Radboud Scholarship Programme 2027 in the Netherlands

Studying for a Master's in the Netherlands sounds wonderful until you see the non-EU tuition fee — often around €19,000 a year. The Radboud Scholarship Programme is one of the most generous partial awards in the country: it cuts your tuition down to just €2,771, throws in your visa, residence permit, and health and liability insurance, and lets you compete for one of 26 awards across six faculties. Applications for the 2027–28 academic year are open now through the OSIRIS portal, with the scholarship deadline on 31 January 2027. Just know what it is and isn't: a powerful discount, not a fully funded ride — you'll still cover your own living costs in Nijmegen.

In short: The Radboud Scholarship Programme 2027/28 offers 26 non-EU/non-EEA students starting an English-taught Master's at Radboud University a tuition reduction to €2,771 (instead of ~€19,000), plus visa, residence permit, and insurance costs. Apply through OSIRIS by 31 January 2027, 23:59 CET, with your application complete by 14 February 2027; decisions come before mid-April 2027.

Quick Overview

• Host Country: Netherlands (Nijmegen)
• Host Institution: Radboud University
• Degree Level: Master's (eligible English-taught Master's programmes)
• Program Duration: Nominal duration of the Master's programme; renewable for year two of a two-year programme if all first-year courses are passed
• Funding Type: Partial scholarship — major tuition reduction plus visa, residence permit, health insurance and liability insurance
• Deadline: Submit in OSIRIS by 31 January 2027, 23:59 CET; application complete by 14 February 2027, 23:59 CET

Benefits of the Radboud Scholarship Programme

Radboud University is unusually transparent about what this scholarship does and doesn't cover, which is refreshing. Here's the package:

• Tuition slashed to €2,771. Your institutional tuition fee drops to just €2,771 for the academic year — down from roughly €19,000 depending on your programme. Radboud notes the exact amount is subject to confirmation, but the scale of the discount is real.
• Visa costs covered. The scholarship covers the costs of your Dutch visa, one less bureaucratic bill to worry about.
• Residence permit costs covered. Your Dutch residence permit expenses are included too.
• Health insurance included. Coverage through Aon Student Insurance for your stay in the Netherlands.
• Liability insurance included. Also through Aon Student Insurance — a small but genuinely useful inclusion most scholarships ignore.
• Lasts the whole programme. The award runs for the nominal duration of your Master's. In a two-year programme, you can qualify for the second year too, as long as you've passed all your first-year courses.
• Combinable with the NL Scholarship. Radboud explicitly allows you to combine this award with the NL Scholarship, subject to both sets of conditions — a stacking option that can meaningfully shrink your remaining costs.

The honesty clause matters here: living and studying costs in the Netherlands — rent, food, transport, books — are not covered. Budget for Nijmegen realistically alongside this application.

Eligibility Criteria for the Radboud Scholarship Programme

The official conditions are precise. You must meet all of these:

• Non-EU/non-EEA passport. You hold a passport from a country outside the EU/EEA. Students from Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Indonesia, Egypt, Vietnam, and other non-EU/EEA countries are welcome to apply.
• No other route to the lower fee. You must not be eligible for the lower EU/EEA tuition fee on any other basis.
• Bachelor's earned outside the Netherlands. You have obtained (or will obtain) your Bachelor's degree outside the Netherlands, hold no degrees from the Netherlands, and have received no previous education in the Netherlands — exchange programmes are excluded, provided they were part of a Bachelor's completed abroad.
• English proficiency. You meet the English-language proficiency requirement of the Master's programme you've chosen.
• Full admission. You've been fully admitted to an eligible English-taught Master's programme starting 1 September 2027, as stated in your formal letter of admission.
• Visa-ready. You're able to comply with the conditions for obtaining a Dutch visa.
• Full-time enrollment. You're enrolled at Radboud University as a full-time student for the academic year and programme the scholarship covers.

Two programme exclusions to know: Erasmus Mundus Master's programmes and joint-degree Master's programmes are not eligible. Everything else among the English-taught offerings at the six participating faculties — Arts (2 awards), Law (2), Nijmegen School of Management (5), Philosophy, Theology and Religious Studies (1), Science (9), and Social Sciences (7) — can be considered.

How to Apply for the Radboud Scholarship Programme

There's no separate scholarship website application — the scholarship rides along with your Master's admission. Here's the sequence:

1. Pick an eligible Master's programme. Choose an English-taught Master's at Radboud University and check its programme page for scholarship eligibility notes. Aim at a faculty where your academic profile is genuinely strong — only 26 awards exist across the whole university. 2. Check the admission requirements. Review the academic background, English-language, and document requirements for your chosen programme before you start. 3. Start your application in OSIRIS. Submit your Master's application through the OSIRIS Application system. During the application, indicate that you wish to apply for the Radboud Scholarship Programme. 4. Upload the three scholarship documents. You'll be asked for two reference letters and a CV. Even if you already uploaded these for the Master's application, upload them again for the scholarship application — the two processes are assessed separately. 5. Submit by the scholarship deadline — then complete it. Your OSIRIS application must be submitted by 31 January 2027, 23:59 CET. The admissions office then checks it and sends it back for the handling fee payment and any incorrect, illegible, or missing documents. Your application must be fully complete by 14 February 2027, 23:59 CET — incomplete applications are not considered. Radboud recommends getting your English proficiency proof in before that date too. 6. Wait for the faculty decision. The selection committee of your faculty reviews scholarship applicants individually. You'll be informed of the final decision before mid-April 2027 (date subject to change). Remember: admission to the Master's does not imply selection for the scholarship.

Required Documents

For the scholarship specifically, Radboud asks for three additional documents in OSIRIS:

• Curriculum vitae (CV)
• Two reference letters — preferably academic references; check Radboud's reference guidelines for the expected format
• Everything your chosen Master's programme requires for admission (transcripts, degree certificates, English test scores, motivation letter, passport copy, and similar — these vary by programme)

Practical tips from the official page: you can re-upload documents already attached to your admission application, you should submit your English proficiency proof before 14 February 2027, and you should budget for the OSIRIS handling fee the admissions office will request after your initial submission.

Radboud Scholarship Programme Deadline

Two dates, both non-negotiable: your application must be submitted in the OSIRIS system by 31 January 2027, 23:59 CET at the latest, and it must be complete — fee paid, documents corrected — by 14 February 2027, 23:59 CET. Incomplete applications are simply not considered for selection.

Don't confuse this with general Master's admission deadlines, which can be later. If you want the scholarship, the January date is your real deadline. Given the handling-fee and document-correction loop, the smart move is to submit well before 31 January so you have breathing room to fix anything the admissions office flags.

Decisions are communicated before mid-April 2027 — comfortably ahead of the September 2027 start, so you'll know where you stand on funding before you commit to the move.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Radboud Scholarship fully funded?

No — Radboud University classifies it as a partial scholarship. It dramatically reduces tuition to €2,771 and covers your visa, residence permit, health insurance, and liability insurance, but you pay your own living costs: rent, food, transport, and study materials in the Netherlands.

Who can apply for the Radboud Scholarship?

Students holding a non-EU/non-EEA passport who earned (or will earn) their Bachelor's outside the Netherlands, have no Dutch education history, meet the English requirements, and are fully admitted to an eligible English-taught Master's starting 1 September 2027.

Can Pakistani or Indian students apply?

Yes. Pakistan and India are non-EU/non-EEA countries, so students from both are eligible provided they meet all the other conditions — the Bachelor's-outside-the-Netherlands rule, English proficiency, and full admission to an eligible programme.

How many scholarships are available for 2027/28?

A maximum of 26, distributed as: Faculty of Arts (2), Faculty of Law (2), Nijmegen School of Management (5), Faculty of Philosophy, Theology and Religious Studies (1), Faculty of Science (9), and Faculty of Social Sciences (7). With only 26 awards, the selection is highly competitive.

What does the scholarship actually pay for?

It reduces your tuition fee to €2,771 (amount to be confirmed) and covers visa costs, residence permit costs, and health plus liability insurance through Aon Student Insurance. It does not cover accommodation, food, transportation, study materials, or other living costs.

Do I apply for the scholarship separately?

No separate application is needed. You indicate during your Master's application in the OSIRIS system that you wish to apply for the Radboud Scholarship, then upload the three additional documents — a CV and two reference letters.

What's the real deadline I need to worry about?

Submit in OSIRIS by 31 January 2027, 23:59 CET, and have everything complete (handling fee paid, documents corrected, English proof in) by 14 February 2027, 23:59 CET. Incomplete applications are excluded from selection. General Master's admission deadlines may differ, but the scholarship dates are what count.

Can I renew the scholarship for a second year?

If you're in a two-year Master's programme and passed all your first-year courses, you can qualify for the grant again in year two. Fail a course and the renewal is off the table — so treat year one seriously.

Can I combine it with other scholarships?

Yes — Radboud explicitly states the Radboud Scholarship can be combined with the NL Scholarship, subject to the conditions of both awards. Check the terms of anything else you plan to stack before counting on it.

When will I know if I got it?

The department of Student Life and International Mobility informs applicants of the final decision before mid-April 2027 (date subject to change). Admission and scholarship decisions are separate, so watch both communication channels.

Final Words

The Radboud Scholarship won't pay your rent in Nijmegen, but chopping roughly €16,000 off your tuition bill — plus wiping out visa, permit, and insurance costs — is one of the best partial deals in the Netherlands. With only 26 awards, this is a game for strong students with polished applications: get your references lined up early, submit in OSIRIS ahead of the 31 January deadline, and make sure your file is spotless by 14 February.