Overview

The Utrecht Excellence Scholarship is targeted at highly talented international students from outside the European Economic Area (EEA). The scholarship is highly competitive and is offered to a select number of students each year based on academic merit and potential. It is designed to attract brilliant minds from around the world who seek to further their education and career in a stimulating academic environment.

The scholarship covers either the full tuition fee or both tuition and living expenses, depending on the available funding, for the duration of the student’s Master’s programme (1 or 2 years).

Who Can Apply?

• To qualify for the Utrecht Excellence Scholarship, you must meet these requirements:

• You should be among the top 10% of your graduating class.
• You must not hold an EU/EEA passport or be eligible for financial assistance under the Dutch study grant and loan system.
• Your secondary school and/or bachelor’s degree must have been completed outside the Netherlands.
• You must have applied for an international master’s programme starting on 1 September 2025. Not all programmes are eligible, so please verify on the Master's programme page under "Tuition fees and financial support" to check if the Utrecht Excellence Scholarship is listed as a funding option.

Application Procedure

1. Apply first for a Master’s program; if you do not do this first, your scholarship application will simply be deleted. 
2. Submit a Scholarship Application: Once the application for admission is complete, non-EU/EEA students will have the opportunity to submit an application for one Utrecht Excellence Scholarship from 1 November 2024. This is done via the OSIRIS Online Application system.
3. Provide Supporting Documents: These usually include academic transcripts, a motivation letter, a CV, proof of English language proficiency, and reference letters.
4. Selection Criteria: Applicants are selected based on academic performance, the quality of their application, and the motivation for studying at Utrecht University.

What Financial Support is Available?

• The tuition fee, or
• The tuition fee plus the income required for one year is linked to a residence permit for study as determined by the IND (Immigration and Naturalisation Service).
• The scholarship can be renewed for the second year of a two-year master’s program.

Hear from Alumni

The Utrecht Excellence Scholarship (UES) has empowered numerous international students to pursue advanced studies at Utrecht University, leading to significant contributions in various fields. Here are some inspiring alumni stories:

Zeynep Naz Inansal
Master's in Media, Art, and Performance Studies, 2019
Hailing from Istanbul, Zeynep credits the scholarship for enabling her to explore diverse topics and theories previously unknown to her. She remarked, "The day I received the Utrecht Excellence Scholarship was the day I stopped questioning myself. I will be forever grateful for this opportunity."

Leyla Tanbay
Research Master's in Religious Studies
Leyla shares her experiences in the Research Master's programme, highlighting the academic rigor and cultural diversity at Utrecht University.

Other Details

Courses Offered

• Global Criminology.
• Social, Health, and Organizational Psychology.
• Applied Cognitive Psychology.
• Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology.
• Clinical Psychology.
• Neuropsychology.
• Methodology and Statistics for the Behavioral, Biomedical, and Social Sciences.
• Social and Health Psychology.
• Ancient, Medieval and Renaissance Studies.
• Comparative Literary Studies.
• Gender Studies.
• Linguistics.
• Media, Art and Performance Studies.
• Musicology.
• Art History.
• History.
• Mathematical Sciences.
• Philosophy.
• Development and Socialization in Childhood and Adolescence.
• Legal Research.
• Social and Health Psychology.
• Sociology and Social Research.

For More Information

For more information click here.