Scholarships to study in the Netherlands for international students
Are you an international student hoping to study in the Netherlands? There are a number of partial or full scholarships that you might be able to apply to for financial help
Joy Hunter
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With a range of world-leading universities to choose from, lots of courses taught in English and a comparatively low cost of studying, it’s easy to see why so many international students want to study abroad in the Netherlands.
If you’re planning on studying abroad in the Netherlands, one of the most important things to consider is how you will fund your studies. Luckily, the Netherlands has a range of scholarship opportunities that could help you fund part or all of your studies.
Below is a list of some of the scholarships available to international students to study in the Netherlands. There are many scholarships for international students, so be sure to do your own research as well.
Individual universities and courses will often have their own specific funding opportunities as well, so it’s also worth contacting your chosen institution directly for more information.
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Government scholarships
Holland Scholarship – This scholarship is financed by the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science and is open to international students from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) studying for a bachelor’s or a master’s degree. It offers a one-off grant of €5,000, paid in monthly instalments in the first year of study. Applicants must not have a previous degree from a university in the Netherlands.
HAN University of Applied Sciences. Offers grants of up to €12,500 for bachelor’s students and up to €5,000 to master’s students.
Nuffic scholarships
Nuffic is a non-profit organisation focused on the internationalisation of education in the Netherlands. It supports the Dutch government and Dutch education institutions in providing the following scholarships for international students:
Orange Knowledge Programme – Offers funding to mid-career professionals from 38 eligible countries to study short courses and master’s programmes at Dutch education institutions. The scholarships cover travel, visa and insurance costs, as well as 95 per cent of tuition fees. To apply, you must first select a course at a Dutch university and then have that institution nominate you. Contact your chosen university for more information.
The Orange Tulip Scholarship – Supports students from nine eligible countries, including Indonesia, South Korea, Russia, South Africa and Vietnam, to study in the Netherlands. The level of financial support depends on the university and course.
DIKTI-LPDP-STUNED Joint Scholarship Programme – Supports Indonesian students to study a master’s degree in water management, sustainable fishing, maritime sciences or international development.
StuNed Scholarships – Offers a range of support to Indonesian professionals with at least two years’ work experience to study a master’s degree in sustainable entrepreneurship, water management security and rule of law or horticulture.
MENA Scholarship Programme – Supports young professionals from the Middle East and North Africa to study short courses of between two and 13 weeks at participating Dutch universities.
NN Future Matters Scholarship – Offers grants of up to €5,000 to international students to study a master’s degree in risk management, economics, data science, entrepreneurship or IT at participating Dutch research universities. Applicants must be from Belgium, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Japan, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Spain or Turkey.
NRF-Nuffic Programme South Africa – Supports funding for full-time study in the Netherlands, as well as full-time joint doctoral programmes between Dutch higher education institutions and partner institutions in South Africa.
Sino-Dutch Scholarship – Offers grants of up to €16,113 a year to Chinese third-year bachelor’s, master’s or PhD students who want to study or do research in the Netherlands for at least one academic year.
Desmond Fortes Scholarship – Offers a range of support to professionals from Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, eastern Europe and central Asia. Applicants must have a strong interest in green finance and be employed within the client network of the FMO, a Dutch entrepreneurial development bank.
Other scholarships
Erasmus+ – Offers European Union students from €370 to €420 per month to support their study in other EU countries, including the Netherlands. Recent graduates are also eligible for Erasmus+ support for traineeships.
