How does RSM determine whether my study is considered to be comparable to that obtained at a Dutch research university?

When evaluating your academic background, it needs to be categorized in one of the two types of higher education offered in the Netherlands: research-oriented (WO) or profession-oriented (HBO).

Sometimes the comparison is very straight forward as the country has a similar binary education system such as Austria, Belgium, Finland, Germany, Sweden and Switzerland. Applicants who have a degree from a University of Applied Sciences from one of these countries must first complete a pre-master year before they are eligible for admission to the master.

If you want to get an idea of the equivalent Dutch level of your diploma, you can check the list of common diplomas from your country on the Nuffic website. Nuffic is the central Dutch organization for the evaluation of foreign diplomas awarded in higher education.

For example for Diplomas obtained in India it is concluded that a 3 year bachelor of Commerce is comparable to an Applied Sciences Degree (HBO) in the Netherlands. This means that applicants from India with this diploma are not eligible for RSM master programmes.

India: Honours Bachelor of Commerce

• Dutch comparison: HBO bachelor’s degree (NLQF 6/EQF 6).
• Duration of schooling: 3 years.