VU Amsterdam Fellowship Programme 2027/28 | Tuition Waiver for Non-EU Students

Do you want to study a master’s in the Netherlands, but the tuition fee for non-EU students is too high? The VU Amsterdam Fellowship Programme (VUFP) can remove that cost for a small number of excellent students.

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam offers the VUFP to non-EU/EEA students who will start a full-time, English-taught master’s in September 2027. It is a tuition fee waiver, not a full scholarship. You still need money for rent, food and insurance. This guide explains the benefits, eligibility, dates and how to apply.

Quick Answer

The VUFP is a merit-based scholarship that covers tuition fees only, for non-EU/EEA students starting an English-taught master’s at VU Amsterdam in September 2027. Apply for your master’s first, then submit the VUFP application by 1 February 2027 (23:59 CET). Winners may also receive the €5,000 NL Scholarship, but only a few do.

Details About the VU Amsterdam Fellowship Programme

• Scholarship: VU Fellowship Programme (VUFP)
• Provider: Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
• Country: Netherlands
• Level: Master’s (one-year or two-year)
• Start: September 2027 (February starters cannot apply)
• Who can apply: Non-EU/EEA students who pay the higher tuition fee
• Funding type: Tuition fees only
• VUFP application: from 1 November 2026
• VUFP deadline: 1 February 2027, 23:59 CET

Also check: Commonwealth Master’s Scholarship 2027/28 in UK

What the VUFP Covers (and What It Does Not)

• Tuition fees are covered, for a one-year or two-year master’s.
• Living costs are not covered. There is no allowance for rent, food or insurance, and you must be able to pay these yourself.
• The second year is not automatic. For a two-year programme, it continues only if you earn 100% of the first-year ECTS credits.

NL Scholarship: Extra Support for Living Costs

When you apply for the VUFP, you automatically apply for the NL Scholarship (formerly the Holland Scholarship). There is no separate form.

• It is a one-time contribution of €5,000 towards living costs.
• It is paid for the first year only, even in a two-year programme.
• About 20 to 25 are available each year, and only a few VUFP winners receive one.
• If you are not awarded the VUFP, you are not awarded the NL Scholarship either.

Eligibility

• You hold a non-EU/EEA passport and do not qualify for the lower tuition fee.
• You do not have Dutch nationality.
• You can prove academic excellence with a GPA equal to at least a Dutch 8.0.
• You are conditionally or unconditionally admitted to the first year of a full-time, English-taught master’s at VU Amsterdam, starting September 2027.
• You have no degree from a Dutch institution, and your admission degree was not obtained in the Netherlands.
• You are not currently enrolled in a bachelor’s or master’s programme in the Netherlands.
• You do not need a preparatory programme before the master’s.

Who cannot apply

February starters, and students in joint programmes where VU Amsterdam does not run the admission. Students already enrolled in a two-year master’s who did not win the VUFP in 2026/27 cannot apply for 2027/28.

Be Realistic About Your Chances

A Dutch 8 is a high and rare grade. VU converts foreign grades by checking how often each grade appears in a country, so you do not need to convert yours. However, meeting the minimum only gets your application processed, and it does not guarantee an award. Also, your motivation, future plans and activities count in the score. In the end, VU offers the scholarship to only a very small percentage of applicants. Apply, but have a backup plan for tuition.Because only a very small percentage of applicants win, also look at more scholarships to study in Europe.

Required Documents

• The VUFP-NLS application form, all questions answered. Older versions of the form are not accepted.
• Your bachelor’s GPA proof or transcript, plus an explanation of the grading scale, pasted at the end of the form.
• The completed form saved as one PDF and uploaded in the Scholarship section of your VU dashboard.

An incomplete application is not evaluated. VU looks only at your bachelor’s GPA, even if you already have a master’s degree. If you have not graduated yet, send your most up-to-date grades. Scores sent by email before the application period are not assessed.

Who Should Apply?

Non-EU/EEA students with very strong bachelor’s results, a clear reason for choosing a specific VU master’s programme, and enough money to cover living costs.

How to Apply

1. Register for your master’s in Studielink, then complete it in your personal VU dashboard. This opens on 1 October 2026.
2. Get admitted. You need conditional or unconditional admission before applying for the scholarship. Apply by 1 December 2026, or earlier if your programme has an intake or assessment.
3. Open the VUFP application in your dashboard from 1 November 2026.
4. Choose one programme. You can apply to several master’s programmes, but you can use the VUFP for only one.
5. Fill in the form and upload your single PDF.
6. Submit once before 1 February 2027, 23:59 CET. You cannot submit again, so check everything first.
7. Wait for the result, expected around mid-March 2027.
8. Finally, accept or decline the offer in your dashboard within two weeks of the result (around the end of March 2027). Otherwise, VU withdraws the offer.

Important Dates

Ambassador Duty

VUFP winners agree to be international student ambassadors for their whole master’s. This includes answering questions from prospective students on the Unibuddy chat platform. VU provides a kick-off session in October and a handbook.

Also check: Erasmus Mundus GLOCAL Scholarship 2027

Frequently Asked Questions