Scholarships in the Netherlands

Scholarships

General situation in terms of scholarships

Students in the Netherlands, whether EU members or native to another country, are able to take advantage of a wide range of scholarships. With the European Union, private organisations and also the Dutch government offering scholarships, there isn’t a shortage when it comes to the availability of funding for one’s studies. The search for scholarships in the Netherlands is made easy by means of the Nuffic (Netherlands Organisation for International Cooperation in Higher Education) database. Here, students are afforded access to scholarship information, the criteria that need to be met in order to be eligible for particular scholarships, application dates and also the application process. Some scholarships are specific to a certain field of study, others only account for a number of years and there are also scholarships available in the Netherlands for the entirety of one’s study, regardless of the degree programme and field of involvement.

Type of scholarships and granting institution

One of the main scholarship programmes is the MENA scholarship programme, which is offered to international students and funded by the Dutch government. The Netherlands is also home to a wide variety of different scholarship institutions. The government, companies, and even individual universities are great places to turn to when looking for a scholarship to study in the Netherlands. Older programmes are no longer available: the Netherlands Fellowship Programmes were replaced by the Orange Knowledge Programme, which itself ended on 31 December 2024 with no successor announced. The HSP Huygens Scholarship Programme, which was run by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science and administered by Nuffic, was discontinued on 1 January 2012 following education budget cuts and no longer accepts new applications.

Availability and conditions for getting a scholarship

There is no scarcity concerning scholarships in the Netherlands. With the Dutch government, individual organisations, universities and private organisations all offering scholarships to both international and local students, scholarships for studying in the Netherlands are fairly easy to obtain. However, one should not overlook the fact that many of these scholarships do not cover the entire cost of studying in the country. Whereas some scholarships take into consideration housing, travel and school materials, others are solely focused on covering tuition costs. The conditions under which a student becomes eligible to receive a scholarship in the Netherlands vary depending on the organisation granting the scholarship as well as the type of scholarship itself. Country of citizenship, age, field of study as well as degree, all play a role in what makes a candidate eligible or not. Additionally, one of the key factors is typically grades. A large number of scholarships in the Netherlands are offered for excellence and thus, grades also play a role in one’s eligibility.

Local scholarships for foreign students

The fact that a degree from a university in the Netherlands is internationally recognised isn’t the only reason why this splendid country is a popular location for students from all over the globe. The Netherlands also has a wide variety of scholarships available for international studies combined with exceedingly low tuition fees. For EU/EEA students the statutory tuition fee for a first degree at a state-funded university is €2,694 for the 2026-2027 academic year. All in all, this makes the Netherlands a great place to study without breaking the bank. Universities are one of the most common places where scholarships are given through. Additionally, scholarships like the Talent for Governance Scholarship and the Amsterdam Merit Scholarship are available to international students. The Holland Scholarship offers a one-off €5,000 payment to non-EEA students starting a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in the Netherlands.

Typical scholarships in the Netherlands

Universities in the Netherlands are very large contributors to the scholarship pool. Many offer scholarships based on grades and others based on talents or other accomplishments. This includes both private and public universities in the Netherlands. It’s important to note that the scholarships typically offered from universities do not cover the entire cost of tuition and also, may not take living costs or other expenses into consideration. The Amsterdam Merit Scholarship at the University of Amsterdam, for example, is fully funded and covers tuition fees plus an additional €5,000 towards living costs, mainly for excellent non-EU/EEA Master’s students. The MENA Scholarship Programme, administered by Nuffic, is fully funded and covers tuition, travel and living costs for professionals from the MENA region.