Netherlands Eindhoven University of Technology Excellence Scholarships 2027 Open
A Master’s degree in Europe’s semiconductor and high-tech corridor can be expensive, and the TU/e Scholarship for Excellence does not pretend otherwise. For the 2027–2028 intake, Eindhoven University of Technology is offering roughly 35 highly competitive merit scholarships worth €7,500 per academic year to international Master’s applicants in selected microchip-relevant fields.
It is meaningful funding and a strong CV signal—but applicants must still be able to finance the remaining tuition and living costs.
Table of Contents
- What the TU/e scholarship pays—and what it does not
- Which Master’s programmes are eligible?
- Who can apply for the TU/e Scholarship for Excellence?
- How to apply through the TU/e Master’s application
- Selection, results and second-year funding rules
- IELTS, visa funds and the financial reality
- Additional Changemaker Scholarship option
- TU/e Scholarship for Excellence 2027 deadline
What the TU/e scholarship pays—and what it does not?
The award provides €7,500 for each academic year, paid in monthly instalments to a Dutch or SEPA bank account. A student who remains eligible in year two can receive up to €15,000 across the standard two-year Master’s programme.
However, this is not a fully funded scholarship. TU/e explicitly says recipients must contribute significantly towards tuition and living expenses. Non-EEA students must also independently show sufficient funds for their Dutch entry visa and residence-permit process. Do not treat the monthly scholarship payment as a substitute for the financial evidence required for immigration.
The funding comes through the Dutch government’s Beethoven Programme, which supports strategic growth in the microchip sector. This explains the narrow academic focus: the scholarship is designed for applicants preparing for fields connected to semiconductor innovation, advanced computing, energy systems and related engineering.
Which Master’s programmes are eligible?
You must apply for a full-time TU/e Master’s programme—or a specified track within it—that begins on 1 September 2027. The eligible choices are:
- MSc Applied Physics
- MSc Artificial Intelligence and Engineering Systems
- MSc Automotive Technology
- MSc Computer Science and Engineering, including the Cybersecurity and Systems and Artificial Intelligence tracks
- MSc Data Science and Artificial Intelligence
- MSc Electrical Engineering
- MSc Embedded Systems
- MSc Industrial and Applied Mathematics, including the Quantum Science and Technology and AI Fundamentals tracks
- MSc Mechanical Engineering, including the Aerospace Systems Engineering track
- MSc Science and Technology of Nuclear Fusion
- MSc Sustainable Energy Technology
- MSc Systems and Control
An application to another TU/e Master’s programme does not become eligible merely because it is technical. Likewise, applicants for a joint Master’s programme with Tilburg University (JADS) or a European Double Degree programme cannot use this scholarship route.
Who can apply for the TU/e Scholarship for Excellence?
You should apply only if you can satisfy both the scholarship conditions and the admission requirements of your selected Master’s programme. TU/e requires applicants to:
- apply for an eligible full-time Master’s programme for the 2027–2028 academic year;
- meet that programme’s academic and language admission requirements;
- hold, or be completing, a non-Dutch high-school diploma, university Bachelor’s degree, or both;
- have a latest transcript showing a GPA of at least 7.5/10;
- not have completed higher education in the Netherlands, although exchange-study experience is allowed;
- meet the requirements for a Dutch entry visa and residence permit where applicable; and
- not rely on an admission decision issued for an earlier intake.
There is no stated age limit. The far more important competitive fact is academic strength: TU/e says only about 2% of applicants will receive the scholarship. Meeting the 7.5/10 threshold is therefore an entry condition, not a prediction of selection.
How to apply through the TU/e Master’s application?
There is no separate scholarship portal. Your scholarship consideration is built into the relevant TU/e Master’s application, which makes completeness and timing critical.
- Choose one eligible TU/e Master’s programme or listed track for the September 2027 intake.
- Start the university’s Master’s application and upload every document required for admission to that programme.
- Confirm in the application that you want to be considered for the TU/e Scholarship for Excellence.
- Add a brief, specific motivation explaining why your academic record and future direction make you a strong candidate for microchip-sector innovation.
- Submit the complete application before the scholarship cut-off. An incomplete application cannot move into scholarship selection.
Your motivation should not be a generic statement about wanting to study in Europe. Connect your academic preparation, technical interests and intended Master’s programme to a credible future contribution in areas such as semiconductors, embedded systems, AI systems, sustainable energy, advanced physics or engineering design.
Selection, results and second-year funding rules
After the deadline, TU/e International Office checks eligibility before sending qualifying applications to the Scholarship Selection Committee for assessment and ranking. TU/e expects to confirm selections by the end of March 2027.
Applicants should plan on the basis that the decision is final. The outcome cannot be appealed, the scholarship cannot be deferred, and it cannot be transferred to a Master’s programme outside the four eligible departments: Applied Physics, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Mathematics & Computer Science.
To receive the second-year payment, you must earn at least 45 ECTS during the first year. Scholarship holders are also expected to complete the Master’s degree within 36 months. These are continuation rules, not optional targets.
Is IELTS required, and can the scholarship fund your visa?
The scholarship itself does not publish a separate IELTS requirement. You must instead meet the English-language rule, accepted test options and minimum score set by the specific TU/e Master’s programme to which you apply. Do not assume that receiving—or being considered for—the scholarship removes a language-test requirement.
For non-EEA applicants, the scholarship also does not waive Dutch visa or residence-permit financial requirements. You must meet all immigration conditions and be prepared to demonstrate sufficient funds even though the scholarship is paid monthly after enrolment.
Additional Changemaker Scholarship option
Four Changemaker Scholarships are also available through the TSH Talent Foundation for applicants in the same eligible Master’s fields. These awards are intended for talented candidates who have shown a commitment to positive change in their communities and may face barriers to higher education.
Applicants use the same 1 January deadline and should state their social-impact commitment and relevant achievements in the motivation. The programme may include 10 months of housing, mentoring, personal and professional development, and access to an international changemaker community. Selection and administration are handled directly by the TSH Talent Foundation, not TU/e.
TU/e Scholarship for Excellence 2027 deadline
The last date to apply for the TU/e Scholarship for Excellence: Shaping the Future of Microchip Innovation for the 2027–2028 intake is 1 January 2027 at 23:59 CET. You must submit a complete eligible Master’s application, opt in for scholarship consideration and include the requested short motivation by that deadline. TU/e expects selected applicants to hear the result by the end of March 2027.