The Maastricht University Global Studies Scholarship (officially the UM NL Global Studies Scholarship) pays for one international student per year to take the three-year Global Studies bachelor’s in Maastricht, the Netherlands. It covers tuition, EUR 20,150 a year for living costs, health and liability insurance, visa costs and the pre-academic training. It is for students from countries on the OECD’s development aid list who can show financial need.
For the 2027-2028 intake you must apply to Global Studies through Studielink with a complete file by 10 December 2026, then send the scholarship form by 1 February 2027 at 23:59. The scholarship window opened on 1 October 2026. Because only one award is made each year, treat this as a long shot and keep other applications going.
What the Maastricht University Global Studies Scholarship covers
| Item | Covered? |
|---|---|
| Tuition fees | Yes, for the 36-month programme |
| Living expenses | EUR 20,150 per academic year |
| Health and liability insurance | Yes |
| Visa application costs | Yes |
| Pre-Academic Training (two weeks, August 2027) | Yes, and attendance is compulsory |
| International Student Ambassador Programme | Included |
| Flights to the Netherlands | Not on UM’s list of benefits |
Scholarship sites label this award fully funded. That is close, but flights are not on the list, so budget for your own ticket to Maastricht.
Who can apply
- You hold the nationality of a country on the OECD DAC list of Official Development Assistance recipients. Suriname is excluded.
- You do not also hold the nationality of an EU or EEA country, Switzerland or Suriname.
- You meet the Dutch entry visa and residence permit requirements.
- You applied for the Global Studies bachelor’s for 2027-2028 and your complete file was in by 10 December 2026.
- You meet the programme’s admission requirements and are (conditionally) admitted.
- You do not already hold a higher education degree. A completed bachelor’s or equivalent rules you out.
- You are not older than 35 on 1 September 2027.
- You can show financial need and strong personal development potential.
- You agree to act as a Global Studies and UM ambassador, including speaking at least once at an information session.
If you already live in another Schengen country on a residence permit, it must stay valid until at least 2 September 2027. If it ends earlier, you can only apply for the Dutch MVV entry visa from your home country.
Eligibility edge cases
- Dual nationals: if one of your passports is from an EU or EEA country, Switzerland or Suriname, you are out, even if your other nationality is on the OECD DAC list.
- You started a degree but did not finish: the rule excludes people who hold a higher education degree. An unfinished degree is not a degree, but UM’s page does not address this case directly, so email the scholarship team before you rely on it.
- You hold a diploma or associate degree: if it counts as a higher education qualification in your country, assume it rules you out until UM tells you otherwise.
- Age: the cut-off is your 35th birthday on 1 September 2027. If you were born before 1 September 1992, you are not eligible.
- You want another UM bachelor’s: this award is for Global Studies only. Applying to European Studies or another programme does not count.
- You live in the Netherlands already: the visa and residence rules still apply, and your current status may affect whether you count as an international student for fees. Check with UM before applying.
Grades you need
Your latest transcript must show at least 75% of the maximum grade. UM’s own example is 3 out of 4, which it treats as 7.5 out of 10. So a student graded on a 5-point scale needs 3.75, and a percentage-graded student needs 75%. If your school uses letter grades, attach the official grading key so the committee can convert them.
Maastricht University Global Studies Scholarship deadlines
| Date | Step |
|---|---|
| 1 October 2026 | Scholarship applications open |
| 10 December 2026 | Complete Global Studies application in Studielink, plus any handling fee |
| 1 February 2027, 23:59 | Scholarship form and all registration requirements due |
| After 1 February 2027 | UM checks that files are complete |
| March 2027 | Top five ranked candidates proposed to the selection committee and interviewed online |
| April 2027 | Applicants told their status |
| By early June 2027 | Final status confirmed (selected, reserve list or rejected) |
| First week of August 2027 | Pre-Academic Training starts |
Times are Dutch time (CET in winter, GMT plus 1). By 1 February, everything for registration must be done except proof of legal residence, tuition payment and the hard copy of your diploma.
Documents for the scholarship form
Upload each file as .doc, .docx or PDF. You may apply only once, and you cannot add or swap files after you submit.
| Document | What UM asks for |
|---|---|
| CV | Two A4 pages at most: education, experience, extracurricular work, active citizenship and awards |
| Motivation letter | Written on UM’s own template for this scholarship |
| Transcript | Latest grades showing at least 75% of the maximum |
| Statement of financial need | Why you need the award, with your circumstances (for example financial hardship, caring duties, illness, disability or refugee status) |
| Reference letter | Dated 1 February 2025 or later, from a teacher, lecturer, principal, counsellor or employer; never a relative. It must follow UM’s reference guidelines |
| Referee contact details | Relationship to you, work phone with country code, and a work or institutional email |
A reference letter that ignores UM’s guidelines makes the whole file incomplete. Personal email addresses for referees are rejected unless you explain why. Ask your referee for an official school address now, before the holidays.
How to write the motivation letter and statement of need
UM gives its own motivation letter template for this scholarship, and you must use it. I have not been able to see the template’s exact questions, so download it from the official page and answer every prompt in the order it asks. What follows is how I would approach the content.
What the selection committee is looking for
The published criteria are academic merit (at least 75% of the maximum grade), financial need, personal development potential and willingness to act as an ambassador. Your letter, CV, reference and statement of need should all point the same way. The letter is where you link them into one story about why Global Studies, why Maastricht and why you.
- A specific reason for Global Studies: a global issue you have seen up close, such as migration, climate effects on farming or public health, and what you want to understand about it.
- Why Maastricht’s way of teaching suits you: UM is known for problem-based learning in small tutorial groups. Show you have worked that way, through debate, group projects or self-directed study.
- Evidence of active citizenship: the CV asks for it by name, so give one or two examples with dates and results.
- Your plan after graduating: keep it realistic and connected to your home region.
- The ambassador role: say plainly that you will speak at information sessions, and why you would be good at it.
A short example opening: “When the river flooded our district in 2024, I helped my aunt register 40 displaced families for aid, and saw how little the forms understood about how people actually lived. I want to study Global Studies to learn how policy and local reality can meet.” One real scene, a number and a question you want to answer.
The statement of financial need
Keep this separate from the motivation letter and factual. State household income or your source of support, dependants, and any circumstance UM lists, such as caring duties, illness, disability or refugee status. Say clearly that you could not take up the place without the scholarship, and why. Do not exaggerate; selectors compare it with the rest of your file.
For the reference letter, give your referee UM’s guidelines and enough time. Our guide to the recommendation letter for a scholarship has templates you can share with them.
How to apply, step by step
- Apply to Global Studies: register on Studielink and choose the Global Studies bachelor’s at Maastricht University. Studielink gives you a UM student ID, which you need for the scholarship form.
- Finish the admission file: upload everything the programme asks for and pay any handling fee by 10 December 2026.
- Get the templates: download the motivation letter template and the reference letter guidelines from the scholarship page.
- Log in to the scholarship form: use your UM account and upload the six items above before 1 February 2027 at 23:59.
- Prepare for an interview: if you are in the top five, the committee interviews you online in March 2027.
- Sign the award letter: if selected, sign and return it, then start your MVV and residence permit process with UM’s Visa Office.
The programme deadline comes first
Missing 10 December 2026 for the Global Studies application ends your scholarship chance, even if your scholarship form would be ready by 1 February 2027.
What happens after you apply
- Completeness check: after 1 February 2027, UM checks every file. An incomplete file, including a reference that ignores the guidelines, is not assessed.
- Ranking: complete files are ranked, and the top five go to the selection committee.
- Online interview in March: expect questions on your motivation, your understanding of Global Studies and your plans. Test your camera, microphone and connection beforehand, and have a quiet room ready.
- Status in April, final word by early June: you will be selected, put on the reserve list or rejected. A reserve place means you could still get the award if the selected candidate declines.
- Visa and arrival: the winner signs the award letter and starts the MVV and residence permit process with UM’s Visa Office, then attends the compulsory two-week Pre-Academic Training in early August.
Costs the scholarship does not cover
EUR 20,150 a year works out to about EUR 1,679 a month. Even so, plan for these:
- Your flight to the Netherlands and any trips home.
- A housing deposit and first month’s rent, which landlords usually want before your first allowance arrives. UM has not published the payment schedule.
- A laptop and study materials.
- The cost of getting documents translated, certified or couriered for your Studielink file.
- Any handling fee for the programme application, which is due by 10 December 2026.
Common mistakes
- Finishing the scholarship form but missing the 10 December 2026 programme deadline.
- Writing a free-form motivation letter instead of using UM’s template.
- Giving a referee’s personal Gmail or Yahoo address without explaining why.
- Using a reference letter dated before 1 February 2025.
- Sending a transcript in letter grades without the official grading key.
- Expecting to fix a file after submission. You can apply only once and cannot swap files.
How it compares with similar scholarships
| Scholarship | Country | Value | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| UM NL Global Studies Scholarship | Netherlands | Tuition + EUR 20,150 a year; one award | Bachelor’s (Global Studies) |
| Leiden University Excellence Scholarship | Netherlands | €10,000 to €19,000 off tuition | Master’s |
| HAN University scholarships | Netherlands | €2,500 to €12,500 | Bachelor’s, master’s |
| Emile Boutmy Scholarship | France | Full or EUR 9,500 off bachelor’s tuition | Bachelor’s, master’s |
The Maastricht award is the only one in this table that pays living costs as well as tuition, and there is only one award a year.
Who should apply, and who should not
Apply if you are from a country on the OECD DAC list, you do not hold a degree yet, your grades are at 75% of the maximum or better, and you are genuinely interested in Global Studies. If you cannot study in the Netherlands without full funding, this is one of very few bachelor’s awards that covers both fees and living costs.
Do not apply if you already hold a degree, you have EU or EEA nationality, you are over 35 on 1 September 2027, or you want a different subject. You would be better served by the options in the table above.
If you do not win it
With a single award per year, most applicants will need a plan B. Our list of Netherlands government scholarships covers wider funding, and our guide to scholarships in the Netherlands without IELTS lists Dutch options that accept other proof of English.
FAQ on the Maastricht University Global Studies Scholarship
How many Maastricht Global Studies scholarships are given each year?
One. A committee interviews the top five candidates online and may place others on a reserve list.
Is the Maastricht University Global Studies Scholarship fully funded?
Nearly. It pays tuition, EUR 20,150 a year for living costs, insurance, visa costs and pre-academic training, but flights are not on UM’s list of benefits.
Can I apply for the Global Studies scholarship with a master’s or bachelor’s degree?
No. Anyone who already holds a higher education degree, including a completed bachelor’s or equivalent, is not eligible.
What is the deadline for the Maastricht Global Studies scholarship 2027?
Your complete Global Studies application must be in Studielink by 10 December 2026, and the scholarship form is due on 1 February 2027 at 23:59 Dutch time.
Sources and updates
The official source is Maastricht University’s UM NL Global Studies Scholarship page for the 2027-2028 intake. That page did not load in full when I checked it, so each figure here was checked against two independent listings of it, including the European Funding Guide’s entry, which agree on the award count, living allowance, age limit and dates. Read UM’s motivation letter template and reference letter guidelines on the official page before you write. Information checked on 24 October 2026.
I am Jude Chinecherem, a final-year MBBS student at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. I know what it feels like to want an education your family cannot afford. When my parents could not pay for my schooling, I had to learn how to find scholarships and work the system out on my own, with nobody to guide me. I came out the other side, and now I share everything I learned so the next student does not have to figure it out alone. This is the advice I wish someone had given me back then.
