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1309auc Applicationguidelines
1309auc Applicationguidelines
Date 1 December 2012 1 December 2012 1 February 2013 For entry in Spring 2013 classes start 4 February 2013
Application guidelines
Applications to Amsterdam University College must be submitted entirely online, through our online application system supported by embark.com. Please read these guidelines carefully before completing and submitting your online application. All questions should be answered in English, unless otherwise specified. Any documentation sent to Amsterdam University College with regard to your application cannot be returned. Recommendations are completed online: please make sure your recommenders know in advance that they will be asked to answer questions on a standard online recommendation form, and they will receive an email with their personal login. AUC expects all students to meet the admissions requirements in the way in which they indicate on their application. If you wish to change the way you propose to meet any requirements, you must request this change in writing so that the Admissions Committee can decide if they accept your alternative proof. You must do this well in advance of the prospective starting date for your studies. If your personal situation changes, please inform AUC Admissions as soon as possible: admissions@auc.nl. Please make sure that the embark.com and auc.nl domains, and info@auc.nl and admissions@auc.nl addresses, are on the whitelist of your e-mail account or among your contacts, so that messages from AUC do not accidentally get classified as Bulk or Spam! Check your Bulk/Spam folders regularly, just in case!
Checklist You will save time if you collect all the documents you need in digital/scanned format before you start to complete the online application form, but you do not have to complete your application in one session. You can stop at any time, save what you have done, and login again later to complete it. You can edit and change your application up until the point that you submit it to AUC. But AUC cannot process your application until it has been submitted. After it has been submitted, you can login at any time to view or print a copy of your application and to track its status through the Track Status link. This is what you need to complete and submit an application (more details are given below): Your personal data (name, address, nationality, date of birth, etc.), data on your educational background (schools attended), how you will meet the English and maths requirements, your availability for interview, etc. You must have studied the AUC academic programme (www.auc.nl) and decided on your prospective major. Your personal statement (letter of motivation), ready to upload. Official transcripts/certified copies of diplomas/most recent grade lists (including most recent diploma/grade list that includes mathematics), ready to upload. Proof of identity (copy passport), ready to upload. Recent passport-style photograph of yourself, ready to upload. Your application essay (optional), ready to upload. Official translations of documents (if required), ready to upload. Any other documents you wish to submit with your application, ready to upload. At least two recommenders (you need their email addresses so you can register them for the confidential online recommendation system). Credit card for payment of the EUR 50 application fee (or you can opt to pay by bank transfer if you prefer).
Pages 6 to 9 are upload pages for the four sets of documents required from all applicants: Personal statement (letter of motivation) Official transcripts/certified copies of diplomas/most recent grade lists Proof of identity (copy of passport) Recent passport-style photograph of yourself The remaining pages are additional upload pages, for any other documentation you may need or wish to send with your application, such as: Application essay (optional) Proof of English proficiency, if required Official translations of documents, if required Additional letters of recommendation, award certificates, SAT scores, etc. (optional) More details are given in the sections below.
If you do not belong to one of these categories, then you must provide a separate proof of your English language skills. If you do not yet have this proof, you can still apply to AUC, but you must give details of which test you are going to take, what grade you expect to get, and when. There are several ways in which you can prove your proficiency in English, for example: TOEFL test, see www.toefl.org: You must make your own arrangements to take this Test of English as a Foreign Language, and you will need to pay a fee. The institutional code for Amsterdam University College is 5209 (if you use this code, AUC will receive the results of your TOEFL test directly). AUC requires: internet-based: overall score of 100 computer-based: overall score of 250, with Test of Written English score of 5.5 paper-based test: an overall score of 600, with a Test of Written English score of 5.5 IELTS, see www.ielts.org: AUC requires an overall score of 7.0 (with at least 7.0 in each of the four components) Cambridge certificates: Certificate of Advanced English: AUC requires grade A Certificate of Proficiency in English: AUC requires a pass (grade C) AUC may accept other, alternative, proofs of proficiency, e.g. grade of 13 (sehr gut) in English on a German Abitur when taken as an achievement/main/intensive course; English Language GCSE, IGCSE or O-level at grade B; International Baccalaureate Standard level English at grade 5; European Baccalaureate English at grade 70%. If you wish to submit such an alternative proof of proficiency, you must give the details in your application. Remember, if you are offered a place at AUC it is conditional on your meeting our English requirements in the way in which you indicated on your application! For a start in September 2013, you must make sure that the results/proof reach AUC by 15 July so that there is time for you to take a course and/or new test if the results do not meet our requirements.
Mathematics requirement
You are expected to enter AUC with good skills in mathematics. You must have studied mathematics to examination level at secondary school, and have achieved a good grade. In general, the higher your level of maths, the wider your range of options for your major. Students need to enter AUC with sufficient maths skills for their prospective major, as they already start to take courses that are appropriate for their major during their first year. In the Dutch context, you need to have above grade 7 in Wiskunde B or D at secondary school to major in the sciences, in Wiskunde A or B to major in the social sciences, and in Wiskunde C to major in the humanities. NB: If your grade is below 8 then you may be required to take an additional diagnostic test to help assess if you do have sufficient maths skills. In the UK context, you need above grade C in A-level maths to major in the sciences. GCSE maths (grade A) is only sufficient for a major in the humanities. NB: If AUC is in any way uncertain about your maths skills then you may be required to take an additional diagnostic test to help assess whether they are sufficient for your desired major. In the International Baccalaureate, you need to have grade 5 or above in Higher level maths to major in the sciences, and in Standard level maths to major in the social sciences. Grade 5 in Mathematical Studies is only sufficient for a major in the humanities. NB: If AUC is in any way uncertain about your maths skills then you may be required to take an additional diagnostic test to help assess whether they are sufficient for your desired major. If you are offered a place at AUC but have a deficiency in your maths low grade, or insufficient skills for your desired major your place will usually be conditional on your filling the deficiency and supplying the proof to AUC in advance of your intended starting date. For example, by improving your maths grades at school, by attending a summer school, etc. Short summer schools are also offered at AUC in late August for new students with small maths deficiencies. Please note that these short summer schools cannot fill a large maths deficiency: if you have a large deficiency, you will need to find a more extensive or intensive course to improve your maths skills. You may also be required to take some remedial maths in your first year at AUC.
Admissions interview
If you meet our minimum requirements, your application will be reviewed and a decision made on whether to invite you for a personal admissions interview. If you are invited for an interview then this means that you are a possible candidate for a place at AUC. If you live within an easy days return journey from Amsterdam by bus/train/car, you will usually be expected to attend the interview in person. A Skype/telephone interview can be arranged if you live further away. If you already know that you will be unavailable for interview at certain times, e.g. because of exams, and/or you will need to be interviewed by Skype/telephone, please use this section of the application form to give the details.
Additional information
We are interested to know if you are also applying to other higher education institutions, but this has no influence on the evaluation of your application. Please also indicate if you will be applying for an AUC scholarship and/or transfer of credit. (Please check the AUC website for information on how to submit your scholarship application and/or transfer of credit request.)
Proof of mathematics
If mathematics is not included in the diploma that qualifies you for entry to higher education, and/or you have a separate certificate/qualification in mathematics (e.g. GCSE certificate), you must upload a copy here. If your application is successful, you will be required to provide paper copies, officially certified.
Recommendations
AUC uses an online recommendation system, in which recommenders are asked to answer questions in a standard online recommendation form to ensure comparability. The results are submitted confidentially direct to AUC. You must register at least two academic recommenders, preferably the head of your school and a teacher and/or study adviser. You can register additional recommenders if you wish, up to a maximum of five. Your recommenders will receive an e-mail with their personal login, inviting them to complete the online recommendation form. Please ensure you tell your recommenders in advance to expect this e-mail message, and inform them that they will be expected to complete a standard recommendation form. (You can submit your application as soon as you have registered your recommenders, you do not have to wait for them to complete their recommendations.) If your recommenders wish to submit their own letter of recommendation in addition to completing the online form, you can either upload their letters as additional information within your application (using the additional upload pages), or ask them to send their letters by post or e-mail direct to AUC Admissions. NB: Such letters of recommendation cannot replace the confidential online recommendations, they can only be submitted as additional information. At least two of your recommenders must complete the online recommendation form for your application to be considered.
Application Inspector
The Application Inspector tool helps you to ensure you have answered all the required questions and uploaded all the required documents before you submit your application.
Submit
When you have completed everything, you can submit your online application to AUC. You do not have to complete your application in one session: you can save it, login again later and adjust it, until you are ready to submit it. But please note that AUC cannot process your application until you have completed and submitted it. You will be required to enter an electronic signature, confirming that all the information you have given in the application is accurate and complete, that you are the author of the submitted personal statement, and that you understand that you may be denied admission or enrolment by Amsterdam University College if any information is found to be incomplete or inaccurate.
Amsterdam University College PO Box 94160 1090 GD Amsterdam The Netherlands www.auc.nl e-mail admissions@auc.nl tel +31-20-525 8780 visiting address: Science Park 113 1098 XG Amsterdam The Netherlands
Please make sure that the embark.com and auc.nl domains, and info@auc.nl and admissions@auc.nl addresses, are on the whitelist of your e-mail account or among your contacts, so that messages from AUC do not get accidentally get classified as Bulk or Spam! Check your Bulk/Spam folders regularly just in case! To contact AUC Admissions, please e-mail admissions@auc.nl We look forward to receiving your application!
October 2012