FAQ

Deadlines for enrolment in 2025 are: 

• December 1, 2024; Deadline for non-EEA students; for all students who are interested in applying for University of Amsterdam, VU Amsterdam or, Erasmus University scholarships 
• February 1, 2025; Deadline for non-EEA students at UvA/EUR/VU; highly recommended for EEA students applying for our scholarship program;
• May 1, 2025: for EEA students only (for later applications students must first contact the admissions office).

The invitations to upload a reference letter sometimes end up in the spam folder, kindly ask your referees to check there as well. If they have still not received an invitation, please ask them to send the letter to admissions@tinbergen.nl and we will upload the letter for them. Please ask them to send the letter from a professional (university) email address. Only submitted and completed applications will be reviewed.

Studielink is the Dutch national registration system for higher education programs. We can only register you as a student at our university if you enrol through this system. Subsequently, you need to finalize 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.

Our program is a joint degree program, jointly offered by Erasmus University Rotterdam, University of Amsterdam and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. After unconditional admission to the program, students will be registered as a student at all three universities. 

Erasmus University is the host university for the program. The primary enrolment of students will be at the Erasmus University and we use the Erasmus University application portal for our selection process. 

After unconditional admission to the program, students will be also registered as a student at the University of Amsterdam and Vrije Universiteit. 

You can only change your personal details in Studielink, the changes will then automatically go through to the Erasmus Admission Portal. Once your details have been checked by Erasmus University you will not be able to change them anymore and will have to contact the Erasmus University Student Service Centre and ask for assistance.

In the EUR Admission Portal you need to answer some additional questions and upload the required documents (see in portal and on our website).

After checking your entries, you need to submit your application. Please note: only applications with the status ‘submitted’ will be processed.

You can start working in the Application 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 via the Portal, by clicking on the ‘submit’ button at the bottom of the last page of the questionnaire. The status of your application will then change to ‘submitted’. If that does not work, please contact the Erasmus University Student Service Centre and ask for assistance.

Please check your spam or junk folder, if you haven’t received an email please contact the Erasmus University Student Service Centre and ask for assistance.

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

Please contact the Erasmus University Student Service Centre and ask for assistance to reset your account. If this does not help, please try again using a different email account.

At times it can be very busy at the student help desk, please be patient. If you haven’t received a response after 3 working days, you can send a reminder.

No, we do not charge an application fee.

TI requests that you upload the following documents:

• Original report or screen shot of your personal GRE score page (the whole page, not just a section)
• Certified copy of your highest obtained university diploma and transcript of records. For those diplomas and transcripts that are not in Dutch or English, you must also upload certified English translations.
• Certified study progress overview of the program that you are currently taking. For study progress overviews that are not in Dutch or English, you must also upload certified English translations.
• Certified transcripts of other completed university education relevant for your application
• Proof that the entire program was taught in English (link to webpage, indication on diploma or grade list) or official statement.
• TOEFL or IELTS score report
• Letter of motivation and research proposal (max. 2 pages, 300-500 words). This document should include an elaboration of your specific area of academic interest (research topic that you want to work on including a short research proposal); how your past education and other experiences have prepared you to be successful in our program; what you hope to achieve (your professional plans and career goals) and why this program is the best place for you to pursue your interests.
• Resume
• Writing sample. E.g. Bachelor or Master thesis or published paper (optional)
• Incomplete files will not be considered. GRE and Toefl/IELTS scores must meet TI’s minimum requirements. Go to Application Procedure for further details. 

You can review your application at the end of the application form to check if you have answered all the required questions and uploaded the required documents. We advise you to double check your entire application for completeness. Please note that it is your responsibilty to remind your referees to submit their reference letters on your behalf before the admission deadline. You can check the status of your recommendation letters when you log in to your application. Files that are not complete (incl. reference letters) at the deadline will not be reviewed.

A certified copy is a photocopy with an endorsement or stamp that states that it is a true copy of the primary document. You can certify copies of your documents at your school or sometimes at the municipality or notary.

Yes, you will need to submit a new application and upload all of the required documents.

You can expect to hear from us within eight weeks after the deadline (December 1, February 1 or May 1). Please note that incomplete files will not be reviewed.

No, this is not possible. Tinbergen Institute is a gateway to PhD positions for students who have completed TI’s research master program. For PhD positions, please refer to the job openings at the universities.

Please send an email to us via admissions@tinbergen.nl; we can change the status of your application.

The TI website and our online admission program provide detailed information. If you are stuck in Studielink or Osiris, please contact the Erasmus University Student Service Centre and ask for assistance. If you still have questions, please send them to this address: admissions@tinbergen.nl. Using any other address will cause delay.

Without GRE and Toefl/IELTS test scores, your file is not complete (unless you have an exemption from these requirements). In the event that your official test score report has not yet arrived, you may upload a screen shot of the ETS page that shows your GRE or Toefl scores.

In the case of exact overlap between TI courses and coursework completed earlier, exemptions from individual courses may be granted.  The exemption may not affect the ECTS requirements. Exemptions will be discussed in an intake interview with the Director of Graduate Studies at the start of the academic year.

No.

The TI program in economics, econometrics and finance is a challenging program building upon the quantitative and analytical paradigms developed in the discipline.

Students in more business-oriented undergraduate programs can improve their admission possibilities by extending their curriculum with some quantitative coursework (e.g., linear algebra, mathematical statistics and probability theory, calculus).

Students from more quantitative programs benefit from some initial coursework in micro- or macroeconomics.

Students opting for the more challenging Advanced Econometrics track in their first year should have completed a solid Econometrics course at the level of a graduate economics program. 

Students lacking a strong mathematics background should prepare before they come to Tinbergen Institute by refreshing their knowledge: Refresh and Test your knowledge and skills – Tinbergen.nl.

Due to the number of applications we receive it is not possible to offer individual feedback on your chances of being accepted to the TI program. The admissions board will evaluate your application as a whole. You are advised to check the admission requirements and to read the section in the program brochure about the right preparations for the program (section 3.6) to see whether you feel comfortable with the content of the textbooks there.

No. TI requires the GRE (revised) General Test results from all applicants who are not holding a Dutch degree before entering the TI program. No other tests are accepted.

Tinbergen Institute requires the GRE (revised) general test. You should complete all three sections. Verbal Reasoning measures your ability to analyze and evaluate written material and synthesize information obtained from it, analyze relationships among component parts of sentences and recognize relationships among words and concepts. Quantitative Reasoning measures problem-solving ability using basic concepts of arithmetic, algebra, geometry and data analysis. Analytical Writing measures critical thinking and analytical writing skills--specifically, your ability to articulate and support complex ideas clearly and effectively.

Applicants holding a Dutch degree before the start of the TI program do not need to submit GRE test scores.

Valid GRE General Test results are required from applicants with a non-Dutch degree.

No. TI requires the GRE (revised) General Test results from all applicants with a non-Dutch degree. No other tests are accepted.

Successful applicants typically perform among the top-10% of test-takers on the quantitative part of the GRE; applicants with a Q score below 160 will not be considered.

Both language tests are accepted by TI. 

Yes, you can if you hold a degree from an institution at which English is the language of instruction, or hold a degree from a Dutch university. 

Minimum scores required: 100 on the TOEFL iBT test and 7 on the IELTS test. If your score is lower than the minimum requirement, we recommend that you improve your English level and retake the test. 

TI‘s institutional code is 3811.

Without GRE and Toefl/IELTS test scores your file is not complete. In case your official test score report has not arrived yet, you may upload a screen shot of the ETS page that shows your GRE or Toefl scores.

No. We advise you to re-take the test and participate in the next admission round.

GRE scores are valid for five years after the test date. TOEFL and IELTS scores have a two-year validity period.

The maximum number of students annually accepted in the TI program is 35. See below the annual inflow over the years 2020-2024. Female students represent one-third of students. TI strives to increase the number of female students and encourages women to apply to the programme. 

The graph shows with which degrees (Ba/Ma) students enter the TI program. All students hold at least a bachelor degree; many hold already a master degree (one-year master program). Almost 90% of the students have a background in economics; others are trained in computer sciences or mathematics, or have completed a liberal arts and sciences bachelor program at one of the Dutch University Colleges.

The graph reports the percentage of applicants admitted to the TI program over the years 2020-2024. 

About 85% of the TI students continue in a PhD track at TI. At the three economics faculties participating in Tinbergen Institute, PhD positions are allocated to most graduates of the TI research master program. Additional positions are available with external funding (from NWO and other sources). All (senior) TI research fellows (researchers with excellent international credentials) are available for thesis supervision. Usually, if the match between student and supervisor is successful, the final thesis supervisor is also the PhD thesis supervisor in the PhD phase of the program. PhD students in the Netherlands are fully employed and have a good salary.

TI does not offer PhD positions. The three faculties participating in Tinbergen Institute have PhD positions available for students who have completed the TI research master program.

In the master phase of the program a tuition fee is charged to all students. Tuition fees are due until all examinations, including the final thesis, are passed. The tuition fees are determined annually by the Dutch government and the universities.

The annual tuition fee for the academic year 2025-2026 is:

In the PhD phase no tuition fees are charged.

TI awards scholarships based on merit. Applicants who wish to compete for a scholarship can indicate this on the online application form. Applicants applying for a scholarship are advised to submit their application as early as possible,. For more information, please visit the scholarships section of the website.

Contact admissions@tinbergen.nl and explain your case. TI will provide the necessary documents.

The first year of the program leaves little or no time for any jobs. For second-year students teaching assistantships are on offer. Many second-year students also find research assistantships connected to their research interests in one of the affiliated departments. Also see the Nuffic pages on working while studying.

Depending on your educational background, you may want to prepare academically for one or more core sequences before coming to TI. Please check here Refresh and Test your knowledge and skills – Tinbergen.nl.

Contact admissions@tinbergen.nl and explain your case. TI will provide the necessary documents.

The first year of the program leaves little or no time for any jobs. For second-year students teaching assistantships are on offer. Many second-year students also find  research assistantships connected to their research interests in one of the affiliated departments. Also see the Nuffic pages on working while studying.

After preliminary acceptance you will need to submit certified copies of grade transcripts and diplomas (never send us the original documents). A certified copy is a photocopy with an endorsement or stamp that states that it is a true copy of the primary document. You can certify copies of your documents at your school or sometimes at the municipality or notary.

The Erasmus Immigration office will contact you and guide you through the process. Please find more information here: Immigration | Erasmus University Rotterdam (eur.nl)

The universities offer limited accommodation for students who are new to the Netherlands. We will help the students who qualify to register for student housing but we advise to continue your search for alternative options. 

Students who have been living in the Netherlands before have to find their own accommodation. 

After preliminary acceptance you will need to submit certified copies of grade transcripts and diplomas (never send the original diplomas). A certified copy is a photocopy with an endorsement or stamp that states that it is a true copy of the original document. You can certify copies of your documents at your school or sometimes at the municipality or notary.

The website and our online admission program provide detailed information. If you still have questions, please send them to this address: admissions@tinbergen.nl. Using any other address will cause delay.

The TI research master program is a gateway to PhD positions at the 3 participating schools. For PhD positions we refer to the job openings at the universities.

The first year of the program leaves little or no time for any jobs. For second-year students teaching assistantships are on offer. Many second-year students also find  research assistantships connected to their research interests in one of the affiliated departments. Also see the Nuffic pages on working while studying.

Depending on their academic background, students may want to prepare academically for one or more core sequences before they come to TI. For them we have composed a reading list.

To prepare for the math courses see this MOOC on Coursera by the math teacher in the TI program Florian Wagener.

No.