FAQ

The TI Research Master is a selective, two-year programme for highly motivated students who aim to pursue PhD research in economics, econometrics or finance. The programme is research-oriented and expects strong academic and quantitative preparation, research potential, motivation and the ability to contribute positively to the academic community.

This is a Research Master’s designed as a pathway to a PhD to our partner Schools, not a standard taught master. The Admission Board explicitly evaluates academic performance, research potential, and intrinsic motivation. 

The program prefers candidates with strong academic performance, clear research potential, and ability to start a PhD after graduation. 

• Maintain high grades, especially in courses at the core of our program
• Prioritize finishing courses on time with strong results 
• Demonstrate analytical and quantitative strength
• Showcase a true interest in research
• Frame your entire application (CV, motivation letter, recommendation letters) around your interest in academic research and future PhD ambitions

Reach out to a student ambassador or attend information sessions. These are explicitly recommended as a way to get practical guidance on preparing your application. Ask about: Research expectations, Workload and coursework structure, Transition to PhD programs, Academic and financial support. 

No. Tinbergen Institute does not itself offer direct PhD positions through the Research Master application route. The Research Master prepares students for PhD opportunities at the participating faculties; PhD vacancies are offered separately by the partner universities. Completing the Research Master does not guarantee a PhD position.

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 admission board will evaluate your application as a whole. You are advised to check the admission requirements and to read our guide on refreshing and testing your knowledge to see whether you feel comfortable with the expected level. 

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.

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 our guide on refreshing and testing your knowledge to see whether you feel comfortable with the expected level. 

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.

Extracurriculars such as additional courses, a research internship, or an academic presentation or publication, are not required, but they can help demonstrate competence and initiative especially on quantitative and research skills, while signaling genuine curiosity and the ability to go beyond standard coursework. 

However, strong grades remain the primary signal, as successful candidates are typically among the top of their class. 

Research potential is one of the core evaluation criteria. Strong ways to showcase this:

• Work as a research assistant
• Complete a research thesis or independent project
• Highlight methodological skills (statistics, econometrics, programming)
• Clearly explain your research interests in your motivation letter

You need two academic recommendation letters from people who can evaluate your suitability for a research-focused program. Choose recommenders who know your academic work well and can speak about your research ability, analytical skills, and motivation. 

Letters are sent directly to us. To avoid that the letter writer submits a generic letter, which is less effective, here are some tips: 

• Choose recommenders such as your thesis supervisor or professors from quantitative/research-oriented courses

• Actively engage with professors, for example by participating in class discussions, visiting office hours, speaking with them after class about their PhD experience or research, working with them as research assistant
• Discuss your research interests and goalswith your referees so they can tailor their letter to your profile
• Ask for feedback on what makes a strong research candidate: this can also strengthen your application overall

• Get to know the program by contacting our student ambassador and/or attending our information sessions
• Demonstrated top academic performance/quantitative test scores
• Clear research interest and PhD motivation
• Strong academic recommenders
• Thoughtful motivation letter aligned with research goals
• Early application (especially for funding)

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. 

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.

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.

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.

You should contact the Erasmus Student Service Centre for all technical queries. 

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.

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.

No, we do not charge an application fee.

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 copy 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.

This is a document that includes the current grades you have achieved for your program, as well as the total credits to be awarded upon your completion of the program. It should be validated by your department, school or university administration. 

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 the Tinbergen Institute Research Master’s program. Tinbergen Institute does not administer PhD programs directly. For PhD positions, please refer to the job openings at the universities.

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.

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.

Yes, you can if you hold a degree from an institution at which English is the language of instruction, completed a degree in English only, or hold a degree from a Dutch university. You must supply evidence of the first two categories in your application. 

TI‘s institutional code is 3811.

Without GRE and TOEFL/IELTS test scores your portfolio is not complete. In case your official test score report is not yet available, 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.

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.

Each application is carefully evaluated by the Admissions Committee and it is indeed possible to be awarded both a high tuition fee waiver, as well as an institutional scholarship. It is also possible to be awarded one, but not the other.

Full details of the funding awarded, and the applicable year(s), will be available in the conditional offer letter issued should your application be successful.

If the offer letter does not include mention of a waiver or scholarship, then one is not included. 

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.

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 in early April. Please find more information here: Immigration | Erasmus University Rotterdam (eur.nl)

The universities offer limited accommodation for international 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.