The VU Fellowship Programme is one of the best opportunities available for excellent international students to study in the Netherlands. This fellowship is offered to talented non-EU/EEA students who want to pursue a full-time English-taught master’s degree at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. The VU Fellowship Programme covers tuition fees only and can be combined with the NL Scholarship, which may provide €5,000 or €10,000 as a contribution toward living costs for selected students. In this article, we have explained everything you need to know about the VU Fellowship Programme 2027, including its benefits, eligibility criteria, required documents, and a detailed step-by-step application process to help you apply successfully.
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, also known as VU Amsterdam, is a leading research university located in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The university offers a wide range of English-taught master’s programs and welcomes talented international students from different parts of the world.
The VU Fellowship Programme, also called VUFP, is a merit-based scholarship for highly motivated and academically excellent students. VU Amsterdam has committed approximately €1 million to attract outstanding students through this fellowship.
Applicants should note that admission to a master’s program and the VUFP scholarship application are separate processes. Students must first be conditionally or unconditionally admitted to a qualifying master’s program before they can apply for the fellowship.
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Scholarship Summary
- Level of Study: Masters
- Institution: Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
- Study Destination: Netherlands
- Program Period: 1-2 years
Courses Offered
Here you can find out the English-taught Master’s courses available under the VU Fellowship Programme.
The VU Fellowship Application Deadline
The deadline to apply for the VU Fellowship Programme is February 1, 2027 at 23:59 CET.
Applicants are advised to submit their master’s program application by December 1, 2026, because students must be conditionally admitted before applying for VUFP.
The scholarship results are expected to be announced in mid-March 2027. Selected candidates have to accept or decline the scholarship offer by the end of March 2027.
Scholarship Coverage
The VU Fellowship provides the recipient with:
- The VU Fellowship Programme covers tuition fees.
VUFP and NL Scholarship
When students apply for VUFP, they are automatically considered for the NL Scholarship. No separate application is required.
The NL Scholarship provides the following:
- €5,000 or €10,000 for the entire study period
Important points about the NL Scholarship:
- It is a contribution toward living costs.
- It is awarded only for the first year of study.
- Around 20 to 25 NL Scholarships are available.
- Only a few VUFP recipients receive the NL Scholarship.
- Students who are not awarded VUFP are also not awarded the NL Scholarship.
Eligibility Criteria for the VU Fellowship Netherlands
To qualify for the VU Fellowship Netherlands, you must fulfill the following requirements:
- Applicants must hold a non-EU/EEA passport.
- Applicants must not be eligible for the lower statutory tuition fee.
- Applicants must not have Dutch nationality.
- Applicants must prove academic excellence.
- Applicants must have a GPA equivalent to a Dutch grade of 8.
- Applicants must be conditionally or unconditionally admitted to the first year of a full-time English-taught master’s program at VU Amsterdam starting in September 2027.
- Applicants starting in February cannot apply.
- Joint programs where VU Amsterdam does not administer the admission process are excluded.
- The degree used for admission must not have been obtained in the Netherlands.
- Applicants must not have a degree from an educational institution in the Netherlands.
- Applicants must not currently be enrolled in a bachelor’s or master’s program in the Netherlands.
- Applicants must not need to complete a preparatory program before starting their master’s degree.
- Applicants can apply for VUFP for only one master’s program
Required Documents for VU Fellowship Netherlands
Applicants are required to prepare the following documents:
- VUFP-NLS application form
- GPA proof or program transcript
- Grading scale explanation
- Master’s program admission application
- Conditional or unconditional admission confirmation
- Academic transcripts
- Bachelor’s degree certificate, if available
- Personal and academic information requested in the VU dashboard
The GPA proof, program transcript, and grading scale explanation must be added to the application form. The complete application must be saved as one PDF file and uploaded in the Scholarship section of the personal VU dashboard.
Incomplete applications are not accepted.
How to Apply for the VU Fellowship Netherlands?
Please follow the instructions below to apply for the VU Fellowship Netherlands:
- Choose an eligible full-time English-taught master’s program at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.
- Register for the master’s program through Studielink.
- Complete the master’s program application in your personal dashboard on vu.nl.
- Submit your master’s program application early. VU Amsterdam advises applicants to apply by December 1, 2026.
- Wait until you are conditionally or unconditionally admitted to the master’s program.
- Open the VUFP application in your personal VU dashboard.
- Fill out the official VUFP-NLS application form.
- Add your GPA proof or program transcript and grading scale explanation, and save the complete application as one PDF file.
- Upload the PDF file in the Scholarship section of your personal VU dashboard.
- Submit the VUFP application before February 1, 2027 at 23:59 CET.
- Wait for the scholarship decision, expected around mid-March 2027.
- If selected, accept or decline the VUFP or NL Scholarship offer in your personal VU dashboard within the given deadline.
Note: Please note that students can submit the VUFP application only once. Applicants should carefully review the application before submitting it.
Website
To learn more about the VU Fellowship Netherlands, please visit the official website:
