NL Scholarship

The scholarship amounts to €5,000 and is awarded for one academic year only. It can be received only once in a lifetime and is granted during the first year of your studies. Please note that this is not a full scholarship, but a contribution towards your expenses. The costs of living and studying in the Netherlands are not covered by this grant.

A scholarship of €5,000 to contribute to your living costs in The Netherlands. You will receive this in the first year of your studies.

To qualify for the NL Scholarship University of Groningen:

• You do not hold the nationality of one of the EEA countries and are not eligible for the lower EU/EEA tuition fee for any other reason.

• You are enrolled at the University of Groningen as a full-time student for the academic year and Master’s programme for which the scholarship is awarded.

• You have obtained or will obtain a Bachelor’s degree outside the Netherlands. You have not obtained any diplomas in the Netherlands, and have not received any previous education in the Netherlands (exchange programmes are excluded).

• You have demonstrated excellent academic performance during your Bachelor’s (undergraduate) studies.
• You have a letter from the University of Groningen with an admission offer for one of the programmes mentioned in this list.
• You are eligible to meet the requirements for obtaining a Dutch student visa.
• You have not obtained the NL Scholarship before.

Scholarship recipients are selected based on academic excellence, ambition and relevant experience.

Assessment is based on the candidates’ performance in their current field of study, including grades, test scores, research activities, publications, and the overall quality of your previous education. The motivation letter, past achievements and contributions in your field, and broader life experience or extracurricular activities such as internships, volunteer work, or other initiatives reflecting personal and professional development are also carefully considered. A ranking of candidates is made after a careful evaluation of both academic merit and the content of the candidates’ motivational statement. As part of this evaluation, the selection committee also considers how studying in the Netherlands aligns with the applicant’s future academic and professional goals, and how the programme may contribute to their longer-term plans.

All applicants are individually assessed by the faculty selection committee for the programme to which they are applying. We aim to notify all applicants of the selection results by 15 March. Every applicant will receive a notification regarding the outcome of their application; no further action is required on their part.

You can apply for the scholarship after you have received an admission offer from the University of Groningen for one of the programmes mentioned on this list.

The deadline for the 2026–2027 academic year is 1 February 2026 (23:59 CET). You can find the application form below.

In order to apply, you will need to upload the following documents:

• A motivation letter, outlining your academic goals and how studying in the Netherlands aligns with your future plans;
• A transcript of records of all your undergraduate courses so far;
• A (conditional) admission letter from one of the programmes mentioned on this list.

Please note: incomplete applications will not be taken into consideration. Carefully read how to apply and make sure to attach all required documents to your application.