Application Deadline: 1 February, 2026, 23:59 CET
LOCATION: The Netherlands
The NL Scholarship is financed by the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science and Dutch research universities and universities of applied sciences. The scholarship is intended for international students from outside the European Economic Area (EEA = the EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway) who wish to study for a master’s degree in the Netherlands.
ELIGIBILITY:
To be eligible for an NL Scholarship, you must meet the following criteria:
You must not hold an EU/EEA passport and not be eligible for support under the Dutch study grant and loan system.
You must not be eligible for statutory tuition fees.
You must never have been enrolled at an educational institution in the Netherlands (if you only took part in an exchange programme in the Netherlands, this does not make you ineligible).
You must have applied for an international master’s programme at Utrecht University with a start date of 1 September 2026. Not all programmes participate. Please check the ‘Tuition fees and financial support’ information on the page of the master’s programme you are interested in to see if the NL Scholarship is mentioned as a scholarship opportunity.
Prospective students who wish to be considered for the scholarship must apply before 1 February 23:59 CET. The application portal will close at this time. Selection will only start after the deadline. They aim to publish the results by mid-April.
Your application will be assessed based on the following criteria:
Academic background as demonstrated in your application for the master’s programme.
Your motivation, which should explain the relevance of your time in the Netherlands and at Utrecht University to your future goals.
The quality and feasibility of your financial plan. You must demonstrate that you can cover the remaining costs by filling out the Statement of Financial Resources (pdf, 71 kB). Please note: The Statement of Financial Resources allows applicants to demonstrate how they plan to fund their studies at Utrecht University, as scholarships cover only part of the total costs. You may include personal savings or any other funding sources. Applicants are expected to show a realistic financial plan that covers the full nominal duration of the Master’s programme.
BENEFIT:
The available scholarship amounts are €5,000, €10,000, and €15,000. You will receive this in the first year of your studies, even if you are enrolled in a two year programme.
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