Netherlands Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam VU Fellowship (VUFP)

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and external providers offer scholarships for incoming Master’s students. Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam’s own VU Fellowship Programme (VUFP) is a merit-based tuition fee waiver. It can be combined with the NL Scholarship, which is meant as a contribution towards costs of living. Both are meant for students from non-EU/EEA countries who pay higher tuition fees.

The VU Fellowship Programme (VUFP) is aimed at prospective non-EU/EEA students who are conditionally or unconditionally admitted to the first year of a full-time English-taught Master’s programme at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. Students starting in February cannot apply. Joint programmes where Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam does not administer the admission process are excluded from VUFP.

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam uses academic excellence to assess eligibility and ranking. Candidates must hold a non-EU/EEA passport and not be eligible for the lower tuition fee, not have Dutch nationality, and provide proof of academic excellence (GPA equivalent to a Dutch 8). The scholarship is not guaranteed even if the minimum GPA requirement is met, and the total score used to rank applicants is based on several factors, including GPA and other factors included in the application form.

The VUFP scholarship covers tuition fees only and is available for a one- or two-year Master’s programme. Extension for the second year of a two-year programme requires achieving 100% of the ECTS of the first year. Students must be able to finance study and living costs themselves, and the NL Scholarship can be awarded for the first year only, with no NL Scholarship for the second year.

• You hold a non- EU/ EEA passport and you are not eligible for the lower tuition fee.
• You do not have the Dutch nationality.
• You can prove your academic excellence (GPA equivalent to a Dutch 8).
• You are conditionally or unconditionally admitted to the first year of a full-time English-taught Master’s programme at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam starting per September.
• Students starting in February cannot apply.
• Joint programmes where Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam does not administer the admission process are excluded from VUFP.
• The degree with which you are seeking admission has not been obtained in the Netherlands.
• You do not have a degree from an education institution in the Netherlands.
• You are not currently enrolled in a Bachelor or Master programme in the Netherlands.
• You do not need to complete a preparatory programme before the start of your Master.
• The VUFP scholarship can be granted for a one- or two-year Master’s programme.
• Students already enrolled in a two-year Master’s programme who have not been awarded the VUFP scholarship are not eligible to apply for the next intake.
• For VUFP application purposes, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam will look only at your GPA from your bachelor’s degree.
• You can apply for VUFP only for one Master's programme.

• VU Fellowship Programme (VUFP): covers tuition fees only.
• VUFP: does not provide any additional allowance towards study or living costs (including rent, food, insurances).
• NL Scholarship: contribution towards costs of living of €5,000 or €10,000 for the entire duration of your study period (as stated on the programme), awarded only for the first year.

1. Step 1: Register for a Master’s programme in Studielink, then register in your personal dashboard on vu.nl. You must already be conditionally admitted to the Master’s programme before applying for the VUFP scholarship.
2. Step 2: Submit your VUFP application in your personal VU dashboard. You can apply for VUFP for only one Master’s programme, selecting which Master’s programme you wish to do when submitting the VUFP application.
3. Fill out the VUFP-NLS application form, paste the GPA proof/programme transcript and a grading scale explanation, save it as a single PDF file, and upload it in the Scholarship section on vu.nl under the Complete Registration page.
4. Answer all questions and include the GPA proof/programme transcript; if any are missing, the application is considered incomplete.
5. Submit only once; you will not be allowed to submit again.
6. Step 3: Decision — the Central VUFP Committee decides which students will be offered a VUFP scholarship.

• GPA proof/programme transcript (paste in the application form).
• A grading scale explanation (paste in the application form).
• Upload the transcript and grading scale of the bachelor’s degree with a clear explanation of the GPA calculation.
• For candidates who have not yet officially graduated: a GPA proof/programme transcript showing your most up-to-date grades.