University of Amsterdam Scholarships 2027 in the Netherlands

The University of Amsterdam is one of Europe's most international universities, and it puts real money behind that reputation. The flagship award for international students is the Amsterdam Merit Scholarship (AMS) — a competitive scholarship aimed at attracting the world's brightest students from outside the EU/EEA into UvA's master's programmes. One thing most people get wrong: the AMS is not one university-wide award with a fixed amount. Each faculty runs its own version, with its own funding level and academic bar. This guide walks you through how it actually works for the 2027 intake.

In short: The Amsterdam Merit Scholarship is UvA's flagship award for outstanding non-EU/EEA master's students, with faculty-level awards ranging from tuition-level support to a €26,125 cash grant. (University of Amsterdam Scholarships) Most scholarship-related applications for the September 2027 intake close 15 January 2027 at 23:59 CET, submitted together with your master's application. It's fiercely competitive — several faculties award just one scholarship per year.

Quick Overview

• Host Country: Netherlands
• Host Institution: University of Amsterdam (UvA)
• Degree Level: Master's (primarily; the AMS is a postgraduate award)
• Program Duration: One year, with possible extension to a second year in some faculties
• Funding Type: Merit-based award; amount and form vary by faculty (tuition-level support to €26,125 cash)
• Deadline: 15 January 2027, 23:59 CET for most programmes (confirm on your faculty's page)

Benefits of the University of Amsterdam Scholarships

Because the AMS differs by faculty, here is what the official faculty pages confirm for the 2027 cycle:

• Amsterdam Law School — The AMS for eligible LLM programmes was worth €25,900 for the 2026–2027 academic year; the amount for 2027–2028 is still to be announced, so check the faculty page before budgeting around a figure.
• Faculty of Science — For the September 2027 start, one AMS of €26,125 will be awarded, paid out in monthly instalments. Note carefully: it cannot be used as a tuition waiver — you still pay the full tuition fee (in monthly instalments if you like) and receive the grant separately.
• Economics and Business — The faculty's AMS is reported on its official page as equalling the tuition fee plus a €5,000 additional allowance for the duration of a one-year master's programme. Confirm the current figure on the faculty page, since amounts are reviewed each year.
• Prestige and monthly payments — Grants are paid in monthly instalments rather than a lump sum, which helps with budgeting across the academic year.
• Possible Holland Scholarship top-up — UvA notes that selected AMS candidates may also be considered for a top-up in the form of the Holland Scholarship, with selection based on academic merit first and demonstrated financial need second.

Eligibility Criteria for the Amsterdam Merit Scholarship

The exact criteria sit on each faculty's page, but the core requirements are consistent across UvA. You must:

• Hold a non-EU/EEA passport — The AMS is for students from outside the EU/EEA (the Science faculty also excludes Swiss nationality). EU/EEA students are not eligible.
• Not be eligible for Dutch student finance — You must not qualify for support under the Dutch system of study grants and loans, and not be eligible to pay the reduced EEA tuition fee rate at UvA.
• Apply for a UvA master's for the first time — The scholarship goes to students admitted to a UvA master's programme for the first time. The Law School adds that it won't be awarded to anyone who already holds a UvA master's degree (a master's from another university is fine).
• Meet the academic bar — This is an award for outstanding students. The Law School expects a GPA comparable to 4.0 in the US system, first-class honours in the UK, or 8.0 on the Dutch scale. The Science faculty looks for students in the top 10% of their class, roughly 3.5 US, upper first-class UK, or 8+ Dutch.
• Comply with Dutch visa rules — You need to be able to meet the conditions for a Dutch residence permit under the Immigration Service (IND) where applicable.
• Not hold overlapping full funding — You must not be receiving a full-coverage scholarship for the same period of study as the AMS.
• Cover your remaining costs — Several faculties state plainly that you must have sufficient funds to cover all other costs. UvA expects you to budget for accommodation, food, transport, books and insurance yourself.

How to Apply for the Amsterdam Merit Scholarship

There is no single universal procedure — you follow your faculty's instructions. The pattern across faculties looks like this:

1. Choose an eligible master's programme — Browse UvA's master's programmes and confirm the AMS is offered for your programme. Not every programme participates, so verify this on the faculty or Graduate School page first. 2. Check your faculty's scholarship page — Deadlines, amounts and selection criteria differ. The faculty page is the only source that counts for your application. 3. Submit your complete programme application — For the September 2027 intake, most scholarship-related deadlines fall on 15 January 2027. Your application must be complete by that date. 4. Apply for the scholarship together with your programme application — At the Law School, you select the AMS on the "Scholarship" tab of your LLM application. At the Science faculty, you tick the box on the master's application form asking whether you want to be considered for a UvA scholarship. 5. Upload your motivation letter — The Law School requires a motivation letter of maximum 500 words explaining why you chose the programme and why the scholarship matters to you. The Science faculty asks for a similar letter plus a CV describing extracurricular achievements. If either step is missing, your scholarship application counts as incomplete and won't be considered. 6. Wait for the decision — The Law School informs applicants by the end of March. The Science faculty selects in March and informs candidates in April.

Required Documents

Document lists vary by faculty, so treat your faculty's page as final. Typically you'll need:

• Academic transcripts and degree certificate
• Curriculum vitae, including extracurricular achievements where requested
• Motivation letter (maximum 500 words at the Law School and Science faculty)
• Passport or nationality documentation
• English-language proficiency evidence, as required by your programme
• Any programme-specific documents listed on the faculty page

University of Amsterdam Scholarships Deadline

The headline deadline: 15 January 2027, 23:59 CET. That's when the scholarship application — submitted together with your master's application — must be complete for most UvA programmes targeting the September 2027 intake. But don't assume it: deadlines can differ between faculties and Graduate Schools, and some February-start tracks (such as selected MSc Business Administration tracks) have been reported with a much earlier 1 November deadline. Missing the scholarship deadline usually means waiting a full year, because the AMS runs on an annual cycle.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Amsterdam Merit Scholarship?

It's the University of Amsterdam's flagship merit scholarship for outstanding students from outside the EU/EEA, offered across UvA's faculties and Graduate Schools for master's study. Each faculty runs its own version with its own amount, criteria and deadline.

Is the Amsterdam Merit Scholarship fully funded?

Not universally, so don't let anyone tell you it is. Some faculty awards are substantial — the Science faculty's 2027 award is a €26,125 cash grant — but the amounts differ, the Law School's 2027–2028 amount hasn't been announced yet, and you must budget separately for living costs, travel and insurance. Read your faculty's page for the exact coverage.

Who can apply for the AMS?

Students holding a non-EU/EEA passport who apply for an eligible UvA master's programme for the first time, are not eligible for Dutch student finance or the reduced EEA tuition rate, meet the faculty's academic standards, and can comply with Dutch visa requirements.

Can Pakistani students apply?

Yes. Pakistani students are non-EU/EEA applicants, so they're in the eligible pool, provided they meet the admission and scholarship requirements of the specific UvA programme offering the award.

Is there an Amsterdam Merit Scholarship for bachelor's students?

The AMS is primarily a master's-level award. Bachelor's-level funding at UvA is narrower — the main route is the Amsterdam University College Scholarship Fund, a joint UvA–VU liberal arts college award that is partly need-based.

What GPA do I need?

It depends on the faculty, and the bars are high. The Law School looks for roughly a 4.0 US GPA, first-class honours UK, or 8.0 Dutch. The Science faculty targets the top 10% of graduates — about 3.5 US, upper first-class UK, or 8+ Dutch. Always use your own faculty's published threshold.

How are winners selected?

At the Amsterdam Law School, the AMS is awarded by lottery — one winner is randomly selected from all applicants who meet the requirements. The Science faculty selects on academic excellence and promise, weighing your records, the quality of your previous institution, your motivation letter and your CV.

Do I need an admission decision before the scholarship deadline?

No — at least not at the Law School, which states explicitly that you don't need to have received your admission decision by the scholarship deadline. The Science faculty similarly asks that you be, or will be, admitted for the first time. What you do need is a complete programme application submitted on time.

Can I combine the AMS with another scholarship?

Not with a full-coverage scholarship for the same study period — that's an explicit exclusion. Smaller or partial awards depend on the faculty's rules, and you must report any change in financial support to the university's International Team during the year.

Can the AMS be used to waive my tuition fees?

At the Science faculty, no: the official page states the scholarship cannot be used as a (partial) tuition fee waiver, so you still pay the full tuition (in instalments if you wish) and receive the grant in monthly payments. Other faculties structure it differently, so check yours.

Final Words

The Amsterdam Merit Scholarship rewards exactly the kind of student who reads the fine print — because the fine print differs by faculty, and the winners are the ones who match the right programme to the right award. Get the complete application in before 15 January 2027 at 23:59 CET, and write a motivation letter that actually says something. One scholarship per faculty per year means there's no room for a generic application.