Exams
1. General
The exams are intended for prospective students who want to start a university degree programme in The Netherlands, but who do not meet the mathematics entry requirements for this degree programme.
In many cases, passing our Mathematics A or Mathematics B exam is sufficient to meet the mathematics entry requirements for degree programmes at the University of Amsterdam or other Dutch universities. However, because admission of students is the responsibility of the individual degree programmes, it is strongly recommended that you check with the admissions officer of the intended degree programme that you will indeed be admissible with a certificate of the Korteweg-de Vries Institute for Mathematics.
The exam will be graded on a scale from 1 to 10 and the minimum pass grade is 6. If you pass the exam, you will receive a certificate stating that you master Mathematics A or Mathematics B at the Dutch vwo (pre-university) level.
2. Exam topics Mathematics A
The topics that are tested during the Exam Mathematics A are the following:
- Arithmetic and algebraic skills
- Calculating with fractions, roots and powers
- Expanding brackets and factorisation
- Functions
- Functions and graphs
- Domain and range
- Linear functions, quadratic functions, power functions and root functions
- Linear equations, quadratic equations, power equations and root equations
- Linear fractional functions and equations
- Exponential and logarithmic functions and equations
- Trigonometric functions: sin and cos
- Number sequences
- Basic concepts
- Arithmetic and geometric sequences
- Increasing and decreasing
- Slope and derivative
- Increasing, decreasing and extreme values of functions
- Standard derivatives (except sin and cos) and rules for differentiating
- Maximum or minimum distance between graphs
- Probability theory
- Introduction to probability theory and combinatorics
- Statistical distributions (normal and binomial distributions)
To get an impression of the subject matter and exam, see the Practice Exam Mathematics A (pdf file) and Answers Practice Exam Mathematics A (pdf file).
To prepare for the exam, you can use the course reader 'Mathematics A' which will be sent to you by email (in pdf) if you have registered for the exam two weeks before the start date of the course.
Please note: The course reader only contains the final answers to the exercises, so no elaborations are provided.
3. Exam topics Mathematics B
The topics that are tested during the Exam Mathematics B are the following:
- Functions and their equations
- Functions and graphs
- All kinds of equations and inequalities
- Domain and range
- Trigonometric functions
- Exponential and logarithmic functions
- Limits and asymptotes
- Parametrised functions
- Calculus
- Differentiation and applications
- Integral calculus
- Geometry with coordinates
- Lines and circles
- Vectors and inner product
- Parametrised curves
To get an impression of the subject matter and exam, see the Practice Exam Mathematics B (pdf file) and Answers Practice Exam Mathematics B (pdf file).
To prepare for the exam, you can use the course reader 'Mathematics B' which will be sent to you by email (in pdf) if you have registered for the exam.
Please note: The course reader only contains the final answers to the exercises, so no elaborations are provided.
4. When and where?
Under the supervision of M.F.L. Schut, MSc, the exam will be held on the following dates:
Friday 17 March 2025 (online, 1:00-3:30 pm CET*)
(*times with proviso)
Please note:
Exlusively for students who took the exam on 17 March 2025 and did not pass it, there will be a resit on Wednesday, 31 March 2025.
5. Registration and exam fee
The costs for the exam are € 220,-.
You can register from 9 September 2024 9:00 am CET until 14 days before the exam date via the button at the bottom of this page. By registering, you agree with our cancellation conditions (see section 6).
When registering, you must pay the full course fee by credit card or iDEAL (iDEAL is only available if you have a Dutch bank account). After registration and payment, you will receive a confirmation of registration and invoice by email.
Please note: The study material will be send no earlier than the start of the course.
6. Cancellation
In order to cancel your registration, send an email to: wiskundecursussen-science@uva.nl
You can cancel free of charge up to 14 days before the exam date (so, before Sunday 2 March 23:59 pm CET. Cancellation after 2 March 2025: You will then owe the full exam fee, even if you do not take the exam.
Please note: Even if you cancel on time, the Korteweg-de Vries Institute will charge the costs for study material (in pdf) already sent. These costs are € 40 (price level 2022-2023).
In the context of Dutch Distance Selling regulations, you can also cancel your registration without giving any reason and free of charge up to and including 14 days after the day of registration, up to the moment of the exam. You can send this cancellation by email to wiskundecursussen-science@uva.nl or you can use this model form.
Please note:
"Only the Dutch version of these conditions is legally binding. In the event of a dispute on the translation or interpretation of these conditions, only the Dutch version of these conditions will be taken into consideration." and “This agreement and the conditions are governed by Dutch law. Any disputes will be settled by the competent court in Amsterdam.”
7. Mathematics deficiency courses
The Korteweg-de Vries Institute organises math deficiency courses in Mathematics A and in Mathematics B. These courses offer an excellent preparation for the exams.
Read more about the mathematics deficiency courses.
8. Formula chart and calculator
For the exams the use of a calculator and a formula chart is not allowed.
9. Further information
If you have any further questions about the exams or would like to receive additional information, please send an email to wiskundecursussen-science@uva.nl. We will contact you as soon as possible.
During office hours (09.00-17.00) you can also call us on +31 (0)20-525 5091.