Studying in the Netherlands is a great opportunity to gain unique experiences in education, culture and international communication. However, at a glance Dutch tuition fees for non-European citizens may shock you and discourage to apply. But do not despair, here you will know how to get discounts and scholarships for your studies in Dutch universities and different courses. There are a great number of opportunities for international students in the Netherlands!
Once you decide to study abroad, you have lots to prepare. So, make your preparations a year in advance for an untroubled stay in Holland!
Let us give you some instructions on how to achieve the best result!
First of all, you have to choose a study program: Studyfinder then go into details about each program admission requirements. Always double-check them with the institution. Afterwards, there is a question about financing your studies, so you have to find a scholarship. Here is the link for the portal where you can find a scholarship based on your criteria: Grantfinder, which gives you a great variety of grants. Just set the necessary options in the left menu and start your searching! Also, check the funding possibilities at the Dutch Embassy in your home country or your institution’s international office.
When you a full picture of the chosen scholarships and necessary documents, start your preparations! Make sure that you are aware of each grant’s details!
HIGHLIGHTED SCHOLARSHIPS:
ERASMUS +
Erasmus+ is the new EU Programme for Education, Training, Youth and Sport and runs from 2014 to 2020. Among other things, Erasmus+ aims to promote international student mobility by offering scholarships for study and traineeships.
You can use an Erasmus+ scholarship to study or work in another EU country. You can do a study period of between 3 and 12 months or a traineeship (work placement) of between 2 and 12 months. Please note, during each academic cycle, you can spend up to 12 months abroad. For example, 12 months during your bachelor studies and 12 months during your master’s studies. A 12-month period can consist of any combination of study periods and/or traineeships.
Application criteria
To qualify for an Erasmus+ scholarship you must be a student or recent graduate from a higher education institution who provided:
- they have been selected by their higher education institution during their final study year.
- the traineeship takes place within 12 months after graduation.
Contact your institution and visit the website of the Erasmus+ National Agency in your country.
Regular student grants
For more information about regular student grants and tuition fee refunds for EU students visit the website of DUO.
HOLLAND SCHOLARSHIP
This scholarship is financed by the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science as well as several Dutch research universities and universities of applied sciences. Please note that this is not a full-tuition scholarship. You get € 5,000 in the first year of your studies and can only be received once.
Application criteria
- Your nationality is non-EEA.
- You are applying for a full-time bachelor’s or master’s programme at one of the participating Dutch higher education institutions.
- You meet the specific requirements of the institution of your choice. You can find these on the website of the institution.
- You do not have a degree from an education institution in the Netherlands.
How to apply
Find your programme in the overview of participating research universities or in the overview of participating universities of applied sciences. You will find detailed information about the application procedure and deadlines in the links provided in both lists.
The university will contact you to let you know if you have been awarded a scholarship.
Deadlines
You can now apply for the 2018-2019 academic year. The deadline for application is either 1 February 2018 or 1 May 2018. Please check the website of the institution of your choice to confirm the correct deadline.
ORANGE KNOWLEDGE (OKP)
The Orange Knowledge Programme aims to advance the development of the capacity, knowledge and quality of both individuals, and institutions in higher and vocational education. The 5-year programme is initiated and funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and managed by Nuffic.
Contact your institution
If you have any questions after reading the information below, please contact the Dutch institution offering the course of your choice directly. They can tell you more about the eligibility criteria, exact deadlines (which vary per institution), the application and selection procedures.
Eligible courses
All courses that are eligible for an OKP scholarship for this application round are listed in Studyfinder. Please search in Studyfinder, using the filter ‘NFP qualified – Yes’. You can also find contact details of the institutions there.
How to apply
The application period for this round officially opens on 1 Feb 2018. Deadlines vary per institution. You can find more information in this document:
OKP information for applicants(41 kB)
OKP country list (provisional)
The April 2018 deadline for applications for short courses and master’s is open to candidates from the following countries:
Afghanistan, Albania, Armenia, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Colombia, Congo (DRC), Cuba, Egypt, Ethiopia, Georgia, Ghana, Guatemala, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Liberia, Mali, Macedonia, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, Palestinian, Territories, Peru, Philippines, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra, Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Surinam, Tanzania, Uganda, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Information April 2018 deadline
Document Obligations for OKP applications will follow soon.
Deadline
April 2018 for short courses and Master’s
Please note: this deadline is provisional. It will be confirmed after formal publication of the subsidy and policy outline by the Dutch government. Until that time there may still be adjustments to comply with the policy outline.
MENA SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMME (MSP)
The MENA Scholarship Programme (MSP) offers scholarships to professionals for short courses in the Netherlands. The MSP programme is funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The overall aim of the MSP is to contribute to the democratic transition in the participating countries. It also aims at building capacity within organisations by enabling employees to take part in short courses in the Netherlands.
After formal publication of the subsidy and policy outline in the Dutch Staatscourant, the start of MSP will be confirmed. Please note that all information on MSP is conditional until that time.
Application criteria
While the scholarship is awarded to individuals, all candidates must be nominated by their employer to be able to participate. The need for training has to be demonstrated in the context of the organisation the applicant is employed by.
The MSP is open to professionals who are nationals of – and living and working in – one of the countries listed below:
Algeria, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Syria *, Tunisia
* MSP is not currently open to professionals applying from Syria. Applicants with the Syrian nationality may apply if they are residing and working in one of the other MSP countries listed.
For the eligibility criteria please see the information below:
MENA Scholarship Programme (MSP) Information for applicants
How to apply
Application for the MSP takes place via Dutch institutions. Each deadline, these institutions provide a list of courses available for that deadline. The short courses on offer fall within several fields of study and have a duration of 2 to 12 weeks.
Before applying, make sure to do these 2 things:
- Review the eligibility criteria carefully.
- Check whether your employer is willing to nominate you for the scholarship.
When you are certain you are eligible for an MSP scholarship, you can start making the necessary preparations for your application.
1. Select a course on the MSP course list
The MSP course list for the April 2018 deadline will be published in February 2018.
2. Contact the Dutch institution that is offering the course for information on:
- course content
- the application deadline (deadlines can differ per Dutch institution)
- the application and selection procedures
- the online application form and the supporting documents
3. Prepare your application and the supporting documents
4. Submit your online application via the Dutch institution offering the course
With your online application, you will be asked to upload a valid passport copy, a current statement from your employer, and depending on your country of employment; a government statement.
Selection procedure
If your application meets all the course admission requirements and the MSP eligibility criteria, you can be nominated by the Dutch institution for a scholarship. The Dutch institution will inform you about the outcome of your selection.
The scholarships are awarded in a competitive selection to highly motivated professionals who are in a position to introduce the newly-acquired skills and knowledge into their employing organisation.
For any further questions concerning the MSP application and selection procedures, please contact the Dutch institution offering the course directly. You can find contact information for all institutions on studyfinder.nl.
MENA Scholarship Programme (MSP) Obligations for MSP Scholarship holders (169 kB)
NETHERLANDS FELLOWSHIP PROGRAMMES
The Netherlands Fellowship Programmes (NFP) which has provided fellowships for professionals from 51 countries is currently being phased out.
The aim of the programme, which was initiated and funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was to help reduce the shortage of skilled workers in the selected countries, through training courses and programmes that are facilitated by Dutch higher education institutions.
Under NFP, fellowships were awarded for the last time in April 2017 (for short courses and master’s programmes).
The current phase of the Netherlands Fellowship Programmes has ended. At this moment, the outlines of a new capacity building programme (including fellowships) called ‘Orange Knowledge Programme’ (OKP), are being developed.
NN FUTURE MATTERS SCHOLARSHIP
At NN it is a priority to build the economic capabilities of today’s young people. We take this social responsibility very seriously, and thus are pleased to offer young people who are in need of support access to our means and expertise.
Are you the first within your family to study at a university? Do you need financial support for your studies? Are you from one of the selected countries and planning to do your master’s in the Netherlands? And are you studying in the field of finance, risk management or economics? Then make sure to apply for the NN Future Matters Scholarship programme.
Scholarship
The scholarship consists of an amount of € 5,000 (except for students from Turkey*) and a mentorship. You will receive € 4,500 in two instalments of € 2,250 each during the academic year and € 500 at the end of your studies.
You will be matched with an NN mentor who will coach you throughout your studies. With this NN Future Matters, scholarship and coaching programme NN aims to help you engage in your own professional development.
Application criteria
- You are from Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Spain or Turkey.
- The Master’s degree programme is a full-time programme in the field of finance, risk management or economics at one of the participating Dutch research universities.
- The master’s degree programme starts in the 2018-2019 academic year, which starts in August/September 2018.
- You meet the specific admission requirements of the institution of your choice.
- You are a first-generation academic, i.e. your parents or guardians don’t have a bachelor’s degree (or equivalent).
- Preferably, you have not yet studied or worked abroad.
* Part of the scholarship is meant for tuition fees. Students from non-EEA countries like Turkey pay a much higher tuition fee than EEA students. Therefore, Turkish students receive a bigger scholarship of € 3,000 plus the tuition fee of up to € 17,000.
How to apply
Dutch universities participating in the NN Future Matters scholarship programme in 2018-2019. Programmes offered by these universities in the field of finance, risk management and economics are eligible.
| Name University | Contact details |
|
Website |
| Utrecht University | Utrecht University School of Economics (U.S.E.) P.O. Box 80125 3508 TC Utrecht |
Graduateschool.use@uu.nl | www.uu.nl/masters/en/econo mics-masters-programmes |
| Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam | De Boelelaan 1105 1081 HV Amsterdam T +31 20 5983460 | f.vande.wiel@vu.nl | www.vu.nl/en/ |
| University of Amsterdam | Roetersstraat 11 1018 WB Amsterdam
T: +31205256030 |
Recruitment-feb@uva.nl | www.uva.nl/en/home |
| Tilburg University | International Office PO Box 90153 5000 LE Tilburg |
Info- tisem@tilburguniversity.edu | www.tilburguniversity.edu/ |
| Erasmus University | PO Box 1738 3000 DR Rotterdam The Netherlands |
scholarships@eur.nl | www.eur.nl/english |
| Maastricht University | PO Box 616 6200 MD Maastricht The Netherlands |
scholarships@maastrichtuniv ersity.nl | www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/ |
| Radboud University Nijmegen | PO Box 9102 6500 HC Nijmegen |
master@fm.ru.nl | www.ru.nl/english/ |
- Read the application instructions carefully:
Application instructions(147 kB)
- Collect all the required information and documents.
- Apply online.
Please note: Applications can be rejected if they are not complete (if not all the required information or documents are submitted) or if documents are not as requested.
NN Group and Nuffic will assess all eligible applications and select the applicants who will be granted the scholarship.
Deadline
You need to apply before 3 April 2018.
ORANGE TULIP SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMME
The Orange Tulip Scholarship Programme (OTS) gives talented students in several Neso countries the opportunity to study in the Netherlands. It is offered by higher education institutions, multinationals and government institutions.
The scholarships are managed and promoted by the Nesos (Netherlands Education Support Offices) in the participating countries. On their websites, you can find an overview of the participating Dutch higher education institutions, including detailed information regarding the course offered, the application requirements and the total amount of the scholarship. This information varies per scholarship. In order to be eligible for OTS, candidates must be citizens of the Neso country and should currently not be studying or working in the Netherlands.
The institutions will select those who will be granted the scholarship.
Orange Tulip Scholarship information per country
Please fill out this form, print it, sign it and e-mail a scanned copy to the OTS contact person in the Nuffic Neso country of your choice (find the participating Nesos below). If you wish to participate in multiple Neso countries, please print out one form per country. In case scholarship details are the same for all countries, you only have to change the country name on top.
Orange Tulip Scholarship 2018-2019 participation form (75 kB)
SINO-DUTCH SCHOLARSHIP
The Sino-Dutch Bilateral Exchange Scholarship programme is a Dutch-Chinese scholarship programme. The ministries of education of the People’s Republic of China and the Netherlands both annually offer 25 scholarships to Chinese candidates to study or do research in The Netherlands, or to Dutch students to go to China.
STUNED SCHOLARSHIP
StuNed Scholarships for Master studies, short courses and customised training programmes are available for Indonesian professionals with at least two years’ work experience in a development-related organisation.
For more information check the website of Nuffic Neso Indonesia (in Indonesian).
EXPENSES
Average tuition fees may vary: for students from EEA country, Switzerland and Surinam – approximately €2060 for the academic year. For students with another nationality the fee for Bachelor’s programmes is between €6,000 and €15,000, and for a Master’s programme between €8,000 and €20,000. Visit Studyfinder database to check the exact amounts per course.
As for living costs, you need to take into account not only your daily expenses like food, public transport books, clothes and ect., but also the costs for housing and insurance. Experience has shown that students who live and study in Holland for one year spend between €800 and €1,100 a month. An average room in Holland costs may vary from €300 to €600 a month. So, in case your main income is from a scholarship, you will find that one-third of it will go toward housing. Food is estimated to take another third of your income. Fortunately, most higher education institutions offer hot meals at reasonable prices. However, the cheapest way to eat is to do your own cooking. The remaining third of your income will go towards leisure, books, travel and other expenses. By bicycle you can easily get everywhere in town, even there are special roads for bicycles between the cities. Bus tickets cost around €2 for a single fare in the city. You can consider buying a discount card for train tickets, which gives you 40% reduction in off-peak times. Visit the website of the Dutch railways for more information.
Bear in mind, that as a student you can get a lot of different discounts and special offers in many bars, restaurants, museums and cinemas. Especially for students coming abroad the International Student Identity Card (ISIC) can provide some interesting offers on travel, shopping, museums and more, worldwide. Check out their website to learn more: ISIC website.
Learn more about studying in the Netherlands: https://www.nuffic.nl/en