Admission & application

For students of other nationalities, who followed the British curriculum, the minimum requirements are:

• 1. BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma or
• 2. Access to HE Diploma or
• 3. General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) in 4 subjects (with grade A to C or 9 to 4) + a General Certificate of Education (GCE) with 2 relevant subjects (Mathematics and Physics) at AS level (with grade A-C). A total of 6 different subjects, preferably including English and Mathematics or
• 4. General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) in 4 subjects (with grade A to C or 9 to 4) + General Certificate of Education (GCE) with 2 relevant subjects (Mathematics and Physics) at A level (with grade D/E). A total of 6 different subjects, preferably including English and Mathematics or
• 5. General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) in 3 subjects (with grade A to C or 9 to 4) + General Certificate of Education (GCE) with 3 relevant subjects (including Mathematics and Physics) at A level (with grade A to C). A total of 6 different subjects, including English and Mathematics.

For students who are in possession of an IB diploma:

We accept HL and SL results, and these students can be exempted from the English language requirement. The minimum score is 24 points (IB diploma awarded).

For students with other secondary education/ high school diplomas:

As soon as your application is visible in Studielink we will contact you by e-mail and ask you to send us your documents for the diploma assessment. If you are curious whether your secondary school diploma is equivalent to Dutch standards and offers access to higher education in the Netherlands, please check the website of the Dutch foreign credentials evaluation centre, Nuffic.

For all course programmes a minimum level of proficiency in the English language is required. Read more detailed information.

As a prospective Bachelor's student you must have a diploma of higher secondary education that is equivalent to Dutch standards. In order to be admitted to Fontys University of Applied Sciences students must be eligible for higher education through a diploma of secondary education / high school diploma with good results. For international students this means that you can be admitted with one of the following diploma’s/certificates if you meet all the requirements:

Senior high school diploma, which generally grants access to a Bachelor programme in the country of issue

General Certificate of Secondary Education in 4 subjects with marks ranging from A-C, plus a General Certificate of Education with 2 subjects (with marks ranging from A-C) at advanced subsidiary level

International Baccalaureate Diploma

Baccalauréat Général

American High School Diploma (AP courses are strongly recommended)

If your diploma is not on this list, we still advise you to send us your documents (after you have submitted an application in Studielink) so that we can evaluate if you are admissible for the study programme.

As a non-EU/EEA student, the Netherlands will require an Entry Visa* (MVV) and a Residence Permit. Fontys will apply on behalf of its students for these documents. We recommend you start the process early, i.e. approximately three months before you plan to enter the Netherlands.

*except nationals from Australia, Canada, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, South Korea, the USA and Vatican City State.

As an applicant with a Dutch mbo-4, havo- or vwo-diploma you will be exempted from taking the language profiency test.

Fontys University of Applied Sciences will act according to the Code of Conduct.