Maastricht University NL-High Potential Scholarship 2027/2028
The Maastricht University NL-High Potential Scholarship 2027/2028 offers talented international students from outside the European Union and European Economic Area the opportunity to pursue a participating Master's degree in the Netherlands with extensive financial support.
For the 2027/2028 academic year, Maastricht University will offer 18 full scholarships to highly talented students who have been admitted to an eligible full-time Master's programme. The award combines the Maastricht University High Potential Scholarship with the NL Scholarship and provides support toward tuition, living expenses, insurance, visa costs and pre-academic training.
The scholarship is highly competitive. Maastricht University states that only about 2% of applicants receive the award, so meeting the basic eligibility conditions does not guarantee selection.
What Is the Maastricht University NL-High Potential Scholarship?
The Maastricht University NL-High Potential Scholarship is a funding programme for talented students from outside the EU/EEA who want to study a participating Master's programme at Maastricht University.
It is made up of two components: the High Potential Scholarship, funded by the Maastricht University Scholarship Fund, and the NL Scholarship, financed by the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science together with Dutch universities and universities of applied sciences.
The scholarship is designed not only to support students financially but also to develop students who can contribute positively to their communities. Scholarship recipients are expected to become active UM NL High Potential and university ambassadors during and after their studies.
For the 2027/2028 academic year, applications open on 1 October 2026 and close on 1 February 2027 at 23:59 CET.
How Much Does the Scholarship Cover?
The Maastricht University NL-High Potential Scholarship provides substantial financial support throughout the scholarship period.
For a one-year Master's programme, the scholarship has a duration of 13 months. For a two-year Master's programme, it lasts 25 months.
The published scholarship package includes:
€20,150 for living expenses for a 13-month programme
€38,750 for living expenses for a 25-month programme
Health and liability insurance
Visa application costs
Tuition fees
Pre-academic training
International Student Ambassador Programme costs for the first block
The living allowance is currently calculated at approximately €1,550 per month. Maastricht University notes that the stated amounts can change.
The university also provides accommodation as a mandatory part of the scholarship. Scholarship recipients are allocated a room until 16 July 2028 for the 2027/2028 intake. Students undertaking a two-year Master's programme are responsible for finding accommodation for their second year.
One important point for applicants is that international airfare is not included in the scholarship. Maastricht University also states that an approximate €75 cleaning fee for the accommodation must be paid separately.
Who Can Apply?
The scholarship is designed for international students from outside the EU/EEA.
Applicants must satisfy several conditions before they can be considered.
Non-EU/EEA Nationality
Applicants must hold nationality from a country outside the EU/EEA, Switzerland and Suriname.
They must also meet the requirements for obtaining an entry visa and residence permit for the Netherlands. Applicants must not have dual nationality from an EU/EEA country or Switzerland.
This makes the scholarship potentially suitable for applicants from countries such as Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, South Africa and other countries outside the specified European and Swiss nationality groups, provided they satisfy the other conditions.
Apply for an Eligible Master's Programme
Applicants must apply for admission to a participating full-time Master's programme at Maastricht University for the 2027/2028 academic year.
Not every Master's programme at Maastricht University is automatically eligible for the NL-High Potential Scholarship. Applicants should therefore check the university's current participating-programme list before beginning the scholarship application.
Complete the Master's Application on Time
There are actually two important dates applicants need to remember.
The complete admission application for the participating Master's programme must be submitted by 10 December 2026.
The scholarship application itself remains open until 1 February 2027 at 23:59 CET.
This means applicants should not wait until February to begin their Master's admission application.
Age Requirement
Applicants must be 35 years old or younger on 1 September 2027.
Academic Excellence
Academic performance is one of the most important requirements.
Applicants must have obtained excellent results in their previous education. Maastricht University requires the latest grade transcript to show a GPA of at least 7.5 out of 10, or its equivalent under the applicant's grading system.
The university gives examples of equivalent performance, including at least 75% of the maximum grade or 3.0 out of 4.0, depending on the grading system.
Applicants must provide an official document from their previous university showing their most recent GPA together with documentation explaining the grading system.
No Previous Degree-Seeking Study in the Netherlands
Applicants must not have previously participated in a degree-seeking higher education programme in the Netherlands.
However, students who have completed an exchange programme in the Netherlands are still allowed to apply.
Maastricht University also states that preference will be given to applicants who have not already obtained a Master's degree.
Ambassador Commitment
Successful scholarship recipients must agree to become active UM NL High Potential and UM ambassadors during and after their studies.
This includes participating in at least one information session for students or other stakeholders to share their experience.
What Documents Are Required?
Applicants should prepare their scholarship documents before starting the online application because Maastricht University allows each candidate to submit only one scholarship application.
The university requests the following materials:
Curriculum Vitae
The CV should contain relevant education, employment experience, awards and other important achievements.
Maastricht University recommends a CV of no more than two A4 pages.
Motivation Letter
Applicants must use the university's motivation-letter template.
The letter should explain the applicant's reasons for seeking the scholarship and provide a clear picture of their goals.
Proof of Academic Excellence
Applicants must upload their latest university transcript or an official document showing a GPA of at least 7.5 out of 10.
They must also provide a document explaining the grading system used by their university.
Personal Statement of Financial Need
Applicants are asked to explain why receiving the scholarship would make a significant difference to their ability to study.
The university gives examples of personal circumstances that may be relevant, including financial difficulties, caregiving responsibilities, disability and refugee status.
Reference Letter
Applicants need a reference letter from an appropriate referee.
A referee may be a former professor, lecturer or employer. Family members cannot serve as referees.
The reference letter should follow Maastricht University's scholarship guidelines and must be dated no earlier than February 2026 for the 2027/2028 scholarship cycle. Applicants upload the reference letter themselves.
Applicants must also provide their referee's institutional contact details, including a work email address and telephone number.
How to Apply for the Scholarship
The application process has two main stages.
Stage 1: Apply for a Master's Programme
First, applicants must apply for one of Maastricht University's participating Master's programmes through Studielink, the Dutch national higher-education registration system.
After submitting the programme application, applicants receive a Maastricht University student ID number.
That student number is needed for the scholarship application.
The complete Master's admission application must be submitted by 10 December 2026 to qualify for scholarship consideration.
Stage 2: Submit the Scholarship Application
Once the student ID has been received, the applicant can access the Maastricht University scholarship application form using their UM account.
The applicant must upload the required documents, including the CV, motivation letter, academic records, financial-need statement and reference letter.
The university stresses that applicants can submit the scholarship application only once. Documents cannot be added or replaced after submission.
Therefore, applicants should carefully check every document before clicking submit.
What Happens After Application?
Maastricht University begins checking scholarship applications after the 1 February 2027 scholarship deadline.
Complete applications are sent to the relevant faculties in February.
Each participating faculty then selects and ranks its top scholarship candidates. These selections are reviewed by the Maastricht University International Services Desk.
Selected candidates are expected to be invited for an online interview in the next stage of the process.
The university expects to inform applicants of their status in April 2027, with selected, waitlisted or rejected statuses confirmed by the beginning of May 2027 at the latest.
Successful applicants then receive information about the next stages, including the mandatory pre-academic training.
Mandatory Pre-Academic Training
Receiving the scholarship also means taking part in Maastricht University's pre-academic training.
The university describes this as a two-week mandatory component of the scholarship programme.
For the 2027/2028 intake, the pre-academic training is scheduled to begin in the first week of August 2027.
Students should therefore plan their travel and personal arrangements with this requirement in mind.
How Competitive Is the Scholarship?
The Maastricht University NL-High Potential Scholarship is highly competitive.
The university states that only around 2% of applicants receive the scholarship.
Academic results are important, but applicants should not focus exclusively on grades.
Maastricht University also assesses scholarship candidates based on factors including academic excellence, extracurricular engagement, active citizenship and financial need.
This means an applicant's wider record can matter.
Students should explain their achievements clearly and show how their academic interests, personal experiences and future plans connect with the opportunity they are seeking.
Important Deadlines for 2027/2028
Applicants should keep these dates separate because missing one can affect scholarship eligibility.
1 October 2026: Maastricht University scholarship applications open.
10 December 2026: Deadline to submit the complete Master's admission application for applicants seeking consideration for the NL-High Potential Scholarship.
1 February 2027 at 23:59 CET: Scholarship application deadline.
April 2027: Scholarship applicants are expected to receive their selection status around this period.
Beginning of May 2027: Waitlisted applicants should receive a final selected or rejected status.
First week of August 2027: Mandatory pre-academic training begins.
These dates are based on Maastricht University's published 2027/2028 scholarship information.
Is It a Fully Funded Scholarship?
The NL-High Potential Scholarship provides extensive funding and is commonly described as a full scholarship because it covers tuition and provides substantial living support.
The published package includes tuition fees, living expenses, health and liability insurance, visa costs and pre-academic training.
However, students should understand what is not covered. Maastricht University specifically states that air tickets are not included, while certain accommodation-related costs, such as the cleaning fee, must also be paid separately.
For a two-year Master's programme, scholarship recipients must also arrange their own housing during the second year because the scholarship's allocated room is only guaranteed until July 2028.
Final Thoughts
The Maastricht University NL-High Potential Scholarship 2027/2028 is a major opportunity for talented international students who want to pursue a participating Master's degree in the Netherlands.
The programme offers 18 scholarships and provides support covering tuition, living expenses, insurance, visa costs and other study-related expenses. However, the selection process is extremely competitive, with Maastricht University reporting that only about 2% of applicants receive the award.
Applicants should pay particular attention to the two separate deadlines. The complete Master's admission application must be submitted by 10 December 2026, while the scholarship application closes on 1 February 2027 at 23:59 CET.
Students who meet the nationality, age, academic and programme requirements should begin preparing early. A strong application should present excellent academic results alongside clear motivation, relevant achievements, financial need and evidence of the applicant's potential to contribute to the university community and wider society.
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