Maastricht University · Application cycle 2027/2028

Maastricht University NL-High Potential Scholarship 2027/2028

Applications open Fully funded?

About this scholarship

Maastricht University offers 18 full scholarships each year to highly talented students from outside the EU/EEA who are admitted to a participating master's programme. The programme combines the UM High Potential Scholarship, paid by the Maastricht University Scholarship Fund, with the NL Scholarship, paid by the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. The scholarship is very competitive: only about 2% of applicants receive it.

Funding type

Tuition fees: covered at cost Living expenses: EUR 20,150 for 13 months (one-year master's) or EUR 38,750 for 25 months (two-year master's), about EUR 1,550 per month Health and liability insurance: about EUR 700, arranged and paid by UM Visa application costs: covered Pre-Academic Training (two weeks, mandatory, from early August 2027): covered International Student Ambassador Programme: covered for the first block only A room is allocated until 16 July 2028. Accepting the room is mandatory, and refusing it cancels the scholarship. Not covered: air tickets, the housing cleaning fee (about EUR 75) and any admission handling fee Amounts may change.

Tuition fees: Covered
Living costs: Covered
Travel: Not covered
Insurance: Covered

Eligibility requirements

Nationalities: All except listed nationalities — Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, Suriname
Residence condition: No residence condition

You must hold the nationality of a country outside the EU/EEA, Switzerland or Suriname, with no dual EU/EEA or Swiss nationality. You must meet the requirements for an entry visa and residence permit for the Netherlands. You must have applied to a participating full-time UM master's programme for 2027-2028 and submitted a complete admission file by 10 December 2026. You must never have followed a degree programme in the Netherlands (earlier exchange students may apply). You must be no older than 35 on 1 September 2027. You need a GPA of at least 7.5/10 (75% or 3/4). Preference goes to candidates who do not yet hold a master's degree. You must commit to acting as a UM ambassador. Participating fields include arts and culture, European studies, law, public health and health sciences, psychology and neuroscience, business and economics.

Minimum grade: 75% or the same in another scale
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 not mentioned

The scholarship page sets no separate language test. You must meet the English requirements of the master's programme you apply to.

University admission details

Required before applying?

Admission comes first. Apply through Studielink to a participating programme and complete your admission file by 10 December 2026. By the scholarship deadline of 1 February 2027 you must meet all registration requirements, except legal residence, tuition payment and the hard copy of your diploma.

Required documents

CV (max. two A4 pages) Motivation letter on the UM template Transcript showing a GPA of at least 7.5/10, with an explanation of the grading system Personal statement of financial need One reference letter, dated February 2026 or later Referee contact details (work email and phone)

Application steps

Step 1: Apply to a participating master's programme via Studielink and complete the admission file by 10 December 2026. Step 2: Log in with your UM account and submit the scholarship form between 1 October 2026 and 1 February 2027, 23:59. You can submit only once. Selection: faculties rank their candidates in February and March 2027, shortlisted candidates are interviewed online, and results are sent in April and by early May 2027 at the latest. Applications for 2028-2029 open on 1 October 2027.

Requirement checklist

Master's application via Studielink, complete by 10 December 2026 Required

Apply to a participating programme and submit a complete admission file meeting all requirements (including any handling fee) by 10 December 2026. You need the UM student ID to open the scholarship form.

Curriculum vitae (max. two A4 pages) Required

Up to date, covering education, work experience and any awards or prizes.

Motivation letter (UM template) Required

Use the official template, focused on your motivation for the scholarship.

Transcript showing GPA of 7.5/10 or higher, plus grading-system explanation Required

Official document from your university; 7.5/10 is equivalent to at least 75% or 3 out of 4.

Personal statement of financial need Required

Explain why you need the scholarship and describe circumstances such as financial difficulty, caring duties, disability or refugee status.

One reference letter and referee contact details Required

From a (former) professor, lecturer or employer, not a family member, dated no earlier than February 2026 and following UM guidelines. You upload it yourself; give the referee's work email and phone.

Online scholarship application form Required

Log in with your UM account and submit once between 1 October 2026 and 1 February 2027 (23:59). Documents cannot be added or replaced after you submit.

Online interview Conditional?

Only candidates shortlisted by faculties are invited, from the end of March 2027.

Scholarship contacts

UM International Services Desk (scholarship enquiries): [email protected] · Contact form (opens in a new tab)

Universities and contacts