Boswell-Bèta Schakelprogramma
Are you considering taking courses here supported by UAF? Please note: do not register for courses through the website! UAF students are registered for courses manually. If you register through the website you accept the terms and conditions of cancellation: you will have to pay a penalty of €35,00 for cancellation of the course, if your cancellation is overdue the complete amount of the course must be repaid.
Welcome to the Boswell Bèta ‘Schakelprogramma’. This programme has been designed especially for refugee students in collaboration with UAF, the Lestbest language institute and the RISBO institute of Erasmus University Rotterdam. The Schakelprogramma prepares you for admittance to Dutch institutions of higher education.
The next foundation year will start in January 2023. The intake day for this programme will take place in November 2022. If you are interested in participating, please fill in this online form so you will be automatically informed about the intake day and developments regarding the foundation year.
The Dutch Schakelprogramma consists of two parts: the foundation year and the specialisation year.
The foundation year
Enrolment in the foundation year is possible in Utrecht (Boswell Bèta), Tilburg (Tilburg University) or Rotterdam (Erasmus University). You will automatically be placed in the foundation year at an institution closest to your home town.
To visit the website of the foundation year, click here.
The foundation year offers subjects which are necessary for admission to any university or university of applied sciences:
- Basic Mathematical Skills
- Mathematics B
- Study Skills
- Dutch B1-B2 + NT2 exam training
- English B1-B2 + IELTSexam training
- 'Vaktaal'* / KNM* / ONA*
* Depending on the university or institution of enrolment.
For additional information about the foundation year in the other two cities, please check:
Basisjaar (foundation year) Universiteit van Tilburg
Basisjaar (foundation year) Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam
The specialisation year
After having successfully finished the foundation year you may register for additional courses at Boswell Bèta to gain entrance to technical or biomedical studies.
Technical specialisation
Physics is a requirement for most technical studies. This course can be completed during the foundation year. That is why the preparation for a technical course takes one full year.
Please note: for admission to TU Delft you must pass the ‘Vaktaal’ course.
Biomedical specialisation
You need to do a number of additional courses for biomedical studies:
- Physics
- Chemistry
- Biology
These subjects require a year in addition to the foundation year. Preparation for a biomedical course takes two years in all.
Intake procedure
After your application through the registration form you will receive additional information no later than two weeks in advance of the intake. There are two rounds in the intake procedure. Round one consists of written tests in Dutch, English and mathematics. Once you have passed these tests you are invited to round two. Round two consists of four orals: in English, Dutch, and assessment of your previous education and motivation. After these two rounds a decision will be taken as to whether you are eligible for the programme.
N.B. The programme prepares you for admission to all universities (both academic and applied sciences universities).
Admission requirements
The Schakelprogramma has been designed for those refugee students who have (almost) finished secondary school in their country of origin, or who have already started higher education. On the day of the intake you must demonstrate that you have sufficient schooling in mathematics. In addition, you need to show your basic maths skills by taking a diagnostic maths test. A Dutch level of at least B1 and an English level of at least B1 is required. For the Schakelprogramma starting in January 2021 a Dutch level of B2 and a certificate 'NT2 Staatsexamen programma II' are required.
Your performance in the foundation year (attendance, motivation, completion of homework assignments, test results) will be closely monitored. Based on your performance a decision is made whether you are eligible for the specialisation year.
Format
Depending on the courses you take, the Schakelprogramma lasts approximately between six months and two years. The courses are scheduled from Monday to Friday and if necessary on Saturday.
Costs
The Dutch courses are financed with a DUO loan.
For the science courses and English a UAF registration is mandatory if you want to have your participation in the programme financed. If you are unable to register with UAF, please contact us to look into any alternatives.
If you receive welfare from your municipality, ask your contact person for approval to take courses while retaining your welfare.
Contact
Please contact us at or call 030 430 0112 (11 am-5 pm) if you have any questions about your personal situation or the Schakelprogramma.
Refugee programme in English
If you are planning to take a bachelor programme entirely in English at a Dutch university, Boswell Bèta offers English courses in maths A and B, Physics, Chemistry and Biology. The courses are intensive and last for approximately six weeks, starting in June, July, October and April. One course is full-time, i.e. you can take only one course every term. To start a maths A/B/C course an English language level of at least B1 is required. For Physics, Chemistry and Biology your English level needs to be at least B2. Your Dutch level needs to be at least B1 to qualify for UAF registration. Registration at UAF is mandatory if you want to have your course funded.
The intake for the English programme is organised in combination with the one for the regular programme in Dutch.
During the intake procedure clearly indicate that you want to apply for an English bachelor programme. You must clearly motivate why the English programme is of extra value to you. A decision whether you are eligible for the English programme in Utrecht is taken in consultation with UAF.
Please contact us at or call 030 430 0112 (between 11 am and 5 pm) if you have any questions about our course programme in English.