Holland Scholarship 2027 and Study in the Netherlands: Complete Guide
The official 2026/27 list on Study in NL names 34 institutions for the scholarship most people still search for as the Holland Scholarship 2027. Leiden, TU Delft, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Tilburg and the University of Amsterdam are not on it, even though some guides say they are.
The scholarship has also been renamed the NL Scholarship, it pays a single €5,000, and it sits at the bottom of a funding ladder that starts with much larger university awards. This guide shows you how to read that ladder, which awards to chase first, and what the Dutch immigration service will ask you to prove before you travel. Whether you apply from Lagos, Lahore, Jakarta or São Paulo, the steps are the same.
Table of contents
- Insider context: what changed with the Holland Scholarship 2027
- Core eligibility and requirements
- Holland Scholarship 2027 with Orange Tulip and university awards
- Netherlands student visa guide: what the IND actually asks for
- Your application calendar and tracker
- Five tips that winning applications tend to share
- Frequently asked questions about the Holland Scholarship 2027
- Where to start this week
Insider context: what changed with the Holland Scholarship 2027
Start with the name. The official NL Scholarship page on Study in NL, the site run by Nuffic, describes the programme as the NL Scholarship, formerly known as the Holland Scholarship. Search engines still reward the old name, which is why you keep finding it, but the university pages you actually apply through use the new one.
Now the list. For 2026/27 the official page names 11 research universities and 23 universities of applied sciences. Of the research universities, eight are general institutions: Eindhoven, Maastricht, Radboud, Groningen, Twente, Utrecht, VU Amsterdam and Wageningen. The other three are theological universities. Leiden, Delft, Erasmus Rotterdam, Tilburg and the University of Amsterdam do not appear, so a guide that lists them is repeating an older cycle or guessing. The list changes every year, so treat these names as a hint for 2027/28, not a promise.
Timing matters just as much. The 2026/27 window opened on 1 November 2025, and each institution then set its own closing date. When we checked on 24 September 2026 the official page still described 2026/27, so the 2027/28 call is not confirmed. If the pattern holds, expect it near 1 November 2026. The university awards below have earlier dates you can plan around now.
The biggest misconception is that you apply to Nuffic. You do not. There is no central portal, and you apply through the institution where you want to study. Radboud shows how narrow that can be: it offers a maximum of 12 NL Scholarships for 2026/27, and only alongside its own scholarship programme.
Core eligibility and requirements
Study in NL sets four national conditions. You hold a non-EEA nationality. You are applying for a full-time bachelor’s or master’s programme at a participating institution. You meet that institution’s own requirements, which sit on its website. And you do not already hold a degree from a Dutch institution. Swiss and Surinamese nationals are also excluded at some universities, Maastricht among them.
The value is €5,000, paid once in the first year of your studies. Radboud confirms the grant covers one year and can only be received once. It is not a tuition waiver, and it does not replace the funds you must show for your visa.
Apply for admission first. Study in NL says you need an admission offer, or proof that you are being considered for admission, before you can qualify. Then follow the scholarship instructions on your institution’s page. Some ask for a motivation letter written for the scholarship rather than the programme, so keep the two apart, and use our motivation letter guide for the structure funders expect.
Prepare your passport, transcripts and diplomas, and proof of English. Many English-taught programmes ask for IELTS 6.0 to 6.5 or a TOEFL iBT score between 80 and 90, and our IELTS vs TOEFL comparison explains which to book.
Selection is competitive because awards are capped. Radboud’s 2026/27 allocation runs from one award each in Arts, Law and Philosophy to four in Science. The Amsterdam University of the Arts invites only students who are already admitted or very likely to be admitted, and its 2026 window ran from 1 February to 30 April.
Holland Scholarship 2027 with Orange Tulip and university awards
Nobody funds a Dutch degree with €5,000. Tuition for non-EEA students is usually several times that, and the IND wants proof of more than €13,500 in living funds. So treat the NL Scholarship as one layer of a plan.
| Tier | Award | Value | Who can apply | Timing signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leiden Excellence Scholarship | €10,000 to €19,000 toward tuition | Non-EEA/EFTA master’s applicants, top 10% guideline | 1 December 2026 for September 2027 |
| 1 | Maastricht NL-High Potential | Tuition waiver plus monthly stipend, 18 awards a year | Non-EU master’s applicants | Complete admission file by 10 December 2026 |
| 1 | Radboud Scholarship Programme with NL Scholarship | NL part limited to 12 awards for 2026/27 | English-taught master’s applicants | Set on Radboud’s page |
| 2 | Orange Tulip Scholarship | Mostly partial tuition, set by package | Nationals of Neso countries | Round dates set by your Neso office |
| 3 | NL Scholarship | €5,000, once | Non-EEA students | Set by each institution |
Tier one: the awards that move the number
Leiden’s award is not part of the NL Scholarship list, so it is its own route. Its figures come from directories repeating Leiden’s published conditions, so confirm them on Leiden’s page. Maastricht is the standout: its NL-High Potential programme folds the NL Scholarship into a package of 18 full awards a year. Read the housing rule on its page, because the award includes a room you must accept, and refusing it cancels the scholarship.
Radboud is the strictest example. Its NL Scholarship page says you must also apply for the Radboud Scholarship Programme, and you can win both or only the programme, but never the NL Scholarship alone. Erasmus Mundus and joint degree master’s programmes are excluded.
Tier two: Orange Tulip, only if your country qualifies
Orange Tulip is not one scholarship. It is a set of country packages run through Nuffic’s Netherlands Education Support Offices. Directories name Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Russia, South Africa, South Korea and Vietnam, with Thailand and Colombia also appearing. South Africa is the only African country on those lists, so readers in Nigeria, Ghana or Kenya should confirm a package exists before planning around it.
Tier three: the NL Scholarship as your floor
Because it is open to nearly every non-EEA applicant at participating institutions, apply for it wherever it exists, but do not let it choose your university. Stacking rules differ. Radboud and Maastricht bundle it with their own awards, and Leiden’s conditions, as listings summarise them, allow several applications but limit you to accepting one scholarship provider. Ask each institution in writing whether you can hold the NL Scholarship next to anything else.
Netherlands student visa guide: what the IND actually asks for
You do not apply for the visa yourself. The IND states that only your educational institution can apply for a student residence permit for you, and the entry visa (MVV) and residence permit are requested together.
The number that decides most files is the study norm. On its student income requirements page, the IND explains that you must show enough money for 12 months. For 2026 the norm is €1,130.77 a month for university students, which is €13,569.24 for the year, excluding tuition. It changes every 1 January, so applicants for 2027 entry should expect a new figure. Universities often ask for a rounded higher amount to leave room for bank charges. Groningen quotes €1,180 a month and Utrecht has quoted €1,225, so follow your own institution’s instructions, not a blog’s.
The IND accepts six ways to show the money: your own bank account, a deposit with the institution, a scholarship declaration, a company, a financier abroad, or a financier in the Netherlands. Bank documents cannot be older than three months. A €5,000 NL Scholarship falls far short of €13,569, and it is paid after you arrive, so ask whether the institution’s declaration can count before you rely on it. Our guide to study visa refusal reasons shows how offices treat funds that do not add up.
Once you are in, you must earn at least 50% of your credits each year. As an employee you may work up to 16 hours a week, or full time in June, July and August, but your employer needs a work permit. Your permit runs for the length of the programme plus three months. Afterwards, recent graduates of Dutch institutions face a reduced highly skilled migrant salary criterion of €3,122 a month in 2026, against €5,942 for applicants aged 30 or older. Our work visa after graduation guide compares this with other countries.
Your application calendar and tracker
Build a one page tracker before you submit anything. Our application tracking system guide walks through a free setup. Give each institution one row, with columns for admission deadline, scholarship deadline, documents sent, and the person you emailed, then log every written answer you receive about stacking awards. Set a reminder two weeks before every date, so document requests never catch you out.
- October 2026: shortlist five to eight programmes and confirm each one takes part in the NL Scholarship this year.
- By early December 2026: finish admission files tied to university awards, since Leiden closes on 1 December and Maastricht wants a complete file by 10 December.
- November 2026 onward: watch Study in NL and each institution’s scholarship page for the 2027/28 call.
- February to May 2027: expect most NL Scholarship deadlines to cluster here, as they did in 2026.
- After admission: start visa paperwork with your institution and gather bank statements dated within three months.
Five tips that winning applications tend to share
1. Choose the university first, then the scholarship
A €5,000 award at a university that does not fit your field is a bad trade. Check the participating list, then check that your exact programme is eligible, because Radboud excludes some master’s types and other institutions limit awards to certain faculties. Write the programme name and its eligibility line into your tracker.
2. Write the scholarship letter separately
An admissions letter explains why the programme. A scholarship letter explains why you, why now, and what you will do with the degree. Reuse facts between the two, never whole paragraphs. Keep to the length your institution states.
3. Ask the finance office two questions in writing
Ask whether the NL Scholarship can be held alongside other awards, and whether its declaration counts toward the study norm. Save the replies. If a later email contradicts a website, you will want the earlier answer with a date on it.
4. Time your bank statements
Utrecht’s guidance says the full amount must be in the account before you apply, and that a balance plus an email promising the rest will not be accepted. If you already paid tuition, the statement must be dated after that payment. Move money early, and move it once.
5. Apply to more than one tier
Applicants who stop at the NL Scholarship compete for a small prize. File for at least one institutional merit award too, even if your odds feel modest. Leiden’s guideline is a top 10% record, and Maastricht asks for a GPA of 7.5 out of 10 or higher.
Frequently asked questions about the Holland Scholarship 2027
Is the Holland Scholarship 2027 still available?
Yes, the Holland Scholarship 2027 exists under a new name. It is now the NL Scholarship, and the 2026/27 cycle opened on 1 November 2025. When we checked on 24 September 2026 the official page still described 2026/27, so the 2027/28 call and participating list were not yet published. Search for the NL Scholarship on your target university’s site to find current dates.
How much does the scholarship pay?
It pays €5,000, once, in the first year of your studies. It is not a full tuition scholarship and it does not cover living costs. Institutions set their own payment schedules, so ask whether it arrives in one payment or in instalments.
Do I need an admission offer before I apply?
Study in NL says you must hand in an admission offer or proof that you are being considered for admission. In practice you apply for the programme first, then follow the scholarship steps on the university’s page. Some schools, such as the Amsterdam University of the Arts, invite only applicants who are admitted or very likely to be.
Can I combine it with Orange Tulip or a university award?
We could not confirm a single national rule, and sources disagree. Radboud and Maastricht bundle it with their own awards, while other institutions decide case by case. Ask each one in writing before you count on two awards at the same time.
How much money must I show for the Netherlands student visa?
For 2026 the IND study norm is €1,130.77 a month, or €13,569.24 for twelve months, excluding tuition. Your university may ask for a higher rounded figure, so follow its instructions. Anyone using this Netherlands student visa guide for 2027 entry should recheck the norm after 1 January 2027, before transferring any money.
Can I work in the Netherlands to cover the gap?
As an employee you may work up to 16 hours a week, or full time in June, July and August, and your employer needs a work permit. Self-employment has no hour limit but requires registration with the Chamber of Commerce and tax payments. Do not build your visa plan on earnings, because the IND wants the funds shown before you arrive.
About this guide: we checked the NL Scholarship page on Study in NL, the IND student permit and income pages, and the Radboud and Maastricht scholarship pages on 24 September 2026. Figures for Leiden and Orange Tulip come from published university and directory sources and are flagged as such. Dates change, so confirm each deadline with the institution before you submit.
Where to start this week
Three things matter most. The scholarship is now the NL Scholarship, and only institutions on the current official list take part. The bigger awards at Leiden and Maastricht close on 1 and 10 December 2026, well before most NL Scholarship deadlines. And the IND wants €13,569.24 shown for 2026 entry, so your plan must cover far more than one grant.
Open a tracker using our application tracking guide and add your first five programmes tonight. Bookmark this page, share it with a friend who needs it, and explore more opportunities on opportunitycrack.com. Five programmes, five deadlines and one spreadsheet is a plan you can start today, and it already puts you ahead of a search that begins with the wrong name.