NL · Bachelor's
Erasmus University Rotterdam
BSc Economics and Business Economics
Erasmus University Rotterdam
Course Overview
Erasmus University Rotterdam's BSc Economics and Business Economics is delivered through the Erasmus School of Economics (ESE) — historically the highest-ranked Dutch economics faculty (Tinbergen Institute affiliation), top-50 globally for Economics & Econometrics (QS subject 2026), and the alma mater of the first Nobel Laureate in Economics (Jan Tinbergen). The three-year programme is taught 100% in English. The curriculum has the strongest quantitative spine of any Dutch undergraduate business / economics programme — calculus, linear algebra, probability and statistics, econometrics, plus core economics (micro, macro, monetary) and business modules.
From Year 2, students choose a major: Economics, Finance, International Trade and Investment, Marketing, Strategy Economics, or Behavioural Economics. ESE's flagship is the Econometrics & Operations Research major — one of Europe's most rigorous and most-recruited quantitative undergraduate tracks. Rotterdam is the European port-and-logistics capital, the Dutch maritime and shipping centre, and the home of the Rotterdam School of Management (Erasmus). Industry recruiters include Unilever (Rotterdam HQ), Shell, ING, ABN AMRO, the Big Four Rotterdam, McKinsey, BCG, plus the dense banking and consulting cluster across the Randstad. ESE graduates regularly progress into top European master's at Bocconi, LSE, Stockholm School of Economics, plus US PhD programmes in economics.
Entry Requirements
Academic
- check_circle Sri Lankan GCE A/L: 3 strong passes (B or above) including Combined Maths.
- check_circle Cambridge / Edexcel A-Levels: ABB-AAB including Mathematics (Mathematics A preferred).
- check_circle IB Diploma: 32-34 points with HL Mathematics (Analysis & Approaches required).
- check_circle Mathematics is mandatory — applicants without strong maths must complete a math entry test.
- check_circle Studielink application + Erasmus University international application portal.
- check_circle Motivation letter (~500 words) and CV. No interview required.
English Proficiency
- check_circle IELTS Academic: 6.5 Overall (no band below 6.0).
- check_circle TOEFL iBT: 92 Overall.
- check_circle Cambridge English: C1 Advanced grade C.
- check_circle Waived if your A/L, Cambridge International or IB programme was taught and assessed entirely in English — Sri Lankan English-medium applicants qualify with an MOI letter.
- check_circle Dutch not required — the programme is taught 100% in English.
Estimated Cost of Study
| Expense Category | Amount (€) | Approx. LKR |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition Fee (per year, non-EU) | € 14,300 | Rs. 4,933,000 |
| Living Expenses (Rotterdam, 12 mo.) | € 13,200 | Rs. 4,554,000 |
| Health Insurance, Visa & Residence Permit | € 800 | Rs. 276,000 |
| Books, Materials & Setup | € 1,200 | Rs. 414,000 |
| Total Year 1 Investment | € 29,500 | Rs. 10,177,000 |
*LKR conversion based on current bank rates. Subject to change.
Career Outcomes & PR
The Netherlands offers the Orientation Year (Zoekjaar) — a 1-year residence permit to job-search after a Dutch Bachelor's, plus the 30% tax ruling for under-30 graduates. Erasmus ESE BSc graduates land roles at Unilever, Shell, Heineken, Philips, ING, ABN AMRO, Rabobank, Big Four Rotterdam (Deloitte, EY, KPMG, PwC), McKinsey Amsterdam, BCG, Bain, plus quant trading firms (Optiver, IMC, Flow Traders, Da Vinci Derivatives) for the Econometrics track. Median starting graduate salary €38,000-€50,000 + 30% tax ruling. ESE Econometrics graduates command the highest starting salaries in the Dutch undergraduate market (€48,000-€65,000+). Sri Lankan returnees route into management trainee programmes at John Keells, MAS Holdings, HSBC SL, Big Four Colombo, plus banking analyst positions at CBSL, NDB and Sampath Bank.
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ඔබට සුදුසු විශ්වවිද්යාලයක් තේරීම, අයදුම්පත් යොමු කිරීම, SOP සකස් කිරීම සහ වීසා ලබා ගැනීම ඇතුළු සෑම පියවරකදීම, ඔබ වෙනුවෙන් සියලුම වගකීම් විශ්වාසවන්තව අප භාර ගනිමු.