Delft Blue Water Leader Scholarship at IHE Delft for the MSc in Water and Sustainable Development 2027/2028

About this scholarship

A 50 percent cut in the tuition fee of the one-year MSc in Water and Sustainable Development at IHE Delft in the Netherlands, for self-paying applicants of any nationality with an excellent academic record who are admitted to the 2027/2028 programme. You must show that you can pay the rest of the fee and your living costs.

Funding type

Covers: 50 percent of the 2027/2028 tuition fee of EUR 21,210 before VAT, which brings the fee down to EUR 10,605 before VAT. With 21 percent VAT, you pay about EUR 12,833. Does not cover: insurance (EUR 684), the visa (EUR 254), living and accommodation (about EUR 14,640 for the year), a settling-in allowance (about EUR 300), the return ticket from your home country and research fieldwork costs. You must prove that EUR 28,711 is available in a bank account in your name, and pay the reduced fee, insurance and visa costs within two weeks of receiving the invoice. IHE Delft expects to award about 30 Delft Blue scholarships across its three types. The page does not say how many are Water Leader awards. It cannot be combined with the regular 35 percent Delft Blue Scholarship. If you later receive another scholarship, IHE Delft withdraws this one and pays back the tuition fee you have already paid. A separate Delft Blue Top Water Scientist Scholarship gives the same 50 percent cut for the two-year Research MSc, with the same deadline.

Tuition fees

Partially covered

Living costs

Not covered

Travel

Not covered

Insurance

Not covered

Eligibility requirements

Nationalities

All nationalities

Residence condition

Residence not mentioned

Any nationality. The page names no countries, so Palestine and the Arab countries are not named, and none is excluded Self-paying, with no sponsor. You confirm that you cannot cover the full costs yourself but can pay the remaining costs from private means Academic admission to the MSc in Water and Sustainable Development 2027/2028: usually a bachelor's at B/B+ (US) or upper second class (UK) level in a relevant field. Below that level, substantial work experience in the field and strong motivation can be accepted An excellent academic background. Selection can weigh a high bachelor's or master's grade, a major relevant to your chosen track, relevant work experience, motivation and recommendations

Minimum grade

Not stated

Work experience asked for

Not stated

Return condition

Return condition not stated

How to apply

Straight to the provider

Language requirements and exemptions

Language test required IELTS 6 TOEFL iBT 80 PTE Academic 61 Cambridge English TOEIC Other test Waiver possible

An English test is required for admission. Nationals of a list of English-speaking countries whose earlier education was in English and ended with a bachelor's degree are exempt, and no Arab country is on that list. Minimum for the MSc: IELTS Academic 6.0 with 6.0 in writing, or TOEFL iBT 80 with 17 in writing (for TOEFL tests taken from 21 January 2026: 4 overall with 4 in writing). IHE Delft strongly advises reaching IELTS 6.5 before the programme starts. Also accepted: PTE Academic 61 with 62.2 in writing, LanguageCert Academic 65 with 65 in writing, TOEIC 865 in Listening and Reading plus 335 in Speaking and Writing, or Cambridge C2 Proficiency, C1 Advanced or B2 First at grade C or higher (B2 First also with a score of 160). Results must be dated within 24 months before you apply. A university letter saying you studied in English does not replace the test. IELTS Online and the TOEFL Home Edition are accepted only when test centres in your country are closed or unsafe.

University admission details

Required before applying?

First apply for academic admission at apply.un-ihe.org between 2 November 2026 and 1 July 2027. A decision comes up to four weeks after you apply, and you need the admission letter before you can apply for this scholarship. Then fill in and sign the 2027-2028 Water Leader application form and email it to Marlies Baburek at [email protected] with your bank statement and a copy of your passport by 1 July 2027. The time of day is not stated. The scholarship page and the form give 1 July 2027 as the deadline, but the form also says scholarships are allocated on a first come, first served basis, so apply early. The page does not say when results are announced. If you are not selected, you can still apply for the regular Delft Blue Scholarship of 35 percent. Students must confirm how their study is funded by 1 August. The application portal says the programme starts at the end of November, but the FAQ gives other dates, so confirm the start date with IHE Delft.

Required documents

Signed Delft Blue Water Leader application form 2027-2028, with your answer to why you consider yourself eligible Bank statement in your name, not from a savings or investment account, showing EUR 28,711 available Copy of your valid passport For admission: certified copies of your bachelor's degree and transcript. If they are not in English, upload the originals and an English translation by a sworn translator Answers to the five motivation questions in the online application Two recommendation letters, dated and signed, from a superior at work or senior academic staff, not older than one year English test result dated within 24 months before you apply

Application steps

Choose a thematic track and profile of the MSc in Water and Sustainable Development, and check which bachelor degrees suit it. Apply for academic admission at apply.un-ihe.org from 2 November 2026, early enough to receive the admission letter well before 1 July 2027. Prepare a bank statement in your name showing EUR 28,711. Email the signed form, bank statement and passport copy to [email protected] as early as you can and no later than 1 July 2027. Nationals of 18 Arab countries, Palestine among them, can also apply for the Mahmoud S. Rabbani Scholarship, and nationals of Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Palestine or Yemen who live and work there for the Water and Development Partnership scholarship. Both are listed on IHE Delft's tuition and scholarships page.

Requirement checklist

Scholarship contacts

Marlies Baburek at IHE Delft, who receives the Water Leader application forms: [email protected]Copy

Ineke Melis, coordinator of the IHE Delft Fellowship and Admission Office: [email protected]Copy

Universities and contacts