Utrecht University

Only 4% of applicants are accepted at Utrecht University.  Admission into graduate programs at Utrecht University is competitive.

Top Courses Offered at Utrecht University

Undergraduate Courses:

Postgraduate Courses:

One can locate the university at:

Heidelberglaan 8, 3584 CS Utrecht, Netherlands

According to the QS World University Rankings, Utrecht University’s ranking is at 110th position. The World University Rankings bumps up the university’s place further to the 69th position. 

Placements at Utrecht University

Graduates of Utrecht University are well-equipped for a wide range of career opportunities, thanks to the institution's strong academic programs and reputation. Career prospects vary based on the chosen course of study, but Utrecht University alumni often succeed in academia, research, industry, government, and more.

Infrastructure at Delft University of Technology

Utrecht leads its high-quality, groundbreaking research and teaching activities through three campuses. 

One is situated in the historic city center of Utrecht, which serves as an official university quarter. Another campus, the most significant section of the university, is situated in Utrecht Science Park/De Uithof. The third campus is located in Prins Hendriklaan, which acts as an international campus.

Utrecht University also has an extension in Middelburg named International Honours College University College Roosevelt. 

Research Facilities at Utrecht University

The campuses are built to offer their students excellent quality innovative facilities. One such is AI labs, which allow students to apply academic and practical knowledge, thus providing well-rounded training and education.

These laboratories include:

• The National Police Lab AI
• AI & Mobility Lab
• AI & Sustainability Lab
• AI & Media Lab
• AI Lab for Chemistry and Catalysis

Besides its labs, the university offers a conducive environment to conduct research. 

The university mainly targets four strategic research themes:

• Dynamics of Youth
• Institutions for Open Societies
• Life Sciences
• Pathways to Sustainability

Under these themes, fall ten focus research areas, namely:

• Applied Data Science
• Centre for Complex System Studies
• Game Research
• Governing the Digital Society
• Higher Education Research
• Human-centred Artificial Intelligence
• Integrative Bioinformatics
• Migration and Societal Change
• Professional Performance
• Sports and Society

These 10 focus areas are bifurcated into over 135 groundbreaking research areas:

• Algorithms
• Art History
• Behaviour and Welfare
• Brain
• Cancer
• Centre for humanities
• Communication studies
• Cultural history
• Ethics
• Literature

Overall, the university extends 20 hubs within the four strategic research themes that deal with societal challenges. 

The university’s primary language of instruction for the bachelor’s program is Dutch, and for the master’s program, where appropriate, is English or any other language. 

Due to the influx of international students in the university, it aims to create a comfortable and conducive learning environment. Thus, it offers over 200 courses for exchange students and several bachelor’s and 80 master’s programs, all taught in English.

Academics at Utrecht University

Utrecht university rolls out its admission in two cycles – one in spring and another in fall. 

The Utrecht university admission process is relatively simple. So, if a candidate is planning to apply here, they should make some notes!

Before starting with their university application, they should:

• Check the entry requirements,
• Double-check the deadlines for the application,
• Gather all the necessary documents,
• Apply through Studielink
• Apply for financial aid via Osiris online application
• Submit the application

Admissions at Utrecht University

For the application to be considered in the race, a candidate must meet all the basic Utrecht university admission requirements. The university keenly judges a student’s profile to ensure it matches its standards. They generally scout for students who:

• Demonstrate academic potential,
• Are curious and motivated, both personally and academically,
• Have a broad intellectual orientation and the keenness to explore past the disciplinary boundaries,
• Have an inclination to study on a culturally diverse campus, and contribute to the growth of the community
• Display their commitment and social engagement with others

Admission Requirements for Utrecht University

Besides the student profile, the university demands a foreign equivalent of a VWO level Dutch high school diploma. The students can find the document available on the university’s website to check whether the certificate meets the university’s requirements.

Additionally, they need to submit proof of English proficiency which they should take two months before the application submission. The accepted tests are C1 and C2 proficiency, TOEFL tests, and IELTS.

Besides these, a candidate needs to submit:

• Proof of identity (PASSPORT)
• Copy of their final transcript and official diploma
• Or a copy of their latest report card and grades for the first quarter, term, and semester of the final school year, if they haven’t yet graduated
• Statement of academic purpose and motivation
• Properly filled UCU activities form
• One academic recommendation letter

After the application is submitted, it is thoroughly checked by Admissions Office to ensure its completeness and admissibility. It is then holistically reviewed and assessed by a committee of appointed readers.

When a candidate is selected, they will receive an interview invitation via e-mail which the academic staff members conduct. 

They may either receive an offer of admission or a letter of rejection based on the decision and recommendation of the UCU Admission Board.

The institution does not reveal the Utrecht university acceptance rate.

The candidates should note that the university offers 58 bachelor’s programs and 161 master’s programs. In addition to that, it also extends 226 programs for working professionals. 

Popular Courses at Utrecht University

Some of the most popular courses with attractive rankings (as per QS World University Rankings) at Utrecht University are:

• Veterinary Science (3rd rank)
• Geology (23rd rank)
• Earth and Marine Sciences (26th rank)
• Geography (26th ranking)
• Geophysics (28th rank)
• Psychology (31st rank)
• Pharmacy & Pharmacology (32nd rank)
• Education and Training (35th rank)
• Social Policy & Administration (36th rank)
• Development Studies (41st rank)

Credit System at Utrecht University

Let’s look at the breakdown of credits required to fulfil some of the well-liked courses:

Here is a brief about the top programs offered by the university:

• Arts & Humanities
• Clinical, Pre-clinical & Health
• Life Sciences
• Social Sciences
• Law
• Education
• Psychology

Academic Calander of Utrecht University

If enrolled in this university, the academic calendar will be split into two semesters. For the batch of 2022-2023, the calendar will look like this:

• Semester I: September 5-November14
• Semester II: February 6-April 24.

Extracurriculars and Diversity at Utrecht University

Academics aren’t the only thing that Utrecht university excels at. The university places a great emphasis on the importance of student organizations. It is here that friendships are forged for life. 

The university has about 150 student-led clubs, which are filtered under the following broad categories:

• Social Activities
• Sports
• Music
• Theatre
• Creative arts
• Religion
• Career-oriented
• International
• Academic skills
• Study and faculty
• Others

Besides the student organizations, there are over 30 sports organizations, and the university also regularly conducts cultural events.

Furthermore, a Parnassos Cultural Centre offers theatre, music, photography, dance, arts, etc. There is a University Museum Utrecht where students can find a new exhibition every season.

The university is home to 1500 international students from over 118 nations who operate in a conducive international environment. Moreover, the university actively advocates for equality, diversity, and inclusion. 

It has an EDI program set in place with five main objectives:

• Increasing awareness both inside and outside the university through training in academic leadership
• Offering better and more accessible university buildings and environment
• Setting a particular target of intaking and selecting students from culturally and ethnically diverse backgrounds
• Stimulating a safe, open, and inclusive environment with an emphasis on an inclusive curriculum
• Actively monitoring the progress of the diversity and inclusivity objectives undertaken

Career/Professional at Utrecht University

The university extends a career services portal, which offers training, CV checks, personal coaching sessions, and relevant alumni information and their careers.

Several attractive employers hop onto the career services portal, offering side jobs, internship opportunities, job vacancies, event promotions, and activities. Students can explore all the listed openings to match the one that feels most suitable. 

Apart from this, the university conducts an annual careers day, which offers students a reasonable chance to familiarize themselves with the job market and future career opportunities. 

The companies hold many workshops, individual sessions, and company fairs, allowing students to have a sneak peek into what could be their future.

Wondering who might have graduated from this prestigious university? Let’s take a look!

• Christian Eijkman- Pathologist, Physician, and Nobel Prize laureate
• Clarence Barlow- Composer
• Els Borst- former Dutch minister of Health
• Lulzim Basha- Mayor of Tirana and former Albanian minister
• Peter Debye- Physicist and Nobel Prize laureate
• Henk J. M. Bos- Math historian
• Maung Maung- 7th president of Burma
• Marcel Minnaert- Astronomer
• Jacob Emil van Hoogstraten- Director Department of Economic Affairs in colonial Indonesia
• Anne Wyllie- The scientist who developed the saliva test for coronavirus

Financials at Utrecht University

Before a student sends the application and dreams of studying in the safe, happy country of the Netherlands, they should take note of the expenses they have to bear. 

Here’s a list of Utrecht University fees for different programs:

Besides the tuition fees, they would require decent financial support to live in Utrecht. Here’s a breakdown of the cost of living in Utrecht.

Overall, this information can prove a valuable guide if a student decides to study at the esteemed campus of Utrecht University, Utrecht.

Disclaimer! All figures are indicative