Neuroscience (specialisation)

Entry requirements

A completed Bachelor's degree

You’ll need a completed Bachelor’s degree in one of the following fields of science:

Your degree has to be equivalent to a Dutch university diploma. The Examination Board will determine if an international student has the required knowledge to be admitted. The Examination Board will also indicate if the student is required to follow specific courses from the Bachelor's programme to eliminate possible deficiencies.

• Neuroscience
• Medical Biology
• Biomedical Sciences
• Biology, with a minor in Medical Biology, Neurobiology or Medicine
• Molecular Life Sciences
• Psychobiology
• Science
• Physics
• Applied physics
• Physics & Astronomy
• Biomedical Engineering
  or a related programme

A proficiency in English

In order to take part in this programme, you need to have fluency in both written and spoken English. Non-native speakers of English** without a Dutch Bachelor's degree or VWO diploma need one of the following:

• A TOEFL score of ≥575
• An IELTS score of ≥6.5
• Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English (CAE) or Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE) with a mark of C or higher

** Applicants are considered to be a native speaker of English if they are from Australia, Canada (with exception of Quebec), Ireland, New Zealand, Singapore, UK, USA or South Africa.

Months of entry

February, September

Course content

A flexible and interdisciplinary programme, which challenges you to use your specific knowledge to unravel the workings of the human brain.

The Master’s specialisation in Neurobiology aims at unraveling the neurobiological and neurocomputational networks and mechanisms of the brain. Together, these networks have a storage capacity and flexibility that far exceed modern supercomputers, or any artificial intelligent system of this fascinating, complex system. We study the full spectrum from molecule to man, and from experiment to advanced theory and models.

Neuroscience at the Science Faculty ranges from biology to physics and mathematics, and allows you to combine disciplines to suit your academic background – whether that is in the field of Biology, Mathematics, Physics or Computing Science. The Neuroscience specialisation also provides you with a general background in the principles of complex systems, and of intelligent behaviour of living and artificial systems.

The specialisation is closely connected to the world-renowned Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour (DI). You can work with students and researchers from different backgrounds in the natural sciences and become acquainted with a wide variety of research methods and scientific approaches, and get the chance to work with DI researchers during your internship, and build up a high profile network for your future career.

What will you learn?

• Explore the complete research field of Neuroscience, from cognition to behaviour, and from subcellular processes, to single cell analysis and big data
• Learn about the latest developments in brain research and technology, and essential academic skills
• Get valuable experience designing, conducting and presenting your own research

Career prospects

Graduates from this programme are well positioned to pursue careers in research at universities or other research institutes. Many graduates choose to continue their academic careers by applying for a PhD position.

*This is a specialisation of: Master's in Medical Biology, Master's in Molecular Life Sciences, Master's in Physics and Astronomy.

Learn more via the Radboud University contact form.

Fees and funding

There are various scholarships available for studying at Radboud University. Some of the opportunities are described below. A full list, including detailed information, can be found on our scholarships and grants page at our website.

Radboud Scholarship Programme

Open to a select number of excellent international students. Instead of the institutional tuition fees, non-EEA students pay the legal tuition fees (€2,168). Visa and residence permit costs, liability insurance and health insurance are also covered.

Orange Tulip Scholarship

Open to students from Brazil, Mexico, Russia, Indonesia, South-Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, and China. Instead of the institutional tuition fees, non-EEA students pay the legal tuition fees (€2,168). Visa and residence permit costs, liability insurance and health insurance are also covered.

Fulbright-Radboud Scholarships

Open to excellent American students. The grant will be paid in 12 monthly instalments of 1,050 euros. International travel and the cost of the residence permit will be covered, and an extra allowance of €1150 will be paid on arrival.

Sino-Dutch Bilateral Exchange Scholarship

Open to excellent students from China. Consists of a contribution of € 16,113 towards the total costs of one year of study or research in the Netherlands.

DIKTI-Neso Scholarships

Aimed at lecturers at higher education institutions in Indonesia who wish to pursue a PhD or Master's at a university in the Netherlands. A DIKTI scholarship includes allowances for living expenses, insurance, travel costs, tuition fees and more.

Indonesian Education Scholarship (LPDP)

Open to excellent Indonesian students under the age of 35. Involves a full scholarship.

Holland Scholarship Programme

Open to excellent students from Canada, America, India and Turkey. Scholarship consists of 5,000 euros payed at the start of study.

Dutch Student Finance

EU/EEA students and Swiss students under 30 years of age are eligible if they are working at least 56 hours per month in the Netherlands, or have been living in the Netherlands for five years or more. Dutch student finance consists of four components: a basic grant, a supplementary grant (depending on the parental income), a student travel product, and a loan.