Continuing education is an attractive option for many students who have obtained their HBO diploma. In this way they can deepen their knowledge and postpone the moment of entry into the labor market. Many university programs offer the possibility to follow a pre-master. That is also called ?? transition year ?? mentioned. What are the costs of a transition year?
From HBO to WO
You can go from HBO to WO in various ways. For example, after obtaining your HBO foundation course, you can transfer to WO. In practice, however, it appears that the number of HBO graduates who successfully make the transition to WO is small. University education requires a different way of thinking: analytical and abstract. Sometimes additional admission requirements are set by the university. For example, the requirement to have completed statistics at a certain level. Another option is to follow a master’s degree at WO after completing your HBO education. You will not be admitted directly, but must follow a bridging program or pre-master.
What is a pre-master?
If you are not directly admitted to the master’s program at a university, for example because you have an HBO diploma or because you have followed an academic program in another field, you must first follow a pre-master. Within the premaster you follow methodological courses, such as statistics. But also substantive courses that prepare for the master’s program are discussed. In most cases, no free elective space is included in the pre-master’s tracks.
Expensive
State Secretary Habbe Zeilstra defines a pre-master as an educational program comprising a maximum of 30 ECTS. The study duration therefore equates to six months. But in practice there are also pre-masters with a study load of 60 ECTS. In that case, the pre-master is referred to as a transition year.
Costs of the premaster
Premaster students are a significant expense for universities. This is because the government does not contribute, because pre-master students almost always have a bachelor’s degree in their pocket. In most cases, they pass on the higher costs to students, who have to pay the institutional fee. That rate is higher than the regular tuition fees and can be as high as ?? 10,000 per year.
Long-term student fine & premaster
Students who follow a pre-master’s may be faced with the slow student fine. Students at WO may take a maximum of four years to complete their studies. This is five years at HBO. If you complete your HBO education in four years, you can use the remaining year to follow the premaster.
Another option is to follow (part of) the pre-master’s study program at the university during the HBO study.
Difference between transition year and pre-master
Is a transition year the same as a pre-master? From a formal point of view, a pre-master has a study load of 30 ECTS. A transition year is 60 ECTS and lasts, as the name implies, one year.
