Recognition of IB diploma for admission to universities and colleges

The changes that have taken place in secondary education in the Netherlands in the last few years have also affected the (legal) admission requirements for a number of university programs, especially those with a numerus fixus. More specifically: admission requirements for medical studies (including veterinary studies), technical studies and economics/econometrics & (international) business studies are now expressed in terms of specifics tracks that students need to have completed in their secondary school program.

The reforms in secondary education are known in Dutch as the 'invoering tweede fase� and the four specific tracks are known as 'profielen'.

1. Natuur - en gezondheid (N&G; physical sciences and health sciences)
2. Natuur & techniek ( N&T: physical sciences)
3. Economie & maatschappij (E&M; economics & social sciences)
4. Cultuur & maatschappij (C&M: humanities)

These changes have affected the admission requirements for students with foreign and international qualifications as well (British GCE, German Abitur, French Baccalaureate, Flemish DSO diploma, the European Baccalaureate and International Baccalaureate).

For the IB Diploma the guidelines for the minimum requirements are as follows:

- Economics, econometrics and (international) business studies: Math SL
- Social sciences: Math Studies SL
- Technical universities: Maths and Physics at Higher level (Chemistry at HL instead of Physics: only for certain specific fields) and Chemistry at SL (or Physics at SL when Chemistry is offered at HL)
- Medical and related fields are the most complex: Dutch students must (legally) present themselves with the N&G profile. This is a track that includes: Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Maths.

The medical faculties accept IB students with: Biology at HL, Math at SL, Chemistry at SL including options A (organic Chemistry) and option B (higher physical chemistry) and Physics at SL including options D (biomedical physics) & option H (optics) as a seventh Certificate subject.

IB certificates are generally not accepted for admission to higher education in the Netherlands. In this case an exception is made in order to meet the requirements; the only condition is that students need to obtain a sufficient mark (at least a 4, exceptionally a 3 in the subject taken as a seventh subject.

Students who do not fulfil these requirements would need to sit for a separate exam in the given subject. These regulations will officially come into force as from the academic year 2005 - 2006 when admission is only possible on the basis of the Dutch secondary school diploma 'new - style' (i.e. with these tracks). The present diploma will no longer be accepted.

NB.

1. Certain faculties might already introduce these new regulations for foreign qualifications this coming year (2004-2005); this is at the discretion of the institution.
2. Please note that universities in the Netherlands are autonomous and admission requirements may vary per institution.

March 2005