Master of Transportation Sciences

• Target group
• Key benefits
• Study programme and specializations
• Conditions of admission
• Application procedure and deadline
• Tuition fee
• Scholarships
• Career prospects
• Vacancies

Target group 

Holders of an academic bachelor degree in transportation sciences, economics, geography, urban planning, etc. who wish to obtain more in-depth knowledge of and a master's degree in Transportation Sciences.

Key benefits

A highly multi-disciplinary programme

A modern and international transport system is important for moving people and goods in a local, regional and international context. Transportation is inherently connected to economic growth and the environment but also to urban liveability and health. A continuous increase in traffic volumes for passenger transport and freight forwarding transport, leads to major challenges concerning land use, impact on urban areas, traffic safety issues, traffic flow, atmospheric pollution and travel behaviour.

Since transportation is so multi-faceted, the master of Transportation Sciences at Hasselt University has a multi-disciplinary take on transportation including psychological, social, urban, environmental and infrastructural aspects. Students approach the current and future transportation challenges from different angles, integrating knowledge and skills from different domains.

An interactive and integrative study approach

In the first semester students from different complementary backgrounds (e.g. Engineering, Social Sciences, Urban Planning) are introduced to fundamental concepts in behaviour, infrastructure, policy, technological advances and transportation modelling. In parallel and together with fellow students you immediately apply what you learn to the case of an international mega-city such as Jakarta, Lima, Dar Es Salaam or Ho Chi Minh City.

The second semester is focused on research skills and specialisation with a choice between Traffic Safety or Transport Policy and Planning. At the core of the second master year are an intensive 10-week internship and the master thesis, with the option to spend an entire semester abroad for data collection and gaining work experience.

A pronounced international orientation

Since transportation is a cross-border field, it is also important to focus on international aspects of this domain. As a Master in Transportation Sciences we offer you an opportunity to regularly interact with international experts in their field. You can also exchange views and experiences with fellow students from all over the world. 

Study programme and specializations

Choose your specialization to focus your studies

All students will receive a solid foundation on transportation fundamentals in the first semester.

In addition, you can focus your studies by choosing one of 2 specializations: Traffic Safety or Transport Policy and Planning. The specialisation courses are taught in semester 2. Moreover, the topics of your internship and master thesis (both in year 2) will also be situated in the domain of your chosen specialization.

Below you can find the curriculum for each specialisation with a detailed course description.

Conditions of Admission

The Admission Board will consider all applications individually. The standard requirements set by Hasselt University are applicable to all applicants of the Master of Transportation Sciences.

Diploma/Degree Requirements

All applicants should hold at least a university degree or a diploma of higher education equivalent to a (academic) bachelor’s degree. A Bachelor of Technology or a HND (Higher National Diploma) degree is not sufficient for admission to our Master of Sciences programme. 
If you have a professional bachelor’s degree, you will have to do a link programme of max. 45 ECTS. The link programme is available for Dutch-speaking students only.

Preference is given to candidates with a degree that is linked/complimentary to our master of Transportation Sciences. Our master is a multi-disciplinary master with links to domains such as civil and transportation engineering, logistics, psychology and behavioural sciences, policy and management studies, urban planning and geography. If your domain is not linked/complementary to transportation sciences but you have for instance work or other experience linked to traffic safety and transportation then this can be explained in the motivation letter and will be taken into account by the admission committee. 

We are looking for candidates with a strong academic background who have obtained an average of 75% (equal to letter grade B or CGPA of 3.0 out of 4.0) or above. 

Language Requirements

Sufficient knowledge of English is required and is to be certified by one of these tests:

• Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE) certificate.
• IELTS-certificate: min. overall band score 6.5. Note that we only accept academic IELTS-test results.
• TOEFL-score report: min. internet base: score 79. Note that we only accept academic TOEFL-test results.
• Duolingo English Test (DET): min. overall score 120.

Exemptions to the language test requirements:

• holders of a diploma of higher academic education issued in Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and Luxemburg do not need to provide English language test.
• holders of a diploma of higher academic education (at least one academic year or 60 ECTS credits) in an English-taught Bachelor or Master programme from Australia, English-speaking Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States of America are also exempted from providing a language test certificate.
• holders of an English-taught academic Bachelor or Master diploma issued in another country than stated above can be exempted from a language test (but proof that English was the medium of instruction is required), although preference is given to candidates who can submit a language test proving they meet the language requirements (CAE, IELTS, TOEFL). 

Additional Requirements

• For citizens of China: APS certificate.

Motivation Letter

Note that a letter of motivation is compulsory in the application file. Apart from previously obtained degrees and grades and the level of English proficiency, the motivation for choosing to study the master of transportation sciences is also taken into consideration by the exam board when deciding on whether or not an applicant can be admitted to the programme. In the letter you explain your motivation for this degree program and your achievements and competencies beyond those that can be expected given your (proven) language proficiency and degree. 

Application procedure and deadline

Application deadline: 1st May (non-EEA citizens) / 1st September (EEA-citizens). 

Application procedure:

A complete application consists of the following two parts:

1. Online Application
2. Document Verification (Digital Verification/Direct Email Verification/Certified Hard Copies)

Full info on the application procedure

If you have any questions related to the administrative side of the application procedure, send an email to: admissionformaster@uhasselt.be

Tuition fee on-campus master

You'll have to pay an annual tuition fee which has a fixed part and a variable part per ECTS credit. For 2024-2025, the fixed part equals EUR 288. The variable part per ECTS credit is EUR 13.80.

Full time students, taking up 60 ECTS credits therefore have to pay a fee of EUR 1,116. 

The tuition fee can vary slightly each year. For the latest tuition fee, we refer you to the tuition fee webpage

Scholarships

1/ VLIR-UOS Scholarships: ICP Connect: Master of Transportation Sciences Traffic Safety

The Flemish Interuniversity Council (VLIR-UOS) offers 10 scholarships for our Master’s programme "Master of Transportation Sciences - Traffic Safety"

• Africa: Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, DR Congo, Ethiopia, Guinea, Cameroon, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Morocco, Mozambique, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Niger
• Asia: Cambodia, Philippines, Indonesia, Palestinian Territories, Vietnam
• Latin America: Bolivia, Cuba, Ecuador, Haiti, Nicaragua, Peru

More information about the ICP Connect master programme can be found here.

2/ Master Mind scholarships

Master Mind scholarship is a scholarship programme by the Flemish Government (for outstanding students only).

The programme aims to promote the internationalization of the Flemish Higher Education.

More info about Master Mind scholarships can be found here. 

Career prospects

Transportation is a dynamic field and career opportunities are on the rise worldwide in the private and public sector including government agencies, road and transport authorities, transport operators, and local and international consulting agencies. Our alumni are typically employed as senior transportation planning professionals, public transport managers, traffic safety consultants or to research new transportation systems and technology. Are you looking for an exciting job, offering many career opportunities, then a master’s degree in Transportation Sciences is the right choice for you!

Vacancies: Jobteaser

• vacancy info for students:

Hasselt University uses the Jobteaser Career Center platform to publish vacancies for internal and external (student)jobs.

Register with your student email address to gain access to this exclusive platform. Once your profile is complete, you can apply directly to the vacancies you are interested in.

Students of the Master of Transportation Sciences can search for suitable vacancies by selecting "school voor mobiliteitswetenschappen" in the filter "tag", and choosing "English" in the language filter.

More information and a complete manual can be found in your student file. All legal information can be found via the Jobteaser website.

link vacancy page students

• vacancy info for alumni:

Alumni in Transportation Sciences can access the Jobteaser platform via the alumni database. You can search for suitable vacancies by selecting "school voor mobiliteitswetenschappen" at the filter "tag" and "English" in the language filter.

• vacancy info for companies/organizations:

Companies or organizations that have a suitable vacancy for our students or alumni can pass on this vacancy to nadine.smeyers@uhasselt.be or share it themselves on the Jobteaser platform:

• Target group
• Key benefits
• Study programme
• Conditions of admission
• Application procedure and deadline
• Tuition fee

Target group

Professionals in the field of transportation and/or road safety who have an academic bachelor's degree (in the domain of transportation sciences, economics, geography, urban planning, etc) who wish to combine work and study to gain more in-depth knowledge of and a master's degree in transportation sciences.

Key benefits 

Study at home or in combination with work

The Master of Transportation Sciences by distance learning is made-to-measure for professionals who want to gain more knowledge about various aspects of transportation. The programme is organized by distance. The course material is made available online through an e-learning platform, including video footage of recorded classes. In addition, you will have access to thousands of e-books, online journals and other resources via our online university library to help you with your studies. Per course unit, at least 1 interactive Question and Answer session is organized approximately halfway through each semester where you can meet the lecturer and fellow students online. Exams are also organized online with online proctoring, to remove the need to travel to an exam venue, thereby reducing the carbon footprint. More info on the online exam system (e.g. which hardware and software students should have to take part in the online exams) can be found here: https://proctorexam.com/test-taker-support/ 

The master programme by distance learning can be completed at your own pace from home or any place with access to the internet, in combination with work and/or family life. By its nature, distance learning gives you the flexibility to fit your study time around your professional and personal commitments. The model study track takes 3 years, including the internship and masters' thesis. A full semester is dedicated to doing an internship. The internship can be carried out at your place of employment so you will already benefit from your studies in practice while still earning your degree.

A unique international profile

In our master programme you have two options: study full-time at Hasselt University or combine your master studies with a job in our flexible distance learning programme.

The Master of Transportation Sciences by distance learning is specifically tailored to the needs of practitioners who want to earn a specialised qualification and broaden their knowledge and work experience in the rapidly changing transportation field. The programme has a pronounced international orientation. Students from all over the world join this programme and the exchange of experience and knowledge between the international student group brings added value to the course.

Conditions of Admission

The Admission Board will consider all applications individually. The standard requirements set by Hasselt University are applicable to all applicants of the Master of Transportation Sciences.

Diploma Requirements

All applicants should hold at least a university degree or a diploma of higher education equivalent to a (academic) bachelor’s degree. A Bachelor of Technology or a HND (Higher National Diploma) degree is not sufficient for admission to our Master of Sciences programme. 
If you have a professional bachelor’s degree, you will have to do a link programme of max. 45 ECTS. The link programme is available for Dutch-speaking students only.

Preference is given to candidates with a degree that is linked/complimentary to our master of Transportation Sciences. Our master is a multi-disciplinary master with links to domains such as civil and transportation engineering, logistics, psychology or behavioural sciences, policy and management studies, urban planning and geography. If your domain is not linked/complementary to transportation sciences but you have for instance work or other experience linked to traffic safety and transportation then this can be explained in the motivation letter and will be taken into account by the admission committee. 

We are looking for candidates with a strong academic background who have obtained an average of 75% (equal to lettergrade B or CGPA of 3.0 out of 4.0) or above. 

Language Requirements

Sufficient knowledge of English is required and is to be certified by one of these tests:

• Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE) certificate.
• IELTS-certificate: min. overall band score 6.5. Note that we only accept academic IELTS-test results.
• TOEFL-score report: min. internet base: score 79. Note that we only accept academic TOEFL-test results.
• Duolingo English Test (DET): min. overall score 120.

Exemptions to the language test requirements:

• holders of a diploma of higher academic education issued in Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and Luxemburg do not need to provide English language test.
• holders of a diploma of higher academic education (at least one academic year or 60 ECTS credits) in an English-taught Bachelor or Master programme from Australia, English-speaking Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States of America are also exempted from providing a language test certificate.
• holders of an English-taught academic Bachelor or Master diploma issued in another country than stated above can be exempted from a language test (but proof that English was the medium of instruction is required), although preference is given to candidates who can submit a language test proving they meet the language requirements (CAE, IELTS, TOEFL). 

Additional Requirements

For citizens of China: APS certificate.

Specific Condition of Admission for the Master of Transportation Sciences by Distance Learning

The Master of Transportation Sciences by distance learning is only possible for applicants who wish to combine work and study. Therefore, applicants need to submit one of the below documents, proving their employment status, and upload this in the online application form:

• provide proof of employment of min. 80 hours/month;
• provide proof of employment in a self-employed statute of min. 80 hours/month;
• provide proof of being a job-seeker who is entitled to benefits.

This proof can consist of a signed attestation of your work status by your organisation's CEO or Human Resources department or a copy of your pay cheque mentioning the number of hours/month you are employed in the organisation. 

The statute of 'working student' is not applicable to students working their way through college (e.g. weekend work), students in postgraduate courses and Ph.D. students.

If you are not currently employed or seeking employment, we refer you to the regular on-campus master programme in Transportation Sciences. For more information on the regular master programme, please click on the following link: Master of Transportation Sciences

Application Procedure and Deadline

Application deadline: 1st September (for both EEA and non-EEA applicants)

Application procedure:

A complete application consists of the following two parts:

1. Online Application
2. Document Verification (Digital Verification/Direct Email Verification/Certified Hard Copies)

Full info on the application procedure

If you have any questions related to the administrative side of the application procedure, send an email to: admissionformaster@uhasselt.be

Tuition Fee Distance Learning Master

You'll have to pay an annual tuition fee which has a fixed part and a variable part per ECTS credit. For 2024-2025, the fixed part equals EUR 288. The variable part per ECTS credit is EUR 13.80.

Part-time distance learning students, taking up on average 36 ECTS credits per year therefore have to pay a fee of EUR 784.80.

The tuition fee can vary slightly each year. For the latest tuition fee, we refer you to the tuition fee webpage

• Target group
• What is ICP Connect?
• Study Programme: Master of Transportation Sciences - specialisation Traffic Safety
• Hasselt University academic admission criteria
• VLIR UOS ICP scholarship eligibility criteria
• VLIR UOS ICP scholarship selection criteria
• Costs covered by the VLIR UOS ICP scholarship
• Application procedure and deadline
• VLIR-UOS website

Target group

Exceptional students from developing countries who hold an academic bachelor's degree in a related domain who meet the scholarship and academic conditions of admission and who wish to gain more in-depth knowledge of and a master's degree in transportation sciences.

ICP Connect scholarship: International Course programme (ICP) – for students from developing countries

The ICP "Master of Transportation Sciences - Road Safety in Low & Middle Income Countries" is a 2-year multidisciplinary master programme with a unique focus and approach to Road Safety in Developing Countries. The programme is supported by VLIR UOS and has 10 scholarships available each year.

Students are trained to identify transportation and road safety issues in order to create innovative solutions by using an integrative approach based on three pillars: the individual (dealing with the human behaviour in traffic and how to influence it e.g. intentional and unintentional riskful behaviour such as drunk driving or cognitive impairments), the environment (e.g. creating self-explaining roads and infrastructure that minimizes crash impact) and the society (e.g. societal norms and translation into policy and enforcement measures). Road safety in this programme is approached as a cross-border field, incorporating elements of psychology, economy, urban planning, environmental studies, engineering and more.

The scholarships are funded by VLIR-UOS. Each year 10 (two-year) scholarships are allocated to the 10 top-ranked applications.

ICP Connect Study Programme

The ICP scholarship students follow a specific track within our Master of Transportation Sciences with a focus on Traffic Safety in Low & Middle-Income Countries. Cases will be tailored to their needs and input. Master thesis and internship are also related to a topic relevant to the South and the future careers of the graduates.

Course overview: click on a course to get more detailed information about each course

ICP Connect Eligibility Criteria

Academic Admission criteria (Hasselt University):

• Required study level and degree programme:
  Participants should have at least an academic bachelor degree in one of the following disciplines:
  • behavioural sciences: psychology, sociology
  • political and social sciences
  • mathematical and statistical sciences
  • economy, transport economy
  • transport or traffic planning, urban planning or design, geography, (urban) architecture
  • engineering: transport engineer, civil engineer
    
    Minimum grade obtained: distinction
    
    A Bachelor of Technology or HND degree is not sufficient for admission to our MSc programme.

Language requirements:

Sufficient knowledge of English is required and is to be certified by one of these tests:

• Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE) certificate.
• IELTS-certificate: min. overall band score 6.5. Note that we only accept academic IELTS-test results.
• TOEFL-score report: min. internet base: score 79. Note that we only accept academic TOEFL-test results.
• Duolingo English Test (DET): min. overall score 120.

Exemptions to the language test requirements:

• holders of a diploma of higher academic education issued in Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and Luxemburg do not need to provide English language test.
• holders of a diploma of higher academic education (at least one academic year or 60 ECTS credits) in an English-taught Bachelor or Master programme from Australia, English-speaking Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States of America are also exempted from providing a language test certificate.
• holders of an English-taught academic Bachelor or Master diploma issued in another country than stated above can be exempted from a language test (but proof that English was the medium of instruction is required), although preference is given to candidates who can submit a language test proving they meet the language requirements (CAE, IELTS, TOEFL).

Scholarship Eligibility criteria (VLIR-UOS):

You can only apply for a scholarship if you meet all VLIR-UOS scholarship criteria:

• Nationality and country of residence: A candidate should be a national and resident of one of the 29 eligible countries (nationality and country of residence not necessarily the same) at the time of the application, see VLIR-UOS country list.
• Age: The maximum age is 35 (on 1st January 2023). 
• Professional background and experience:  Preference will be given to candidates employed in higher education, government or civil society, or those targeting a career in one of these sectors. Candidates employed in the private sector or newly graduated candidates with no work experience may also be considered if they provide a strong motivation and profile.
• VLIR-UOS scholarship applications: Candidates may apply for only one ICP Connect scholarship application per year.
• Previously awarded scholarships: Candidates may not have previously received a scholarship from the Belgian government to attend a study programme and may not have enrolled in a study programme at a Belgian higher education institution before January 1 of the year of intake.

Note: If you meet the academic admission criteria, but you do not meet the scholarship eligibility criteria, you can apply for our non-scholarship Master of Transportation Sciences where you can choose between 2 specialisations: Traffic Safety or Transport Policy and Planning. 
Another option is to apply for admission into our distance learning master of Transportation Sciences programme, which is organised fully online and which combines courses of the Traffic Safety and Transport Policy and Planning specialisations. Do note that for the distance learning master, you will need to meet the specific condition of admission regarding employment.

ICP Connect Selection Criteria

Within the ICP Connect framework, scholars are seen as potential agents of change that may contribute to societal change in their home country (or region) after completing their studies. Scholars are selected following an objective evaluation of their scholarship applications based on the following criteria:

• Motivation: Candidates' motivation and professional goals must reflect their competence in transferring knowledge/skills or setting up extension activities and highlighting themes relevant to sustainable development and pertinent to the study programme. Not only are academic results important, but so are - especially - the potential and commitment of the candidates to become an 'agent of change' after completing their studies.
• Professional experience: Preference will be given to candidates who can demonstrate a greater chance of implementing and/or transferring newly gained knowledge/skills upon completion in a sustainable development context, such as in the higher education sector, government, civil society or the private sector, thereby contributing to positive societal change.
• Gender balance: A balance between male and female candidates awarded ICP Connect scholarships is targeted. VLIR-UOS strongly encourages female candidates to apply. Read more about our gender policy here.
• Regional balance: A reasonable cross-section of scholars from different countries and regions is targeted, provided there are sufficient qualified candidates.
• Leave No One Behind (LNOB): In case of equally qualified candidates, preference will be given to candidates from vulnerable groups.
• Previously awarded scholarship: Preference will be given to candidates who have never received a scholarship to study in a higher income country (bachelor or master). 

ICP Connect: which costs are covered by the scholarship?

Costs covered by the scholarship: VLIR-UOS scholarships cover tuition fee, travel costs, insurance and livelihood (board and lodging). We only provide scholarships for the full duration of the master programme (24months). It is not possible to apply for a partial scholarship.

The scholarship guidelines and allowances for academic year 2025-2026 can be found in the framework for scholarships in Belgium (study scholarships, p. 13+14).

ICP Connect Application Procedure and deadline

Applications for the intake in September 2025 are now open!

Application deadline ICP Connect: 1st February 2025 (online application + document verification).

Application procedure:

A complete application consists of the following two parts:

1. Online Application
2. Document Verification (Digital Verification/Direct Email Verification/Certified Hard Copies)

Full info on the application procedure

If you have any questions related to the administrative side of the application procedure, send an email to: admissionformaster@uhasselt.be

Only complete and admissible applications that reach us before the application deadline will be taken into consideration. A ranking will be made. The top 10 applicants will receive a scholarship. There will also be a waiting list of eligible candidates who ranked between 10 to max. 20.

Applicants who have been granted a scholarship will be informed by VLIR-UOS via email between the end of May and mid-June 2025. Applicants who have not been granted a scholarship will be informed by Hasselt University in the same time frame.

Applicants who are not granted a scholarship, but are academically admissible, will be given the opportunity to be admitted to the non-scholarship master in Transportation Sciences.

PhD in Transportation Sciences

If you are interested in doing a PhD at Hasselt University, you can take a look at the vacancy page of Hasselt University to find any open vacancies, including PhD scholarships for research at the Transportation Sciences Institute (IMOB). 

If there is a suitable Ph.D. vacancy and you meet the conditions of admission specified in the vacancy, then you can apply for the Ph.D. position by following the described application procedure. Unless you find a suitable vacancy, we cannot offer any additional PhD supervision.

Students from all over the world come to Hasselt to study the Master of Transportation Sciences.

Why study in Hasselt?

Hasselt is known for its hospitality, making international students feel right at home.

• Located in the heart of the EU-region
• Ranked 47th best university under 50 years
• 15% international students from 75 different countries
• 550 PhD students

New to Belgium?

Are you new to Belgium and still finding your way?

The Joint Organization of Statistical Scholars (JOSS) helps international students get around on campus and the city of Hasselt.