University of Groningen / Eric Bleumink Fund - Eric Bleumink Fellowship

What the Eric Bleumink Fellowship gives you

A fellowship is a scholarship for advanced study. This one is worth about 15,000 EUR and covers a full Master's degree at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. It pays your tuition in full, plus a living allowance of 1,250 EUR per month for housing and food. You also get a one-off 275 EUR arrival payment, 310 EUR per year for books, your return economy flight between your home country and Amsterdam, the train to and from Schiphol airport, and health, accident, liability and emergency insurance. The money runs for 1 or 2 years, matching the length of your Master's. The University of Groningen awards it through the Ubbo Emmius Fund, and only about 4 fellowships are given each year.

Who can apply

• Degree level: You want to start a Master's programme (MSc, MA or LLM) at the University of Groningen.
• Field of study: Any subject at the university is fine.
• Nationality: You are from a developing country on the official list. Students from the least developed countries (such as Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Nepal or Uganda) have priority, then other low-income and lower-middle-income countries.
• Admission: You have a provisional or firm offer for a Groningen Master's before 1 February. To get there, finish the normal Master's application by 1 December.
• Grades: You have excellent Bachelor's results, ideally backed by recommendation letters.
• English: You meet the English language requirements of your programme.
• Financial need: You have no other funding and receive no other Groningen scholarship.
• Health: Your health lets you take out health insurance in the Netherlands.
• Bonus: Students from a least developed country whose university partners with Groningen have better chances.

How to apply

You cannot apply for the fellowship directly. Apply to a Groningen Master's programme through the normal admissions process by 1 December. The Admissions Office and faculties then nominate suitable candidates. If you are nominated, you hear before 1 February and have one week to send a short motivation letter. The selection committee announces the final result by 1 March.

How realistic are your chances?

This award is highly competitive. Hundreds apply each year and only about 4 fellowships are granted. The committee also balances gender, subject and region across the winners, so strong grades alone are not enough. Your chances improve if you come from one of the least developed countries, especially from a Groningen partner university, and can show your degree will help build your home country's academic capacity.