing and analytical skills. Hence, the request to submit an essay of approximately 5 pages. Therefore, please always upload a short essay. You can submit an essay you have written during your previous studies.

In addition, you may upload your thesis under ‘additional documents’.

If you are applying for an English language programme, both your cv and your motivation letter should be written in English. The same goes for the required essay.

GPA stands for Grade Point Average. This average is based on the weighted average of all grades from your bachelor programme.

In many countries official academic transcripts contain a GPA (Grade Point Average) - one calculated per semester, and one calculated over the entire study programme. In some cases a GPA will only be calculated once the programme has been completed.

Within 8 weeks after the deadline* we will let you know by email whether or not you have been accepted to the programme.

*see schedule with deadlines and response times on the programme’s website

Every (conditional) admission offer is only valid for the coming academic year. If you are unable to join the programme, you will have to apply again next year.

No, it does not affect your chances in any way.

You can find information on scholarships here.

You can find information about the tuition fee here. More details can be obtained via the ESSC. The fee has to be paid before the first of September every year.

Yes, we do. All students to whom this applies, will automatically receive further information from our International Officer.

You can find out more about housing on this page. All international students who are invited to join the programme, will receive a detailed email from our International Officer with information about housing.

You need the card to participate in exams, and borrow books in the library. You will only receive it once you have finished your registration (e.g. payment of tuition fees) and if you have already filled out a Dutch address in Studielink. If you have not yet changed the address in your home country to your Dutch address, the faculty will let you know where you can pick up your student card.

It is advisable to arrive in Rotterdam well in time for the first lectures. Introductions such as ESN and the EUReka week are planned for mid-August and are a nice way to get settled before classes start.

In Rotterdam there are many places you can turn to for help and assistance. Please look here for more information. Please note that for medical assistance, the usual practice in the Netherlands is for a patient to have an initial consultation with a general practitioner (Dutch: huisarts), before making an appointment with a specialist in hospital. Erasmus University Rotterdam has made arrangements with several general practitioners. For information, click here.

Application

Application

Frequently Asked Questions

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Application

Application

Required information and documents (in pdf)

Application deadline and response time

Application procedure

Application status

Finalising your registration

Proof of enrolment and practical information

Frequently Asked Questions

Entry requirements

I have a Bachelor’s degree from a vocational (non-research) university (the equivalent of an hbo-degree in The Netherlands). Can I apply for a Master’s degree programme?

I hold an academic bachelor degree but do not have sufficient background in Media Studies. Can I apply for the master programme or do I need to take a pre-master first?

I have a research university Bachelor’s degree, which is not directly related to the Master’s degree specialisation I want to apply for.

I did not have enough methodological courses during my bachelor study. Am I eligible?

Can my eligibility be assessed before I submit an application?

Can I transfer grades from another university?

I have yet to obtain my Bachelor’s degree. Can I apply?

I have yet to take my English language test. Can I apply?

Which English language tests are accepted and which are not?

The application package includes an essay. What are the requirements for the essay?

What is the expiry date of an English language test?

Do you verify my TOEFL or IELTS results online?

When do I qualify for exemption from the English language requirement?

Submitting your application

Why do I have to start my application in Studielink?

What do I have to do in the EUR Admission Portal?

Is there a handling fee for submitting an application?

I enrolled in Studielink but did not receive an email with login details for the Admission Portal. What should I do now?

I have forgotten my username and/or password to log in on the EUR Admission Portal. What should I do?

I managed to log in on the Portal, but the system does not allow me to answer the questions and/or upload the documents. What should I do?

Do I have to enter my application in the Portal in one time, or can I save my entries and finish my application later?

I cannot yet submit an English language test report but without uploading a document in this field, I cannot continue with my application in the EUR Admission Portal.

When can I apply for a pre-master's or a Master's degree programme?

Can I start with the programme in the second semester?

What is the deadline for applying to the programme?

When do I receive an answer to my request for admission?

Why do non-EEA candidates need to apply earlier than EEA candidates? (EEA=European Economic Area)

Do I still stand a chance of being admitted if I apply in the last round?

Can I apply without having obtained my diploma before the application deadline?

I can no longer upload documents through the Admission Portal. how can I submit additional documents?

I have graduated, but I will not receive my diploma before 10 August. What should I do now?

After I submitted my application, I noticed I forgot to include an important document. However, I can no longer upload documents in the Portal. What can I do?

I have been conditionally admitted and now I need to submit additional documents but I can no longer upload documents through the Admission Portal. Where do I send the additional documents?

Can I send the proof of English proficiency later, after submitting the application?

How do I get certified copies of documents?

What are the requirements for the essay?

How can I get an official translation of my documents?

Do I have to submit a reference letter?

Can I send the thesis I wrote during my previous studies, instead of an essay?

Can I hand in my curriculum vitae and/or motivation letter and/or essay in Dutch

What is a GPA?

When will I hear whether or not I am admitted to the programme?

I have received an admission offer but I cannot start in September. Is the offer still valid next year?

If I apply for two programmes, does that affect my chances of being admitted?

General questions and practical matters

Where can I find information on scholarships?

How much is the tuition fee and when is payment due?

I need a student visa. Does the university provide help getting one?

I need to move to Rotterdam, where can I find information about housing?

Where can I find information about my student card?

When do I need to arrive in Rotterdam?

If I need medical assistance, how can I receive this?

Is this your programme?

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