For best experience please turn on javascript and use a modern browser!
You are using a browser that is no longer supported by Microsoft. Please upgrade your browser. The site may not present itself correctly if you continue browsing.
Completion of the pre-Master's grants you access to the Master's Accountancy and Control. The programme is designed to complement your prior education. It will help you to catch up on subjects such as quantitative (research) methods. Upon completion of the programme you will have all the required knowledge and skills to start your Master’s in Accountancy and Control.

Why this pre-Master’s programme

If your prior education does not (completely) fit the entry requirements, this pre-Master’s is your stepping stone to getting admitted to our Master's Accountancy and Control.

Obtaining your MSc degree is a great step for your career. Expert teachers will challenge you to think differently and form your own views and opinions to tackle complex issues. You will also start building your network of experts and leaders in your specialisation (track). Future employers will reward these achievements with a favourable starting salary and excellent promotion opportunities.

Duration and content

You have one semester to successfully complete the pre-Master’s programme. Throughout this semester you can expect excellent teaching and support from our professors, each highly respected in their field of expertise. If you need to follow extra courses outside the pre-Master’s programme you can do so in some cases in semester 2 of the academic year. You get access to the Master's programme after successfully finishing all pre-Master's courses and – if applicable - the extra courses.

Courses

Your pre-Master’s programme depends on your prior education. For all pre-Master's students, we selected a fixed set of 4 courses for you. In addition, depending on your previous education, you may be required to do additional courses. This will be determined based on individual advice. Taken together, these pre-Master's courses form an excellent preparation for the Master's programme.

  1. Introduction to Quantitative Methods 
  2. Management Research Methods 1 for Accountancy & Control
  3. Academic Project for Accountancy and Control
  4. Management Research Methods 2 for Accountancy & Control

Our pre-Master’s in brief

Language English
Duration 6 months
ECTS 20 ECTS
Start pre-Master's September
Start Master's Accountancy and Control The following academic year in September
Cost You pay the tuition fee per ECTS. Calculate your tuition fee

Entry requirements

The entry requirements for this pre-Master’s programme depend on your previous education.

  • You have a Dutch HBO Bachelor's degree

    Your eligibility is based on these two criteria:  

    1. Your Dutch HBO Bachelor’s degree

    • If you have an HBO Accountancy or HBO Business Economics degree: You will follow the full pre-Master's programme (20 ECTS).
    • If you have another HBO Bachelor's degree: You will follow the full pre-Master's programme (20 ECTS), together with extra courses that are not covered in the pre-Master’s programme. 

    The courses that you have to follow during the pre-Master's depend on the courses you followed in your previous Bachelor's programme. The programme director can decide if you need to follow extra courses next to the pre-Master's programme. Please note, that the extra courses are not part of your tuition fee. The decision on which courses you need to follow next to your pre-Master's will be made, based on:

    • The courses in financial accounting, management accounting and finance. 
    • The courses in research methods. 

    Only the courses in research methods are part of the regular 20 EC pre-Master’s programme in Accountancy & Control.

    If extra courses next to the pre-Master's are needed to follow you can register separately through Contract Education Economics & Business.

    2. Grade Point Average   

    We are looking for students who have shown academic potential to keep up with the high level and workload of the programme.  

    We will assess your application in its entirety, but we are looking for students with good results in their Bachelor’s degree.  Previous experience has shown that applicants with a GPA equivalent to a Dutch grade of 7.0 and higher have a good chance to be selected to the programme. Please note that applications with a lower GPA can still be submitted and will be assessed. 

  • You have a Dutch academic degree

    Your eligibility is based on these two criteria:   

     1. Your Dutch academic degree 

    The courses that you have to follow during the pre-Master's depend on the courses you followed in your previous Bachelor's programme. The programme director can decide if you need to follow extra courses next to the pre-Master's programme. Please note, that the extra courses are not part of your tuition fee. The decision on which courses you need to follow next to your pre-Master's will be made, based on:  

    • The courses in financial accounting, management accounting and finance.  
    • The courses in research methods.  

    Only the courses in research methods are part of the regular 20 EC pre-Master’s programme in Accountancy & Control.  

    If extra courses next to the pre-Master's are needed to follow you can register separately through Contract Education Economics & Business

    2 Grade Point Average  

    We are looking for students who have shown academic potential to keep up with the high level and workload of the programme.  

    We will assess your application in its entirety, but we are looking for students with good results in their Bachelor’s degree. Previous experience has shown that applicants with a GPA equivalent to a Dutch grade of 7.0 and higher have a good chance to be selected to the programme. Please note that applications with a lower GPA can still be submitted and will be assessed. 

  • You have an EU applied sciences or academic Bachelor's degree + EU nationality

    Your eligibility is based on these two criteria:  

    1. Your EU Bachelor’s degree

    The courses that you have to follow during the pre-Master's depend on the courses you followed in your previous Bachelor's programme. The programme director can decide if you need to follow extra courses next to the pre-Master's programme. Please note, that the extra courses are not part of your tuition fee. The decision on which courses you need to follow next to your pre-Master's will be made, based on: 

    • The courses in financial accounting, management accounting and finance. 
    • The courses in research methods. 

    Only the courses in research methods are part of the regular 20 EC pre-Master’s programme in Accountancy & Control.

    If extra courses next to the pre-Master's are needed to follow you can register separately through Contract Education Economics & Business.

    2. Grade Point Average

    We are looking for students who have shown academic potential to keep up with the high level and workload of the programme. 

    We will assess your application in its entirety, but we are looking for students with good results in their Bachelor’s degree. Previous experience has shown that applicants with a GPA equivalent to a Dutch grade of 7.0 and higher have a good chance to be selected to the programme. Please note that applications with a lower GPA can still be submitted and will be assessed.

    Next to the general requirements, we also require:

    1. A GMAT test

    Good analytical writing and quantitative reasoning skills are crucial for starting in this Master’s programme. To ensure this, you need to provide a sufficient Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) score. The GMAT test is replaced by the GMAT Focus test. If you have a valid score report of the old GMAT test, we still take this into consideration. 

    Tests and scores

    GMAT Focus Edition: Minimum score: 535 and preferably 565 or
    - GMAT test (old edition): Minimum score: 560 and preferably 600 

    • Please note that completion of all sections of the exam is required. 
    • You can use the institution code 0500 to have your score report sent to us. 
    • The GMAT (Focus) Online Exam is allowed for the September 2025 intake. 

    Instead of a GMAT, a GRE test score may be accepted if you have already obtained a GRE score, or it is difficult to take the GMAT test on short notice in your country. 

    • Minimum score: 152 and preferably 155 in the Quantitative Reasoning section. Please note that completion of all sections of the exam is required. 
    • You can use the institution code 7878 U Amsterdam School of Economics to have your score report sent to us. 
    • The GRE at home test is allowed for the September 2025 intake. 

    Exemptions 

    Based on mutual agreements with certain universities, students might be exempted from the GMAT requirement. Check the list of universities to see whether this applies to you.  

    2. An English language proficiency test

    Our Master’s programmes are in English. Good English skills are essential for successful class participation and understanding. To ensure this, we'll assess your English skills through specific proficiency tests: 

    • TOEFL iBT Test: minimum total score of 92 with a minimum of 22 per section. You can use the institution code 9011 to have your score report sent to us. 
    • IELTS  Academic: overall band score of: 6.5 with a minimum of 6.0 per section. Please note that the IELTS Indicator test is not allowed. 
    • Cambridge C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency: overall score of  180 and a minimum of 180 per skill. 

    Your English proficiency test score cannot be older than 2 years before the start date of your programme. For example, if you are applying for the September 2025 intake we do not accept English proficiency tests taken before September 2023.

    Make sure you schedule your English proficiency test before the application deadline. Sufficient test scores received after the application deadline are accepted, as long as your English proficiency test was taken before the application deadline. 

    Exemptions 

    Did you obtain your previous education in the Netherlands, Ireland, or Malta? Find out if you can get an exemption from the English proficiency requirement

  • You have a non-EU degree + non-EU nationality

    Students with previous non-EU education and a non-EU nationality may consider applying for a Master’s-qualifying programme for the Master's Accountancy and Control at the Cambridge Education Group.

How to apply

If you have received the great news that you are (conditionally) admitted to the programme, it's time to focus on other essential matters like arranging a visa (if necessary), finding accommodation, and preparing for the start of your academic journey. We will inform you per email about these topics when (conditionally) admitted. Want to get an early idea of what you need to consider? Visit one of these helpful pages: practical information/praktische zaken (Dutch info)

Part-time programme (in Dutch): Combine work and study

Are you a young professional, holding an HBO degree (HEAO-BE/AA/RA/AC) or a relevant academic BSc degree and do you want to combine work and study? We offer intensive programmes in Dutch for both the Accountancy and the Control track. These programmes allow you as a working professional to obtain your Master's degree whilst working 4 days per week in an Accountancy or Control related environment. The part-time classes are solely taught on Fridays. This way you can combine it with your career.