NETHERLANDS: The NL Scholarships

The Government of the Netherlands is offering the NL Scholarship for international students from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) to pursue a bachelor’s or master’s degree in the Netherlands for the 2026–2027 academic year.

This scholarship is funded by the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, together with several Dutch research universities and universities of applied sciences.

Degree level

Bachelor’s and Master’s

Deadlines

Deadlines vary by institution. Applicants must verify the specific closing date on the website of their chosen institution.

Who can apply?

Applicants must:

• Be of non-EEA nationality;
• Apply for a full-time bachelor’s or master’s programme at one of the participating Dutch higher education institutions;
• Meet the specific admission requirements of the institution (available on each institution’s website);
• Not hold a degree from an education institution in the Netherlands.

Fields of Study

Bachelor’s and master’s programmes in eligible fields as offered by participating institutions.

Participating Dutch Research Universities (2026–2027)

• Eindhoven University of Technology
• Maastricht University
• Protestant Theological University
• Radboud University
• Theological University Apeldoorn
• University of Groningen
• University of Twente
• Utrecht Theological University
• Utrecht University
• VU Amsterdam
• Wageningen University & Research

Participating Universities of Applied Sciences (2026–2027)

• Aeres University of Applied Sciences
• Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences
• Amsterdam University of the Arts
• ArtEZ Institute of the Arts
• Breda University of Applied Sciences
• Codarts Rotterdam
• Design Academy Eindhoven
• Driestar Christian University
• Fontys University of Applied Sciences
• Gerrit Rietveld Academie
• The Hague University of Applied Sciences
• Hanze University of Applied Sciences
• Hotelschool The Hague
• HAN University of Applied Sciences
• HKU University of Applied Sciences
• HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht
• HZ University of Applied Sciences
• NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences
• Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences
• Saxion University of Applied Sciences
• Thomas More Hogeschool
• University of the Arts, The Hague
• Zuyd University of Applied Sciences

What the scholarship offers

A €5,000 grant.

*Please note: This is not a full-tuition scholarship. The grant is awarded for 1 year and can only be received once.

Application process

• Applications must be submitted directly to the participating institution.
• Applicants must check the website of their chosen institution for:
  • the correct application procedure, and
  • the specific closing date.

For detailed guidance, refer to the participating institutions’ official websites.

Contact

For general enquiries, please visit: https://www.studyinnl.org/contact-details/.

Documents and links

NL Scholarship Website  

NL Scholarship application guide (video)

NL scholarship flyer

Code of Conduct

Note

Please note that this opportunity is not offered by the Department of Higher Education and Training. Applicants are required to undertake their own research into programmes and institutions and are responsible for ensuring that the qualifications will be recognised in South Africa by contacting the South African Qualifications Authority and the relevant professional bodies. If there are any discrepancies in the details provided, the information given by the sponsor supersedes the details provided above. No additional financial support will be provided by the Department of Higher Education and Training.