Scholarship Overview
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Overview
The Maastricht University (UM) NL-High Potential Scholarship is one of the Netherlands’ most competitive awards for international master’s students. Only 18 scholarships are granted each academic year, with a selection rate of approximately 2% of applicants. The programme combines the High Potential Scholarship (funded by the Maastricht University Scholarship Fund) with the NL Scholarship (financed by the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science).
For African applicants from Zimbabwe and the SADC region, this represents a fully funded pathway to complete a one-year or two-year master’s degree in the Netherlands, including comprehensive support for living expenses, accommodation, visa processing, and health insurance.
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What the Scholarship Covers
The award is comprehensive and designed to remove financial barriers entirely:
- Living expenses: €20,150 for 13-month programmes or €38,750 for 25-month programmes (paid monthly at approximately €1,550)
- Tuition fees: Full waiver, arranged and paid directly by UM
- Health and liability insurance: €700, arranged and paid by UM
- Visa application costs: At actual cost, arranged and paid by UM
- Pre-Academic Training: Mandatory two-week programme in early August 2027, costs covered
- International Student Ambassador Programme (ISAP): First block costs covered
- Accommodation: Mandatory room allocation until 16 July 2028 (second-year housing not included for two-year programmes)
Important: Air tickets are not included and must be paid by the candidate. A cleaning fee of approximately €75 must be paid upfront to Maastricht Housing. The accommodation provided is not suitable for partners, spouses, children, or pets.
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Living Expense Breakdown
The monthly stipend of approximately €1,550 is allocated as follows:
- Housing: €960
- Groceries and personal hygiene: €160
- Telephone: €60
- Travel: €100
- Books and study materials: €90
- Clothing, hobbies and going out: €125
- Miscellaneous: €55
Eligibility Requirements
Candidates must satisfy all of the following criteria:
- Nationality in a country outside the EU/EEA, Switzerland, or Suriname
- No dual nationality from any EU/EEA country or Switzerland
- Meet all requirements for obtaining an entry visa (MVV) and residence permit for the Netherlands
- Applied for admission to a participating full-time master’s programme at Maastricht University for 2027-2028
- Submitted complete application file meeting all admission requirements before 2026-12-10
- Never participated in a degree-seeking higher education programme in the Netherlands (exchange programmes are acceptable)
- Not older than 35 years on 1 September 2027
- GPA of 7.5 out of 10 or higher (equivalent to 75% or 3.0/4.0 depending on grading system)
- Preference given to candidates without a prior master’s degree
- Commitment to serve as an active UM ambassador during and after studies
Residence permit exception: If you hold a valid residence permit for another Schengen country, it must remain valid until at least 2 September 2027. If it expires before this date, you must apply from your home country via an MVV visa application.
Participating Master’s Programmes
Only specific master’s programmes are eligible. The complete list of participating programmes for 2027-2028 must be verified on the official UM website. For 2028-2029 programmes, applications open from 1 October 2027.
Application Procedure
The process requires sequential completion of two steps:
Step 1: Apply for Master’s Admission
- Submit application via Studielink.nl for your chosen participating programme
- Receive a UM student ID number
- Complete application file with all admission requirements by 2026-12-10
- Pay any required handling fee by this deadline (not covered by the scholarship)
Step 2: Submit Scholarship Application
- Log in with your UM account to access the scholarship application form
- Upload all required documents in .doc, .docx, or PDF format
- Submit only once—documents cannot be added or replaced after submission
Portal availability note: The application portal will be unavailable between 22-26 October 2026 due to system upgrades.
Required Documents
- Curriculum vitae: Maximum two A4 pages, including awards and prizes
- Letter of motivation: Must use the official UM template
- Proof of academic excellence: University transcript showing GPA of 7.5/10 or higher, plus document explaining your grade system
- Personal statement of financial needs: Explanation of why you would benefit, including any financial difficulty, caretaking responsibilities, medical conditions, disability, or refugee status
- Reference letter: From professor, lecturer, or employer (not family), dated no earlier than February 2026, following UM guidelines
- Referee contact details: Work telephone number with country code, and work/institutional email address (personal emails rejected)
Selection Timeline
- 1 February 2027: Application deadline (23:59 CET)
- After 1 February 2027: UM International Services Desk verifies completeness
- February 2027: Complete applications forwarded to faculties
- March 2027: Each faculty selects and ranks top 5 applicants; final check by International Services Desk
- End of March 2027: Selected candidates invited for online interview
- April 2027: All candidates informed of status (selected, waitlisted, or rejected)
- By early May 2027: Waitlist decisions finalized
Awardees must sign and return the award letter to accept the scholarship. The mandatory Pre-Academic Training begins the first week of August 2027.
Strategic Advice for African Applicants
Given the 2% selection rate, Zimbabwean and SADC applicants should prioritize:
- Securing transcripts early and ensuring GPA documentation clearly shows the 7.5/10 equivalent
- Selecting referees with institutional emails who can speak to academic excellence and leadership potential
- Crafting a compelling financial needs statement that contextualizes economic circumstances in your home country
- Demonstrating clear ambassador potential—how you will promote UM and Dutch education upon return
- Applying to master’s programmes with lower applicant pools if multiple options exist
Contact Information
UM International Services Desk
Email: hhp.scholarship@maastrichtuniversity.nl
Official scholarship page: https://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/studeren/toelating-inschrijving/financing-your-studies/scholarships/maastricht-university-nl-high
You apply directly with the provider. We never charge for applications or ask for payment details. How we verify scholarships
