Stichting Fundatie van de Vrijvrouwe van Renswoude te 's-Gravenhage - Fundatie van Renswoude study grant (Studiejaar Nederland)

Fundatie van Renswoude study grant (Studiejaar Nederland)

You get 500 EUR to 8,500 EUR per study year to help pay your study costs in the Netherlands. The support comes in one of three forms: a grant (money you keep), an interest-free loan you repay within 2 years of finishing your studies or PhD, or a mix of both. The board decides which form you get. If your results are good, you can apply again for the next year. The money comes from a foundation in The Hague that supports young people who can no longer pay for their studies themselves.

Who can apply

• Where you study: You study at a university, hogeschool (university of applied sciences), MBO (vocational college), secondary school or a private training institution in the Netherlands.
• Nationality: You hold Dutch or Surinamese nationality.
• Age: You are between 15 and 29 years old.
• First degree: This is your first course of study. A follow-on course at a higher level in the same field still counts. The only exception is a second course in the arts.
• Financial need: You cannot pay for your studies yourself or with your parents' help. Your parents' income counts too.
• Budget gap: You still have a proven shortfall after using all funding options, including the maximum DUO student loan, the tuition-fee loan (collegegeldkrediet) and the lifelong-learning loan (levenlanglerenkrediet).
• Timing: Your request covers at most one study year, or part of it. You cannot apply for a period that has already passed.
• What is not covered: Courses, summer courses, masterclasses, competitions, debt clearance, printing costs and study costs you paid earlier.

The foundation also looks at your motivation and your results from previous years, or good references from teachers.

How to apply

You apply online through the foundation's portal. There is no deadline, so you can apply all year round. Send a complete application with all attachments, because incomplete applications are not processed. Depending on the amount you request, you may be invited to a personal meeting with the grant adviser before the board decides.

How realistic are your chances?

This grant targets Dutch or Surinamese students with a clearly documented budget shortfall, so the field narrows to those who can prove real need after using up all DUO loans. If you fit that group, show solid results and hand in a complete application, your prospects are good. Processing takes 1 to 3 months, so apply well before you need the money.