The Netherlands is a great country to study for the quality of its universities and the generous scholarships offered annually to international students.
In the best cases, these scholarships, apart from covering all of your studies, also cover your airline tickets, visa, medical insurance, and even your maintenance.
That is why here I will tell you about the best scholarships to study in the Netherlands, their benefits, requirements, and how to apply in the correct way.
Remember that the characteristics of scholarships vary, so I recommend you read carefully to identify the ones that best suit your profile and interests.
Let us begin!
Why study in the Netherlands
There are several reasons that make the Netherlands a great country to study:
- On the one hand, it is located in the heart of Europe, which makes it very easy to travel to other countries on this continent very cheaply.
- Another reason is that you can study in English, which is practically their second language since they teach it in their schools from an early age and people speak it very well.
- In fact, according to EF’s English Proficiency Index, which is the largest ranking that measures English proficiency in the world, the Netherlands ranks first as the best speaking country.
- This means that in the Netherlands there are more than 2,100 academic programs completely in English and that you do not need to know Dutch to live in that country.
- In addition, the Government of the Netherlands is interested in attracting and retaining talent, making it easier for international students to work while they study and, upon completion of their studies, it gives them the possibility to extend their stay.
The best scholarships to study in the Netherlands
Previously you learned how to find academic programs and scholarships to study in the Netherlands, now I want to show you the 5 best scholarships for international students.
The Holland Scholarship or Holland Scholarship
Offeror: Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, as well as by several Dutch research universities and universities of applied sciences.
Benefits: The scholarship amounts to € 5,000 that you will receive in the first year of your studies.
You can study: Undergraduate / Bachelor’s or Master’s programs.
Eligibility: Be a national of any country outside the European Economic Area.
Application process: Online through the website of the Dutch university where you will study.
Application deadline: Months of February or May depending on the program and university to which you apply.
NOTE: The Holland Scholarship is offered by the government, but administered by each university and is NOT the same as the scholarships of each university. That’s why you can apply to the Holland scholarship and to those of the universities that we will mention below at the same time.
Ultrech University Scholarship
Offeror: Ultrech University, a recognized European institution with an innovative approach and high quality of research.
Benefits: Payment of your tuition, and in the best cases up to 11,000 EUR for living expenses.
You can study: Master’s programs.
Eligibility: Be a national of any country outside the European Economic Area and the European Union.
Application process: Online, through the Ultrech University website.
Application deadline: January of each year
University of Amsterdam Merit Scholarships
Offeror: the University of Amsterdam, which aims to attract the brightest international students every year.
Benefits: Depending on the study area, it can cover all or part of the program costs.
You can study:
Bachelor’s/Undergraduate degrees in:
- Psychology
- Economy and Business
- social Sciences
Masters in:
- Child development and education
- Communication
- Economy and Business
- Humanities
- Medicine
- Psychology
- natural Sciences
- social Sciences
Eligibility: Be a national of any country outside the European Economic Area and the European Union.
Application process: Online, through the website of the University of Amsterdam.
Application deadline: January of each year
Maastricht University Scholarships
Offeror: the University of Maastricht, a major Dutch institution with about 16,000 students, of which 44% are international.
Benefits: COMPLETE! payment of your studies, living expenses, medical insurance and visa application costs.
You can study: Bachelor / Undergraduate and Master’s programs.
Eligibility: Be a national of any country outside the European Economic Area and the European Union.
Application process: Online, via the Maastricht University website.
Application deadline: January for the undergraduate/bachelor’s degree and February for master’s studies.
Amsterdam Vrije University Scholarships
Offeror: Free University of Amsterdam, founded in 1880 with more than 26,000 students focused on carrying out research of social and scientific importance.
Benefits: Full payment of your master’s studies.
Eligibility: Citizens of any country in the world except the Netherlands.
Application process: Online, via the Vrije University Amsterdam website.
Application deadline: February of each year.
Excellence Scholarship – Wageningen University
Offeror: Wageningen University, focused on training specialists in social and life sciences.
Benefits: Covers the total costs of the master’s degree.
Eligibility:
- Citizens of countries outside the European Union.
- Letter of reference from a professor, preferably from a high-ranking institute.
- Has a GPA of at least 80% of the highest possible grade.
Application process: Online, via the Wageningen University website.
Application deadline: May of each year.
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