Academic skills: Basic curriculum
The curriculum (29 EC) has been designed to enhance your academic research skills, which will be needed during your master studies at RSM. The content of the premaster is the same, regardless of the master programme you plan to follow after.
The English language premaster programme is taught fully online.
Course overview 2025-2026
English Language Premaster (online) | |
|---|---|
| Duration | 29 EC, 12 months |
| Diploma | The premaster programme will prepare you for entry to one of RSM's master programmes, but you will not receive a diploma upon completion of the premaster. |
| CROHO code | 50952 |
| Maximum capacity | 190 students |
| Fees | The minimum tuition fee for the premaster in English Language (online) as of the academic year 2025-2026, is
Note: Tuition fees indicated are subject to change. Prior to the start of the academic year, tuition fees may be modified by the Dutch government. Erasmus University Rotterdam reserves the right to make changes affecting policies, fees, curricula, or any other matter announced in this publication without prior notice. Check the website of the Erasmus Student Service Centre (ESSC) for more information on tuition fees. |
The application process for the English language premaster programme starts on 1 October.
- Application deadline: 15 May or earlier if the programme is full
- Admissions Process: rolling admissions
- Programme capacity: 190 enrolled students
- Number of applications allowed before application closes: 304
- Current number of applications: 100
Why is the number of accepted applications higher than the programme capacity?
RSM has calculated that if 304 students are allowed to submit an application, the number of enrolled students will stay within the limit of 190. This is based on the quality of applicants from previous years and the expected number of students who cancel their enrolment before the start of the academic year. There is no waiting list for students who miss the application due to programme being full.
When did the application close last year?
Last year the application closed on the 10th of May. We advise you to submit your application as soon as you meet the minimum admissions requirements, including GPA, English and GMAT test results (if applicable). Plan your English and GMAT tests well in advance!
What happens when the maximum number of submitted applications is reached before the 15 May deadline?
Once the maximum number of submitted applications is reached, the application will close. No more applications will be accepted. Only complete applications submitted before the application closed will be considered for admission. Applicants who meet the minimum requirements, will receive an offer of admission on a rolling basis.
What if the number of submitted applications is lower than the maximum on the 15th of May?
Application for all programmes will close on the 15th of May. After this date new applications will not be accepted, even if the programme did not fill up.
For the premaster programmes RSM accepts applicants with a bachelor obtained at an accredited University of Applied Sciences in Austria, Germany & Switzerland (Fachhochschule - FH), Belgium & The Netherlands (Hoger Beroepsonderwijs - HBO), Finland (Ammattikorkeakoulu - AMK) and Sweden (Högskola).
RSM also welcomes students to the premaster who have completed their bachelor at a research university, but are missing the required content in qualitative & quantitative research methods and statistics.
It is not necessary for you to have completed your bachelor studies at the time of application, but all requirements of the bachelor, including the final thesis (if applicable) must be completed by the 31st of August, 2024.
The content of your bachelor degree will determine which MSc programmes you may participate in following successful completion of the premaster. During the admissions process, the RSM admissions office will determine which MSc programmes you may participate in.
- Applicants with little or no business administration in their bachelor degree will only have access to the following MSc programmes:
- Applicants who have a degree with a broad business related curriculum will be eligible for admission to most of the MSc programmes following the premaster.
- Applicants with a more specialized business degree (examples are human resource management, logistics or financial management) will be eligible for admission to many, but not all of the MSc programmes following the premaster.
Mathematics & the premaster: While there isn't a specific requirement for mathematics, we do recommend that applicants with a background in the Dutch education system, have obtained at least havo level mathematics A or B.
Check below which requirement applies to your diploma type:
Students who will obtain a bachelor degree at a Dutch applied sciences university can be admitted with a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 7.3.
- At the time of application RSM calculates a Weighted Grade Point Average based on the final 3 years of the bachelor programme also known as the main phase.
- If the grades of the first year of study (propaedeutic phase) improve the GPA, RSM will add those grades to the calculation.
- Additional grades obtained at a Dutch higher education institution during a second bachelor degree, master programme, or extra minor can be added to the GPA calculation for the benefit of the applicant.
- Credits and grades that have been transferred from a previous study (such as an associates degree), must always be included in the application and will be added tot he GPA calculation.
- It is not possible to compensate for an insufficient GPA with work experience, certificates or other non-academic experiences.
- Grades earned outside of the Dutch education system, for example during an exchange semester, will not be converted, as grades are culturally determined and not transferable. They will only be considered for the GPA if they are already translated by your home institution and added to the grade list.
If your GPA does not meet the minimum requirement at the time of application, you can still apply, but you need to obtain a sufficient GPA before the application deadline of 15 May, or before the programme has filled up (which can happen before the regular application deadline). Students who meet the minimum GPA requirement at the time of application are given priority.
Applicants who will obtain their bachelor diploma from a research university outside of the Netherlands must submit a GMAT test result with the minimum score of 565.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Can I apply first and submit my GMAT results later?
I have a GRE score; do I have to take a GMAT?
Is my GPA Sufficient for admission?
In order to guarantee the required minimum level of English proficiency, an applicant must be able to show proof of proficiency on at least C1 level (according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Language - CEFR). You can submit your application first without the English results but they must be submitted by the application deadline, or before the programme has reached maximum capacity (whichever occurs first). English proficiency can be proven in different ways:
Secondary education (High School):
- The official language of instruction was English and the diploma was obtained in one of the following countries: UK, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa or within the EU/EEA including Switzerland.
- If it is not mentioned on the diploma, or on the website of the school that the programme was taught completely in the English language, an official statement provided by the school is required.
International diplomas accepted:
- International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma if the official language of instruction was English
- International Baccalaureate (IB) English certificate: English A Higher Level certificate with a minimum grade of 6 or English A Standard Level Certificate with minimum grade of 7
- European Baccalaureate (EB) Diploma with a minimum grade of 7.0 for English (language 1)
- GCSE / A-level with a minimum grade of C
You can use your bachelor degree as proof of english proficiency if:
- The degree programme was taught completely in English in one of the following countries: USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa or within the EU/EEA including Switzerland.
- If the programme was taught in 2 languages (for example Dutch and English) you must show proof that English was the official language of instruction for at least 120 EC. This equals 2 full study years if the bachelor is a 3 year programme. Courses taught “partially” ,“mostly” or "sometimes" in English will not be counted.
If it is not mentioned on the diploma, or on the website of the university that the programme is taught in English, an official statement provided by the university is required.
You can use your master degree as proof of English proficiency if:
- Your master degree programme was taught completely in the English language in one of the following countries: UK, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa or within the EU/EEA including Switzerland
- and you have completed this degree at the time of applying to RSM (you need to have obtained 60 EC of your master in order to use it as proof).
If it is not mentioned on the diploma, or on the website of the university that the programme is taught completely in the English language, an official statement provided by the university is required.
RSM accepts English course/test results at C1 level (CEFR) taken at any accredited university of applied science or research university within the EU/EEA inclusive Switzerland. All aspects of the language must have been included in the test (reading, writing, listening and speaking skills).
You must be able to provide proof of this in your application. Accepted forms of proof are:
- a course certificate clearly indicating the the obtained level
- an official statement, filled in and signed by your university (you can also have your university fill in the RSM provided English Proficiency form)
NOTE: Online tests, such as the OLS (Online Linguistics Support for Erasmus+) or Oxford Online Placement test are not accepted.
The Language & Training Centre (LTC) of Erasmus University, Rotterdam offers English assessments throughout the year, which will determine your current level of proficiency, as well as English courses from September onwards.
Test results must be no older than 3 years at the time of your application.
Standardized tests accepted by RSM:
IELTS: Academic test (including IELTS Online) with a minimum overall score of 7.0 and minimum sub scores 6.5.
TOEFL (iBT): with a minimum overall score 94 with minimum sub scores of 22 for reading, listening, 23 for speaking and for writing 24.
Please note that the ITP TOEFL test offered by the Erasmus University Language and Training Center (or other providers) is not accepted as it does not test the speaking abilities of the candidate.
Cambridge English test with a minimum overall level of C1 and subscores of 180 for all parts of the test (reading, writing, listening & speaking). Accepted forms of test are:
- Cambridge English: First
- Cambridge English: Advanced
- Cambridge English: Proficiency
- Cambridge English: Business Vantage
- Cambridge English: Business Higher
| Test type | Reading | Writing | Listening | Speaking | Overall |
| Cambridge | 180 | 180 | 180 | 180 | 180 |
| IELTS | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 7.0 |
| TOEFL iBT | 22 | 24 | 22 | 23 | 95 |
General guidelines:
- Both overall and sub score requirements listed above must be met.
- Take into account that test dates at the test centres can fill up quickly, particularly during peak testing periods. Therefore we urge you to register to take the test as early as possible to avoid disappointment. Keep in mind that it can take several weeks to receive the results of your test. This means that you should plan to take the test 4-6 weeks before the application deadline.
- Other tests such as the Michigan English are not accepted.
Verification & Validity:
Always upload a copy of your score report in your application.
- TOEFL scores can be verified online. Therefore you should request the tests center to send your score report to RSM. The institutional code of RSM is 0798 and for Erasmus University 7199 (you can use either). Scores are verifiable for 2 years. If your scores are older than 2 years, please contact the RSM Admissions Office for further advise.
- IELTS scores are verified online using the TRF code marked on the score report. Scores are verifiable for 3 years.
- RSM can only verify Cambridge results taken after 2005.
Assessments and courses are offered by The Erasmus University Language & Training Centre (LTC) throughout the year. You can always participate in a Language assessment at the EUR LTC on their regularly scheduled dates at your own cost. You can check for the next possible date on their website. Please note that the ITP TOEFL test offered by the EUR LTC is not accepted as it does not test the speaking abilities of the candidate.
RSM together with the LTC also offers an English assessment free of charge. For detailed information on the free test, visit our FAQ.
When can I apply? Application for all RSM MSc and Premaster programmes opens on the 1st of October. Before applying, familiarize yourself with the admissions requirements and deadlines for the programme you are planning to apply for. You can only apply for one programme! If your application is not successful, the RSM Admissions Office will evaluate your application for our other programmes and offer you any alterantives, if possible. |
Deadlines:
15 May or earlier if programme reaches maximum capacity:
- Nederlandstalige premasterprogramma (max. 150)
- English language premaster (max. 190)
These programmes have a rolling admissions process and a maximum capacity. The application will stay open until the 15th of May, but if the programme reaches maximum capacity before that, the application will close. We advise you to apply as soon as possible after the application has opened.
Each applicant must first register for their preferred programme in the Dutch national student registration system - Studielink. This is not your actual application! After registering for a study programme in Studielink, you must fill in the RSM Online Application Form (OLAF).
Why is a registration in Studielink required?
- A registration in Studielink connects you to the Erasmus University and activates your student account (ERNA) at the Erasmus University
- After you have been admitted to RSM, you can monitor the status of your enrolment in Studielink and also arrange things such as your tuition fee payment in this system.
Tips:
- While it's possible to register for several programmes and universities in Studielink, you can only apply for one programme at RSM
- When adding a new enrolment application in Studielink, filter for programmes offered by Erasmus University and use the search term 'RSM" to see a full list of our programmes.
- For the Dutch (Nederlandstalige) Premaster choose the option 'Starts As - First Year student'.
- Students applying for the Premaster International Business Administration (RSM) (in English) are automatically marked to start as an advanced-year student.
- If after registering in Studielink you receive a mail asking you to send the educational institution a copy of your passport/ID or your diploma and transcript, please ignore this request. When filling in the Online Application Form (OLAF), you will upload these directly to our system.
Within 24 hours of a successful registration via Studielink you will receive your log in details (also known as ERNA credentials) and a link to the RSM Online Application Form (OLAF). You can also access OLAF via https://apply.rsm.nl/
Tips when using OLAF:
- If you have started the application process in Studielink, but did not received your ERNA details, please inform the Erasmus University ICT Servicedesk: servicedesk@eur.nl
- You can only apply for one programme in OLAF. If your application is not successful, we’ll automatically evaluate you for our other programmes and offer you any alternatives if possible.
- You will receive updates about your application in the OLAF message center. Please log in to check it regularly.
- Want to change the master you're applying for? If you started an application in OLAF, but changed your mind about the programme you want to apply for, as long as you didn't submit the application yet, you can change the programme preference in OLAF under the second step "Programme Selection". If you already submitted your application in OLAF but want to apply for a different programme contact the RSM Admissions Office.
Supporting documents:
After you have filled in details such as your personal information, prior education and language skills in OLAF, you will be asked to upload supporting documents. These documents will be used to evaluate your eligibility and act as proof, for example for your language skills (English).
Do I need to translate my academic documents? If the original transcripts are written in a language other than English, Dutch or German you must provide an official English translation by a registered sworn translator. Make sure to always include your diploma and/or transcript(s) in the original language along with the translation!
| Copy of a valid passport or European identity card (EEA nationals only); | Your passport (or ID) must be valid up to and including the 1st of May 2025. If the document expires before this date, you must provide a new valid document by the 31st of August, 2025. |
| Curriculum Vitae (Resume) | In your CV you should list all relevant experiences. The CV will not be assessed during the evaluation, but can provide additional information for the admission staff. The CV only plays an important role for the admissions staff in the preparation for the additional selection MSc International Management/CEMS |
| Secondary school diploma | This document is required in order to check on which basis you were allowed to start higher education. An official translation or the grade lists are not required. |
| Bachelor diploma (if already available at the time of application) | It is not required that you have completed your bachelor studies at the time of application but if available, we advise you to include your diploma in the application. If you are accepted to RSM, you are expected to provide certified hardcopies of your diploma and final transcript, by the 31st of August. |
| Academic transcripts (i.e. list of grades) | In order to evaluate your eligibility, an (official) transcript of records including all subjects and grades you have obtained so far during higher education is required. We also advise you to include a list of subjects you are still planning to take before graduation. Many universities use online systems from which an overview of courses and grades can be extracted. A temporary transcript from an online system is sufficient at the time of application as long as it contains the name of the applicant, the name of the university and the name of the study. |
| Diplomas and transcripts of additional studies (bachelor or master) | If you have completed additional studies such as a 2nd bachelor degree or a master degree, please include the transcripts (and diplomas) in your application, following the guidelines above. |
| Proof of English proficiency (at C1 level) | RSM accepts several kinds of proof of English proficiency. With every form of proof, you must include sufficient documentation to support this. You can submit your application first without the proof of your English proficiency. Sufficient proof needs to be submitted by the application deadline, or before the programme has reached maximum capacity (whichever occurs first). |
| GMAT test results (for students who have obtained their diploma outside the Netherlands) | Add your (un)official score report. You can submit your application first without the GMAT results but they must be submitted by the application deadline, or before the programme has reached maximum capacity (whichever occurs first). |
After you have submitted your application in the Online Application Form (OLAF), you will be updated on the status of the evaluation in the OLAF message center.
1 - Prescreening: Within approximately two weeks of submitting your application you will receive an update regarding the documents. If vital information is missing from the application, the evaluation will not continue until you have submitted additional documents.
2 - Evaluation: If the documents in your application are sufficient, the evaluation will start.
Evaluation times depend on when the application is submitted.
- Applications submitted in October and December: are usually evaluated within 4-6 weeks from the date the application was submitted.
- Applications submitted between January and March: During this time MSc & Premaster applications will be given low priority, as the admissions office must focus on the bachelor selection which has a national deadline. You may submit your application during this time, but it may take up to 8 weeks or longer to receive the results. During this time applications for the MSc International Management/CEMS programme will be regularly evaluated.
- Applications submitted between April and May are usually evaluated within 6 to 8 weeks.
After your application has been evaluated by the admissions team, you will be notified of the outcome in OLAF. The possible outcomes of the evaluation are:
Statement of eligibility: If your academic background meets our requirements but your application is still incomplete, you may receive a statement of eligibility. Your official offer will only be made once you have submitted all required documents.
If your academic background does not meet the requirements of the programme you have applied for, the admissions team will automatically see if you are eligible for some of our other programmes and inform you about the alternative options.
Offer of admission: If your application is complete and you meet all the admissions requirements for the programme you have applied for, you will receive a (conditional) offer of admission. Applicants for the premaster programmes will also be informed which master programmes they are eligible for. You will have two weeks to respond to the offer in OLAF. You must also complete all the listed conditions by 31 August.
Denial + alternative offer: If your application is complete but you don't meet the course related requirements for the programme you applied for, the admissions team will automatically see if you are eligible for some of our other programmes and inform you about the alternative options.
Denial: If the evaluation results in a denial, you will be notified of the specific reasons. If you do not agree with the outcome of the application, please view the appeals procedure.
If you are offered admission to RSM, you are expected to respond to your offer of admission in OLAF within two weeks.
You can either accept or decline the offer. It is also possible to defer your offer of admission until the next academic year (with the exception of the International Management/CEMS).
If you need to change the response to your offer later on, this is possible until the 31st of August by notifying the RSM admissions office.
While your application can be evaluated based on unofficial digital documents you have uploaded in your application form, eventually the RSM Admissions office needs to check the authenticity of your diploma and your final transcript.
This step is vital in order to complete your enrolment for the study. You must be able to show us sufficient proof that you have completed the study your admission is based on by 31 August.
| 1. Check the conditions in your offer of admission | The conditions are listed in the conditional offer statement (PDF) as well as your offer message. These conditions must be met by the 31st of August as the academic year officially starts on the 1st of September. The most common condition is the completion your bachelor programme. This means that all requirements of your bachelor must be met by the 31st of August, and all your grades have been processed (including your final thesis). |
| 2. Which documents are needed? | In order to verify that you have completed the study your admission is based on, RSM needs to see your final diploma. However if your official diploma is given after 31 August, you should request an official statement from your university which explicitly states that you have completed all the requirements of your study. In order to check that your grades and the courses you have submitted during the application process are true, RSM also needs your final academic transcript (i.e. grade list). If the original documents are written in a language other than English, Dutch or German you must provide an official translation by a registered sworn translator in one of these languages. Make sure to always include your diploma and/or transcript(s) in the original language along with the translation! Students with admission based on a study completed at Erasmus University Rotterdam are not required to provide this documentation, as the completion of your study can be checked in Osiris. However you must make sure that you have completed all the requirements of the study and have requested your diploma on time. RSM will notify you once the completion of your study has been verified. |
| 3. Certify the documents | A certified copy of your final diploma (or diploma statement) and transcript can be acquired at the institution where you obtained them or at an official notary. Certified means that the document contains the original stamp and signature of your institution (director, course coordinator, registrar) or the official notary. When making your offer unconditional, make sure you send us the original document. Photocopies of a certified copy will not be accepted. Online verification systems (EU/EEA only): If your university uses an online verification system (for example Bocconi University, or HEAR verification with an online provider such as Gradintelligence in the UK), please notify the admissions office. RSM is not able to verify documents online if it's required that software is downloaded before the verification. I want to have the documents sent to RSM by e-mail: Your university must send the documents directly to RSM ( msc.info@rsm.nl ). The documents will not be accepted if they arrive from your e-mail address. Request your university to send both your diploma /graduation statement AND your final grade list. |
| 4. Send the documents to RSM before 31 August | By post: RSM MSc Admissions Office Some courier services also require a telephone number. In this case please use the general phone number of RSM: +31 10 408 2222 We advise you to send the documents as a tracked delivery. The documents will first be received by the central post room, and will be delivered to the admissions office within 2-3 days. Once the documents have arrived and they have been processed, you will be notified. By e-mail: If you want to send the documents digitally, your university must send the documents directly to RSM ( msc.info@rsm.nl ). The documents will not be accepted if they arrive from your e-mail address. Request your university to send both your diploma /graduation statement AND your final grade list. I want to bring my documents to the RSM Admissions Office in person: During the Corona pandemic we advise you to send the documents by post or by e-mail. If for some reason this is not possible, you can bring the documents to the RSM Admissions Office in person. The office is located at the Woudestein Campus, on the 5th floor of the Mandeville building, room T5-01. We advise you to check out the opening hours listed on our contact pages beforehand. RSM will save your documents for one year. It is your responsibility to pick up these documents from the admissions office, if you want them back. The admissions office makes scanned copies of all documents for our digital archive and shreds all paper copies that have not been picked up on time. |
After you have made your offer unconditional, your admissions will be confirmed in Studielink by RSM Admissions Office.
After this your enrolment is mainly handled by the Erasmus Student Service Centre (ESSC).
1. Tuition fee payment:
In order to start your studies in September, you must arrange the tuition fee payment by 31 August. First you need to indicate your preferred payment method in Studielink.
For more information about the payment methods, please visit the website of ESSC.
A different payment procedure applies for NON-EU/EEA students applying for a VISA/ residence permit. You will be informed about the payment process as well as the immigration process by RSM from March onwards.
2. Upload a passport photo for your Student card.
3. Proof of enrolment
After completing your enrolment, you will receive two copies of your proof of enrolment per year. You can use these for organisations (e.g. insurance company, bank) that ask for this information. You can also produce, download and print such proof out yourself via Osiris Student
- Use common sense when reading and interpreting the admissions requirements and application info. Our goal is to be as clear and detailed as possible, but it's not feasible to add info on every specific situation.
- Don't submit unnecessary documents such as recommendation letters. The necessary documents are clearly listed in OLAF.
- Please make sure that all scanned documents are legible.
- PDF is the preferred format for scanned documents.
- Try to combine documents. For example your transcripts should be scanned as one document.
- RSM Admissions Office is here to help you. However due to the large number of queries we receive daily, we recommend you to read through our FAQ before contacting us.
- Apply on time. We can't emphasize this enough. Leaving your application to the day of the deadline leaves you no room for error.
Students who successfully complete the premaster programme in two consecutive academic years or less, will be eligible for one of the one-year master programmes.
The content of your bachelor degree will determine which MSc programmes you may participate in following successful completion of the premaster. During the admissions process for the premaster, the RSM admissions office will determine which MSc programmes you may participate in.
All premaster students will need to apply for their Master between 1 October and 15 May via studielink and the online application form. Please note that some of our Master’s programmes have caps and can fill up before the 15 May deadline so be sure to apply as soon as possible to save your spot in the programme.
Students deemed eligible for the MSc International Management / CEMS programme need to apply before 31 January. Admission to this programme is selective and not guaranteed.
Validity of the premaster: Grades and credits earned are applicable for admission to MSc programs at RSM, provided that the admission criteria for the desired MSc programs remain unchanged or the content of the pre-master's program remains consistent. In the event of any alterations to the pre-master's curriculum or the content-related prerequisites of the MSc programs, RSM reserves the right to refuse access to the MSc programs if the pre-master's results are more than two years old.
