What Is the NL Scholarship?
The NL Scholarship (formerly Holland Scholarship) is a one-time €5,000 grant for non-EEA students entering a Dutch university for the first time. It is not a full ride — it covers a fraction of your first year's tuition and nothing else.
Scholarship at a Glance
Quick Stats Dashboard
The Honest Truth: What Nobody Tells You
Click each item to expand. These are things studyinnl.org and university brochures leave out.
The Netherlands has a 20,000+ student room shortage, with 45,000 rooms projected to disappear by 2027. Amsterdam studio wait: 3–5 years. Students arrive in September sleeping in hostels or emergency shelters. Some universities tell admitted students to defer. Start searching the moment you get your admission letter.
Fake landlords demand deposits before viewings, create convincing copies of real listings, and disappear. One fraud researcher called it "almost organised crime." Never pay before visiting in person. Never wire to a private account. If a deal seems too good for Amsterdam or Utrecht, it is.
Dutch government research: 70% of international students feel lonely, 28% don't feel at home. The dropout rate is 17% vs 6% for Dutch students. Contributing factors: housing stress, Dutch directness reading as coldness, difficulty making Dutch friends, and gray winters. Counseling services exist but are overwhelmed.
To function you need a BSN. To get a BSN, register at the municipality. To register, you need a residential address. To get an address, you need housing. Without a BSN: no insurance, no bank account, no employment contract. Some universities offer temporary registration addresses — ask before you arrive.
The WIB law mandates two-thirds of bachelor's instruction in Dutch. Universities can cap international intake. Some English-taught programmes are switching to Dutch. The landscape is shifting — some programmes may not exist in their current form for long.
Non-EU students who only study: private insurance, €30–60/month. The moment you work — even part-time — you're legally required to get public insurance at €130–159/month. Many students don't know this and end up uninsured or doubly insured.
Scholarship Types Overview
NL Scholarship
€5,000 one-time. For non-EEA students at 35+ universities. Most accessible Dutch scholarship, but also the smallest.
DUO Student Finance
EU/EEA students working 56+ hrs/month: up to €475/month grant + loans. Not for non-EU students.
Amsterdam Excellence
Up to €25,000. For exceptional students at UvA. Highly competitive but covers full tuition.
Utrecht Excellence
Full tuition + €12,000 living costs. One of the most generous university-specific scholarships in NL.
TU Delft Excellence
Full tuition waiver for MSc students. Focused on STEM fields. Extremely competitive selection.
Erasmus+ Mobility
3–12 months exchange funding. Not for full degrees. See our Erasmus Mundus guide for full-degree version.
MENA Scholarship
Fully funded for Middle East/North Africa students. Tuition, living, visa, travel. Managed by Nuffic.
Orange Tulip — ENDED
Discontinued 2024. Many websites still list it. Do not apply — it no longer exists.
Do You Qualify?
Toggle each question to check your eligibility. All four must be YES.
Full details on our Eligibility page.
How the Application Works
Unlike Chevening or DAAD, you apply through your chosen university.
Browse Studyfinder. Shortlist NL Scholarship universities. Sep–Nov 2026.
Submit via Studielink. Apply early — scholarship deadlines close first. Nov–Jan 2027.
Apply through university portal. Deadline: typically Feb 1. Jan–Feb 2027.
€5,000 deducted from tuition invoice — no cash payment. Mar–May 2027.
University sponsors MVV. Need ~€13,000 proof. Start housing search NOW. May–Aug 2027.
Register for BSN, bank account, insurance. Intro week. Sep 2027.
What the NL Scholarship Actually Covers
Orange bars = covered by scholarship. Gray bars = not covered. See Scholarship Amount and Living Costs for details.
City Cost Comparison
Select a city to see estimated monthly costs for international students.
Explore Other Scholarship Guides
The NL Scholarship is one option. If you're open to studying in other countries or want to compare, these guides cover the world's major scholarship programmes — each with the same honest, no-fluff approach.