FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Prerequisites are requirements that students must meet in order to be accepted to one of our courses. MSS courses have prerequisites that range from general to specific, based on the specialisation and expertise required for each course. You can find all prerequisites in the course descriptions on our application portal DreamApply.

Do I need to meet any prerequisites to join a course?

Our goal is for everyone to successfully complete the course they have applied for. Therefore, some courses have prerequisites that you need to meet. However, not all prerequisites are mandatory. Please read the course description on our application portal carefully to assess whether you meet the course requirements. If you are uncertain as to whether or not you are qualified, you can always contact us.

Do I need to be a Maastricht University (UM) student in order to apply? 

No, you do not have to be enrolled as a bachelor or master student at Maastricht University in order to apply for one of our courses. Everyone is welcome to apply.

Do I need to be a student or graduate in order to participate in a course?

Not necessarily. We also offer ‘Lifelong Learning’ courses, which are open to non-graduate professionals as well as students. If you are a professional interested in a course outside your current discipline, you can always reach out to us with your situation—we are happy to discuss your options.

Can I take courses that do not meet the level I am at right now? 

Yes, that is possible. For example, if you are a bachelor student and you would like to take a master level course, you can contact us and explain why you should be eligible to take the course in question. We will discuss the situation with the professor of the course, who needs to give their consent. The same steps are relevant for high school students wishing to take bachelor level courses.

Master/PhD students are able to take a bachelor level course without taking any additional steps.

What makes a document “official” when submitting my application? 

While completing your application, you will be asked to include an official transcript or list of grades. We use this to assess if you meet the requirements of the course. This means your document must have an official stamp, seal or signature to indicate its legitimacy. Colour documents should not be in black and white. We cannot accept screenshots, website captures or any non-official transcript.

Why do I need to include a list of grades in my application? 

Some courses have prerequisites that require students to be experienced in a certain topic or field. Through reviewing your official transcript, we can see whether or not you have a background that will allow you to keep up in the classroom. We also use this information to alert you when you might be overqualified while applying for an entry-level course.

Will my GPA influence my acceptance?

Our goal is to allow any interested student to participate in a summer course, regardless of GPA. Therefore, we determine your eligibility based on your level of education and discipline of courses, not your GPA in each course.

Due to our small and interactive classrooms, we operate on a first-come, first-served basis. This means our courses are filled based on when a student completes their registration payment, not on their ranking. As long as your transcript demonstrates a level of education that will allow you to succeed in the classroom and a background relevant to the course, we are happy to welcome you.

How many courses can I participate in? 

Students may participate in as many courses as they wish, given that the courses are not running simultaneously (during the same week). Our courses are full-time and we hope to avoid any scheduling conflicts. If you happen to apply for courses with overlapping schedules, we will inform you via our application portal.

What does it mean to call a course “full-time”? 

Our courses are designated as full-time to reflect the combination of contact hours and self-study required to succeed.

Contact hours include hours in a classroom setting. In each course’s description on our application portal, you can discover what style of learning will take place during classroom hours. This may range from lectures, to problem-based learning tutorials, to workshops.

Self-study involves the learning that takes place outside of the classroom, such as preparing an assignment or reading literature.

Do you offer any scholarships or financial aid? 

No, there are currently no scholarships available at Maastricht Summer School.

What is included in the course fee? 

The course fee listed on the application page covers the tuition of the course. Therefore, arranging accommodation for the duration of the course is the responsibility of each student. MSS students have the option to stay at Maastricht University’s International Student Guesthouse at an affordable rate. Once your application is complete, you will receive further information via email about how to book a room at the UM Guesthouse. Whether you choose to stay at our recommended accommodation or make other arrangements, booking and payment remain the student’s responsibility.

Please note: in order to make use of our discounted rate, all bookings must be done through the MSS-provided links, not third-party booking sites.

 

What is your refund policy? 

We understand that unexpected circumstances can prevent you from attending the course(s) you registered for. While this is always unfortunate, we abide by a strict refund policy as we begin course preparations far in advance, and account for your participation. You can find our detailed refund options under our Terms and Conditions.

If a course is cancelled, we will always inform all registered students as soon as possible and either transfer you to another course of choice (when possible), or refund your tuition fee.

Will I be reimbursed for my travel and accommodation if my course is cancelled? 

As stated in our Terms and Conditions, the responsibility for travel and accommodation remains with the student. Therefore, we highly recommend booking refundable travel and lodging, in the case that you are unable to attend or the course is cancelled. MSS does not reimburse external costs.

Refunds for MSS-discounted bookings, such as the UM Guesthouse, should be requested by contacting the relevant organization directly. MSS is not able to adjust or refund your accommodation for you.