About the programme
During the pre-Master's programme, you will complete coursework in either business or research related subjects, or in both. Which courses you will follow depends on the type of university degree you have completed. Consequently, there are 2 variations of the pre-Master's programme for WO students:
- The 15 EC variant that consists of courses in Marketing Management, Strategy & Organisation and Leadership & Management
- The 10 EC variant that consists of research methodology courses
- The 25 EC variant that consists of both Business courses and quantitative research methodology courses
Entry and selection requirements
Entry requirements consist of the minimum academic study and mathematics requirements which all applicants must achieve in order to qualify for admission. The selection is based on the GMAT result and your GPA.
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1. Academic Bachelor's degree with relevant course work
Applicants must have completed an academic Bachelor’s programme:
- If you have a Dutch or European academic BSc and/or MSc degree including advanced quantitative research methods, but without business-related courses, you will follow the 4-month 15 EC study programme. This programme consists of the 3 business administration-related courses.
- If you have a Dutch or European academic BSc degree with at least 15 EC in Business Administration courses (preferably a minor) with less than 10 EC in quantitative research courses, you will follow the 10 EC study programme. This programme solely consists of the 2 management research methods courses.
- If you have a Dutch or European academic BSc degree with insufficient coursework in both quantitative research methods and Business-related coursework, you will follow the 25 EC study programme. This programme consists of the 2 management research methods courses and three Business courses.
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2. Mathematics
Mathematics is a fundamental component of both the pre-Master’s and Master’s programme in Business Administration. An appropriate level of mathematics is therefore required prior to beginning the pre-Master’s programme.
Applicants with an international secondary school diploma may already meet this requirement, check the shortlist below to see whether this applies to you.
- International Baccalaureate: Math SL, HL, A&A SL or HL, A&I HL
- European Baccalaureate: 5-period Mathematics
- British A-levels: A-level certificate in Mathematics or Physics
- German Abitur: Mathematik prüfungsfach as Grundkurs or Leistungskurs
- French Baccalaureate: Mathematics as final exam
- Belgian Algemeen Secundair Onderwijs: Mathematics as final exam
If your diploma is not listed and you would like to know whether you meet the mathematics requirement, please check the Diploma Calculator.
If you do not meet the mathematic requirement you can take an extra exam at VWO Wiskunde A or B Mathematics Certificate from one of the following institutions:
- CCVX
- State Exam
- James Boswell Bèta
- Korteweg de Vries
- OMPT-F Students must score at least 60%, and are permitted only one attempt for this programme.
Note that the mathematics requirement must be fulfilled on or before the deadline. Applicants who do not meet the mathematics requirement are not eligible for admission.
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3. English language proficiency
We require evidence of English language proficiency:
- TOEFL IBT: a minimum of 92 points overall and a minimum of 22 points for each sub-score (TOEFL institution code: 9011).
- IELTS (Academic test): a minimum of 6.5 overall and a minimum of 6.0 for each sub-score. The IELTS indicator test is not allowed.
- Cambridge Assessment English
- Certificate in Advanced English: 180 points overall and in each skill or
- Certificate of Proficiency in English: 180 points overall and in each skill.
Test scores must also conform to the following guidelines:
- Make sure you schedule your English proficiency test before the application deadline.
- Test scores received after the application deadline are accepted, as long as your English proficiency test was taken before the application deadline.
- Your English proficiency test score cannot be more than 2 years old before the start date of your programme. For example, if you are applying for the September 2023 intake we do not accept English proficiency tests taken before September 2021.
Be sure to plan your test on time; test dates fill quickly and it can take several weeks for you to receive your results. Applications without a sufficient score or with a test date after the application deadline, will not be accepted.
Exemptions
You have obtained your Bachelor's degree in one of the following EU countries: The Netherlands, Ireland, Malta.
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4. GMAT test selection requirement
All applicants need to take a GMAT test before submitting the application in order to be considered for this programme. So please start planning your test date on time.
An overall score of 560 is expected from applicants for this programme. If you do not achieve the expected scores your application will still be considered. Please note that completion of all sections of the exam is required.
For GMAT registration, please refer to the GMAT website. The institution code for GMAT is 0500, Amsterdam Business School, MSc in Business Administration.
Exemptions
Based on mutual agreements with certain universities, students might be exempted from the GMAT requirement. Check the list of universities to see whether this applies to you.
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5. Grade Point Average (GPA) selection requirement
There are many more applications from qualified applicants than there are places in the programme. As a result, the Admissions Office selects applicants for the pre-Master’s Business Administration programme based on their Grade Point Average (GPA).
Applicants with a research Bachelor’s degree are required to have a GPA of at least 7.0 in years 1-3 of the Bachelor’s programme, including any electives.
This means that you are not automatically admitted when you have a 7.0 GPA, but that you will be considered for the selection and placed on the waitlist.
Send your GPA calculation along with your application. You can provide an updated transcript before the 1 May application deadline, updated transcripts after the 1st of June will not be accepted. We do not have a reserve list after selection.
In total, there are 50 places available for university-level students, that will be given to the applicants with the highest GPA until all places are filled.
Application and Admission
Only fully completed applications inclusive of all documents will be processed. All candidates who have qualified for selection will be informed of the result of their application by the last week of June at the latest.