International Business

Understanding today’s global economic and business landscape requires insights from both economics and business studies. Therefore the specialisation International Business (IB) combines both fields of study, focusing specifically on their relevance for firms that operate in an international environment.
In this specialisation, you can opt for a Master’s in Business Administration or a Master’s in Economics. The difference lies in the focus of the studies.

International Business/Business Administration

In this specialisation, you will be offered a strategic perspective on ways of gaining a competitive advantage in the global marketplace that aim to create both economic and social value. This suggests adopting a balanced outlook on relations with market and nonmarket stakeholders for a sustainable performance, seeking responsiveness and global efficiencies in marketing efforts, and innovating in emerging and developing markets.

International Business/Economics

In this specialisation you are taught to answer questions such as: What are the consequences of the rise of emerging economies, such as China and India, for the structures and strategies of multinationals?  How does the success of a cross border merger or acquisition depend on differences in institutions and cultures between host and parent countries? And what are the effects of trade agreements on the (location) strategies of multinationals?

Instruction modes

case study, literature study, oral presentation, computer exercise, research, computer modeling, research project, excursion, research proposal, tutorial, lecture, design project, working group, group assignment, group discussion, self evaluation, individual assignment, practicum, self study, integration module, project

Accreditation: NVAO

A completed Bachelor's degree

In order to be admitted to the IB/Business Administration Master’s programme, you should have a completed Bachelor's degree in Business Administration or a closely-related discipline from a research university, in which you have studied at least:

• Organisation Theory
• Strategy
• Marketing
• Human Resource Management
• Finance
• Statistics
• Quantitative and Qualitative Research Methods
• Bachelor’s thesis of 12 EC

In order to be admitted to the IB/Economics Master’s programme, you should have a completed Bachelor's degree in Economics or a closely-related discipline from a research university, in which you have studied at least:

• Micro-economics
• Macro-economics
• International Economics
• Statistics/Econometrics
• Bachelor’s thesis of 12 EC

A proficiency in English

In order to take part in this programme, you need to have fluency in both written and spoken English.This requirement has been satisfied when the student meets one of the following conditions:

• Has successfully completed a three-year Bachelor's programme at a Dutch university
• Is a citizen of Australia, Canada (with exception of Quebec), Ireland, New Zealand, United Kingdom, or the United States of America..
• Has successfully completed a Bachelor's programme that was taught completely in the English language in one of the following countries: EU/EEA-countries, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, United States of America.
• Has successfully completed a Master's programme from a Dutch university of applied sciences (HBO).

All other students need one of the following certificates (TOEFL and IELTS certificates may not be older than two years).

• A TOEFL score of ≥90, with subscores not lower than 18
• A IELTS score of ≥6.5, with subscores not lower than 6.0
• Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English (CAE) or Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE) with a mark of C or higher

GMAT requirements or a letter of motivation

Depending on which variant you apply for:

• IB/Business Administration: based on your (academic) background we might require you to do a GMAT.
• IB/Economics: A letter of motivation. In this letter of motivation (max 2 pages) you should explain why you want to attend this programme and why you think you are suited for this programme.

There are various scholarships available for studying at Radboud University. Some of the opportunities are described below. A full list, including detailed information, can be found on our scholarships and grants page at our website. 

Radboud Scholarship Programme

Open to a select number of excellent international students. Instead of the institutional tuition fees, non-EEA students pay the legal tuition fees (€2,006 in 2017/2018). Visa and residence permit costs, liability insurance and health insurance are also covered.

Orange Tulip Scholarship

Open to students from Brazil, Mexico, Russia, Indonesia, South-Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, and China. Instead of the institutional tuition fees, non-EEA students pay the legal tuition fees (€2,006 in 2017/2018). Visa and residence permit costs, liability insurance and health insurance are also covered.

Fulbright-Radboud Scholarships

Open to excellent American students. The grant will be paid in 12 monthly instalments of 1,050 euros. International travel and the cost of the residence permit will be covered, and an extra allowance of €1150 will be paid on arrival.

Sino-Dutch Bilateral Exchange Scholarship

Open to excellent students from China. Consists of a contribution of € 16,113 towards the total costs of one year of study or research in the Netherlands.

DIKTI-Neso Scholarships

Aimed at lecturers at higher education institutions in Indonesia who wish to pursue a PhD or Master's at a university in the Netherlands. A DIKTI scholarship includes allowances for living expenses, insurance, travel costs, tuition fees and more.

Indonesian Education Scholarship (LPDP)

Open to excellent Indonesian students under the age of 35. Involves a full scholarship.

Holland Scholarship Programme

Open to excellent students from Canada, America, India and Turkey. Scholarship consists of 5,000 euros payed at the start of study.

Dutch Student Finance

EU/EEA students and Swiss students under 30 years of age are eligible if they are working at least 56 hours per month in the Netherlands, or have been living in the Netherlands for five years or more. Dutch student finance consists of four components: a basic grant, a supplementary grant (depending on the parental income), a student travel product, and a loan.