BACHELOR

OF SCIENCE

APPLIED
MATHEMATICS

QUICK FACTS
Mathematics in the context of practical and current
social challenges

A small-scale programme with driven lecturers

Learning to cross boundaries, literally and

figuratively

Preparing for a Master's degree with excellent job

opportunities

The challenging possibility of getting a double

degree
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| Applied Mathematics

APPLIED MATHEMATICS
INTRODUCTION
Are you good at mathematics and eager to use mathematical insights to help solve practical problems? Do you see
yourself as the kind of mathematician who can formulate clear answers to complex societal challenges, for example
in the field of the environment, (air) traffic flows, economy, care optimisation, or technology? Are you looking for a
small-scale academic programme, in which you will penetrate the depths of mathematics, while also equipping
yourself to use your knowledge for developing real solutions for people and society? Then the three-year, English-
taught Bachelor's in Applied Mathematics (AM) is the right choice for you.

APPLIED MATHEMATICS CROSSING BOUNDARIES, LITERALLY AND FIGURATIVELY

Societal impact is one of the UT’s core values and this
programme proves it. While covering all the mathematical
theory and skills you would expect from a bachelor’s degree
in math, we also have a strong focus on practical
application. With this degree you will be an expert in
reducing complex, real-life issues to their mathematical
essence. This will enable you to offer crystal-clear problem
analysis – and to identify the best possible solution. You
will discover that mathematics, like oxygen, is everywhere –
and with your knowledge and skills, you will be able to
uncover this hidden treasure. That way, you will be able to
offer solutions in a growing number of societal domains,
from the environment, mobility and technology, to banking,
insurance or the medical world.
A SMALL-SCALE PROGRAMME WITH DRIVEN LECTURERS
One stand-out feature you will soon notice is the skill and
drive with which our lecturers will help you unravel the
secrets of mathematics. With an average of around 60 to 70
first-year students, this is a small-scale programme. There is
little distance between staff and students, and a lot of room
for personal attention. The atmosphere is pleasant and you
will discover that your ideas and input really matter:
together with our student association Abacus, we are
constantly improving our education as well as organising all
sorts of study-related activities. In short, there is no better
place than UT to become a whizz in Applied Mathematics.
Obviously, you will immerse yourself in technical subjects
and new technologies throughout the Bachelor’s in Applied
Mathematics. UT, one of the world’s best technical
universities, offers the ideal environment for this: many of
the technologies that will influence our future are
researched and developed here on campus, from apps and
web applications to robotics and adaptive systems. At the
same time, our unique High Tech Human Touch philosophy
allows you to look far beyond the boundaries of
mathematics. No other technical university in the
Netherlands has a social sciences department as large as
ours. You will work not only with fellow mathematicians
and engineers but also with psychologists, communication
professionals, public administration experts or
philosophers. Interdisciplinary teamwork will become your
second nature. Working with others, you will discover the
most relevant, ground-breaking solutions.
Our programme also has a distinctive international flair. You
will study with many foreign students and work with staff
members from countries such as India, Russia, Turkey,
Germany and South Africa. We invest a lot in intercultural
skills and if you want to follow courses or do an internship
abroad, we will help you. So if you are eager to cross both
disciplinary and geographic boundaries in your future
career, this bachelor’s is the ideal preparation.

ADMISSION FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

● Certificate equivalent to Dutch VWO (e.g. British A-

REQUIREMENTS levels, International Baccalaureate)

● English (CEFR, B2/C1 level; IELTS 6.0, TOEFL 80 or
Cambridge CAE)
FOR DUTCH STUDENTS (VWO-PROFILE)
● Mathematics
NT NG EM CM

WIB WIB WIB

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| Applied Mathematics
APPLIED MATHEMATICS
PROGRAMME STRUCTURE
Your bachelor’s takes three years. Each year, you will follow four ten-week modules. This means that during the
course of your studies you will complete twelve modules.
FUTUREPROOF EDUCATION
From day one you will engage in the abstract and formal
aspects of mathematics, always keeping in mind its
practical applicability. You will become familiar with
calculus, linear algebra, probability and more. You will
engage in applying the theory by modelling: using
abstraction to reduce complex problems to their essence, as
described in mathematical terms, and using mathematical
analysis to identify solutions to the original problem. You
will gradually develop modelling skills through learning
lines that include abstract mathematics, mathematical
modelling and practical skills - like programming,
(intercultural) collaboration or presentation. You will
become a mathematician who has mastered to perfection
the cycle of abstraction, analysis and solution, and who
easily participates in interdisciplinary teams. You will be
able to make a substantial contribution to solving tough
societal problems.
BACHELOR'S STRUCTURE
During the first year, you will become familiar with the
basics of mathematics with a focus on mathematical
reasoning as well as the fundamental skills needed to be a
solid mathematician. In the projects and practical
assignments - which together make up around 30% of your
programme – we will show you how you can apply the
knowledge you gain but you also learn basic skills such as
programming and modelling.
The second year is about broadening and deepening your
knowledge but also includes collaborations with students
from other programmes. The third year is made up of
elective modules in which you will prepare yourself for your
future master’s and graduation assignment, the final step
you must take before you can call yourself a Bachelor of
Science.
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| Applied Mathematics
STUDY OVERVIEW
EXPLANATION OF MODULES
YEAR 1
Module 1 Structures and Models
Module 2 Structures and Systems
Module 3 Signals and Uncertainty
Module 4 Numerical Mathematics and Differential Equations
MODULE 1 | STRUCTURES AND MODELS
In this module you will study mathematics from different
angles. Building on the math you learned in secondary
school, you will also immediately start exploring new
areas, going deeper than you ever did at secondary
school. You will spend a lot of time on mathematical
reasoning, abstract mathematics and modelling. Weekly
meetings with experienced teachers will help you master
this challenge. In your team modelling project you get to
tackle a practical problem, in which modelling and
calculating are a vital part of the solution.
MODULE 2 | STRUCTURES AND SYSTEMS
We continue in this module with the key courses from
module 1. Learning to think in mathematical structures is
important for a future applied mathematician. It helps you
to see connections more quickly and to perceive the
mathematical relations between seemingly very diverse
problems. This means you will be able to approach them
using the same techniques. Mathematical systems theory
will show you a connection between these theoretical
concepts and some more practical problems.
In this module you will tackle some of the tough matters
every mathematician needs to understand and that will
keep coming back in the rest of your studies. You will
discuss these topics with your team members and carry
GET HELP IN CHOOSING
A STUDY
out assignments together with the support from senior
staff. This will help you grow into an applied
mathematician who can communicate about his work
and thus identify solutions more quickly.
MODULE 3 | SIGNALS AND UNCERTAINTY
In modelling, uncertainty plays a huge part. Think of
predictions, such as the weather forecast, or deviations in
a certain process. A solid foundation in probability and
statistics is essential if you want to be able to make
sensible predictions. Many of the phenomena we like to
make statements or predictions about can be described
graphically. Think, for example, of the range of
temperatures over 24 hours, the water level in certain
places, or stock prices. In this module you will learn to
recognise regularity, or periodicity, in graphs. Sometimes,
graphs describe more than one periodicity at a time.
Mathematics will help you unravel them. Combined with
modelling, this expertise will give you an important
mathematical tool for solving many complex problems.
Computers are vital here, which is why also this module
continues with teaching you effective programming.
What will you study and where?
Sign up for our orientation activities and events like the
Open Days or an online meet-up with a student. 
To the study choice calendar
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| Applied Mathematics
STUDY OVERVIEW
EXPLANATION OF MODULES
MODULE 4 | NUMERICAL MATHEMATICS AND
DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
Mathematical models often involve dynamics, like in prey-
predator systems or masses moving in a potential field.
These models involve differential equations and are called
dynamic, because they show the relationship between the
variables and their changes, whereas so-called static
models only represent the variables. In this module you will
study dynamic models from the perspective of differential
equations.  Numerical methods are needed if no closed-
form solution to a mathematical problem exists or if solving
the problem by hand is infeasible or even impossible.
Consider, for instance, the simulation of an airflow around a
formula one car or the fitting of large data sets. Numerically
solving such real-life applications introduces several errors:
modelling errors, data errors, truncation errors, and
rounding errors. In the modelling team project you will
apply the knowledge of theoretical parts.
YEAR 2
Module 5 Statistics and Analysis
Module 6 Statistics and Optimization
Module 7 Discrete Structures and
Efficient Algorithms
Module 8 Modelling and Analysis of
Stochastic Processes
MODULE 5 | STATISTICS AND ANALYSIS
In this module you will learn to look for structure and
relationships in statistical data. In the Mathematical
Statistics part of the module, you will learn much of the
underlying theory but you also learn to analyze problems
using an advanced software package, R.. You will continue
to develop your knowledge of basic mathematics in
Analysis. Finally, you will learn in this module how to reflect
on different cultures within and outside the field of
mathematics. For example, the different approaches
mathematicians take/ consider to develop a theory, or how
the same behavior can be interpreted differently in different
cultures.
MODULE 6 | STATISTICS AND OPTIMIZATION
In this module, you are introduced to optimization, which
appears quite often in real life. Which location to choose,
what to decide, how to allocate items, and so on. You learn
how to model these problems and solve them and
understand the underlying mathematics. This knowledge is
applied to a neural network. Besides, you continue your
studies of statistics and will learn about regression analysis,
estimation and quantification of uncertainty in data and
dealing with dependency in data. You use the program R for
computations and learn how to draw correct conclusions
based on those computations.
MODULE 7 | DISCRETE STRUCTURES AND EFFICIENT
ALGORITHMS
You will be studying so-called discrete structures. As
opposed to continuous structures, such as a collection of
real numbers, these structures are about finite or countably
infinite sets and variations thereon. The focus is on making
calculations within such sets, such as finding the shortest
path between a certain number of points and the links
between those points. The computability and complexity of
these calculations are important factors. You will use
elements from abstract algebra, such as groups, rings and
fields, as well as finite automata and Turing machines.
MODULE 8 | MODELLING AND ANALYSIS OF STOCHASTIC
PROCESSES
As far as mathematics is concerned, this module is about
Markov chains. These are stochastic models, or models in
which outcomes depend on chance, and in which you go
from state to state according to a given probability
distribution, regardless of where you were in the past.
These models find all sorts of applications, for example, in
modelling queues. They also play a vital role in modelling
and simulating complex stochastic systems. In your
multidisciplinary project group, together with Civil
Engineering and Industrial Engineering and Management
students, you will learn how to use such models to make
good decisions in practical situations in which change plays
an important role, for example, logistics, a hospital
environment or traffic.
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| Applied Mathematics

STUDY OVERVIEW
EXPLANATION OF MODULES
YEAR 3 EXTRA CHALLENGE
Would you like to learn about other scientific disciplines, in
addition to your existing study programme? If you would
Module 9 Electives like to immerse yourself in physics or computer science, our
double degree in Applied Mathematics combined with
Module 10 Electives either Applied Physics (Dutch-taught) or Technical
Computer Science (English-taught) may be what you are
Module 11 Graduation Assignment looking for. Please note that Technical Computer Science
has a numerus fixus and thus a selection procedure and
deviating admission deadlines. If you would rather have a
Module 12 Graduation Assignment broader challenge, you may consider the Bachelor’s
Honours programme. For eighteen months, you will follow
one of the multidisciplinary tracks and work closely with
students and scientists from other fields of study and
research. The Bachelor’s Honours programme begins every
MODULE 9 & 10 | ELECTIVES MODULE year in February and is open to all bachelor’s students who
In your elective space, you have different options: are in the top 10% of their study programme.

● Focus on something else of your own choice. Either

courses from other engineering programmes or look into
something completely different. This can be done in
Twente but also at other universities in the Netherlands.
A growing number of students even go abroad for their
minor.
● Complete a pre-master’s in preparation for a master’s
other than Applied Mathematics, such as a technical
Master’s or one of our social sciences programmes.
● Choose the Education minor Learn to Teach and get a
second-degree teaching qualification. This allows you to
work as a teacher at secondary school level. Please be
aware that this minor is in Dutch and allows you to only
work as a teacher at secondary schools in the
Netherlands.

MODULE 11 & 12 | GRADUATION 

More than half of the second semester is dedicated to your
thesis; the remaining time is for further electives and for a
mandatory subject called Complex Function Theory. Your
graduation project is a large modelling assignment, often
taken from real-life. In preparation for this assignment, you
will first study and discuss several mathematics articles.
This will give you experience in reading and understanding
scientific research. Then, you get to formulate your own
research question on the basis of your assignment.
Afterwards, you are to write a report on your findings. And
to finish off your project you will present your work at a
special student conference.
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| Applied Mathematics

After a well-considered decision and an enjoyable matching experience, I opted for the Applied Mathematics
Bachelor’s. A broad programme that offers you plenty of opportunities. Of course a lot of mathematical skills pass
by, but there is also cooperation with other disciplines.

When it was time to choose what to do after high school, I
was still hesitating between Technical Medicine and
Applied Mathematics. After visiting the Open Days, I already
knew that I wanted to study at the University of Twente.
The atmosphere here was great, it was not so far away from
home either, and the small-scale setting was attractive to
me as well. So I applied for both programmes at  UT. The
matching day of Applied Mathematics the deciding factor
for me to study this bachelor's: I noticed that I liked the
mathematics programme very much, and that the people
really appealed to me.
ONE SOLUTION THAT CAN SOLVE MANY DIFFERENT
PROBLEMS
In secondary school you study calculus, but with no
examples at all on how to apply it in practice. Here you learn
to apply mathematics to societal problems which fascinates
me and is completely in contrast with my secondary school
experience. I discovered that in Applied Mathematics you
come up with mathematical solutions to societal problems,
which are not just applicable to a single problem, but rather
to several problems. A great example is the first year model
Signals and Transformations . At the time, we were working
on a project to be able to predict water levels. The
mathematics we used for this can also be applied in radios
and telephone networks. That's nice, isn't it?
GETTING USED TO A NEW WAY OF THINKING
At the start of my programme, I was a bit anxious because
in the first week you enter an intensive maths week. Often
only with maths subjects to prepare you for the next period.
You learn a completely different way of thinking than you
were used to at secondary school. I really had to get used to
that, but before you know it, you had that way of thinking in
mind and it became really fun! Besides studying, you make
new friends, become a member of a study association and
get to know more students who are already following
mathematics, or another programme. During the first
semester I still lived at home, but halfway through my first
year I chose to live on campus. Eventually, I ended up in a
house with 7 others.
LOOKING BEYOND THE BORDERS OF MATHEMATICS
In module 8 - together with Civil Engineering and Industrial
Engineering and Management - we worked on a
consultancy assignment for a hospital.  We had to take into
account different aspects such as parking space capacity
(typical CE), waiting times for patients (typical AM) and
appointment strategies to see if waiting times are
improving via a computer system (typical IEM). Because
some aspects fit in well with certain programmes, we were
able to create a nice division of work. Of course, it is also
great fun to carry out an assignment with different
disciplines, even if you choose the components that best fit
your own programme. But, of course, you do have to tie
everything together in the presentation and you do that
together as a group.
THE ELEGANCE OF MATHEMATICS
During my bachelor's thesis, I worked on the
implementation of an algorithm in Python, a programming
language, together with a few peers. Now you may think
this is very boring, but it certainly wasn't. We tested this
algorithm on a picture of blood vessels in order to follow
the route of a blood vessel. We also checked whether this
algorithm could make a calculation on our road network:
what is the shortest route from Enschede to Maastricht?
The result turned out to be the same as in GoogleMaps.
That was really great! So you can see, once again, that one
mathematical solution can be applied to several
mathematical problems. To me, this is the elegance of
mathematics.

"The beauty of mathematics is that solutions are not just

used for the problem they were designed for, they can
be applied to multiple societal issues."
- Alumnus Diewertje Alblas -
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| Applied Mathematics

AFTER YOUR BACHELOR'S

After obtaining your Bachelor's degree in Applied Mathematics, you can specialise further by following a Master's .
Around 70% of our graduates enter the Master's in Applied Mathematics at the University of Twente. Another 20%
choose a different Master's programme. A few join the job market straight away, or start their own business.

CONTINUE YOUR STUDIES WITH A MASTER'S IN APPLIED FINDING A JOB

MATHEMATICS
Most Applied Mathematics alumni continue on to the two-
year, English-taught Master’s Applied Mathematics at the
University of Twente. With your Bachelor's in Applied
Mathematics, you are directly admissible. The master’s will
make you a specialist in modern mathematical techniques.
You will work closely with people from other academic
disciplines, such as physics, engineering, logistics and
computer science. You will also become a junior member of
one of our research groups, actively participating in your
supervisor’s research programme. The Master's in Applied
As a mathematical en ineer you can look at any problem
from an abstract point of view. Regardless of the field in
which the problem occurs, you will be able to see the
common denominator across seemingly totally different
problems. After completing your studies, you will be able to
work all over the world in many different fields. There is
almost no company in the world who could not benefit
from the skills of mathematicians. For example, you could
work:
• In the development department at a technical company

Mathematics offers three specialisations:  • As a Research & Development specialist

• At a hospital in logistics or process optimisation

● Mathematical Systems Theory, Applied Analysis and • For a (semi-)government organisation, as an advisor or
Computational Science policy maker, for example

● Operations Research • In the academic world through a promotion route

● Mathematics of Data Science • In education, as a teacher or researcher/advisor

OTHER MASTER'S START YOUR OWN COMPANY

With your Bachelor’s in Applied Mathematics you can also
enter other master’s. The Bachelor’s Applied Mathematics
is excellent preparation for other (technical) master’s, such
as:  in the application of expertise to meaningfully influence
● Industrial Engineering and Management
● Applied Physics
● Sustainable Energy Technology
● Science Education and Communication (in combination
with the Master's in Applied Mathematics)
You can also start your own business with a solution that
you have developed. The UT is recognised as ‘the most
entrepreneurial university’ in the Netherlands. We are strong
society. Together with our students we like to work with the
innovation specialists from Novel-T, who like to tap in to
promising innovative business cases.
One example of a spinoff that resulted from this
programme is SciSports, a company that applies big data to
the transfer market within professional football.

GET IN TOUCH University of Twente

Drienerlolaan 5

Questions about this study programme? Whatever 7522 NB Enschede

your question is, we will be happy to help you.
Phone:+31 (0)53 489 5489

Mail: study@utwente.nl

Contact us!
Whatsapp: +31 (0)6 51842633
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| Applied Mathematics

NEED AND NICE-TO-KNOW

STUDENT INFORMATION
There are a couple of things you should know before you apply for the Bachelor's in Applied Mathematics at the
University of Twente.

Have you decided to sign up for the Bachelor’s in Applied STUDY CHOICE CHECK
Mathematics? Check the admission requirements to be sure Successfully completing your studies starts with choosing
that your application will succeed.  a bachelor's that matches your talents and
interests. Therefore, after your application, we will ask you
QUICK LINKS to participate in mandatory matching activities to give you a
● Check the admission requirements
good idea of the study. 
Are you a prospective, international student who doesn't
meet the admission requirements? A foundation year is The matching consists of a digital questionnaire and a
a possibility! matching conversation with an Applied Mathematics
● Application deadlines teacher. 
● Start your application
After you have applied, you will receive more information on
how to register for these matching activities. Keep in
mind that admission to the study without participation in
the matching event is not possible.
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| Applied Mathematics

WHAT IS EC? NEED MORE CHALLENGE? JOIN AN HONOURS PROGRAMME

As a first-year student, you will face many new experiences
and new terms, such as ECs and binding recommendation.
Student workload at Dutch universities is expressed in EC,
also named ECTS (European Credit Transfer and
Accumulation System), which is widely used throughout
the European Union. In the Netherlands, each credit
represents 28 hours of work.
ENTER THE SECOND YEAR WITH 45 EC OR MORE
Our goal is to get you to the right place as quickly as
possible, which is why we apply the principle of a binding
Would you like to learn about other scientific disciplines, in
addition to your study? The Bachelor Honours programme
could provide the broader approach that you are looking for.
For a period of eighteen months, you will follow one of the
multidisciplinary tracks and work closely with students and
scientists from other fields of study and research. The
Bachelor Honours programme begins every year in February
and is open to all bachelor’s students who are in the top
10% of their study.

recommendation. You will receive positive advice if you

have achieved 45 or more of the 60 EC in the first year.

Negative advice is binding and means you have to quit your

studies.  MY QUESTIONS
Write down all your questions and ask them when
Under certain circumstances, despite a too low score, we contacting us!
can still give you a positive recommendation, if we have
sufficient confidence that you are in the right place. Do
...................................................................................................
personal circumstances such as illness interfere with your
study performance? Student Affairs Coaching &
Counselling (SACC) is there to help you. ...................................................................................................

BE PART OF A CLOSE COMMUNITY ON CAMPUS ...................................................................................................

As a student, you will profit from the beautiful campus:
a sustainable, well-maintained parkland dotted with top ...................................................................................................
facilities. The campus has as many activities to offer as a
small city. It’s a dynamic and close-knit community to ...................................................................................................
live and work in, where almost 13,000 students and
3,800 staff members – representing around 100 ...................................................................................................
nationalities – use the latest knowledge and technology for
a better future.
...................................................................................................

NUMEROUS STUDENT ASSOCIATIONS ...................................................................................................

A striking element of student life in Enschede is the
presence of student-run associations that bring students
together for academic activities, sports and recreations. ...................................................................................................
World associations are also present, assisting international
students in everyday situations and helping them to settle
in and make friends.

Which associations will you join?

A DAY IN A LIFE What's it like to study Applied Mathematics? Our

student shows you a day in his student life. 
OF OUR STUDENT
Watch the vlog
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| Applied Mathematics

DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS?

YOUR NOTES
Make a note and ask them when you contact us. We are happy to help you choose the right studies!

MY QUESTIONS DO NOT FORGET

Write down all your questions and ask them when Important things to remember
contacting us!
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GET IN TOUCH University of Twente

Drienerlolaan 5

Questions about this study programme? Whatever 7522 NB Enschede

your question is, we will be happy to help you.
Phone:+31 (0)53 489 5489

Mail: study@utwente.nl

Contact us!
Whatsapp: +31 (0)6 51842633
 FACTS & FIGURES
WHY CHOOSE TO STUDY AT UT?
As a UT student, you will learn how to use innovative technologies to influence today's societal
challenges in a meaningful way. We call it High Tech Human Touch. 

You will benefit from excellent, highly personalised education and research in fields ranging from social sciences to
engineering and natural sciences to life sciences. You will learn to work with experts from other disciplines
and cultures. In doing so, you will develop in-depth professional knowledge and intensive personal growth.

Your study location is our campus: a dynamic community for young people to work, live and socialise. It's a breeding
ground for brilliant ideas, where you follow academic education and apply your new skills in the various state-of-
the-art labs. This is also where you meet up with friends, play sports or visit the theatre. You can even go for
groceries or catch up in the bar.

384 130 40 > 90

STUDENT AND STUDY
LAB FACILITIES SPORT ASSOCIATIONS NATIONALITIES
ASSOCIATIONS

4,941 7,468 3,000 18

MASTER'S
BACHELOR'S
PERFORMING ARTS
STUDENT APARTMENTS
STUDENTS STUDENTS ASSOCIATIONS

146 4,148
CAMPUS AREA IN INTERNATIONAL

ACRES STUDENTS

VERSION: 20221005092406