University of Groningen
Rijksuniversiteit Groningen
A 1614 university in a northern student city, where most of the 45 bachelor's programmes are taught in English.
- Students
- 32,500
- International
- 26%
- of students
- Tuition
- €14,000
- From · 2026-27
- Founded
- 1614
About UG
Founded in 1614, the University of Groningen (UG) is the second-oldest university in the Netherlands, after Leiden, and a broad research university in the country's north. It has about 32,500 students, 26% of them international, and eleven faculties, including University College Groningen and Campus Fryslân in Leeuwarden. The university counts more than 120 nationalities among its students and staff.
UG offers 45 bachelor's programmes, mostly taught in English, spread across Economics and Business, Behavioural and Social Sciences, Religion, Culture and Society, Arts, Medical Sciences, Law, Spatial Sciences, Philosophy, and Science and Engineering. Most bachelor's programmes have open admission with a 1 May deadline, but International Business and the English-track Psychology programme select students through tests, and Medicine, Dentistry and the Dutch Psychology track allocate places by unweighted lottery. University College Groningen runs a selective Liberal Arts and Sciences degree.
Research strengths include energy, health, sustainability and digital technology; Ben Feringa, a Groningen graduate, won the 2016 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his work on molecular switches and motors. UG suits students who want an English-taught degree at a major research university in the north of the country, and who are comfortable arranging their own housing.
Verbum Domini Lucerna Pedibus Nostris
“The word of the Lord is a light for our feet” — university motto
Why students choose UG
Most of UG's 45 bachelor's programmes are taught in English, giving international students a wide choice of subjects.
International students applying to Arts, Economics and Business (except International Business), Science and Engineering, Spatial Sciences or Law can use the Early Bird route and get an admission decision within 15 working days.
Chemistry professor Ben Feringa won the 2016 Nobel Prize, and UG staff have won five Spinoza Prizes since 2015.
University College Groningen offers a small-scale, interdisciplinary Liberal Arts and Sciences degree with September and February intakes.
Admissions
2027-28 entry (September 2027 intake)
Selectivity
UG publishes no overall admission rate. Regular bachelor's programmes admit applicants who meet the diploma, subject and language requirements. Fixed-quota programmes select: Medicine, Dentistry and Psychology (Dutch track) use an unweighted lottery, while International Business and Psychology (English track) select on test performance. University College Groningen is selective (though not numerus fixus), using a motivation video after an eligibility check, and aimed to welcome 135 students in 2026-27.
Typical entry requirements
| Dutch VWO | VWO diploma with the profile and subjects the programme requires |
|---|---|
| International diplomas (IB, A-levels, European Baccalaureate, US high school and others) | A qualification UG considers equivalent to Dutch VWO, checked against its country-specific list, plus programme-specific subject requirements |
| English language | IELTS 6.5 · TOEFL iBT 90 Requirements differ by faculty: IELTS Academic 6.0 for Economics and Business and Spatial Sciences, 6.5 for Behavioural and Social Sciences, Philosophy and Campus Fryslân, and 7.0 for Law. Campus Fryslân example: IELTS 6.5 (6.0 per band), TOEFL iBT 90 (18 per section) or 4.5 on the new scale, Cambridge C1/C2 180. IELTS Online is not accepted. |
Deadlines
- University College Groningen (February 2027 intake), non-EU/EEA Non-binding Next deadline · In 26 days1 November 2026
Dutch and EU/EEA applicants for the February intake have until 15 January 2027.
- Fixed-quota bachelor's programmes (Medicine, Dentistry, Psychology, International Business) Non-binding In ~3 months15 January 2027
Apply in Studielink and the Progress Portal from 1 October 2026.
- Early Bird (participating faculties, international applicants) Non-binding In ~5 months28 February 2027
Complete your application between 1 October and 28 February to get a decision within 15 working days; available at Arts, Economics and Business (not International Business), Science and Engineering, Spatial Sciences and Law.
- Regular bachelor's programmes and University College Groningen (September 2027 intake) Non-binding In ~7 months1 May 2027
One deadline for all applicants. Applications received after the deadline are not processed.
UG's deadlines page states standing annual rules for programmes starting 1 September (15 January for fixed-quota, 1 May for regular bachelor's; UCG February intake 1 November non-EU/EEA and 15 January EU/EEA); the fixed-quota page confirms the 2027 cycle explicitly (applications 1 October 2026 to 15 January 2027). The Early Bird cut-off is 'before 28 February'.
How to apply
Apply in Studielink, then complete your application in UG's Progress Portal by uploading the required documents. International applicants with a non-Dutch diploma pay an application fee. Fixed-quota programmes add a selection procedure; University College Groningen adds a motivation video.
What admissions looks for
- A diploma UG considers equivalent to Dutch VWO, with the subjects your programme requires.
- English at your faculty's level, from IELTS 6.0 (Economics and Business) to 7.0 (Law).
- For International Business and English-track Psychology, strong performance in the selection tests.
- At University College Groningen, a holistic balance of academics, motivation and personal experience, assessed partly through a motivation video.
Tips for applying to UG
- 1 Use the Early Bird route if your faculty participates: apply by 28 February and you get a decision within 15 working days.
- 2 Medicine, Dentistry and Dutch-track Psychology use a lottery, so strong grades alone will not secure a place; the English Psychology track and International Business use selection tests instead.
- 3 Check your faculty's English requirement: Law asks for IELTS 7.0, while Economics and Business asks for 6.0.
- 4 Start your housing search early: UG does not provide accommodation, and thousands of students move to Groningen and Leeuwarden every year.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in EUR
EU/EEA students may be eligible for Dutch government student finance (DUO). UG points international students to its Grantfinder for scholarships; bachelor-level scholarships are limited. Non-EU/EEA nationals with certain Dutch residence permits can pay the statutory fee.
- Within 15 working days for applications completed by 28 February
- Early Bird decision time
Academics
International Business (BSc)
An English-taught fixed-quota programme at the Faculty of Economics and Business with selection based on test performance.
Psychology (BSc, English track)
A fixed-quota programme where places are assigned through a selection test.
Liberal Arts and Sciences (University College Groningen)
A selective, small-scale interdisciplinary degree based on the American liberal arts model, with September and February intakes.
Chemistry and other Science and Engineering programmes
Taught in the faculty where Nobel laureate Ben Feringa works on molecular machines.
Global Responsibility and Leadership (BSc, Campus Fryslân)
An English-taught degree in Leeuwarden, one of UG's two Campus Fryslân bachelor's programmes.
Research
- Ben Feringa won the 2016 Nobel Prize in Chemistry; he studied and has worked at Groningen since 1984.
- Spinoza Prizes for Pauline Kleingeld, Amina Helmi, Lodi Nauta, Bart van Wees and Cisca Wijmenga (2015-2025).
- Four thematic schools focus on energy, health, sustainability and ICT; UG produced 9,100 research publications and 758 PhD theses in 2025.
Schools & faculties
- Faculty of Arts
- Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences
- Faculty of Economics and Business
- Faculty of Law
- Faculty of Medical Sciences
- Faculty of Philosophy
- Faculty of Religion, Culture and Society
- Faculty of Science and Engineering
- Faculty of Spatial Sciences
- University College Groningen
- Campus Fryslân (Leeuwarden)
Student life
The university's 1909 Academiegebouw is its main building, and UG has 8,500 international students and more than 120 nationalities. UG does not provide accommodation, so students find rooms on the private market, and the university warns that thousands of students move to Groningen and Leeuwarden each year. Students who want an extra challenge can join the Honours College, and the university also runs a Studium Generale programme. University College Groningen offers a smaller, interdisciplinary community for liberal arts students.
- 8,500 international students from more than 120 nationalities.
- The Academiegebouw (1909), the university's main building.
- Honours College for students seeking an extra challenge.
- Campus Fryslân in Leeuwarden, the Frisian capital.
Housing. UG does not provide accommodation; students arrange their own housing in Groningen or Leeuwarden and should start searching early.
Location
Groningen is a city in the north of the Netherlands where, UG notes, thousands of students arrive every year. The university also has a campus in Leeuwarden, the Frisian capital. Students arrange their own housing, and the university advises starting the search early. The nearest airport is Groningen Airport Eelde, and the university's Leeuwarden campus serves students on the Campus Fryslân programmes.
Nearest airport: Groningen Airport Eelde (GRQ)
Notable alumni
- AJ Aletta JacobsPhysician and women's suffrage activist; the first woman to officially attend a Dutch university
- WD Wim DuisenbergFirst President of the European Central Bank; economics degrees and PhD from Groningen
- BF Ben FeringaChemist, 2016 Nobel Prize in Chemistry; educated at Groningen
- HK Heike Kamerlingh OnnesPhysicist who discovered superconductivity, 1913 Nobel Prize in Physics; graduated from Groningen
- DS Dirk StikkerThird Secretary General of NATO; law degrees from Groningen
- PP Paul PolmanFormer CEO of Unilever; studied business administration at Groningen
- JC Job CohenMayor of Amsterdam and Labour Party leader; law degrees from Groningen
Frequently asked questions
Are bachelor's programmes at the University of Groningen taught in English?
Mostly. UG offers 45 bachelor's programmes, most of them English-taught, as well as a Liberal Arts and Sciences degree at University College Groningen.
What is the application deadline for the University of Groningen?
1 May 2027 for regular bachelor's programmes starting in September, and 15 January 2027 for fixed-quota programmes such as Medicine, Psychology and International Business. The Early Bird route (by 28 February) gives a decision within 15 working days.
How much does the University of Groningen cost for international students?
In 2026-27, non-EU/EEA bachelor's students paid 14,000 euros for most faculties, 19,800 euros for Science and Engineering, 17,200 euros at University College Groningen and 32,000 euros for Medicine and Dentistry. UG had not yet announced its 2027-28 institutional fees; the national statutory fee for EU/EEA students in 2027-28 is 2,771 euros.
How does admission to Medicine at Groningen work?
Medicine is a fixed-quota programme with a 15 January deadline, and places are allocated by unweighted lottery among eligible applicants.
Does the University of Groningen provide housing?
No. UG does not provide accommodation, so students must find their own room and are advised to start early.
Sources & methodology
Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.
- University of Groningen: Facts and figures (Annual Report 2025)
- University of Groningen: Application, registration and tuition fees
- University of Groningen: Application deadlines
- University of Groningen: Tuition fees bachelor's degree programmes
- University of Groningen: Early Bird applications for bachelor's programmes
- University of Groningen: Registration fixed-quota bachelor's programme
Explore nearby in the world top 100
Universities ranked close to UG in the QS World University Rankings 2027.