Communication Studies: Journalism and Media in Europe

Admission requirements

As a general rule, every study programme comes with its own set of conditions. You will find all the requirements for your chosen programme by clicking 'admission requirements' under the 'programme' tab.

Prospective students should always apply directly to the master's programme, not the preparatory programme. 

Which degree is required?

Direct admission

Prospective students with a Flemish ‘Bachelor of Science in Communicatiewetenschappen' (VUB or other) degree or a VUB Bachelor of Social Sciences degree have direct admission to the programme. 

Admissions after screening

With a different degree, your application will be screened on your academic background, results, motivation and language skills. You must have an academic bachelor’s degree in Communication, Sociology, Political Science, Economics or a similar field.  

Should you have a different academic background, but preferably still in Humanities, the selection committee may assign an ad hoc preparatory programme as a condition of admission. This programme can be combined with the master's programme in the same year and typically consists of one or two additional courses to be taken in the first semester. These courses are:

• Introduction to Communication Studies and/or
• Research Methods for Social Sciences

Prospective students should always apply directly to the master's programme, not the preparatory programme.  

Grade requirements

As a general rule, we only accept students with a GPA of 3.0 out of 4.0, or 70% average or higher for this programme. 

What are the language requirements?

We accept the following proofs of English language proficiency:

• A Belgian high school degree;
• A certificate from the institution where you finished secondary or higher education, stating that English was the language of instruction;

• A certificate of one of the following language tests corresponding to the Common European Framework of Reference with minimum level B2:

  • TOEFL (only the internet-based test is accepted) with minimum level: 79
    • Keep in mind you’ll need a minimum score of 18/30 on all individual modules to be found eligible.
  • IELTS academic module, with minimum level: 6.5
    • Keep in mind  you’ll need a minimum score of 6 on all the individual modules.
  • Cambridge English minimum grade scale score of 170
  • ITACE with minimum level B2
     

  Please note that language test results cannot be older than 5 years at the time of application. You must meet the language requirements before we can accept you. We do not issue letters of acceptance without proof of language proficiency.
   

What are the required documents?
 

During the online application procedure, you will need to upload the following documents to initiate the screening process:

• Proof of identity (Passport or ID-card)
• Headshot picture
• All higher education degrees (official documents, both original and translations)
• All higher education transcripts of records (official documents, both original and translations)
  • You can find more information about translating your documents via Required documents | Vrije Universiteit Brussel
• Motivational letter
  • You can find some guidelines for your motivation letter on this webpage.
• Proof of English language proficiency
   

Contact us

Do you have any questions? Contact the Faculty of Social Sciences & Solvay Business School at admissions.es@vub.be. 

Apply now!

Convinced about your studies? Have you read the admission requirements? Then you can start your application! 

• Do you have questions about applying with a foreign diploma? Discover the steps you need to take here!
• Questions about the application process? Check our FAQ!

When can you apply?

Applications open mid-november! 

Deadlines

• Foreign diploma and student visa required (often non-EEA students): Apply until 1 April 2026
• Foreign diploma and no student visa required (often EEA students): Apply until 1 August 2026
• Belgian diploma: Apply until 23 September 2026

You can find more information about the deadlines here!

Start your application here!