Amsterdam Merit Scholarship Eligibility 2027: The Gates Every Faculty Uses
Nine faculties, nine pages — but the same core rules: non-EU/EEA passport, no Dutch study finance, a first master’s at UvA, and grades near the top of your class. Here they are side by side.
ScholarshipUnion Editorial
3 min read
Updated Oct 6, 2026
Quick eligibility checker
Six gates that appear on almost every faculty page. This is a planning tool, not an official UvA decision.
0 of 6 answered
- 1Do you hold only a non-EU/EEA nationality (no EU, EEA or Swiss passport)?
- 2Are you ineligible for Dutch study finance (DUO) and for the reduced EU/EEA tuition fee?
- 3Will this be your first master’s programme at UvA (not a second master’s)?
- 4Are your grades in the top 10% of your class (roughly 3.5–3.7/4.0, first-class honours or 8/10)?
- 5Are you free of another scholarship that already covers your full costs for the same period?
- 6Can you meet Dutch student-visa rules, including proof of funds for the costs the AMS will not cover?
You match the common AMS gates. Now check your faculty’s own rules on Faculties & Awards, then follow How to Apply.
At least one common gate is not met. The AMS is probably closed to you. Look at Alternatives, or confirm on the official AMS page.
Sources: the Science, Economics & Business, Law and Social Sciences AMS pages, checked 6 October 2026.
Nationality and fee status
The AMS is for students who would pay the higher, institutional tuition fee. Every faculty page excludes EU/EEA nationals; Science adds Swiss nationals. Communication Science spells out that dual nationals with an EU/EEA passport are excluded, even if your other passport is from outside Europe.
Science also requires that you are not eligible for Dutch study grants or loans through DUO and not eligible for the reduced EEA tuition rate. Some non-EU residents of the Netherlands qualify for those, and that takes them out of the AMS.
First master’s at UvA
Science says you must be “admitted for the first time” to an MSc. Social Sciences wants unconditional admission to a programme that is “the first programme for the applicant” and excludes anyone who needs a pre-master’s. The Humanities LLAMS goes further: you must be a first-time student at any Dutch university or university of applied sciences, and prior pre-master’s or exchange study in the Netherlands disqualifies you. If you already hold a master’s, assume you are out unless your faculty page says otherwise.
Science adds one more timing rule: your previous degree must have been completed within the last three years.
The academic bar
This is where faculties differ most. All of them want excellence; they describe it differently.
| Faculty | Published bar | Proof |
|---|---|---|
| Science | Top 10% of graduates; about 3.5/4.0, first-class honours or 8/10 | Transcript, CV, motivation |
| Economics & Business | Top 10% of class; (Magna) cum laude, first-class or 3.7 (USA) | Recommendation letter confirming top 10% |
| Law | GPA comparable to 4.0 (USA), first-class (UK), 8.0 (Dutch) | Degree used for LLM admission |
| Communication Science | Overall GPA of at least 8 (scale 1–10) | Certified transcript with GPA |
| Psychology | “Exceptional talented and motivated”; unconditional admission | Your master’s file |
| Social Sciences | Unconditional admission to a selective English-taught master’s | CV, motivation, academic recommendation |
If your university does not publish class rank, ask a dean or academic supervisor to state your position in writing. Economics & Business makes that letter compulsory; for other faculties it is still the cleanest way to prove “top 10%”.
English and admission first
The AMS is not a separate admission route. You must meet your programme’s entry requirements, including English. Psychology lists IELTS 7.0, TOEFL 100 or Cambridge C1 190 and says results may not be older than two years. Several faculties only consider candidates with unconditional admission, so send your English score with the master’s application rather than after it.
Things that quietly rule you out
Mistakes →- Another full scholarship for the same period. Science, Psychology, Child Development and Education and Humanities all exclude it.
- Starting in February. Communication Science only considers September starts; most faculty schemes are written for September.
- The wrong programme type. Humanities LLAMS is only for one-year, non-selective English-taught master’s; research and dual master’s are excluded. Social Sciences is only for its selective English-taught master’s.
- No plan for the rest of the money. Science and Humanities say you must still show funds for living costs, housing and immigration fees.
Recheck your faculty page before you apply; several will update for 2027–28 in November 2026.