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The Netherlands ranks with the UK and Germany as a leading choice for international students who want to study in Europe at low or no tuition cost. Dutch degrees carry international recognition, and the funding on offer comes from three directions: Dutch colleges and universities, the Dutch government, and other institutions.
Below you will find government-backed awards plus a set of university scholarships open to students from outside the EEA and, in some cases, from the EU as well.
Netherlands/EU Government Scholarships for International Students
NL Scholarships
The Holland Scholarship targets international students from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) who plan to take a Bachelor's or Master's degree at a participating university in Holland. The award is worth € 5,000, paid in the first year of your studies.
Dutch Colleges and Universities that offer Scholarships for International Students
Leiden University Excellence Scholarships
The Leiden University Excellence Scholarship Programme (LExS) is open to outstanding non-EU/EEA students taking any MA, MSc or LL.M programme at Leiden University. Awards take one of three forms: €10,000 off the tuition fee, €15,000 off the tuition fee, or the full tuition fee minus the home fee.
University of Maastricht High Potential Scholarships
Maastricht University (UM) runs the UM High Potential Scholarships for talented students from outside the EEA. You can use one for any UM master's programme or graduate programme for professionals, except those at the School of Business and Economics. The award covers tuition fee, a monthly living allowance, insurance and visa costs.
See also University of Maastricht Brightlands Talent Scholarships
Radboud University Scholarship Programme
The Radboud Scholarship Programme gives a selected number of talented prospective non-EEA students funding for a complete English-taught Master's degree at Radboud University Nijmegen. This is not cash paid into your bank account. It is a partial tuition waiver: your fee drops to the level an EEA student pays. On top of that, the Radboud Scholarship covers visa, residence permit, health insurance and liability insurance costs.
Utrecht University Excellence Scholarships
The Utrecht Excellence Scholarship lets a number of outstanding prospective students take a Bachelor's or Master's degree in selected fields at Utrecht University. It can be granted either as tuition fees alone or as tuition fees plus 11.000 euro for living expenses.
Erik Bleumink Scholarships at University of Groningen
Erik Bleumink Fund Scholarships are usually granted for any one-year or two-year Master's degree at the University of Groningen. The grant pays tuition fees plus international travel, subsistence, books and health insurance.
TU Delft Excellence Scholarships
Delft University of Technology offers several excellence scholarship programmes for international students. The Justus & Louise van Effen scholarship is one of them, giving financial support to strong international MSc students who want to study at TU Delft. It is a full scholarship, covering tuition fees and a monthly allowance for living expenses.
University of Twente Scholarships
University Twente Scholarships (UTS) are for excellent students from both EU/EEA and non-EU/EEA countries who apply for a graduate programme (MSc) at the University of Twente. The amount runs from € 6,000 to € 25,000 for one year.
VU University Amsterdam Fellowship Programme
The VU Fellowship Programme (VUFP) gives talented prospective students from outside the EU/EEA the chance to take a degree in selected Master's programmes at VU University. The fellowship awards €15.000 to students who pay the tuition fee set for non-EEA students.
See a wider list of university scholarships in the Netherlands at Grantfinder Netherlands.