Dutch University Matching and Selection Days: What to Expect and How to Prepare

What numerus fixus means

A numerus fixus programme is a Dutch bachelor's programme with a government-approved cap on the number of students it can admit. Popular fields like medicine, psychology, and international business administration regularly receive far more applicants than places, so universities cannot admit everyone who meets the entry requirements.

Instead of a first-come, first-served system, Dutch universities run a decentralized selection procedure. You apply, complete one or more selection activities, and the university ranks candidates before offering places, so getting the required grades is necessary but not enough on its own.

The January 15 deadline

You submit your application for a numerus fixus programme through Studielink by 15 January. This deadline is earlier than the general 1 May deadline that applies to most non-restricted Dutch bachelor's programmes, so check the specific deadline for your programme well before the new year.

Missing the January deadline for a fixus programme generally rules you out of that admission round entirely, unlike open programmes where late applications are sometimes still possible.

What a matching day involves

After you apply, the university runs its selection procedure between mid-January and mid-April. This can include an online test, a written assignment, a digital interview, or an in-person or online matching day where you complete tasks related to the programme, sometimes alongside a conversation with staff or current students about your motivation and fit.

At VU Amsterdam , for example, the selection procedure runs from 16 January through 14 April, with ranking numbers released on 15 April and two weeks given to accept an offered place. Exact activities and dates differ by university and programme, so always follow the instructions sent to you after you apply rather than assuming one university's process applies everywhere.

How your selection score is built

Universities combine two elements to build your ranking: the grades you achieved up to the January deadline, and your results on the selection activities the programme sets, such as tests or assessed tasks. Programmes vary in how heavily they weight each part, and some ask for additional documents alongside the standard application.

Because your score depends partly on activities you cannot fully prepare for in advance, treat the matching day itself as part of the assessment rather than a formality. Universities use it to judge genuine engagement with the field, not just your ability to perform well on a single test.

Example timeline

How many programmes you can apply to

You can normally apply to a maximum of two bachelor's programmes with a selection procedure in one year, whether at the same university or different ones. Medicine and dentistry carry an extra restriction: you can only apply to both at a single institution, not split across two universities.

If you do not take part in a selection process you applied for, that generally still counts as one of your attempts unless you formally withdraw before the January deadline. Most programmes also cap how many years in a row you can attempt their selection procedure, often around three attempts, so repeated unsuccessful applications to the same programme use up that allowance.

How to prepare

• Check your target programme's exact deadline and selection activities as soon as applications open, since details differ by university.

• Register in Studielink early so document uploads and identity checks do not become last-minute problems.

• Prepare for any test format the programme uses, since some rely on subject knowledge tests and others on situational judgement or motivation-based tasks.

• Treat any interview or matching-day conversation as a real assessment of fit, and prepare concrete reasons for choosing that specific programme.

• Keep a backup plan if you are applying to a highly competitive programme, since ranking numbers mean a strong application can still miss a place in a given year.

What happens if you miss out

Missing a place in one year does not permanently rule you out. You can usually reapply the following year, though repeated unsuccessful attempts at the same programme count against the attempt limit most universities set, often around three tries.

Some applicants use the intervening year to strengthen the parts of their application that carried less weight, such as gaining relevant work experience or volunteering, then apply again with a clearer answer to why the specific programme fits their goals. Check whether the programme allows a gap year applicant to reapply on the same terms, since policies differ by university.

International and EU applicants

Numerus fixus selection applies to Dutch and international applicants alike, and the Studielink deadline and selection process work the same way regardless of your nationality. What differs is the documentation you need to complete your application, since non-Dutch qualifications often require extra verification of equivalence before your application counts as complete.

Start your documentation early if your prior education was outside the Netherlands, since verification can take time and the January deadline does not move to accommodate a late document.