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Home | Graduate Program | Admissions | Admission requirements

Admission requirements

The Business Data Science Research Master program is a selective program for students who have the ambition of pursuing a PhD in Business at one of the schools in economics and business of the Erasmus University Rotterdam, University of Amsterdam and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. A maximum of 30 students enrol each year. Students are selected by the Admissions Board.

Graduate Program

1. Undergraduate degree

Students must have at least a Bachelor's degree demonstrating strong analytical and quantitative skills. The Bachelor’s program should have been completed before the start of the Research Master program.

2. GRE or GMAT test scores

Valid GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test) and/or GRE (Graduate Record Examinations, General test) results are required from all applicants who are not holding a Dutch degree before the start of the program. Applicants with a GMAT score below 700 or a GRE Quantitative score below 160 will not be considered. Successful applicants typically rank among the top 10% of examinees on the quantitative section of the GMAT and GRE. Code number for the GRE is 3811 (shared with Tinbergen Institute). Code number for GMAT is QK8-4B-73 (shared with Erasmus School of Economics). 

3. Language

An excellent command of English is crucial. Students whose native language is not English are therefore required to demonstrate English proficiency by:
– holding a degree from a Dutch university or an institution at which English is the language of instruction, or
– scoring at least 100 on the TOEFL iBT test or 7 on the IELTS test.

After conditional acceptance, we require that official test scores be sent to us directly from the GRE or TOEFL/IELTS organization or can be verified online by us. Use code number 3811 for TOEFL (code is shared with Tinbergen Institute).

4. Strong motivation

Students should be strongly motivated to pursue a PhD in one of the business fields. Such motivation will be assessed by a written Statement of Research Interests and Purpose of Study.

5. Recommendations

Two reference letters are required to support your application. 

6. An interview may be part of the selection process

Other qualifications being equal, preference is given to candidates who show capacity for higher academic performance.