Improving your chances
Improving your chances
Fulfilling the entry requirements for a CBS master programme does not guarantee that you will be accepted to the respective programme. All programmes have a limited number of places and if there are more qualified applicants than places available, a selection process occurs. Each programme has its own selection criteria, which you can read about on the individual programme admission pages. See all available masters programmes and their entry requirements and selection criteria.
Your application will only undergo selection if you fulfil the programme’s entry requirements, or have demonstrated in your application that you will be able to fulfil them by study start.
In the selection process, you are not measured against a specific set of minimum requirements; instead, you are competing against all other applicants who are also qualified.
Since applicants are compared to each other, according to the relevant selection criteria, it is impossible to establish in advance how good your chances of being accepted are.
The following information is meant to help you understand what CBS Admissions considers during the selection process as well as identify aspects of your application you might focus your efforts on to improve your chances.
It can be an advantage to have studied at an established university with a high academic level, where bachelor-level courses have a solid theoretical and research foundation.
The better your undergraduate programme matches the academic profile of the master programme you are applying to, the better your chances in the selection process.
If you are applying for a programme with multiple academic disciplines listed in the selection criteria, it is an advantage if your undergraduate-level qualifications include as many of those as possible, and include a significant amount of ECTS-points.
It is important for you to maintain good academic performance throughout your undergraduate degree. Grades from courses included in your bachelor degree are always a factor in the selection process, either in the form of an overall grade level, or as a grade level within specific academic disciplines mentioned in the selection criteria.
Since your qualifications will be compared to those of other applicants, there isn’t a minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) required. It is not possible, and also irrelevant, to know the GPAs of the admitted applicants, because your grades are never the only factor considered in selection.
Nevertheless, be critical of your own achievements when assessing your chances, especially if you expect a high level of competition at the programmes or concentrations you are interested in.
Remember that only courses passed up until the application deadline and documented in your application will be considered.
Elective courses, studied at your home university or during your exchange semester, are an opportunity for you to gain expertise in certain academic areas, and to build up your profile to match the selection criteria of the master programme/concentration you are applying to.
It can be advantageous if you can document that you passed theoretical, in-depth courses at bachelor level, with academic content relevant for the selection criteria of the respective programme / concentration.
Remember that only elective courses passed up until the application deadline and documented in your application will be considered.
Elective courses at CBS
Some of the master programmes at CBS require you to write a personal statement when applying. Your personal statement should reflect you, your educational background, your academic experience and your work experience (if applicable) in relation to the programme you’re applying to. Be sure to spend some time on your statement, and make sure you address the topics listed in the selection criteria.
Find information about the personal statement on the programmes' individual admissions pages.
What doesn't matter
The following are NOT relevant in the selection process and are not used during our assessment:
- Any course not at bachelor level (this includes courses at master and PhD level and courses taken as part of an AP degree or 'HD 1. del'). These courses will not be included in your assessment
- A personal statement for programmes that don't use personal statements in the selection process
- A CV
- Standardised tests like GMAT or GRE
- Recommendation letters from professors or employers
- Academic internships
- Improving an already passed and valid English test (taken within the last two years)
CBS has more qualified applicants than places available at its master programmes, so the selection process is often very competitive. As such, you should absolutely apply if a programme sparks your interest, but make sure to have a plan B and C and adjust your expectations accordingly.
You can apply to more than one master programme at CBS in the same admission round, but you should also plan for a scenario in which CBS is not able to offer you a place at any of the programmes you have applied for. Good applicants are rejected every year, so remember that, even if we could not offer you a place, this should not reflect negatively on you or your academic profile.