Econometrics and Operations Research

We welcome motivated and ambitious students who are interested in advancing their knowledge in Econometrics  and related subjects, and are aware of their role in society. In order to be successful in this programme you will need a solid basis in mathematics, statistics and econometrics. In particular we expect that you have passed courses in mathematics (calculus, analysis), probability, mathematical statistics, and econometrics. A basic knowledge in computer programming is also required.

Admission requirements

Students with a Bachelor's degree in Econometrics and Operations Research, Economics and Business Economics or (International) Business Administration from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam School of Business and Economics, you are admissible to the track Econometrics of the Master Econometrics and Operations Research, and its specializations Climate Econometrics, Econometric Theory, Financial Econometrics, Empirical Marketing, and Quantitative Economics, provided that you successfully meet the requirements in this document. 

Services for international (EBE, EOR, IBA) students / Residence permit:

If you are planning to continue your studies at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam after your SBE Bachelor, please contact the Central Admission’s Support Team of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam for further information and specific questions about the offered services for international students like extending your residence permit. You will need to apply for extension of your residence permit if you continue your studies at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.

We welcome motivated and ambitious students who are interested in advancing their knowledge in Econometrics and related subjects, and are aware of their role in society. In order to be successful in this programme you will need a solid basis in mathematics, statistics and econometrics. In particular we expect that you have passed courses in mathematics (calculus, analysis), probability, mathematical statistics, and econometrics. A basic knowledge in computer programming is also required.

Admission requirements
The track Econometrics of the Master programme Econometrics and Operations Research, with specializations Climate Econometrics, Econometric Theory, Financial Econometrics, Empirical Marketing, and Quantitative Economics, is open to students with a university Bachelor's degree that provides a thorough knowledge in mathematics (analysis, calculus), probability, (mathematical) statistics, econometrics and computer programming. You need to have successfully completed courses and studied literature related to the core of this programme, which is based on the following books.

Mathematics:

• Calculus Early Transcendentals, James Stewart, Cengage Learning, International Metric Edition - 7th Edition, 2011.
• Linear Algebra and its Applications, David C. Lay, Steven R. Lay and Judi J. McDonald, Pearson Education, 5th Edition, 2016.

Probability:

• A First Course in Probability, Seldon M. Ross, Pearson Education, 9th Edition, 2013.
• Fundamentals of Probability, with stochastic processes, Saeed Ghahramani, CRC Press, Taylor and Francis Group, 3rd Edition, 2016.

Mathematical Statistics:

• Statistical Inference, George Casella and Roger L. Berger, Cengage Learning, 2008.

Introductory Econometrics

• Introduction to Econometrics, James H. Stock and Mark W. Watson, Pearson Education, 3rd Edition, 2014.
• Introductory Econometrics: A Modern Approach, Jeffrey M. Wooldridge, Cengage Learning, 2013.  

Intermediate Econometrics

• A Guide To Modern Econometrics, Marco Verbeek, Wiley, 5th Edition, 2017.

Basic skills in Computer Programming in Python, R, Matlab, Ox or Java.

In most cases, approval is given to students who have completed:

• a Bachelor's programme in Econometrics and Operations Research at a Dutch university
• the VU SBE deficiency programme Econometrics
• the VU SBE Minor ‘Applied Econometrics: A Big Data Experience for All’, completed with:
  1. an average of 7.5* or higher in period 1 (that is for Introductory Econometrics and Introduction to Time Series); 
  2. an overall average of 7.5* or higher
  3. one additional econometrics course; choice between Financial Econometrics (E_EOR3_FTR) or Econometrics III (E_EOR3_TR3)

* If you complete the courses of period 1 or the whole minor with a GPA below 7.5, you’ll have to complete two additional econometrics courses: Econometrics II (E_EOR2_TR2) AND Financial Econometrics (E_EOR3_FTR) or Econometrics III (E_EOR3_TR3)

With a Bachelor's degree in (International) Business Administration, Economics or Econometrics and Operations Research from Dutch Universities you can review this document. Any additional admission requirements can be found on the Curriculum page of this website.

Please note: this information is only meant as an indication of your admissibility. No rights can be derived from this table. This document is based on the obligatory courses and does not take electives into account. Students are recommended to apply for the Master via Studielink (without obligation) to find out if additional courses need to be completed. Every application will be reviewed individually by the Admission Board. The final admission decision may differ from the indication in this table. If your programme is not listed but contains enough relevant courses, please feel free to apply.

We welcome motivated and ambitious HBO students who have completed a quantitative HBO Bachelor study programme successfully and are interested in obtaining and advancing knowledge in Econometrics and related subjects, and are aware of their role in society. In order to be successful in the Master programme Econometrics, you will need a solid basis in mathematics, statistics and econometrics. In particular we expect that you have passed courses in mathematics (calculus, analysis, algebra), probability, statistics, and econometrics. A basic knowledge in computer programming is also highly recommended.

If you have a Dutch higher vocational (HBO) degree you need to enroll in a transfer programme, which is specifically designed to bridge the gap between higher vocational education and university-level education. 

How to apply

Step 1:
Apply for the programme MSc Econometrics and Operations Research via Studielink before 1 June. You can apply for the specialization in your VU Dashboard (see step 2)

Step 2:
After application in Studielink you will receive a VUnet-ID and password. Please complete your application in your VU Dashboard by answering additional questions, like which track you want to do, and uploading a formal transcript of your HBO bachelor grades (please note: we can only process your application when your transcript has been uploaded).

Step 3:
The admission committee will assess your application and decide whether you are admissible. You will be informed about this decision via email.

For the full description of the registration procedure see the VU website.

Step 1:
Apply for the programme MSc Econometrics and Operations Research via Studielink before 1 June. 

Step 2:
After application in Studielink, you will receive a VUnet-ID and password. Please complete your application in your VU dashboard by answering additional questions, affirming your choice for the track Econometrics or the track Operations Research and uploading the Master Application File. Download the correct file here. In this file you can see which documents are required to apply for this programme.

Please note: we can only process your application when you uploaded a complete Master Application File. 

Step 3:
The admission committee will assess if you meet the admission criteria and will inform you about the decision via email. 

For the full description of the registration procedure see the VU website.

Students must meet the following admission requirements: 

1.  Academic requirements

Your previous education needs to be deemed equivalent to at least a Dutch academic Bachelor’s degree (wetenschappelijk onderwijs, WO) obtained at a research university (nominal duration 3 years). Please find more information about your admissibility with a non-Dutch degree here. 

2. Programme specific requirements

We expect you to have successfully completed courses based on the following literature, or equivalent: 

• 18 ECTS in  Mathematics courses (Calculus and Linear Algebra) - Calculus Early Transcendentals, James Stewart, Cengage Learning, International Metric Edition 
  and Linear Algebra and its Applications, David C. Lay, Steven R. Lay and Judi J. McDonald, Pearson Education 
• 6 ECTS in Probability courses - A First Course in Probability, Seldon M. Ross, Pearson Education or Fundamentals of Probability, with stochastic processes, Saeed Ghahramani, CRC Press, Taylor and Francis Group 
• 6 ECTS in Statistics courses - Statistical Inference, George Casella and Roger L. Berger, Cengage Learning 
• 18 ECTS in Econometrics courses (including Time Series)  -  A Guide To Modern Econometrics, Marco Verbeek, Wiley 
• 6 ECTS/basic skills in a programming language (Python, R, Matlab or Java) 

If you do not fully meet all criteria, the Admission Board might be flexible in one topic if you excel in another topic to help you fulfill the admission requirements.  

How to demonstrate that you meet the above requirements 

You are required to indicate in the course description section of the Application Form how you meet the programme specific admission requirements.  

Whether you meet the admission requirements, is determined by the Admission Board based on your complete application. 

3. English-language proficiency requirements  

You will have to demonstrate sufficient English language proficiency. You can find an overview of relevant information to demonstrate your English language proficiency on the language requirement page.  

Application documents

To apply you are required to provide the following documents:

• Scan of your passport or national ID card (ID for EEA students only) valid at the start date of the programme
• Master Application File please download the correct file from this page. In this file you can see which documents are required to apply for your programme.
• Proof of English language proficiency (if already obtained): upload your proof of English language proficiency or English language test results. Please find the English language requirements here.

After having prepared the required documents, please follow the online application procedure. 

To enroll in the programme submit your enrolment application via Studielink. Please note: in Studielink you can apply for the Master in Econometrics and Operations Research and in your VU dashboard you can select your specialization Econometrics.

Application fee & deadlines

All students seeking admission to an international Master’s programme with an international degree are required to pay a non-refundable €100 application fee. Only after you have paid this fee will we be able to start the evaluation of your application file. If you are applying for more than one programme, you will only need to pay the application fee once. Your application fee payment is valid for two years.

Information on how to apply with an international university degree and deadlines can be found here. 

Grants and scholarships

As an international student planning to study at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, you can apply for a variety of grants and bursaries. Detailed information about scholarships and deadlines can be found on www.vu.nl/scholarships or www.grantfinder.nl.

International Student and Alumni Ambassadors 

Our International Student and Alumni Ambassadors are happy to tell you all about their experiences with studying at VU Amsterdam and living in Amsterdam.

• Our Student Ambassadors are current students at VU Amsterdam that represent a wide variety of programmes and countries.
• Our International Alumni Ambassadors are VU Amsterdam graduates who are currently either working in the Netherlands or abroad, or doing a PhD or (second) Master's.

You will find the full overview of our Ambassadors here: vu.nl/ambassadors. There you can chat with them directly.

We welcome any student with a great interest in solving optimization problems in the field of Supply Chain Management, Financial Engineering, Data Science, or any other field where mathematical optimization plays a key role in making decisions. Besides being extremely motivated, students should satisfy the admission requirements listed here.

Admission requirements

With a Bachelor's degree in Econometrics and Operations Research, Economics and Business Economics or (International) Business Administration from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam you are admissible provided you successfully meet the requirements in this document. 

Services for international (EBE, EOR, IBA) students / Residence permit:

If you are planning to continue your studies at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam after your SBE Bachelor, please contact the Central Admission’s Support Team of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam for further information and specific questions about the offered services for international students like extending your residence permit. You will need to apply for extension of your residence permit if you continue your studies at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.

We welcome any student with a great interest in solving optimization problems in the field of Supply Chain Management, Financial Engineering, Data Science, or any other field where mathematical optimization plays a key role in making decisions. Besides being extremely motivated, students should satisfy the admission requirements listed here.

Admission requirements
The master programme  Econometrics and Operations Research, track Operations Research, is open to students with a university Bachelor's degree that provides a thorough knowledge in mathematics. Additionally, you need to have successfully completed courses and studied literature related to the core of this program, consisting of (or equivalents of):

•   Stochastic modelling
    - S.M. Ross, Introduction to Probability Models , Academic Press, 2009

•  Operations research and deterministic optimization
    - H.A. Taha, Operations Research: An Introduction , Prentice Hall, 2010, Chapter 1-12 or
    - F.S. Hillier and G.J. Lieberman, Introduction to Operations Research , McGraw-Hill, 2005 (8-th ed.).
      Chapters 1-12

Besides these core courses, the requirements of admission are that the applicant has followed courses in Linear Algebra, Probability Theory, Analysis and Statistics at the level of our Bachelor EOR. The levels of these courses are indicated by the following books:

•  Linear Algebra:
    - D.C. Lay, Linear Algebra and Its Applications, Addison-Wesley, 2013
•  Probability Theory:
    - S.M. Ross, A First Course in Probability, Pearson, 2013
•  Analysis:
    - J.M. Howie, Real Analysis, Springer, 2001
•  Statistics:
    - J.A. Rice, Mathematical Statistics and Data Analysis, Duxbury Press, 2006  or G. Casella and R.L. Berger, Statistical Inference, Cengage Learning, 2008

Furthermore, it is important that students have experience with optimization and numerical programming in, for example, Python, R, Matlab, Java or C/C++. If you can show certified exam results for courses in operations research and mathematics as listed above you are admissible for the master. The equivalence will be evaluated by the Admission Board.

For more informatin about these course requirements contact Dr. R.A. Sitters: r.a.sitters@vu.nl.

With a Bachelor's degree in (International) Business Administration, Economics or Econometrics and Operations Research from Dutch Universities you can review this document. Any additional admission requirements can be found on the Curriculum page of this website.

Please note: this information is only meant as an indication of your admissibility. No rights can be derived from this table. Every application will be reviewed individually by the Admission Board. The final admission decision may differ from the indication in this table. If your programme is not listed but contains enough relevant courses, please feel free to apply.

Approval is in most cases given to students who:

• Hold a Bachelor’s degree in Econometrics and Operations Research.
• Hold a Bachelor's degree that provides a thorough knowledge in mathematics and statistics (such as Mathematics, Econometrics, Operations Research, Business Analytics, Management Science,  Computer Science, Physics, Industrial Engineering) and who completed courses in Operations Research as listed above.

We welcome any student with a great interest in solving optimization problems in the field of Supply Chain Management, Financial Engineering, Data Science, or any other field where mathematical optimization plays a key role in making decisions. Besides being extremely motivated, students should satisfy the admission requirements listed here.

If you have a Dutch higher vocational (HBO) degree you need to enroll in a transfer programme, which is specifically designed to bridge the gap between higher vocational education and university-level education. The transfer programme consists of courses in the fields of: 

•    Linear Algebra

•    Probability Theory

•    Mathematical Analysis

•    Statistics.

•    Programming

Additionally, the transfer programme contains courses in:

•    Stochastic Operations Research and

•    Deterministc Operations research

If you already completed courses in these fields that are at the level of our EOR bachelor and that cover the required subjects, then it is possible to follow a reduced program. The equivalence will be evaluated by the Admission Board.

If you want to apply for the transfer programme you can send a transcript of your grades to toelating.sbe@vu.nl. 

Step 1:
Apply for the programme MSc Econometrics and Operations Research via Studielink before 1 June. 

Step 2:
After application in Studielink, you will receive a VUnet-ID and password. Please complete your application in your VU dashboard by answering additional questions, affirming your choice for the track Econometrics or the track Operations Research and uploading the Master Application File. Download the correct file here. In this file you can see which documents are required to apply for this programme.

Please note: we can only process your application when you uploaded a complete Master Application File. 

Step 3:
The admission committee will assess if you meet the admission criteria and will inform you about the decision via email. 

For the full description of the registration procedure see the VU website.

Students must meet the following admission requirements: 

1.  Academic requirements

Your previous education needs to be deemed equivalent to at least a Dutch academic Bachelor’s degree (wetenschappelijk onderwijs, WO) obtained at a research university (nominal duration 3 years). Please find more information about your admissibility with a non-Dutch degree here. 

2. Programme specific requirements

We expect you to have successfully completed courses based on the following literature, or equivalent: 

• Stochastic modelling - S.M. Ross, Introduction to Probability Models , Academic Press, recent edition 
• Operations research and deterministic optimization - H.A. Taha, Operations Research: An Introduction , Prentice Hall, 2010, Chapter 1-12 
  or F.S. Hillier and G.J. Lieberman, Introduction to Operations Research , McGraw-Hill, 2005 (8-th ed.). Chapters 1-12 
• Linear Algebra - D.C. Lay, Linear Algebra and Its Applications, Addison-Wesley, recent edition 
• Probability Theory - S.M. Ross, A First Course in Probability, Pearson, recent edition 
• Analysis - J.M. Howie, Real Analysis, Springer, recent edition 
• Statistics - J.A. Rice, Mathematical Statistics and Data Analysis, Duxbury Press, recent edition 
  or G. Casella and R.L. Berger, Statistical Inference, Cengage Learning, recent edition 

Furthermore: 

• Optimization and numerical programming (e.g. Python, R, Matlab, Java or C/C++) 

 
For more information about these course requirements contact Dr. R.A. Sitters: r.a.sitters@vu.nl. 
 

How to demonstrate that you meet the above requirements 

You are required to indicate in the course description section of the Application Form how you meet the programme specific admission requirements.  

Whether you meet the admission requirements, is determined by the Admission Board based on your complete application. 

 3. English-language proficiency requirements  

You will have to demonstrate sufficient English language proficiency. You can find an overview of relevant information to demonstrate your English language proficiency on the language requirement page.  

Application documents

To apply you are required to provide the following documents:

• Scan of your passport or national ID card (ID for EEA students only) valid at the start date of the programme
• Master Application File please download the correct file from this page. In this file you can see which documents are required to apply for your programme.
• Proof of English language proficiency (if already obtained): upload your proof of English language proficiency or English language test results. Please find the English language requirements here.

After having prepared the required documents, please follow the online application procedure. 

To enroll in the programme submit your enrolment application via Studielink. Please note: in Studielink you can apply for the Master in Econometrics and Operations Research and in your VU dashboard you can select your specialization Econometrics.

Application fee & deadlines

All students seeking admission to an international Master’s programme with an international degree are required to pay a non-refundable €100 application fee. Only after you have paid this fee will we be able to start the evaluation of your application file. If you are applying for more than one programme, you will only need to pay the application fee once. Your application fee payment is valid for two years.

Information on how to apply with an international university degree and deadlines can be found here. 

Grants and scholarships

As an international student planning to study at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, you can apply for a variety of grants and bursaries. Detailed information about scholarships and deadlines can be found on www.vu.nl/scholarships or www.grantfinder.nl.

International Student and Alumni Ambassadors 

Our International Student and Alumni Ambassadors are happy to tell you all about their experiences with studying at VU Amsterdam and living in Amsterdam.

• Our Student Ambassadors are current students at VU Amsterdam that represent a wide variety of programmes and countries.
• Our International Alumni Ambassadors are VU Amsterdam graduates who are currently either working in the Netherlands or abroad, or doing a PhD or (second) Master's.

You will find the full overview of our Ambassadors here: vu.nl/ambassadors. There you can chat with them directly.