According to the Teaching & Examination Regulations (TER), applicants are expected to satisfy four admission requirements:

1. relevant undergraduate degree (TER B Article 3.1.2),
2. solid logic background (TER B Article 3.1.3),
3. academic excellence (TER B Article 3.1.4), and
4. English language proficiency (TER B Article 3.1.5).

Requirement 4. is a formal requirement and cannot be waived by the Admissions Board. The Admissions Board sometimes admits candidates who do not satisfy all three requirements 1., 2., and 3., but convince the Admissions Board otherwise that their admission is in the interest of both programme and applicant.

Please note: applications should be complete (including two letters of reference and the, sufficient, result of an English proficiency test) by the relevant deadline.

• Relevant undergraduate degree

  Applicants are expected to have a Bachelor's or equivalent degree in one of the following fields: computer science, artificial intelligence, mathematics, philosophy, or linguistics. Dual degrees covering a combination of two of these subjects will be considered as satisfying the relevant undergraduate degree requirement, but very broad interdisciplinary degrees that do not include a sufficient amount of depth in one particular subject are usually not considered as a relevant undergraduate degree.

  The Admissions Board will consider admitting candidates who do not satisfy the requirement of relevant undergraduate degree if their list of courses proves that they have acquired the necessary background for postgraduate work in logic.

• Logic background

  Applicants are expected to have solid background in modern formal logic, affinity with mathematical and formal thinking and sufficient familiarity with mathematical proofs. In practice, this means that incoming students are expected to have taken a course in mathematical logic up to and including the proof of the completeness theorem for first-order logic and have taken courses requiring mathematical or formal reasoning. Note that introductory logic courses in philosophy and linguistics departments usually do not provide enough logic background to satisfy this requirement: often, courses in philosophy departments covering this material are called Metalogic.

  The Admissions Board is aware that courses covering this material are not offered at all universities and will consider admitting candidates who do not satisfy this requirement if they have an otherwise very strong formal background.

• Academic excellence

  Applicants are expected to display academic excellence, usually witnessed by a very strong academic record, i.e., the equivalent of a Dutch cum laude distinction. In particular, the Admissions Board expects excellent performance in courses that are relevant for the Master of Logic.

  While grades in the undergraduate degree are one important indicator, the Admissions Board does not base its decision entirely on grades. Other indicators for academic excellence include academic awards and prizes, undergraduate publications, co-authorship in research publications, involvement in research projects, or engagement in logic-related activities. This list is not exhaustive: there are many ways to convince the Admissions Board that an applicant is academically excellent.

• English language proficiency

  English language proficiency is a formal requirement and can be demonstrated by one of the following examinations with the corresponding minimum scores:

  • TOEFL Test: the minimum score required is:
    • Internet-based test (iBT): 92 with a minimum subscore of 22 on each subject (listening/reading/writing/speaking).

    The TOEFL-code for the Faculty of Science of the University of Amsterdam is: 9011. 

    The TOEFL Home Edition is not allowed. The Toefl Home Edition can only be used if you are residing in a country where all test centers of ETS (Toefl) are closed due to internal problems.

    Please note that we do not accept 'MyBest Scores'.
  • IELTS Test (only Academic IELTS is accepted; the IELTS Online Academic test and IELTS Indicator test are not accepted): the minimum score required is 6.5, and a subscore of at least 6.0 on all subject (listening, reading, writing, speaking). 
  • Cambridge English Qualifications: C1 Advanced with a minimum score of 180.

  • TOEFL and IELTS Test results should not be older than two years.  After this date results cannot be verified anymore by the testing organizations. Applicants are therefore advised to submit a TOEFL or IELTS English proficiency test result which is not older than two years before the start of the academic programme.

    Cambridge English Qualifications older than two years will be accepted.

  Applicants automatically satisfy the English language requirement, when they:
  - hold a Bachelor’s degree from a Dutch university; or
  - have had a full academic programme in Australia, Canada (English), Ireland, New Zealand, United Kingdom or United States of America. 

• Applicants with a postgraduate degree

  In general, the MSc Logic is intended for students who have completed an undergraduate degree, but  not yet a postgraduate degree. If you decide to apply despite already having completed, or being enrolled in, a postgraduate program, please carefully explain your decision in your letter of motivation.