Required English language tests by university

Secondary school leaving certificate* – for the universities marked +, you don't need IELTS/TOEFL if you finished school in one of the 14 countries on the official Dutch diploma list and English was one of your school subjects. English must be on your certificate as a passed subject – your grade doesn't matter. You'll find the list of countries and the details on the school-leaving exam in English page. If you finished school in a country that isn't on the list, you need IELTS or TOEFL.

+* - University of Groningen – some programs accept your secondary school leaving certificate under the same conditions as above (you only need to have passed English); other programs require IELTS or TOEFL. You'll find the exact information in each program description on kastu.eu. 

Secondary school leaving certificate* – for the universities marked +, you don't need IELTS/TOEFL or Duolingo if you finished school in one of the 14 countries on the official Dutch diploma list and English was one of your school subjects. English must be on your certificate as a passed subject – your grade doesn't matter. You'll find the list of countries and the details on the school-leaving exam in English page. If you finished school in a country that isn't on the list, you need one of the tests marked + for your university. 

 English hours at school* - you don't need IELTS/TOEFL for the universities marked + if you had at least 210 hours of English in your last three years of school. You prove this with a statement of hours from your school (template on the transcript of records page). Whether your chosen university accepts your statement of hours can also depend on the country where you finished school. Check the program description on kastu.eu and on the official university page. If you have fewer hours, you need IELTS or TOEFL.

Aarhus University – doesn't accept a statement of hours. Your secondary school leaving certificate counts as proof of English only in these cases: it is from a Nordic country or an English-speaking country; it is an IB or European Baccalaureate diploma; or Aarhus University decides that your certificate's English level is at least equal to English at B level in Danish secondary school (for example, the German Abitur with English as an advanced subject). In all other cases, you need IELTS or TOEFL.

Secondary school leaving certificate (B2)* - you don't need an English test if you already have your secondary school leaving certificate when you submit your application form and your certificate shows that you studied English at B2 level. This applies only if your chosen program accepts this proof. Whether your certificate shows an English level depends on the country where you finished school. If your certificate doesn't show it, check the program description on kastu.eu and on the official university page for the rules that apply to the country where you finished school. 

English grade at school*:

• Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences – you can prove your English with your school documents in one of the ways below. The minimum depends on the grading scale of the country where you finished school. Check it in the program description on kastu.eu and on the official university page.
  • A high enough English grade on your secondary school leaving certificate.
  • A high enough result in your school-leaving exam in English (the minimum depends on the grading scale of the country where you finished school).
• Häme University of Applied Sciences (HAMK) – you can prove your English in one of these ways:
  • A high enough English grade on your secondary school leaving certificate (the minimum depends on the grading scale of the country where you finished school).
  • English tasks that you complete in the “selection course”.
• LAB University of Applied Sciences – a high enough English grade on your transcript of records or secondary school leaving certificate (the minimum depends on the grading scale of the country where you finished school). If you apply before you finish school and the English grade on your transcript of records is from the year before your final year, the English grade on your secondary school leaving certificate must also meet the minimum.
• LUT University – a high enough English grade on your transcript of records or secondary school leaving certificate (the minimum depends on the grading scale of the country where you finished school). If you apply before you finish school and the English grade on your transcript of records is from the year before your final year, the English grade on your secondary school leaving certificate must also meet the minimum.

+ means the university accepts this proof of English.
– means it doesn't.
+* means the university accepts this proof of English with extra conditions. You'll find the conditions in the expandable block above. For school documents, always read the note under the table: it explains what applies to the country where you finished school.

For most universities in the Netherlands and Belgium, your grade doesn't matter – you only need to have passed English. This applies only if you finished school in one of the 14 countries on the official Dutch diploma list and English was one of your school subjects. If you finished school in a country that isn't on the list, you need one of the tests marked + for your university in the Netherlands or Belgium table. Some universities (especially in Finland) require a specific minimum grade – see the extra conditions under the tables.

Yes, if the table shows “+” next to the university, you can choose that test (IELTS, TOEFL or Duolingo). For school documents, a “+” applies only if you meet the conditions in the note under the table – they depend on the country where you finished school. Requirements can change, so check the exact information in the program description on kastu.eu and on the official university page.

In the Denmark table, the universities marked + under “English hours at school” accept your English hours instead of a test. You need at least 210 hours of English in your last three years of school, confirmed by a statement of hours from your school. If you don't have enough hours, take IELTS or TOEFL. You also need IELTS or TOEFL if your chosen program doesn't accept your English hours at school – this can depend on the country where you finished school. For Aarhus University, see the note under the Denmark table. You'll find the statement of hours template on the transcript of records page.

Universities can change their requirements. Always check the latest information in the program description on kastu.eu and on the official university page. You can also ask KastuGPT – it's free and always available. Applying through Kastu is completely free.