Scholarships in the Netherlands for International Students (2025)

A popular study abroad destination in Europe, the Netherlands (which many people call Holland) attracts a large number of hopeful students every year, even those not coming from a country of the European Union (EU). Why not? This country, famous for its bicycling paths and serene surroundings, planted with colorful tulips, provides the necessities for student life at an affordable cost, if not totally free. Students in the Netherlands pay inexpensive tuition as universities are subsidized by the government. They also get discounts and free passes in transportation and commercial services.

Nonetheless, a student must be able to finance himself while studying in the Netherlands. Some apply for part-time employment and juggle studies and work. Some apply for scholarship grants offered by private and public institutions alike. Luckily for you, we have thought of searching the best scholarship programs for international students in the Netherlands. So, after you have learned all the basic information about education in the Netherlands, decided on the city where you will study in, and shortlisted the universities you wish to attend, you may as well consider browsing through our scholarship list, and take a step towards making your education journey in the Netherlands a possibility!

Table of Contents

1. Holland Scholarship
2. Radboud University Scholarship Programme
3. Utrecht University Excellence Scholarships
4. Erik Bleumink Fund Scholarships at University of Groningen
5. Justus & Louise van Effen Excellence Scholarships
6. University Twente Scholarships
7. Maastricht University Holland-High Potential Scholarships
8. VU Amsterdam Fellowship Programme for International Students

Holland Scholarship

Sponsored by the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, the Holland Scholarships are intended for international students who are from a non-EU (European Union) or a non-EEA (European Economic Area) country. These apply to prospective undergraduate and graduate students who wish to pursue their studies in any participating university in Holland or the Netherlands. Applications should be directly sent to the student’s chosen university in the country. The deadline for applications is set on either the 1st of February or the 1st of May. Successful applicants are awarded €5,000 ($5,638) as a financial grant. Scholars can do what they want with the funds because the program does not strictly specify covering of tuition fees in the university. Moreover, the award can only be received for a single year, and cannot be renewed.

Radboud University Scholarship Programme

Similar to the Holland Scholarships, the Radboud Scholarship Programme is dedicated to providing scholarships to eligible students from non-EU/EEA countries. However, this scholarship seeks prospective graduate students who wish to study at the Radboud University in the Netherlands. The programs should be under Radboud University’s Faculty of Arts, Faculty of Philosophy, Theology and Religious Studies, Faculty of Science, Faculty of Medical Sciences, and the Faculty of Law. Since the programs available for the scholarship are taught in English, a proof of language proficiency will be required in the application. Every year, they grant awards to 30 eligible candidates.

Interested international students must directly indicate in their admission application at Radboud University their willingness to be evaluated for the scholarship. Applications in the online application system, OSIRIS Incoming Students, usually close on the 1st of March of every year. Successful applicants will receive a tuition fee waiver for their studies at the university. Hence, should they qualify for the scholarship, they do not need to pay the whole €12,640 ($14,252) but only the amount of €2,078 ($2,347) for tuition. They will also receive a stipend for visa and residence permit applications, as well as health and liability insurance covers. The scholarship grant may be renewed if the scholar successfully passed all his subjects during the previous academic year.

Utrecht University Excellence Scholarships

The Utrecht University, a prestigious university in the Netherlands, is offering the Utrecht University Excellence Scholarships to interested undergraduate and graduate students who wish to study in the institution. However, applicants should study a select number of study programs. You can find the list on the university website for easy reference. Annually, the university grants the Excellence Scholarships to 20 to 25 international students from a non-EU/EEA country.

Eligible candidates for the scholarship are outstanding international students. They must be in the top 10% of their graduating class. Applications for the scholarship close on the 1st of February every year. Successful applicants receive either of the 2 financial awards: full tuition fees or full tuition fees and living expenses (€11,000 or $12,425). The Utrecht University Excellence Scholarships can stretch until the end of the applicant’s study program, which can be 1 to 2 years, provided the applicant successfully gets through the previous academic year.

Erik Bleumink Fund Scholarships at University of Groningen

The Erik Bleumink Scholarships are for international students who want to enroll in a graduate degree program offered by the University of Groningen. However, this scholarship is available for selected nationalities with excellent academic records. In particular, here are the countries which qualify for the program: Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Chad, Comoros, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Kiribati, Laos, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Niger, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Tanzania, Togo, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Yemen, Timor-Leste, Sudan, Congo, South Sudan, Central African Republic, Zambia, Armenia, Bolivia, Cape Verde, El Salvador, Ghana, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Kosovo, Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Nigeria, Vietnam, Uzbekistan, and Ukraine.

The deadline for applications is on the 1st of December every year. Successful applicants are awarded full tuition fees subsidy as well as travel arrangements to and from the Netherlands, books, medical insurance, and monthly allowances. It will cover the whole duration of the scholar’s study program, whether it spans for a year or two.

Justus & Louise van Effen Excellence Scholarships

The Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) awards the Justus & Louise van Effen Excellence Scholarships to deserving international students who wish to study a graduate program (Master in Science) in the institution. Applicants can be from any country but should have a Grade Point Average (GPA) of at least 80%.

The deadline for applications is on the 1st of December every year. Successful applicants are entitled to a full tuition grant, a monthly stipend of €950 ($1,073), travel expenses, and a membership to a scholarship club. The scholarship is good for 2 academic years.

University Twente Scholarships

The University of Twente is looking for international applicants for the University Twente Scholarships (UTS) who wish to enroll in a graduate program at the institution. All nationalities are invited to send their applications for the UTS. There are two types of the UTS scholarship award: the Kipaji Scholarship and the Professor de Winter Scholarship. However, applicants must choose one of the following graduate study programs offered by the University of Twente: applied mathematics, applied physics, biomedical engineering, business administration, business information technology, chemical engineering, civil engineering and management, communication, computer science, construction management and engineering, educational science and technology, electrical engineering, embedded systems, environmental and energy management, European studies, health sciences, media, industrial design engineering, internet science and technology, mechanical engineering, nanotechnology, psychology, public administration, sustainable energy technology, and systems and control.

Each year, the UTS gives out 50 scholarships for qualified applicants. Annual applications close either on the 1st of February for Round 1 evaluation or on the 1st of May for Round 2 evaluation. The selection of candidates is based on educational excellence, English language proficiency, and a secure slot in the University of Twente. Successful applicants will be awarded €6,000 ($6,777) to €25,000 ($28,240) for an academic year.

Maastricht University Holland – High Potential Scholarships

The Maastricht University (UM) offers scholarships for international students willing to pursue their graduate studies in the institution. The university usually provides scholarship grants to 24 qualified applicants from non-EU/EEA countries. Applicants should not be older than 35 years old at the time of application. Moreover, they should belong to the top 5% of their undergraduate class.

Applications for the High Potential Scholarships close on the 1st of February every year. Successful applicants are bound to receive €29,000 ($32,758) per academic year (for a total of 13 months to 25 months upon the completion of the graduate study program), which includes tuition and monthly expenses.

VU Amsterdam Fellowship Programme for International Students

The VU Amsterdam Fellowship Programme (VUFP) for International Students is intended for international students who want to pursue a graduate degree in the Vrije Universiteit (VU) in Amsterdam. Applicants should choose an English-taught master’s program in the VU.

Applicants should submit their forms before the 1st of February. Successful applicants are given a tuition fee waiver for at most 2 academic years. The condition for extension is a successful passing of the first academic year in the university.

Sending your applications to 2 or 3 scholarship programs will not hurt. Try to submit your interest, and wait for the results. A monthly stipend or a tuition waiver could be a weight off your shoulders as a prospective international student in the Netherlands. Good luck!

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