Hello there,

I'm wondering if someone can tell me if a Masters is absolutely necessary to be accepted onto a PhD programme in the Netherlands? I know in the UK it is preferred but not always a requirement.

I'm a mature student with extensive work experience, strong BA in the same field and direct fieldwork experience with the advertised PhD project. I would love to apply but I'm worried about the MA requirement.

Any help with this would be much appreciated.

Cheers

Hey there, I'm Dutch so I can inform you on the situation here. It is uncommon to be accepted for a PhD without a Master's in NL. Even with a regular Master's degree students it can be difficult, as specialised 2-year Research Master's programmes now prepare students specifically for a PhD.

However, given your personal background, I'd definitely give it a try! As other education systems are different from ours you might very well be accepted for the position if you have relevant experience.