Maastricht University Admissions 2026: Application Deadline, Eligibility & Fees

Maastricht University Application Deadlines for Indian Students

Maastricht University runs a two-cycle admissions calendar, with September carrying most of its 27 bachelor’s and 70 master’s programmes, and February holding a limited set of master’s and pre-master’s tracks. The dates below are from the official UM admission and enrolment page and Studielink, the Dutch national admissions gateway. Numerus fixus, a Dutch quota system, applies to select programmes and pulls the deadline forward.

Maastricht University’s primary intake for Indian students is September, since most bachelor’s and master’s programmes open here.

Insider note: Studielink is the enrolment gateway, not the full application. Once you register, UM emails a link to its own upload portal for transcripts, motivation letter, and CV. Stopping at Studielink means UM never receives your file.

Maastricht University Eligibility for Indian Students

Maastricht University uses a subject-driven admissions model, so meeting the institutional minimum is only the first filter. Programme boards then check that your Class XII stream or Bachelor’s specialisation aligns with the course, using an access oriented model that admits most applicants who meet its stated academic and English thresholds.

Maastricht University Academic Floors for UG and PG

• UG general entry: Class XII at 65 to 70 percent from CBSE, ICSE, or a state board.
• UG stream-specific: Mathematics required for Business, Econometrics, Data Science, and Maastricht Science Programme.
• PG general entry: Bachelor’s degree at 60 to 65 percent, subject aligned to the master’s field.
• UCM and MSP: selective intake, Class XII around 70 percent plus motivation letter.

Every applicant must clear one of the accepted English tests. IELTS is the most common among Indian applicants, and UM accepts several equivalents.

Maastricht University IELTS Waiver for Indian Applicants

UM waives the English test if your prior bachelor’s or master’s degree was taught fully in English. You must submit a Medium of Instruction (MOI) letter from your Indian university that names English as the sole language of instruction. Class XII English marks from CBSE, ICSE, or a state board do not qualify by themselves.

Reality check: Most Indian universities issue MOI letters on request within a week. Chase your registrar in November, not April, since delays here are the single most common reason UM rejects otherwise strong Indian applicants.

Maastricht University PG Programs and English Scores

Maastricht University runs about 70 master’s programmes across six faculties, with the School of Business and Economics and the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences drawing the largest Indian intake. Base tuition sits at € 16,600 to € 25,000 (₹ 18.18 to 27.38 Lakhs) per year for non-EU applicants — see the course-wise fees breakdown for per-programme figures. English minimums below are drawn from each programme’s official page.

The School of Business and Economics handles most business master’s applications, and its programme boards typically release conditional offers within six weeks of a complete submission.

Note: Program-specific entry requirements, fees, and intake availability may differ from the institution-wide minimums shown above. Always confirm on the official Maastricht University page for your chosen program before applying.

Maastricht University Bachelor Programs and Numerus Fixus

Maastricht University offers 27 English-taught bachelor’s programmes, and roughly a third are numerus fixus, meaning the Dutch government caps seats and applications close on 15 January instead of 1 May. Base tuition for non-EU bachelor’s applicants runs € 13,200 to € 18,400 (₹ 14.45 to 20.15 Lakhs), rising to € 20,109 (₹ 22.02 Lakhs) for the intensive UCM and MSP tracks.

Planning note: Numerus fixus programmes at Maastricht University use a mixed selection process, weighing academic record, motivation, and often a written assignment or online test. Prepare these materials in November, since the 15 January 2027 deadline lands during Class XII pre-boards.

Maastricht University PhD Admissions and Funding

PhD candidates at Maastricht University are hired as employees under Dutch labour law, not enrolled as fee-paying students. This structure means most Indian PhD candidates arrive on a salaried contract with the university or one of its research institutes, with tuition set at € 4,000 (₹ 4.38 Lakhs) per year but usually covered by the appointment.

Maastricht University PhD Application Route

• Vacancy-based: apply to a published PhD position via UM’s career portal.
• Own-project: approach a supervisor with a research proposal, then apply to the relevant graduate school.
• Scholarship-funded: DAAD, ICMR, or country-specific fellowships plus admission to a graduate school.

Maastricht University PhD English and Academic Floor

PhD applicants need a research master’s or a two-year academic master’s, IELTS 7.0, and a publication record where possible. Salaried PhD contracts pay around € 2,900 to € 3,700 (₹ 3.18 to 4.05 Lakhs) per month before tax for the 2026 to 2027 academic year, based on the Dutch Collective Labour Agreement for universities. Funding routes and top-up scholarships sit on the funding for Indian students page.

Insider note: UM rarely funds a PhD purely on a proposal. Indian applicants who land salaried positions almost always co-author a proposal with a UM group before applying, since supervisors submit joint bids to NWO for the funding line.

Maastricht University Application Process via Studielink

The Netherlands routes every university application through Studielink, and Maastricht University uses this as the gateway before shifting your file to its own document upload portal. The steps below assume a non-EU Indian applicant targeting the September 2027 intake.

1. Register on Studielink from 1 October 2026 for the September 2027 intake and pick Maastricht University with your chosen programme.
2. Wait for the UM Application email, then upload transcripts, English test score, passport copy, CV, and motivation letter.
3. Pay the application handling fee of € 100 (₹ 10,950) on Studielink, refunded after enrolment minus bank charges.
4. Complete any programme-specific step such as UCM motivation form, numerus fixus written assignment, or MSc International Business quantitative test.
5. Faculty admissions board reviews your file within four to eight weeks and issues a conditional or unconditional offer.
6. Accept the offer through the UM portal and pay the tuition deposit to trigger MVV visa processing.
7. Submit documents for Nuffic Certificate verification of Indian transcripts once enrolled.

Maastricht University Admission Decisions Timeline

Maastricht University reviews applications in the order they arrive complete, not in bulk after the deadline. This rolling review means Indian applicants who submit early in October or November usually hear back before Class XII board exam prep begins.

• Offer letter: issued four to eight weeks after a complete submission.
• Offer acceptance window: two to four weeks from offer date, stated on the letter.
• Conditional offers: issued when board results, English score, or MOI letter are pending.
• Numerus fixus decisions: released 15 April, since ranking follows the 15 January close.
• Deferral policy: Maastricht University does not defer, so declined offers require a fresh application in the next cycle.

Once you accept, UM triggers the MVV visa process on your behalf with the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND). The residence permit is then collected in the Netherlands after arrival.

Maastricht University Documents Required for Indians

The document set below is what UM’s upload portal expects from Indian applicants. Certified translations are not required for English-medium Indian transcripts, but every scan must show the university seal and signatures clearly.

• Valid Indian passport with at least 18 months remaining validity.
• Class XII marksheet and passing certificate (for bachelor’s applicants).
• Bachelor’s degree certificate and consolidated transcript (for master’s applicants).
• IELTS, TOEFL, or Cambridge score report, or MOI letter for the English waiver.
• Motivation letter of one to two pages tailored to the programme.
• Curriculum vitae with academic and internship history.
• Two academic reference letters, mandatory for most master’s programmes.
• Portfolio or writing sample for arts, media, and select social sciences programmes.
• Financial proof of at least € 13,000 (₹ 14.24 Lakhs) for MVV visa support.
• Nuffic Certificate for Indian transcripts, applied for after enrolment through UM.

Maastricht University Acceptance Rate

Maastricht University does not publish an official institutional acceptance rate. Third-party estimates place institutional acceptance at 50 to 55 percent, based on competitive-intake programme patterns and admission volumes reported by the six faculties. This is the figure most Indian counsellors work with when advising applicants.

Maastricht University Numerus Fixus Selection Rates

Numerus fixus programmes admit far fewer applicants. The BSc International Business and BSc Data Science and Artificial Intelligence intakes typically clear 15 to 25 percent of applicants, and UCM sits around 30 to 35 percent after motivation letter and interview screening. Master’s programmes generally admit 60 to 70 percent of applicants meeting the academic floor.

Maastricht University Acceptance Rate for Indian Students

Indian applicant success tracks the institutional band closely. The single most common reason for rejection is a missing MOI letter or a mid-band IELTS Writing score dragging the average below 6.5. See the ranking band for how UM compares with Dutch peers on selectivity signals.

Key insight: UM’s admissions team weighs the motivation letter more than most Indian applicants expect, especially for UCM, MSP, and Global Studies. A generic letter is the difference between a conditional offer and a soft rejection at the numerus fixus stage.

Netherlands Student Visa for Maastricht University

Indian students admitted to Maastricht University need the MVV entry visa combined with a residence permit for study. UM acts as the recognised sponsor, so the university files the application with the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) on your behalf, and the process typically takes four to eight weeks.

You must transfer proof of funds of € 13,000 to € 14,000 (₹ 14.24 to 15.33 Lakhs) for one academic year to UM before the visa is filed, either as tuition plus living cost coverage or as a blocked deposit. UM invoices this amount and issues the visa clearance once received. Post arrival, you register at the Maastricht municipality within five working days to receive a citizen service number (BSN), a Dutch tax and administration ID needed to open a bank account and sign a lease.

2026 update: The IND raised the standard living cost requirement for study residence permits to around € 1,155 per month in 2026, so the twelve-month proof block moved above € 13,850. UM will state the exact figure in your enrolment letter, and this is the number your bank draft must match.

Tips and Application Checklist for Maastricht University

The following tips and steps are drawn from Indian-applicant patterns at Maastricht University, especially those targeting the September 2027 cycle from an Indian board.

• Book IELTS by November 2026: UM accepts scores up to two years old, and numerus fixus files close 15 January 2027.
• Request MOI letter early: most Indian universities take four to seven working days, and this alone waives the IELTS requirement.
• Draft two motivation letters: one general and one programme-specific, since UCM and MSP weigh this heavily.
• Register on Studielink on 1 October 2026: early registration secures your slot for numerus fixus draws.
• Order provisional transcripts: Class XII predicted marks or Bachelor’s semester-wise transcripts work for the initial upload.
• Line up two academic referees by December 2026: UM emails them directly, so confirm their institutional email IDs.
• Arrange visa funds by April 2027: the € 13,850 block must land in UM’s account before the MVV file goes to IND.
• Confirm accommodation by May 2027: Maastricht Housing opens in early May and student rooms clear within days.
• Book flights only after residence permit approval: IND decisions occasionally slip past 1 July for August arrivals.

Maastricht University’s Problem-Based Learning model, September primary intake, and Studielink route give Indian applicants a predictable path, but the numerus fixus 15 January 2027 and February 2027 master’s 15 October 2026 deadlines land tight against Class XII exams and Bachelor’s finals. Move on Studielink registration and the MOI letter first, since these unlock every other step.