Yes, you may re-take the tests. If you achieve a higher score, the admissions committee will consider your best results.
- Last update:
- Wednesday, 9 October 2024
Yes, you may re-take the tests. If you achieve a higher score, the admissions committee will consider your best results.
Official results typically take around three weeks to process. However, unofficial test results are available immediately after the test. You can submit your unofficial scores in your online application before the official results arrive.
No, you are not expected to contact the project supervisors yourself (unless indicated otherwise in the vacancy announcement). They will contact you if they have any questions or wish to schedule an interview.
In general, ERIM requires applicants whose native language is not English to submit TOEFL or IELTS test scores.
You may be eligible for a language test exemption if you meet one of the following criteria from Erasmus University Rotterdam:
• You have obtained a bachelor/master diploma from a university in the Netherlands; or
• You have obtained a pre-university education (VWO) diploma and English was one of the subjects included in the assessment conferring that diploma and graded a 7.0 or higher; or
• You have obtained a diploma of International Baccalaureate (valid for 5 years); or
• You are a native speaker of English (i.e. a national of one of the following countries: Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, United Kingdom and the United States of America) and you have
• You have obtained your diploma of higher education in English (the entire programme) in one of the following countries: Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, United Kingdom or the United States of
You are required to submit two reference letters. Note that only academic reference letters will be accepted. Once you submit your application, your referees will receive an automatic email from us requesting their reference letters. Please inform your referees that you have provided their contact details and that we may reach out to them. While we ask for two references, you may include a third reference if you wish.
The general application deadline is 15 January 2026. However, some PhD vacancies may have different deadlines, as specified in each project description. For further details, visit the PhD vacancies page.
3 November 2025
Selection results will be communicated to applicants approximately two months after the application deadline, around mid-March.