Maastricht University (UM): Admission and Fees

Maastricht University (UM) is a public research university in the south of the Netherlands, on the border with Belgium and Germany, founded in 1976. Its signature is Problem-Based Learning: instead of large lectures, students work through cases in small tutor-led groups. UM accepts the Russian school certificate for direct bachelor's entry if the final-year average is at least 4.5; otherwise you need a completed first year of university. For non-EEA students, 2027/28 tuition starts at $15,220 (€13,400) a year for a bachelor's and $24,750 (€21,800) for a master's.

Who Maastricht suits

UM suits students who are ready to work actively in a group: in each course block, students formulate questions, find sources and discuss findings with a tutor. Strengths include business and economics (School of Business and Economics), law, psychology and neuroscience, medicine and health sciences, European studies, and data science and AI. It is one of the most international universities in the country, and nearly all programmes are taught in English.

Do not confuse UM with UWC Maastricht, an international school rather than a university, or with Zuyd University of Applied Sciences, an HBO institution in the same city.

Bachelor's entry with a Russian or Kazakh certificate

UM publishes a list of foreign diplomas equivalent to the Dutch VWO for 2027/28:

• Russia: the certificate of secondary general education with an average of at least 4.50 in the final year, or the certificate plus a successfully completed first year of a university bachelor's (all first-year credits).
• Kazakhstan: the Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools Grade 12 certificate, or the school certificate plus a completed first university year.

On top of the general level, many programmes check subjects, above all mathematics. International Business and Economics and Business Economics require maths at VWO Mathematics A level. If you fall short, UM offers an online maths course and exam, and the gap must be closed before the first year starts.

UM's caveats: foundation programmes do not count for bachelor's entry, equivalency statements are not accepted, and the curriculum of your last two school years is assessed. If you switched curriculum in the final year, both must be VWO-equivalent.

For school-leaver routes, see bachelor's in the Netherlands.

Selection and bachelor's deadlines

UM has three types of bachelor's programme:

Examples for September 2027:

• International Business: complete application, including the International Classroom Essay, by 15 January 2027; ranking numbers on 15 April.
• Psychology: apply by 15 January 2027; the selection procedure opens before 1 February and must be completed by 1 March; ranking on 15 April.
• Economics and Business Economics: early essay deadline 15 January, final deadline for everyone 15 March 2027.
• Data Science and Artificial Intelligence: 1 April 2027 for non-EEA applicants, 1 May for EEA applicants.

You apply through Studielink, the national enrolment system, and UM's MyApplication portal. Applicants whose diploma follows a non-EU/EEA curriculum pay a $110 (€100) handling fee before the deadline; if you start at UM that year, it is refunded to a SEPA account. Non-EEA students should finish most portal tasks by 1 July so UM can file the visa application.

English for the Psychology bachelor's: IELTS Academic 6.0 or TOEFL iBT 80 (4.5 on the new scale); other programmes list their thresholds on their pages.

Master's programmes

Each programme sets its own dates and requirements. International Business: Sustainable Finance is typical: applications for September 2027 open on 1 October 2026, the non-EEA deadline is 1 May 2027 and the EEA deadline 1 June, and there is a February intake with a 1 November 2026 deadline for non-EEA applicants. To be considered for a UM scholarship, the complete programme application is due by 10 December. National rules are in master's in the Netherlands.

Tuition fees

For students from Russia, Kazakhstan and other non-EEA countries, UM sorts programmes into three price tiers; EU/EEA, Swiss and Surinamese nationals pay $3,150 (€2,771) in 2027/28.

UM's per-programme overview shows which tier applies. Fees are set per academic year and paid again at each annual re-enrolment on multi-year programmes.

Compare institutions in cost of studying in the Netherlands.

Scholarships

For 2027/28, UM offers non-EEA nationals:

• UM NL-High Potential Scholarship, for participating master's programmes;
• UM NL Brightlands Talent Scholarship, for participating master's programmes;
• UM NL Global Studies Scholarship, for the Global Studies bachelor's;
• UM NL Social Justice Scholarship, for the Globalisation and Law master's.

All four follow the same timetable: applications from 1 October 2026 to 1 February 2027, with a complete programme application by 10 December. You may apply for only one scholarship, and competition is strong. UM also takes part in the government's NL Scholarship ($5,680, €5,000 for the first year). The university's Scholarship Office decides on awards. More options: scholarships abroad 2026.

Housing

UM does not provide student housing and advises against arriving without it. Its main partner is Maastricht Housing, a platform with verified rooms, studios and apartments (one-off registration of $40, €35). Hospi Housing offers a private room with a local host. Huurteam Zuid-Limburg helps with contracts and rent disputes. The exception is the Venlo campus, with 28 furnished studios for University College Venlo and a few other programmes.

Visa, residence permit and paying from Russia

As soon as your MyApplication enrolment tasks are done, UM submits your permit request to the immigration service (IND); for a September start it must submit by 1 July. The IND charges $290 (€254) and checks that you hold its 2026 study norm for a year, €13,569 ($15,410), in addition to unpaid tuition. If an admission condition, such as maths, may not be met by 1 July, UM explicitly advises reconsidering your application. How to get the MVV sticker in Moscow is explained in the Dutch student residence permit guide.

At Maastricht the permit is tied to progress: each year you must earn at least 50% of your ECTS credits (30 of 60), or the university is legally required to notify the IND. If serious illness or other personal circumstances get in the way, UM asks you to contact your programme's study adviser as soon as possible.

Nothing in UM's rules excludes Russian applicants; the Russian certificate is in its general diploma list. The practical issues are financial: the handling fee is refunded only to a SEPA-zone account, and UM recommends paying tuition by 1 August, so choose a legal transfer route early: how to pay for studies abroad from Russia. There is no knowledge-security screening for students in the Netherlands; the draft law concerns researchers only.

Admission decisions rest with UM, permit decisions with the IND.

Maastricht compared with other universities

If PBL is not for you, most universities in universities in the Netherlands teach in a conventional format; the country as a whole is covered on study in the Netherlands.

Timeline for September 2027

1. September–October 2026: check your final-year average and maths level, book IELTS or TOEFL.
2. From 1 October: Studielink and MyApplication, handling fee payment.
3. By 10 December: complete master's application if you plan to apply for a UM scholarship; scholarship application by 1 February 2027.
4. By 15 January: International Business, Psychology and other capped programmes; by 15 March: Economics and Business Economics.
5. By 1 April or 1 May: free bachelor's and master's programmes for non-EEA applicants (check the programme page).
6. By 1 July: visa tasks; by 1 August: tuition payment; meanwhile, housing through Maastricht Housing.

Common mistakes

• Applying with a final-year average below 4.5 and no completed university year.
• Expecting a foundation year to open bachelor's entry. UM does not accept it.
• Waiting for an admission decision before applying for a scholarship. The programme application is due by 10 December.
• Preparing for lectures. UM expects group work and independent preparation from the first weeks.
• Arriving without housing. The university does not provide any.

FAQ

Can I enter Maastricht University straight after Russian school?

Yes, if your final-year average on the Russian certificate is at least 4.5. With a lower average you need a completed first year of a university bachelor's. Business and economics programmes also check your mathematics.

How much does Maastricht University cost?

In 2027/28, non-EEA students pay $15,220 (€13,400) to $36,340 (€32,000) a year for a bachelor's and $24,750 (€21,800) to $36,340 (€32,000) for a master's, depending on the programme tier. UCM and MSP cost $23,240 (€20,471).

What is Problem-Based Learning at UM?

It is Maastricht's core teaching method: students work in small tutor-led groups, analyse practical problems, research them independently and discuss findings in class. There are fewer lectures than elsewhere, and regular self-study is expected.

Does UM offer scholarships to non-EU students?

Yes. For 2027/28 there are the UM NL-High Potential, Brightlands Talent, Global Studies and Social Justice scholarships for non-EEA nationals. Applications run from 1 October 2026 to 1 February 2027, and the programme application is due by 10 December.

Does Maastricht University provide housing?

No. It works with the Maastricht Housing platform ($40, €35 registration) and Hospi Housing. Studios exist only on the Venlo campus, with 28 places for specific programmes.

Is the UM application fee refundable?

Yes. The $110 (€100) handling fee is refunded, minus bank costs, if you start studying at UM in the academic year you paid for. Refunds go only to a SEPA-zone bank account.

Can StudyU help with an application to Maastricht?

Under a paid agreement, StudyU checks your final-year average and maths against UM's rules, helps with the selection essays and documents, and supports the visa steps. Maastricht University decides on admission and scholarships, and the IND on the residence permit.

Sources

• Maastricht University: tuition fees 2027/28, handling fee
• Maastricht University: non-Dutch diplomas equivalent to VWO, 2027/28, free, selective and fixus bachelor's
• International Business requirements 2027/28, Economics and Business Economics, Psychology, Data Science and AI, MSc International Business: Sustainable Finance
• Maastricht University: scholarships 2027/28, housing in Maastricht, study progress requirement
• Study in NL: NL Scholarship; IND: study amounts 2026, fees; NetherlandsWorldwide: MVV in Russia; minister's letter on screening, 11 June 2026; THE World University Rankings 2027: Maastricht University
• Maastricht University: study progress requirement, housing in Venlo

Facts checked on 1 October 2026. Dollar amounts use the ECB reference rate of 30 September 2026 (€1 = $1.1355), rounded to $10.

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