International students planning to pursue a master’s degree in the Netherlands will have an opportunity to apply for the Maastricht University NL-High Potential Scholarship for the 2027/28 academic year.
The scholarship is intended for talented students from outside the European Union and European Economic Area who want to study an eligible full-time master’s programme at Maastricht University.
Applications for the 2027/28 scholarship will open on 1 October 2026.
WHAT IS THE NL-HIGH POTENTIAL SCHOLARSHIP?
The Maastricht University NL-High Potential Scholarship is a university scholarship for talented international students from outside the EU/EEA.
The scholarship is available for selected full-time master’s programmes at Maastricht University.
The scholarship can cover either a one-year master’s programme for 13 months or a two-year master’s programme for 25 months.
WHO CAN APPLY?
Applicants must meet the scholarship and master’s programme admission requirements.
Key requirements include:
• Be a national of a country outside the EU/EEA.
• Not hold dual nationality from an EU/EEA country or Switzerland.
• Apply for a participating full-time master’s programme at Maastricht University for the 2027/28 academic year.
• Submit the complete master’s programme application by 10 December 2026.
• Meet the specific admission requirements of the master’s programme.
• Have never participated in a degree-seeking higher education programme in the Netherlands.
• Preferably not already hold a master’s degree.
• Be no older than 35 years on 1 September 2027.
• Have excellent academic results, demonstrated by a latest grade transcript showing a GPA of 7.5 out of 10 or higher.
Applicants must also agree to become an active Maastricht University NL High Potential and university ambassador during and after their studies.
WHICH PROGRAMMES ARE ELIGIBLE?
The scholarship is available only for participating master’s programmes.
Applicants should therefore check the official Maastricht University list of participating programmes before applying.
The scholarship is not automatically available for every master’s programme offered by the university.
WHEN DOES THE APPLICATION OPEN?
Applications for the 2027/28 academic year open:
1 October 2026
The scholarship application deadline is:
1 February 2027 at 23:59 CET
However, there is an earlier and very important deadline.
Applicants must submit their complete master’s programme admission application by:
10 December 2026
This means students interested in the scholarship should not wait until February to begin their university admission application.
HOW TO APPLY
There are two important stages.
Step 1:
Apply for a participating Maastricht University master’s programme through Studielink and complete the university’s admission application.
The complete admission application must be submitted by 10 December 2026.
Step 2:
After receiving a Maastricht University student number, eligible applicants can complete the scholarship application form.
The scholarship application must be submitted by 1 February 2027 at 23:59 CET.
Applicants can submit only one scholarship application.
HOW COMPETITIVE IS THE SCHOLARSHIP?
The scholarship is highly competitive.
Maastricht University states that only approximately 2% of applicants receive the UM NL-High Potential Scholarship.
Applicants should therefore prepare a strong academic and scholarship application rather than waiting until the final deadline.
SCHOLARSHIP DURATION
The scholarship lasts:
• 13 months for a one-year master’s programme.
• 25 months for a two-year master’s programme.
FUNDING
The NL-High Potential Scholarship is designed as a comprehensive scholarship package for selected international master’s students.
Applicants should consult the official Maastricht University scholarship page for the current 2027/28 funding package and participating programmes before applying, because the exact benefits can depend on the scholarship structure and programme.
IMPORTANT DATES
1 October 2026 — Scholarship applications open.
10 December 2026 — Complete master’s programme application deadline.
1 February 2027, 23:59 CET — Scholarship application deadline.
WHY IT FITS SMARDEMIA.ORG
The Maastricht University NL-High Potential Scholarship is particularly relevant to Smardemia.org because it is specifically aimed at talented students from outside the EU/EEA.
African students, including eligible Nigerian applicants, can therefore consider this opportunity if they meet the nationality, academic, age, programme and admission requirements.
The scholarship also gives prospective applicants several months to prepare before the application deadline, making it an opportunity worth planning for now.
OFFICIAL APPLICATION AND INFORMATION
Maastricht University — NL-High Potential Scholarship:
https://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/studeren/toelating-inschrijving/financing-your-studies/scholarships/maastricht-university-nl-high
Maastricht University Scholarships:
https://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/studeren/toelating-inschrijving/financing-your-studies/scholarships
Applicants should always use the official Maastricht University website for the final list of participating programmes, admission requirements and scholarship application instructions.
NEED HELP WITH YOUR APPLICATION?
Are you planning to apply for a degree programme or scholarship and need guidance with the application or admissions process?
Our Admissions Services are here to help. You can book an appointment with us for support with your questions about applying, admissions requirements and the application process.
You can also explore our online resources for helpful information and guidance.
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