CV for a master's application in the Netherlands: what WO and HBO universities ask for
For a Dutch master's you register in Studielink, then upload an English CV, motivation letter, transcript and English test to the university's own portal; TU Delft caps the CV at three pages, newest entries first.1
Written 13 October 2026. CitedCV. How we write our guides
First decide: research university (WO) or applied sciences (HBO)
Nuffic, the Dutch organisation that compares foreign diplomas, describes two kinds of higher education. WO (wetenschappelijk onderwijs) is oriented towards theory and research and is offered at research universities. HBO (hoger beroepsonderwijs) is oriented towards professions and is offered at universities of applied sciences (hogescholen). The choice matters for your CV, because the two admit on different evidence.
Where a Turkish lisans lands
Nuffic says Turkish universities can offer both kinds of education, so it decides diploma by diploma: it compares a Lisans Diploması to an HBO or a WO bachelor's depending on the content of the programme. TU Delft, a WO university, asks for a bachelor's comparable in level to one from a Dutch research university. A research-heavy lisans with a thesis is the easier fit there; a profession-oriented one may suit an HBO master better.
- WO master: the CV and letter should show research: thesis, methods, lab or field work, papers or posters.
- HBO master: the CV should show practice: the work you did, the field it was in, and how long. Some programmes set a minimum.
- Both: an English-language CV, a transcript with the grading scale, and an English test unless you are exempt.
How a Dutch master’s application runs
- Register in Studielink, the national enrolment system, and choose the university, the programme and full-time. At TU Delft you pick type WO Master.
- Wait for the university’s email with a login to its own portal: Osiaan at TU Delft, Osiris Application at Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences (RUAS).
- Upload the documents there, not in Studielink, and pay any application fee.
- Take part in an interview if the programme holds one, then wait for the decision.
- After a conditional offer, send certified copies or have your university verify your degree, as the offer letter says.
Studielink is the front door, not the file
Studielink records that you want to enrol. Neither university assesses you there: the CV, letter and transcripts all go into its own portal. TU Delft warns that incomplete applications and documents sent by post or email are not processed, and advises applying yourself rather than through an agency.
Checklist from two admission pages
Read on 13 October 2026 from TU Delft's MSc pages for international diplomas and from RUAS's pages for the full-time master Shipping and Transport. Other programmes at the same schools can differ; always read the programme page too.
| Item | TU Delft (WO) | RUAS, Shipping and Transport (HBO) | What it means for your CV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Degree | Relevant bachelor’s comparable to a Dutch research-university bachelor’s; for Türkiye a Lisans Diploması | Bachelor’s in engineering, shipping, logistics or business; other fields need 6 months of related work | Name the degree exactly as on the diploma, with the field in English |
| Grades | Türkiye: CGPA 3.0/4 or better, met exactly at application, no rounding | No minimum stated on the page | Write the CGPA with its scale, for example 3.24/4.00 |
| CV | Extensive CV in English, maximum 3 pages, newest first, at least personal information, work experience and education; Europass may be used | Required, no format given | Use reverse chronological order and stay within 3 pages for both |
| Motivation letter | Essay of 1,000 to 1,500 words: why this MSc, why TU Delft, specialisation, up to 3 thesis ideas, a 250-word summary of your bachelor thesis | Required, no length given | The CV must contain the thesis and projects the essay refers to |
| English | IELTS Academic 7.0 overall, 6.5 per section; certificate at most 2 years old | IELTS Academic 6.5 or TOEFL iBT 90; at most 2 years old; no home editions | List the test, score and date under languages |
| Translations | Certified translation from your university preferred, otherwise a sworn translator | Original plus a sworn translation into English or Dutch, unless issued in English, Dutch, German, French or Spanish | Ask your university for English documents first |
| Fee and limits | €100, non-refundable; one MSc per academic year | No application fee stated | One application at TU Delft, so the CV has to fit that programme |
| Interview | Selection procedure for listed programmes | Intake interview for non-EU applicants with a non-EU diploma, with a questionnaire beforehand | Be ready to explain every CV line in English |
| Non-EU deadline | 15 January for selective programmes, 1 April for the rest; intake opens 15 October | 1 April | Finish the CV before the English test result arrives |
| Decision | Within 12 weeks of a complete application; selective programmes at the end of March | Conditional offer after document check and interview | Plan for the residence permit after the offer |
A CV block in TU Delft’s order
TU Delft asks for personal information, then work experience, then education, each newest first. The person and details below are invented.
| Section | Sample content |
|---|---|
| Personal information | Elif Kaya, Izmir, Türkiye. elif.kaya@example.com, +90 5xx xxx xx xx. Applying for MSc Civil Engineering, 2027 intake. |
| Work experience | Site Engineer, [company], Izmir, 09/2024 to present. Supervised reinforced concrete works on a 9-storey residential block; checked rebar against drawings; weekly reports in Primavera P6. |
| Education | Lisans (BSc) in Civil Engineering, [university], Izmir, 09/2020 to 06/2024. CGPA 3.24/4.00. Thesis: seismic retrofit options for a 1970s school building (supervisor: [name]). |
| Projects | Capstone design: steel footbridge, team of 4; responsible for load calculations in SAP2000. |
| Languages | Turkish (native); English: IELTS Academic 7.5 (listening 8.0, reading 7.5, writing 7.0, speaking 7.0), May 2026. |
| Skills | AutoCAD, SAP2000, ETABS, Python for data processing. |
Grades and Nuffic: compare, do not convert
Nuffic's page on Türkiye lists three grading scales used by Turkish universities: 0 to 10 (5 or higher satisfactory), 0 to 20 (10 or higher) and 0 to 100 (50 or higher). Dutch institutions grade from 1 to 10 with 6 as the pass mark. Study in NL, Nuffic's site for international students, warns that it would be inaccurate to treat a 90 to 100 as a Dutch 10, because most Dutch grades fall between 6 and 8.
Why your CV keeps the original scale
TU Delft says it evaluates your CGPA on your own university's grading scale and asks you to put the scale in the same PDF as the transcript. Its entry for Türkiye is set on a 4.00 scale. A home-made Dutch grade on your CV would be a number no admissions office asked for. Write the grade as it stands on the transcript, with the scale.
Who asks Nuffic
Study in NL says the institution consults Nuffic to check whether your diploma qualifies, which costs you nothing, and that the institution makes the final decision. Nuffic adds that its credential evaluation is not legally binding and that universities decide whom they admit. You only need your own evaluation for other purposes; the degree recognition page explains how to show one on a CV.
Documents Nuffic expects from Türkiye
A diploma issued in Turkish or English, a grade list in Turkish or English, and an English translation if they are in Turkish. Nuffic notes that Turkish universities have issued a Diploma Supplement in Turkish or English since 2005-2006; ask for the English one.
Sources, read 13 October 2026
| Claim | Source |
|---|---|
| Degree level, CGPA 3.0/4 for Türkiye, no rounding, own scale | TU Delft, Admission requirements and Where did you obtain your degree |
| CV of 3 pages, newest first; essay of 1,000 to 1,500 words; IELTS 7.0 | TU Delft, Required documents and Admission requirements |
| Studielink and Osiaan, €100, one MSc a year, 12 weeks; deadlines | TU Delft, Application procedure and Dates and deadlines |
| Degree fields, 6 months of work, IELTS 6.5, interview, 1 April | RUAS, Shipping and Transport admission requirements and application procedure |
| WO and HBO; Lisans compared to HBO or WO bachelor’s; Turkish scales | Nuffic, Türkiye: Higher education; Grades and study results |
| Evaluation not binding; at least 10 working weeks via IDW | Nuffic, Applying for a credential evaluation |
Admission rules change every intake. Check the programme page and the linked sources before you apply.
Limits of this checklist
- It covers two programmes at two schools. Requirements differ by programme even within one school: TU Delft asks some programmes for the GRE and others for a portfolio.
- It is for master’s applicants with a foreign degree. Bachelor’s admission works differently.
- The study residence permit is applied for by the university once you accept an offer; RUAS says its Student Support team does this after the fees are paid. The IND study amount for higher education in 2026 is €1,130.77 a month.
- Scholarships may add documents: TU Delft asks for a reference letter only from scholarship applicants.
Next steps
- Pick WO or HBO, then two or three programmes, and read each programme page.
- Book the English test early; both schools want a certificate under 2 years old.
- Draft the CV first, then the letter, so every claim in the letter has a line behind it; the motivatiebrief page covers the letter.
- After graduating, the orientation year lets you look for work for a year; that page explains the job-search CV.
CitedCV can write the CV in English with EU conventions from the thesis, projects, jobs and test scores you enter, and asks when something is missing. It does not know any university’s rules; check those against the pages above.
Questions people ask
How long should a CV be for a master's application in the Netherlands?
TU Delft sets a maximum of 3 pages, newest entries first. Many programmes give no limit, so use 3 pages as a ceiling unless the programme says otherwise.
What is Studielink?
Studielink is the national system where you register your enrolment request. The university then sends a login to its own portal, where the CV and other documents are uploaded.
What GPA do I need for TU Delft from Türkiye?
TU Delft asks for a Lisans Diploması with a CGPA of 3.0 out of 4 or better, met exactly at the time of application, with no rounding.
Should I convert my Turkish grades to the Dutch scale?
No. TU Delft evaluates the CGPA on your university's own scale, and Nuffic's student site warns against matching grades number for number.
What is the difference between WO and HBO in the Netherlands?
WO is research-oriented education at research universities; HBO is profession-oriented education at universities of applied sciences, according to Nuffic.
Do I need a Nuffic evaluation to apply for a master’s?
Usually not. The university consults Nuffic itself, at no cost to you, and makes the final decision on your diploma.
Is work experience required for an HBO master's?
It depends on the programme. RUAS’s Shipping and Transport master asks for 6 months of related work from applicants whose bachelor’s is outside its listed fields.
Sources
- TU Delft, MSc admission requirements (international diploma)www.tudelft.nl/en/education/admission-and-application/msc-international-diploma/admission-requirements
- TU Delft, Where did you obtain your degreewww.tudelft.nl/en/education/admission-and-application/msc-international-diploma/admission-requirements/where-did-you-obtain-your-degree
- TU Delft, Required documentswww.tudelft.nl/en/education/admission-and-application/msc-international-diploma/required-documents
- TU Delft, Application procedurewww.tudelft.nl/en/education/admission-and-application/msc-international-diploma/application-procedure
- TU Delft, Dates and deadlineswww.tudelft.nl/en/education/admission-and-application/msc-international-diploma/dates-deadlines
- Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences, Shipping and Transport: admission requirementsrotterdamuas.com/programmes/master/shipping-and-transport-full-time/admission-requirements
- Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences, Shipping and Transport: application procedurerotterdamuas.com/programmes/master/shipping-and-transport-full-time/application-procedure
- Nuffic, Türkiye: Higher educationwww.nuffic.nl/en/education-systems/turkiye/higher-education
- Nuffic, Türkiye: Grades and study resultswww.nuffic.nl/en/education-systems/turkiye/grades-and-study-results
- Nuffic, Applying for a credential evaluationwww.nuffic.nl/en/study-and-work-in-the-netherlands/applying-for-a-credential-evaluation
- Study in NL (Nuffic), Dutch grading systemwww.studyinnl.org/dutch-education/dutch-grading-system
- Study in NL (Nuffic), Checking your diplomawww.studyinnl.org/plan-your-stay/checking-your-diploma
- IND, Required amounts income requirementsind.nl/en/required-amounts-income-requirements