Numerus Fixus and Selection Process Support in Ankara and Online
International university applications may require more than just a diploma, grade point average, or school achievement. Universities use additional examinations to more closely evaluate students’ academic readiness.
Each University's Own Selection System
Particularly in the Netherlands, certain programs do not rely solely on high school grades or diplomas for student admissions. Additional evaluation processes may be applied for these programs.
This system is generally referred to as Numerus Fixus. However, Numerus Fixus essentially means a quota restriction, and since some programs have limited capacities, they admit students by taking this selection exam into account as well. Depending on the program and the university, various assessment tools may be used, such as:
- online exams,
- academic competency tests,
- motivation letters,
- portfolios,
- interviews.
Delft and Similar Universities
Some universities implement their own selection examinations.
For instance, in certain programs at Delft University of Technology, candidates may need to undergo a separate evaluation.
More often than not, these exams aim to assess not just the student’s subject-matter knowledge, but also their problem-solving skills, analytical thinking capacity, and level of academic readiness.
At IB Evi, the mathematics department is led by Hakan Torun, who has been teaching mathematics since 1999. For details on preparing for the mathematics and selection tests of Dutch universities, see Hakan Torun’s mathematics tutoring page. A free mock exam he wrote for the TU Delft Computer Science and Engineering selection test, the CST (Cognitive Skills Test), is available on his resources page.
A free mock exam he wrote for the TU/e (Eindhoven University of Technology) Computer Science and Engineering selection, in the format of its three tests (Mathematics, Logical Reasoning and Algorithmic Thinking), is also available on his resources page, together with the study material the tests are based on.
Many Dutch universities assess applicants’ mathematics with the OMPT (Online Mathematics Proficiency Test); which OMPT variant is required depends on the programme. A free mock exam he wrote in the OMPT-A format is also available on his resources page.
Our Approach
The common characteristic of such exams is that each university, and even each department, has distinct expectations. For this reason, we prefer to tailor the preparation process for each student based specifically on their target program.
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Frequently Asked Questions
This section contains questions we receive regarding Numerus Fixus and University Selection Processes, along with their answers.
Numerus Fixus, a Latin term, translates to "fixed/limited number." It refers to the strict limitation imposed by universities on the number of students admitted to specific departments in order to maintain educational quality and ensure laboratory/classroom capacities are not exceeded. It is not applied to every department; it generally applies to highly popular fields that receive an overwhelming volume of applications globally, such as medicine, psychology, international relations, business administration, and computer engineering.
It completely alters the application timeline and moves it significantly forward. While the deadlines for standard programs in the Netherlands are usually in May, the deadline for Numerus Fixus programs is set as January 15th. Due to this early deadline, it is essential for students to have their motivation letters, exam preparations, and documents ready months in advance.
No, it is definitely not sufficient. The most prominent characteristic of this system is that it utilizes a "holistic assessment." High school grades are merely a prerequisite for the initial stage. Universities evaluate students based on multiple criteria—such as their own academic selection tests, motivation letters, resumes (CV), and sometimes online interviews—to generate a final ranking number.
These examinations are not traditional memorization tests. A few weeks before the exam, the university sends the candidate articles or a mini-course content (pre-study material). The exam then measures how well the student can analyze these academic texts, how quickly they can grasp a university-level lecture, and their analytical thinking skills. In other words, your direct "academic aptitude" for that specific department is tested.
There is a legal limitation to ensure that students act strategically. Through the Netherlands' centralized application system (Studielink), a student can apply to a maximum of 2 Numerus Fixus programs within the same academic year (for certain specific fields like Medicine and Dentistry, this limit is only 1 per year). Therefore, conducting a risk analysis and making realistic plans rather than choosing both options from the most popular universities is critical to the success of the process.
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