Who can apply for the programme?
We welcome applications from prospective students with a wide variety of backgrounds, all related to the field of urban management and development. Each application is considered carefully, taking the individual potential of the applicant into account. Before you start your application, please read the application procedure and admissions information carefully. The requirements and the procedure apply to all six specialisation tracks.
We require candidates to have at least a bachelor’s degree from a recognised university in a field related to urban development. Below you can find an overview of all relevant fields.
- Anthropology
- Architecture
- Business Administration and Management
- Civil Engineering
- Climate Studies
- Community Studies
- Data Science
- Development Studies
- Economics
- Environmental Studies
- Gender Studies
- Geography
- Humanities
- Infrastructure
- Law
- Natural Resources
- Political Science
- Public Administration
- Real Estate
- Spatial Planning
- Social Sciences
- Urban Studies
If your degree is not listed on this page, please feel free to contact the Admissions Office for advice by emailing admission@ihs.nl with your background information. You can also schedule a 10-minute appointment via this link for an online talk to discuss your case.
We require our candidates to have obtained at least 6.5 (Dutch grading system), 3.0 (out of 4.0), second class lower, B or an equivalent.
Tip: Please make sure the information about your grading system is included in your grade transcripts or upload a supporting document providing information on this topic so that we can evaluate your performance as fairly as possible.
You do not need to prove your English language proficiency if:
- You are from or have obtained your Bachelor's diploma no longer than 5 years ago from one of the following countries: Australia, Canada (except for Quebec), Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, United Kingdom and the United States of America;
- You have obtained a bachelor's diploma from a university in the Netherlands;
- You have obtained a pre-university education (VWO) diploma, and English was one of the subjects included in the assessment, which conferred that diploma and you were graded a 7.0 or higher;
- You have obtained a diploma of International Baccalaureate (valid for 5 years).
If you do not meet the above criteria, an English language test is required. Below you find an overview of the accepted language tests, which should be no older than 2 years at the time of your application submission. Alternative formats such as IELTS Indicator, IELTS One Skill Retake, TOEFL Home Edition, or TOEFL MyBest Scores, are not accepted.
You can submit your application while still waiting for your test result. As a non-EU/EEA candidate, you should upload the proof of your test registration, and the test should take place no later than 1 May 2026. For EU applicants, the test results can be uploaded by 1 August 2026.
| Language test | Minimum total score | Minimum sub-score |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS Academic | 6.5 | 6.0 |
| TOEFL iBT | 90 | 20 |
| Language Cert | 70 | 65 |
| Pearson Academic | 70 | 65 |
| Cambridge EFL | Level B2 |
Working experience in a relevant field is considered an important asset during the selection procedure especially if you do not possess a fully relevant degree. However, it is not a prerequisite.
Each year our programme welcomes participants from more than 45 countries. It is important to have the ability to interact and work with people from very diverse cultures and backgrounds.
In addition, it is important that each participant has adequate knowledge on Microsoft Office tools as they will be used on regular basis during the study. Should you be not so confident with your knowledge on these, please make sure to have completed some courses yourself before the programme starts.
How to make sure your application is complete?
Check the application requirements before submitting your online application.
Selection criteria
The IHS Academic Selection Committee will review your application and decide on your admission status to the programme. Please be aware that this programme is very selective. Fulfilling all the above-mentioned admission requirements does not necessarily guarantee you an admissions offer. While assessing your application, we use the following selection criteria to determine whether you can receive admission to the Master’s programmes.
Note: Plagiarism is not appreciated, and it will lead directly to rejection.
- Relevance of your previous education
- The quality of the university where you obtained your previous education
- Academic performance
- Relevant professional experience in the urban field
- Motivational essay (with our prescribed template)
- Command of English language
- The overall quality of the application package