Students at RSM have ample opportunities to experience international business at first hand; participation in an exchange programme during their Bachelor and/or Master at RSM is one of them. For many students, this is a once in your life opportunity, a chance to distinguish yourself on the labor market, to further develop your personal and academic skills and the best way to expand your network of friends and business contacts.

Application and selection

Students who have a strong commitment to go on exchange, should start thinking about it from day one of their start at RSM. Focusing on obtaining good grades, along with learning foreign language(s) and joining extracurricular activities, will lead you all the way to the road of exchange. Students will have to go through a strong selection process for the Master Exchange Programme, set up by the International Office. Selection always takes place once a year and starts one year prior to the period of exchange. Master students do the exchange upon their almost completed master programme (one master free elective is to be done abroad), therefore all exchanges take place in the autumn terms. Exchanges are possible to partner schools in Europe, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East.

How to start?

Whether you're ready to apply or just exploring, it's never too early to start planning.
All information concerning the selection criteria and the application requirements and process can be found under the section Getting started.

Getting started

Introduction

The annual Erasmus Goes Abroad Fair takes place on Thursday October 19 from 14.00 - 17.00 h. in the Theil Buidling, ground floor.

At 15.00 h. there is a special information session on the Master exchange programme in room CB-03.

Welcome to the Master Exchange Programme facilitated by the International Office of Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University (RSM).

The master exchanges take place upon your almost completed master programme, meaning:

  • you must study nominally (doing your master in one year, see also in selection criteria under "Study Progress") and you must have passed all master courses, except for one master free elective that you will do during your exchange (courses to replace your free elective do not necessarily have to be related to your own master); Some master programmes (MiM, BAM and Pt-MiM are exempted from the free elective rule, for those students the International Office will ask for postponement of active degree granting).
  • you must have completed and defended your master thesis prior to the start of your exchange;
  • your master exchange takes place in Autumn, meaning you need to stay enrolled at RSM for approximately another half a year (=exchange + conversion of your courses abroad);
  • the minimum workload abroad is 20 EC (including your free elective).
  • It is not allowed to apply for both the CEMS or DM2 programme at the same time. If not selected for either CEMS or DM2, one can check with the International Office on remaining exchange spots at the end of February.
  • Note! You can not participate in the master exchange programme if you are aiming at doing your master programme in 2 years!

Over 100 top business schools and universities in Europe, the United States, Canada, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa or Latin America are open for a master exchange. Most partner schools are member of RSM’s well regarded networks PIM (Partnership in International Management) and/or CEMS (the Global Alliance in Management Education), others are based on a bilateral partnership.

Before starting your career, we hope that you are one of those students who will study at a highly ranked business school where you learn, work and compete with the best business students in the world.

We invite you to apply for our Master Exchange Programme!

Find your exchange destinations in the section Partner Schools MSc.

For the latest factsheets, study reports and updates, we recommend you to sign up for the RSM Master Exchange page on Canvas.

The International Office 

Destinations

Partner schools

RSM maintains a partner network of 175+ business schools and universities which are seen as some of the best in their countries and are renowned worldwide.

However not all partner schools are open for the master exchange, since some of these are only appropriate for either Bachelor and/or MBA students. For this reason, check out the section Partner Schools MSc on this website and see for which schools you can apply. 

In your application, you have to list a top 3 of preferred destinations. Next to that, you will be able to mention 10 alternative destinations.

MBA level exchanges

At some schools, mostly outside Europe, RSM master students participate in MBA programmes. The reason is just because of the fact that this particular partner school does not offer a master programme similar to ours. For MBA level programmes working experience (at least 1 year  for example by having done several internships, part-time business-related jobs, own start-up etc) and maturity is very important.

Canvas course RSM Master Exchange 

There are 100+ master exchange destinations to choose from, but it is very important to apply for the right ones since some schools require additional language and admission grade requirements, have a different academic calendar (Austria, Australia, New Zealand, India, South Korea), differ from length in terms (tri/semester, quarter system) or have deviating requirements for certain nationalities (China). This information is mostly summarized in the partner schools’ so-called Factsheets, which are to be found in the Canvas course “RSM Master Exchange”, section “partner schools”. This canvas course is also a useful tool to find reports of former exchange students.

PIM Schools Database

Fact sheets for Partnership in International Management (PIM) network member schools, including academic calendar, accommodation and application, are available on the PIM website: www.pimnetwork.org.

The International Office of RSM is responsible for initiating, organizing and coordinating international exchanges and is therefore able to give you most of the information needed.

Important information on the Master Exchange Programme is communicated through:

In this course more detailed information such as application and selection criteria, language requirements, scholarships/grants can be found. Moreover, you can find all information on the partner schools such as academic calendar, conversion of course workload, study reports, factsheets, language courses, accommodation, and all other relevant information to prepare for your exchange .

  • International Office

Any additional information can also be asked for at the International Office, located at the 5th floor of the Mandeville Building. Or email: intoffice@rsm.nl or call 010-4081984/2398.

The websites of our partner schools provide you with the most relevant information about their (exchange) programmes, accreditation, rankings, location, and accommodation options for international students.

The direct links to webpages for (master/graduate) incoming exchange students are mentioned on a partner university's factsheet. These factsheets are posted on our Canvas course "RSM Master Exchange". This will save you a lot of searching on the web.

At Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) there are several offices that promote, support and facilitate outgoing and incoming student mobility. At the faculties, institutes and schools, these offices are usually called 'international offices', like at the RSM. On a university-wide level, the concerning office is called the International Office EUR.

 

International Office EUR can help you with information on available scholarships, practical matters and general information on studying and living abroad.

 

Social media channels are easy and available for everyone to use. For example, you could check the RSM Exchange Students 2023-2024 group on Facebook to contact our current exchange students. For students going on exchange or coming to Rotterdam in 2024-2025 a new Facebook group will be launched after selection. This Facebook group is also a perfect tool to sublet your room to one of our international students coming on exchange to RSM in the same period that you are abroad. 

Use social media to get information about the universities, the countries, to learn from students who went on exchange already etc.

The Netherlands Organisation for International Co-operation in Higher Education (Nuffic) is the Dutch organisation for international co-operation in higher education. They provide useful information about studying abroad, grants, etc. The Dutch website provides more information as it mainly focuses on Dutch students but the English page can be of some help for international students as well: https://www.nuffic.nl/en

Selection criteria

There are several mandatory requirements which you must fulfil in order to be considered eligible for a master exchange and/or for a specific destination in particular. The following selection criteria guarantee that each student has sufficient qualifications and motivation to study successfully abroad. The selection committee applies all criteria, as outlined below.

To be selected to go on exchange, you must fulfil several mandatory requirements. The following selection criteria guarantee that each student has sufficient qualifications and motivation to study successfully abroad:

 

 At the time of selection (January 2024):

  1. All applying students must have achieved a minimum average weighted grade of 6.5 in their bachelor programme at RSM or another university/"HBO opleiding". If you want to apply for business schools in North America, your average weighted bachelor grade should surpass a 7.5. Also for traditional popular destinations, your average should surpass a 7.0. and sometimes a 7.5. Traditional popular destinations are: Bocconi (Milan), IE Madrid, Nova de Lisboa, Universidade Catolica Portuguesa, University of Chicago, University of Pennsylvania (Wharton), National University of Singapore, Keio Business School (Tokyo).

    To find out the specific requirements for a partner, please see the section Partner schools MSc.
  2. At the time of application, current master students must have completed at least 2 of their master core courses of their Block 1. In all cases, students should bring their most recent Osiris print out, which shows ALL core courses results, to the interview which takes place early February 2024.

    Students awaiting re-sit results should inform the International Office since the timing of these results may clash with the period in which they are selected and/or nominated at the partner school.
    At all times, students must study in the nominal timespan of their programme, this means that you MUST have completed your entire exam programme EXCEPT for one master free elective*, though including the master thesis trajectory – BEFORE you go on exchange.  Thus all core courses, most electives and the master thesis must have been completed before you set off to our partner school. ! Since you do not know yet if you will be selected for a master exchange, we advise all students to register for all electives and drop the free elective in the switch week in March 2024. The results of the master exchange selection are known not later than mid-February, 2024.
     
  3. Students must show proof of their language skills required for the school they apply for. Most courses abroad are in English. 
     
  4. Students must write a motivation letter which is primarily based on the study programme and their goals to be achieved abroad.
     
  5. Students must demonstrate that they are mature, independent, flexible and responsible by extra-curricular activities. Being active for RSM (board position, committee member, exchange ambassador/buddy) is a big plus for selection!!!!!
     
  6. Students must be aware that they represent RSM and fulfill an ambassadors role abroad.
     
  7. Students applying for MBA level programmes (most schools in N-America and Asia) must have at least one year of working experience (internships, start-up, part-time (management) job).
     

(*) Not applicable to students in the MSc MiM, MSc PTMiM and MSc MSc BAM programme, these students complete their programme and for those a postponement of active degree granding will be asked for.

Students who are eligible to apply for an exchange in 2024 - 2025 (status at the time of the selection on Friday January 5, 2024):

  • current master students who started their master programme in September 2023;
  • current master students who started their second master programme in September 2023;

Average grade

Students with a bachelor average grade of 6.5 will meet the entry requirements at most partner schools. However, and especially the North-American business schools, some partner schools require a higher average, meaning a -7.5-. There is no way that RSM can send students, who score lower, to these particular schools without running the risk that students will not be admitted. For the very popular exchange destinations, RSM requires an average of -7.0- or -7.5 -.

The reason that you chose your preferred destinations plays a crucial role in the selection process, in both your letter and during your 10-minutes interview. Therefore, we advise you to devote a sufficient amount of time to prepare your application and interview. The motivation letter is part of the online application for your exchange.

Your motivation letter should be written in English and:

This motivation letter may not exceed 6.000 characters (text and spaces). If you copy-paste from Word, please keep in mind that Word does not count hard returns as a character, the online application system does.

The more personal your motivation letter, the more you stand out from the crowd applying for the same destinations.

  • start with a very brief personal introduction;
  • briefly describe why the exchange is an added value upon completion of your master programme;
  • explain your academic and personal motivation(s) for your first 3 preferred exchange destinations;
  • explain how the exchange will connect with or contribute to your future career;
  • elaborate on your personal characteristics which you believe are relevant for an exchange (international orientation, independent nature;
  • previous international experiences etc.);
  • explain why you think that you are the right one to represent RSM;
  • conclude your letter with: I WILL ………..

This motivation letter may not exceed 6.000 characters (text and spaces). If you copy-paste from Word, please keep in mind that Word does not count hard returns as a character, the online application system does.

The more personal your motivation letter, the more you stand out from the crowd applying for the same destinations.

After completing your online exchange application, the International Office starts screening all applications to check whether you meet the selection criteria and if you are eligible for a master exchange, and in particular also for the partner schools you are applying for. 

If your application is successful, you will be invited for a 10 minutes online interview. The motivation letter and interview are the most important tools to select you for an exchange.

During the interview you will be assessed on several skills such as (self) presentation skills, communication skills, and creativity.  

The selection committee wants to learn more about your extra-curricular activities in addition to your studies at RSM and working experience is important when you are applying for MBA level exchange programmes. RSM has MBA level exchange agreements with certain partner schools, just for the fact that these do not have master programmes like there are at RSM.

In the online application, please name the most relevant activities or jobs. Your participation in RSM activities is an advantage for being selected.

Jobs you can include:

• any part-time, full-time jobs or weekend jobs;
• activities and responsibilities in a student association or society;
• RSM activities in which you have participated or were responsible for (participation in RSM activities is a big plus for selection);
• voluntary activities in sports or in the community;
• internships;
• your own company.

Your extra-curricular information should show us that you are a mature, independent, flexible and responsible student.

At all times, the RSM International Office will draw up a confirmation of your English language skills. However, this does not guarantee that you are exempted from the TOEFL/IELTS test at the partner school. Please check the partner schools page or the partner factsheets 2023-2024 (if available) on Canvas RSM Master Exchange for the exact language requirements.

When you submit your online application, no later than Friday January 6, 2023, you must upload proof of your level of language skills, either:

  • Proof of your Bachelor programme in English;

or

  • An official TOEFL or IELTS score according to the Common European Framework of References for Languages (CEFR), TOEFL and/or IELTS scores. You should have proof of the teaching language of all 3 preferred partner schools.

or

  • B2 (CEFR)

If you are still participating in a language course or registered for an official language test (TOEFL, IELTS) at the time of the application deadline (Friday January 6, 2023), please include proof of your language course/test registration and submit the result during your interview in February 2023.

Please check the separate section on Language skills in order to find out which language level is required at each stage of the application and selection process and which test results or proofs of proficiency are accepted.

Language skills

Language skills/levels/tests

Your language skills are very important for all international study abroad programmes. At most partner schools the teaching language of the business and management courses is English, at some partner schools, the teaching language is both in the local language and English. And a very few do not or hardly offer any English courses at all.

In the section Partner Schools MSc on this website you can find the teaching language at each school, as well as the language level/proof needed. 

Language levels in Europe

In Europe most schools use the levels the levels of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) to evaluate your language skills.

The levels of the Common European Framework (CEFR):

A1 – Beginners level
A2 – Pre-intermediate level
B1 – Intermediate level
B2 – High intermediate level
C1 – Advanced level 

Language levels outside Europe

Outside Europe most schools use the scores of TOEFL and/or IELTS to determine the language level. See in the table below, the most common levels required at non-European partner schools:

TOEFL, most common scores needed at partner school:

Internet based: 95-100

Computer based: 250

Paper based: 600

 

IELTS, most common scores needed at partner school:

6.5 - 7.0

 

Scores of TOEFL and/or IELTS should be valid and therefore not older than 1,5 year at time of selection and 2 years at time of exchange.

 

IELTS (strongly recommended)

Students must score at least a 6.5 for the IETLS Academic. If you’re interested in passing the IELTS tests in the Netherlands, you can do this in Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Utrecht, Eindhoven, and Zwolle. IELTS tests all four language skills: listening, reading, writing and speaking. The fee for an IELTS Academic test is around €231. The test center will send you the score report per post, 13 days after making the test. As it is done from the Netherlands, it will take about 2 weeks after the test date to get the results at your home address in the Netherlands.

(Source: https://www.ielts.org/)

 

TOEFL

There are two testing methods: internet-based (iBT) and paper-based (PBT). A score of at least 580 on the paper based exam or 93 on the internet based TOEFL is required. These are the official TOEFL examinations and are not offered by the Language and Training Centre, here at Erasmus University. The TOEFL test has over 50 test dates per year. You can retake the test as many times as you wish, but you cannot take it more than once in a 12-day period. The test centers in The Netherlands are located in Amsterdam, ‘s-Hertogenbosch, Arnhem, Eindhoven, and Maastricht. Please keep in mind that available test dates and spots are limited. The fee for a TOEFL test is around €200. About two weeks after the test, you can check your result online. TOEFL sends the score report 13 days after making the test but it is send from the USA. They mention that it can take up to six weeks before it arrives elsewhere; outside the USA. We know from experience that it indeed can take up to 8 weeks in total before the student receives it at the home address in the Netherlands. The test center will ask you where to send the test results to. Always mention your own address. Do not opt for the option to send it to RSM and/or Erasmus University as it will get lost in the internal mail as we know from experience.

(Source: http://www.ets.org/toefl)

 

The Language & Training Center at Erasmus University

The Language & Training Centre (LTC) of the Erasmus University provides high quality language courses for Dutch and international students. For proof of the English language, this is not the place to pass an official TOEFL or IELTS test. For the local languages, such as Spanish, French, and German, the LTC has many courses to offer, ones which take place at the university or some which take place at a language institute that they work with. Please visit www.eur.nl/ltc or email languagecentre@oos.eur.nl for more information.

(Source: www.eur.nl/ltc)

At each partner school the language requirements differ and are subject to change. One school accepts an English waiver from RSM stating that the student has sufficient English language skills, whereas another partner only accepts RSM students if they can show an official and valid  TOEFL/IELTS score.

If you want to be sure that you can be exchanged to any partner school (provided you also do meet the other selection criteria), you are strongly advised to pass the TOEFL or IELTS test and make sure the result is known at the time of selection (January 2022). Also, a TOEFL/IELTS might be necessary to obtain visa documents for N-America, check their factsheets on Canvas 'RSM Master Exchange'.

At the time of selection

At the time of selection (January – February 2022) you must meet the language requirements of your top 3 preferred destinations. See also the overview Partner Schools MSc in which you can find the language requirements at each partner school. The International Office does not select students who do not meet the language requirements of the preferred partner schools in order to avoid that these students are not admitted to the partner school at the time of nomination (April-May 2022).

English waivers

Some schools accept a so-called English waiver on the basis of a completed Bachelor and Master programme in English. The International Office of RSM can prepare such English waiver for the student only. Such waivers can be asked for once the student has been selected to a partner school where the waiver is accepted. 

Any equal official proof of English Proficiency

Some schools accept other proof of English Proficiency provided that you can demonstrate that the level is comparable to their official language requirement. For example, a Cambridge Proficiency certificate, level C.

Please be aware that some official language certificates are valid for two years only. Partner universities have the right to reject these certificates. It is your responsibility to make sure that you have a valid certificate to show to the partner university. However, the International Office does accept this “old” certificate for the application in January in order to prove your level of proficiency.

If one of the partner universities on your application (top 3 and 10 alternatives) asks for an official proof of e.g. the TOEFL or IELTS and your certificate expires before Spring of 2023, we strongly advise you to make a new test and have the result in before our application deadline in January. If you wait until after the selection, you might not have the time to get a new certificate before the application deadline of the partner university (which in some cases might be in February or March already).

Finances

A study experience abroad always involves additional costs such as:

  • + half a year RSM tuition fee (which includes the period after your exchange when you have to wait for your results from the partner school, processing your courses abroad into your home studies and finally issuing of your master diploma), At all times you need to stay enrolled at RSM during your exchange and as long as your courses passed abroad have not been converted into your home studies. The latter usually takes up 4-6 weeks, which includes the period that the partner school sends us your transcript of records. Re-enrollment at RSM is the student's own responsibility.  
  • visas (if necessary),
  • insurance,
  • travel expenses,
  • accommodation,
  • living expenses, and other.

The total amount of additional costs depends on the destination and your personal expenses. For example, experiences have taught us that a 4-month exchange in N-America cost around € 10,000 and an exchange in Europe around € 5.000 - 7.000.

Please do make sure that you make a realistic budget overview for yourself before deciding where you would like to go. Do not calculate receiving possible scholarships or grants within this budget overview as you can never be sure if you will actually receive them. If you do, see it as extra spending money.

For example:

Some universities in countries such as the USA or Australia need proof that you have enough funds to support yourself during your stay at the host university. Selected students for these universities need to show evidence at the time of application (around February) at the host university that they have the equivalent of approximately $ 5,000 or more on their or their parents’ bank account. In some cases, grants and scholarships are available.

As an exchange student selected by RSM’s International Office, you don’t pay tuition fee at the host university. However, you do need to be enrolled at RSM during your exchange and as long as your conversion of courses into your home studies takes place. Be aware that an exchange involves at least an extra half year of RSM tuition fee. Why an extra half a year? Once your exchange is over, the International Office needs to process your courses passed abroad and needs to await the results from your host university. Processing these so-called Exchange Study Plans (ESP) in general take up 4-6 weeks. To finalize your ESP, also a study report is needed from your side (to save time, you can start writing this report already during your exchange). In all cases, without your transcript from the host university, the International Office can not process your ESP to the Examination Board which on their turn forward this to the Student Administration which prepare your master diploma.

The following information may also help to you to reduce your extra costs.

Subletting your room during your exchange

Subletting your room during your exchange period can reduce exchange costs, and using your room will help us to accommodate our incoming exchange students.

There is always a shortage of rooms for exchange students studying in Rotterdam. If you want to rent out your room temporarily you can use the housing webpage: www.HousingAnywhere.com. This webpage was developed to bring student accommodation supply and demand together; and it operates student-to-student, without using intermediaries.

You can also check out the Facebook group “RSM Exchange Students 2023-2024” and interact with international students coming to Rotterdam for their exchange who may want to rent your room. This page will be launched after the selection in 2023. If you sublet your room via HousingAnywhere, post the link to your room here on Facebook.

Student grants and loans & reimbursement of OV student card

Dutch students will continue to receive student grants and loans while abroad. Students who receive a student grant from DUO and who take components of their Dutch university studies abroad are entitled to receive approximately € 100 per month instead of their OV student card. Leisure travel time before or after your exchange programme is not calculated in this period. To receive timely reimbursement you should submit your request to DUO at least two months before departure. Request forms are available at the Erasmus Student Service Centre (ESSC) in the E-building, and on DUO’s website: https://duo.nl/particulier/studiefinanciering-buitenland/ov-vergoeding.jsp  The International Office of RSM can sign this form.

ERASMUS+ grant / scholarschip

The European education programme is the programme that financially supports students who will be exchanged to universities in any EU and EEA/EFTA country. Students can not send in an application for this grant individually. Therefore, after the exchange selection, the International Office makes sure that the central EUR International Office (responsible for the administration of the Erasmus+ programme) receives a list of all selected students eligible for this grant. The central EUR International Office will inform those students how to proceed with their application for the Erasmus+ programme grant. See also: https://www.eur.nl/en/education/practical-matters/financial-matters/scholarships-grants/current-students-going-abroad/erasmus

Be aware: students going to our partner schools EADA (Barcelona) or Imperial College (London) are not eligible for the Eramus+ grant. This has to do with the private status of both schools. 

For all questions on the Erasmus+ grant, please send email to erasmusplus@eur.nl

Holland Scholarship Erasmus University (outside EEA)

Made available by the Dutch Ministry of Education Culture and Science together with Erasmus University Rotterdam for excellent students going to a country outside the EEA. The EUR International Office oversees the whole (application) process.

The Holland Scholarship is a grant for which you will need to apply between 01 March till 01 April; the selection is done by central EUR’s International Office. This is for talented Dutch students only. More information on the requirements and how to apply:
https://www.eur.nl/holland-scholarship-current-students (in Dutch)

EUR International Office: is the central International Office operating on university wide level and among other things responsible for scholarship like the Erasmus grants+.
More information can be found here: https://www.eur.nl/en/education/practical-matters/financial-matters/scholarships-grants
Or they can be reached via: scholarships@eur.nl

Erasmus Trustfonds / A.A. van Beek Fonds

The Erasmus Trustfund (including A.A. van Beek Fonds) aims to advance academic education at Erasmus University Rotterdam. It does so by granting financial contributions to students associated with the university, who

1. go on exchange/internship abroad;

2. have no or little experience abroad;

3. have insufficient financial means to go on exchange. 

At all times, read the application requirements very carefully in order to know if you are eligible to apply. 

Information and application forms can be found here: 

A.A. van Beek Fonds

The International Office’s letter of confirmation which will be sent to you after selection, can serve as evidence that you are officially selected for an exchange through RSM. 

 

10 Master Exchange Scholarships of 1.000 euro each donated by Kalverboer Silsby Foundation

Prior to the summer break (beginning of June), selected Master students who are not eligible for a Erasmus grant, nor A.A. van Beekfonds will be informed how to apply for this scholarship. Priority in selection is given to students who are going on an exchange outside Europe and who can demonstrate that this scholarship is indispensable. 

 

Refund tuition fee

If you have paid tuition fee for a full academic year, you can ask for a refund for the remaining months after your exchange (except for July & August). Be aware! You can only de-register from Studielink once you have been awarded with your Master diploma. So if you are still in the conversion mode (processing your courses abroad into your home studies) you can not de-register!

For more information, click here.

Application

Application – 3 steps

Before your start filling you out the online application form for the master exchange programme, you are strongly recommended to make yourself familiar with the contents of the website pages on the master exchange programme.

Step 1. Prepare your application:

Please read all information on this website carefully, especially the selection criteria and entry requirements per partner school. * Visit the Erasmus Goes Abroad! Study Abroad and Internships Fair on October 19, 2023. Enroll in Canvas Course RSM Master Exchange for all detailed information on information sessions, partner schools, study reports etc.

Step 2. Complete your application online

Information and uploads required in the online application:
• Personal information, such as your contact details, student ID, uploaded picture.
• RSM student status, such as year of enrolment, programme, results of your bachelor programme.
• Language skills: upload proof of your language skills (TOEFL or IELTS , ITP TOEFL, or proof that you did your Bachelor programme in English).
• Details of prior or other education.
• A maximum of three of your most relevant extra-curricular activities, such as an internship, job, student association, RSM activities, or volunteer work. Upload your C.V.
• State your three preferred destinations, and any alternative suggestions.
• A preliminary proposal indicating your choice of courses at your preferred destinations. This preliminary proposal can be changed after you have been selected.
• A copy of your passport’s detail’s page.
• Motivation letter. 

Step 3. Submit online your application + uploads (language, passport, C.V.) not later than Friday January 5, January 2024

• Once submitted, no further alterations can be made.
• Keep a printout of your completed online application for yourself to prepare for the interview.

SELECTION PROCESS

Initial selection
The initial selection is based on your application form. Candidates who do not meet the selection criteria will take no further part in the selection process, and will be notified by email before the end of January 2024.

Interviews
If you have passed the initial selection, you will be notified of the date, time and place of your 10-minute interview by email. Interviews will take place in the first week of February 2024. Please confirm your attendance at the interview to the exchange officer of the International Office, Sofie van Hattem by email at vanhattem@rsm.nl as soon as possible.

Matching of students and exchange places
When all interviews are concluded, the committee will proceed with selection and placement of candidates, taking into account the order of preferred universities. You may, or may not, be granted a place at your preferred destination, depending on availability. The committee starts with selection for destinations with the greatest competition, for example those with a high number of applications and few available places. There is a competition for placements and the selection process for popular destinations will be more rigorous than for other destinations. Selection is based on average grades, working experience, language skills, extra-curricular activities, study progress, motivation and performance during interview. Students with lower scores have smaller chances of winning a placement at their first choice destination. If unsuccessful, they will compete for places in their second and third choice destinations.

ALLOCATION OF EXCHANGE SLOTS: POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE RESULT

Positive or negative result? The results of the selection are expected to be announced by email on Friday February 16, 2024. If the International Office has not been able to allocate you an exchange destination (yet), you will be informed by email some day(s) before.

Negative results are for students who:
• they scored lower on the selection criteria than others for the same exchange place(s);
• they only applied for one particular partner school for which there were better applicants;
• they were not open to alternative destinations;
• they made a poor impression during the interview;
• they didn’t demonstrate a solid motivation for the host university;
• they failed to attend the interview and gave no good reason for doing so.

Negative result: 

Waiting list
If the selection committee has not selected you for any of your three preferred destinations, but you have indicated that you are open to alternatives, you will be registered on our waiting list. This means you can re-apply for any remaining available exchange placements. A list of available placements will be sent to you by email after students selected in the first round have confirmed or declined their offers; this takes place between one and two weeks after the interviews.

Positive result:

Festive drink
Students selected for the RSM Master Exchange Programme celebrate the results with a social get-together. This is a perfect opportunity to meet fellow students who are going to the same exchange destination as you, and also to meet students who are currently doing their exchange in Rotterdam. Here’s your chance to meet future study mates and ask for more information from those already on exchange here in Rotterdam. You will automatically receive an invitation for this event. 

Partner Schools MSc

This section on partners school hast just been launched. Please check this section on a regular basis, since minor changes may still occur. 

View all partner schools.

Checklist

This checklist helps you to prepare for your master exchange in the academic year 2023-2024.

FAQ

The International Office deals with questions from students every day. We have listed the most common questions and answers here. Please check if the information you need is on these pages before contacting the International Office.

Yes, you are most welcome to re-apply, however it is the schools’ policy not to select students to the same continent (except for Europe and Asia) or to traditional popular exchange destinations twice.

More than 100 top business schools in Europe, Canada, Latin America, the USA, Australia, New Zealand and Asia are open to you for your master exchange. These business schools and universities are all seen as some of the best in their countries and are renowned worldwide. You will be asked to list three preferred destinations in your application. Some schools have a different academic calendar, or have special admission requirements as to your Bachelor GPA, language proficiency, working experience or workload. Please see the Partner Schools MSc overview on the "Getting started" page of this website. 

All information on partner schools, such as factsheets, study reports, course lists etc. are to be found on Canvas RSM Master Exchange.

Except for one master free elective, all other master programme course components and the thesis (defense) need to be completed prior to the exchange. Also an exchange on top of your second Master programme is an option. You are then advised to leave a course open from your 1st Master programme to avoid the non-EU tuition fee. At all times you need be enrolled for a Master programme at RSM during your exchange.

See ideal order here.

 

An exchange takes place during a semester, a trimester or on a quarterly basis, usually from late August to late December. However, academic calendars at international partner schools vary according to their location, for example in Australia, India, New Zealand, Latin America, UK, Germany or Austria.

If an unforeseen situation (natural disaster, unstable political environment etc.) occurs in your host country shortly after the selection, the International Office will do its utmost to find you another exchange destination. In case such situation reaches us just prior to the start of the programme abroad, there is not much the International Office can do anymore. In that case you are advised to choose for core course of a different master programme to convert your free elective.

The Intenational Office can not be hold responsible for any financial consequences in case the exchange needs to be cancelled for reasons above.

If you cancel the exchange yourself, an administration fee of 250 euro is being charged, unless there are good demonstrable reasons for which you need to cancel the exchange (for example illness). The administration fee is based on the time consuming process the exchange takes at both the home and host university.

Each year the selection committee receives more applications than there are exchange places. Although the committee applies all selection criteria, of which your motivation letter is of most importance, there are always applicants with more or less the same profile and applying for the same school.
Only in such a case, your GPA Bachelor scores may be decisive. However, some of our partner universities, mostly in North-America require and only accept students into their programmes with a certain average bachelor grade of 7.5 or higher. 
Therefore, students with lesser Bachelor scores should not apply for those concerned. Of course your Master scores are also taken into account, but at the time of selection, theses are only a few. Furthermore, higher scores in the master programmes are the rule rather than the exception and are therefore not directive. In addition, MBA level programmes require a meaningful package of working experience, at least one year and can consists of internships, part-time (management) jobs, own company etc.

At all times, students who have demonstrated to be active for RSM (board positions, committee members, exchange ambassadors etc.) are given priority in the selection.

One can see that at some partner schools certain GPA’s are required to be admitted to their exchange programme. In most cases this GPA has been decided upon in the exchange agreements between RSM and the partner school or RSM has determined on a higher GPA than 6.5 when it concerns traditional popular destinations such as IE Madrid, Bocconi University, NUS Singapore etc. 

Especially at North American partner schools, the GPA of the bachelor can play an important role in being accepted into their programmes. The GPA of the bachelor programme can not be compensated with your master scores, which, in general, are higher than your bachelor ones.

The results of your courses abroad do not affect your GPA at RSM, in other words, you can still graduate cum laude.

At the time of selection (January-February 2023) and start of the exchange, students should have met the language requirements of their top 3 preferred exchange destinations. The language requirements per school can be found on this webiste under "Partner Schools MSc".

Although no tuition fee needs to be paid at the host university, an exchange abroad always involves additional costs. The most common additional expenses are the 1/2 year RSM tuition fee, travels costs, visa and insurance, language courses, living expenses and accommodation. Some partner schools also require compulsory exchange fees which cover campus facilities. There are, of course, student grants that can help you to reduce these extra costs.

See under 'Finances'. 

Within the regular master programme structure, in spring you need to be at RSM to participate in your thesis trajectory. This means that your exchange can only take place in the autumn of 2023, at the end of your master programme. An exchange (plus course/grade conversion proces afterwards) involves some prolongation of your master (approx. 6 months) and therefore some extra tuition fee. However, you only pay for the months that you are still registered as a student at RSM. An exchange or any other international experience is regarded as an indispensable part of your business studies and investment in your personal development. You will benefit from the experience as soon as you start your career, locally or internationally.

At all times, the minimum workload abroad is 20 EC. Next to your master free elective of 6 EC you need to participate in courses for at least 14 EC. The 20 EC workload is more or less the same workload as for the local students at the host university. 7,5 EC may be spent on language courses (except for English) and may not count towards your master free elective.

When doing a master exchange you will participate in either senior bachelor (3rd, 4th or 5th year), MSc or MBA programmes. Reasons for participating in courses/programmes other than MSc might be that the partner school does not offer master programme like ours, or their master programmes are not open exchange students. Especially in N-America and Asia, partner schools do not offer that much MSc programmes similar to ours. If so, you will, in most cases, participate in their MBA programme for which relevant one year working experience is needed.

At all times, the courses abroad are considered to be of a comparable level to your RSM courses, which means they count towards your RSM master programme.

At some schools, mostly outside Europe, master students participate in MBA programmes. The reason is just because of the fact that these particular partner schools do not offer master programme like RSM does. For MBA level programmes, working experience (at least 1 year) and maturity is very important. Working experience can be: a part-time management job, an intership, a start-up, etc.

In the list of MSc partner schools one can see that some schools have the label ON HOLD instead of the number of estimated exchange slots. On hold means that the host university has sent us less students than RSM has sent to that particular university in previous years. Since the exchange of students is based on a person-to-person basis, it is the host university’s right to put RSM on hold in case there is an uneven balance of incoming and outgoing students.

The on hold rule will only change if the host university send its’ students to RSM again. If there is a change in any of the On Hold destinations during the selection period, you will be informed through the SIN-online channel or Canvas course RSM Master Exchange.

The International Office does not facilitate exchanges, which are arranged by students for themselves. However, if you do want to arrange your own exchange or participation in a summer school and want to convert your grades into your home studies, you should prepare an approved exchange study plan beforehand, just as you would for a regular study exchange. In addition, we advise students to first contact the International Office. Not all schools offer business courses, which can replace RSM’s courses, and your participation and resulting grades may not be recognised by RSM. Please also take into consideration the expense of participation in exchange courses or summer schools, as fees can be high.

Testimonials

Rafal Nowicki

“I am so happy to tell you about my exchange semester at UNC, Chapel Hill. It was one of the best experiences in my life - I have broadened my horizons thanks to practical courses, wonderful lecturers, and challenging projects done in collaborative study environment. Also, I had a pleasure to meet Patricia Collins, the Associate Director MBA Global Programs, who was a second mom to us - she is a very kind person! I would like to thank you once more for granting me this unique opportunity that helped me develop both personally and professionally.”

 

 

Jeroen Bravenboer

"A master's exchange to the Smith School of Business, Queen’s University is something I would totally recommend to every student. It is a very warm and welcoming, yet professional and progressive university. The MBA program itself offers numerous challenging courses for you to develop yourself even further. This in combination with the diverse backgrounds of the full-time MBA classmates and exchange students, as well as the great quality of teaching from the committed and experienced instructors made this program a highly rewarding experience. Your input will be acknowledged and appreciated by the entire class. They really want to make sure that you develop yourself, and moreover feel a part of the Queen’s family. Also the city of Kingston is a pretty pleasant place to live. This student capital offers great places to go out, and provides the perfect backdrop for legendary events, such as homecoming. Whatever you are looking for in an exchange, I can guarantee you that you will find it at Smith School of Business, Queen’s University. Do not hesitate any longer, and go through the Queen’s experience yourself."

 

Kelly Lowinski

"Going on exchange to the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania has been one of the best times of my life. Being part of the academic and social community there was an amazing and unique experience. Be it the incredibly vibrant American student culture; with its large variety of student clubs, events, and fraternities; or going on regular lunches with your professors to talk about all matters of life. Every moment is memorable."

 

Michele Tarawneh

“My exchange at Tsinghua University in Beijing has been an exceptional experience that I will never forget. China stimulated my intellectual curiosity and Tsinghua provided me with the tools, in terms of academics and social immersion, to have an in-depth understanding of a remarkably kind population in a rapidly changing country. I will never forget the friendliness of my fellow Chinese students, the beautiful campus and the fascination for China’s ancient history. Tsinghua has been a privileged point of view on something so different from what I have been used to.”

Michel Strooij

"Studying at the National University of Singapore and living in a community with students from all over the world, combined with all the on-campus facilities the university offers, was an amazing experience for me. Singapore is a city where everything works accordingly,  making it extremely easy to adapt to it, and a great multi-national place to live. Another aspect of Singapore is the amazing variety of great food available, from Japanese to Italian, and from Mexican to French, they serve it all, prime quality, while not extremely expensive. In addition, it’s prime geographic location provides you with the opportunity to travel all over Asia, and see all the wonders it has to offer. Beautiful islands, sandy beaches, tropical rainforests and centuries old cities, are all a short plane ride away. Combine that with a top-notch university, and you will start to imagine how great an exchange to the National University of Singapore is."

 

Kasia Siwicka

"I couldn’t have made a better choice for my exchange than pick Ivey Business School in Canada. The school has a unique approach built on a case study method that yields students used to theoretical techniques with an altered viewpoint on business. It also allowed me to immerse in the North American culture, take part in real-life projects and meet inspirational, passionate people. This experience will always have a very special place in my memories."

 

Coen Nieuwpoort

"Some impressions of my exchange at NHH Bergen, Norway"

"I choose to apply for an exchange semester for two main reasons. The first one was that my Master in Business Administration (The master in Management) is very broad and I wanted to specialize in one specific area. The second reason was that I wanted to experience the adventure of living abroad. I think applying for an exchange semester was one of the best decisions of my life. The finance courses I follow at the Norwegian School of Economics, one of RSM's partner universities, are very demanding and good, I learned a lot in this semester. Maybe even more valuable is the experience of living abroad. Meeting lots of new people, living in an unknown city (Bergen, Norway) and being away from friends and family meant that I had to step out of my comfort zone in the beginning. It was totally worth it. I loved almost everyday in this beautiful city and I am sure I will later look back on this period as the most exciting time of my student life."

 

Céline Cnossen 

“With the end in sight of my exchange, I would like to thank the whole international office team for the opportunity to have been exchanged to Schulich School of Business (York University). I experienced a wonderful time in Toronto where I met a lot of new people, where I learned a lot, and where I enjoyed this whole new experience.

It has not only enriched me both personally and academically, but I have also grown in a professional way. For one of my courses, I and teammates have even published an article on ‘Red Bull’ on the website of the American Marketing Association. We were a trending story and the contents was most visited for a whole month.” 

 

Contact information

MEET THE INTERNATIONAL OFFICE

The International Office at Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University (RSM) is responsible for initiating, organising and coordinating international exchange programmes with international business schools and universities at bachelor and master level.

The International Office is your first contact for exchanges on Bachelor and Master level.

Location, opening hours and contact persons
Mandeville (T) building, rooms T5-14, 18 & 22
Opening hours: Monday through Friday, 09.00 – 17.00 h. Lunch between 12.00 - 13.00 h.
Appointments: The International Office has an open door policy, though appointments are recommended as all staff members work part time. 

Please see below some useful contacts who can be of help with your study planning, exchange study plan and specific documents in relation to your exchange:

Student Advisors: for questions on both your master programme in relation to an exchange  

Who                Mr. Menno van der Hoorn, Ms Maaike Troost and Irèn Galama
Room             T5-17 & T5-21
Email             msc.studyadvice@rsm.nl
Website         https://www.rsm.nl/study-advice
 

Erasmus Student Services Centre (ESSC)

The ESSC can help with: renewing your OV student card; registering for a language test or course, information on any practical matters for an academic period abroad, such as visa and insurance; statements of enrolment and other documents.

Room           Sanders building
Tel.               +31 - (0)10 - 408 88 80 (option 1)
Website       https://www.eur.nl/en/education/practical-matters/contact
Open            daily, 9:30 to 16:00 h.

Privacy notice – Outgoing students

Your privacy is important for us. When you are going on an exchange, Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University (RSM) needs to process your personal data. The personal data we process is:

  • Identification data
  • (Emergency) Contact & Address data
  • University transcripts (including language certificates)
  • C.V.
  • Copy passport
  • (Passport sized) photo(s)

The information above will be processed by RSM and shared with partner schools for participation in the exchange abroad.

RSM will process personal data, and share this personal data with partner schools, via a printed version and/or a digital version of your entire exchange file only for the purposes of:

  • Admission & Enrolment at partner school
  • Immigration (if applicable)
  • Emergency situations
  • Accommodation

RSM will provide partner schools with your personal data. Please note that the partner school may be located in a country that is not deemed adequate regarding privacy by the European Commission. If you have any questions regarding your privacy at the partner school, please contact them.

RSM will provide selected RSM employees with details of your entire exchange file only for the purposes of:

  • Registration of academic results in Osiris
  • Receipt of Acceptance Package from host university
  • Receipt of academic results (transcripts) from host university
  • Access to the Bachelor/Master exchange Canvas module
  • Publishing exchange reports on Canvas
  • Creating a Facebook group
  • Sharing information/announcements on Facebook

RSM will provide fellow students with details of personal and contact data for the purpose of:

  • Sharing previous exchange experience
  • Organizing social, cultural or networking events
  • Social media

You have the right to rectify, inspect and erase details of your personal data in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations. For further information please read the privacy policy on the privacy statement page.

RSM International Office Team

Linda de Vries

Head International Office

Working days: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 9:00 - 17:00

Ligaya Borgonje

Programme Manager Outgoing Bachelor Exchange

Working days: Monday 9:00 - 13:00 and Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 9:00 - 17:00

Ellen Vermeulen

Programme Manager Incoming Exchange

Working days: Monday, Tuesday 9:00 - 14:30, Thursday 9:00 - 17:00, Friday 9:00 - 16:30

Sherida Wong

Manager Digital Projects

Working days: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 9:00 - 17:00

Karin Valentijn

Exchange Officer

Working days: Monday, Tuesday, Friday 9:00 - 17:00

Sofie van Hattem

Senior Exchange Officer

Working days: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday 9:00-17:00