{"id":89793,"date":"2018-09-20T11:20:37","date_gmt":"2018-09-20T09:20:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=89793"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:23:06","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:23:06","slug":"numerus-fixus-bij-iba-waar-blijven-de-1356-niet-uitverkorenen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2018\/09\/20\/numerus-fixus-bij-iba-waar-blijven-de-1356-niet-uitverkorenen\/","title":{"rendered":"The IBA quota: what happened to the 1,356 who lost out?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n\t\n\n<\/svg>\n<\/span>\n\tImage by:<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAysha Gasanova<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>

It\u2019s a common sight with \u2018numerus fixus\u2019 programmes: a huge stack of applications, and a limited number of spots to go round. Rotterdam\u2019s International Business Administration (IBA) programme is no exception. For example, while Amber van Workum was one of six graduates from her secondary school (Arnhem\u2019s Stedelijk Gymnasium) to apply to the IBA programme in Rotterdam, only two candidates made it through. This got us wondering what the other four decided to do instead \u2013 assuming they didn\u2019t decide to sit on their hands for a whole year?<\/p>\n

IBA in Amsterdam <\/h2>
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Julia Jagtman<\/span><\/p><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>

When we spoke with the four who didn\u2019t make it, a few of them didn\u2019t seem particularly upset about failing to get into the Rotterdam programme. Take Julia Jagtman (18), for example. Although she was dead set on doing an IBA programme, Rotterdam wasn\u2019t her first choice. \u201cI was absolutely certain that I wanted to do an IBA. The thing I was less certain about, however, is that all the adults said I really should try to get into Rotterdam.\u201d With all this outside pressure, she decided to apply to EUR at the eleventh hour \u2013 only a few days before the registration deadline. In Jagtman\u2019s perception, she ultimately wasn\u2019t selected due to the combination of a late registration and the fact that her CV didn\u2019t offer much in the way of international activities. Instead, she tells us, she enrolled in an IBA programme in Amsterdam, which proved just the town for her. Although she is considering doing her master\u2019s in Rotterdam.<\/p>\n

IBA in Groningen<\/h2>
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Suus Pleyte<\/span><\/p><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>

Suus Pleyte (18) was in more or less the same situation. She didn\u2019t particularly want to move to Rotterdam either, but also decided to apply here in view of EUR\u2019s strong reputation. But Pleyte didn\u2019t get in either \u2013 in her case, probably because her marks weren\u2019t high enough. And like Jagtman, she wasn\u2019t too sad about this: she actually preferred Amsterdam or Groningen anyway. Pleyte, half yawning while we speak over the phone: \u201cAfter giving it a lot of thought, I decided to do the IBA programme in Groningen. I\u2019m having a great time here: I\u2019m just back from a fantastic fresher\u2019s week, I found a place to live and I\u2019ve even joined Vindicat.\u201d<\/p>\n

IBACS in Rotterdam<\/h2>
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Ariana Jacobs<\/span><\/p><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>

There\u2019s a chance Ariane Jacobs (18) is less happy about how things turned out. She really wanted to study IBA in Rotterdam. Since she wasn\u2019t that enamoured with Amsterdam, she eventually decided to enrol in a different programme at Erasmus University: International Bachelor of Arts and Culture Studies (IBACS). But compared to Jagtman and Pleyte, Jacobs is less sure that she made the right decision. \u201cOf course, it seems to be an interesting programme, and I intend to round it off. But if it turns out that Arts & Culture isn\u2019t really my thing, I\u2019ll be sending in a new IBA application next year!\u201d Jacobs suspects that she didn\u2019t make this year\u2019s selection because she was late starting on her application. She expects to have better chances of getting in next year.<\/p>\n

PPE in Utrecht<\/h2>
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David Hooft Graafland<\/span><\/p><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>

David Hooft Graafland (18), finally, went down a completely different road after failing to get in Rotterdam\u2019s IBA \u2013 in terms of both the programme and the town. He is currently studying Politics, Philosophy and Economics (PPE) at Utrecht University. According to Hooft Graafland, the international character of this programme is comparable to the IBA, and admissions were also subject to a quota. Oddly enough, Hooft Graafland did make the cut in Utrecht \u2013 even though PPE only had room for 75 students. \u201cTo be honest, I felt I was better suited for the IBA programme, but PPE gave me the opportunity to share my enthusiasm in an interview and show how good my English is.\u201d He does emphasise that he didn\u2019t really have a clear first choice beforehand. \u201cMaybe I even already had a slight preference for PPE because Utrecht seemed like a nicer town.\u201d Having just rounded off the introduction week, he knows he made the right choice. He is particularly happy with the international character of his programme.<\/p>\n

In short: the way it stands, things seem to have turned out alright for Amber\u2019s former schoolmates who weren\u2019t able to enrol in Rotterdam\u2019s IBA programme. And perhaps the same can be said for the 1,352 other candidates who had to look elsewhere.<\/p>\n\n\t

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De redactie<\/h2>\n\t\t\n\t\t
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