VU Amsterdam Scholarships 2027 Open: 6 Application Submission Steps Explained
VU Amsterdam has opened master’s admissions for September 2027, while applications for its VU Fellowship Programme and NL Scholarship begin on 1 November 2026. Start with admission now: you need an offer before submitting your scholarship application.
In This Guide
Which VU Amsterdam Funding Route Fits Your Master’s Plan?
VUFP pays tuition; the NL Scholarship offers additional living-cost support, while MBA funding follows a separate route.
| Opportunity | Funding | Application position |
|---|---|---|
| VU Fellowship Programme | Tuition fees for an eligible one- or two-year master’s | Applications begin 1 November 2026 |
| NL Scholarship | €5,000 advertised living-cost contribution | Considered through the VUFP application |
| VU MBA scholarships | Award-specific support; confirm the amount individually | Scholarship enquiries available through the MBA team |
For a two-year VUFP award, second-year renewal requires completion of all first-year ECTS credits. Rent, food and insurance remain your responsibility. NL funding is a first-year contribution, with the actual allowance specified in your award letter; it does not support accompanying family members.
MBA candidates can enquire about awards such as the VU Change-Maker Scholarship for either MBA International Business or Executive MBA Leading with Purpose. A scholarship enquiry does not guarantee an award.
Who Can Qualify for the VU Fellowship Programme?
You need academic excellence equivalent to a Dutch GPA of 8 and conditional or unconditional admission to an eligible September 2027 master’s. You must hold a non-EU/EEA passport, have no Dutch nationality and be ineligible for the lower tuition fee.
Your qualifying degree must come from outside the Netherlands. Applicants with a Dutch higher-education degree or current bachelor’s/master’s enrolment in the Netherlands are excluded. February starters, applicants requiring a preparatory programme and joint programmes whose admission is administered elsewhere are also excluded.
Do not assume that 80% automatically equals a Dutch 8: VU assesses your grading system. Meeting the minimum permits consideration; it does not secure selection.
Can You Apply to VU Amsterdam Without IELTS?
Yes, if you meet an accepted alternative or exemption; IELTS is not universally waived. Accepted alternatives include TOEFL iBT, Cambridge, LanguageCert Academic and PTE Academic, subject to programme scores and approved test formats.
Automatic exemptions include qualifying education fully taught in English in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK or USA, and English-taught bachelor’s/master’s degrees completed within the EU/EEA, Singapore or South Africa. An English-medium degree from another country does not automatically qualify.
You can begin admission before supplying English results. For applicants requiring a study visa/residence permit, the recommended test submission date is 1 May and the final date is 1 June. For others, these dates are 1 August and 31 August respectively.
How Do You Apply for VU Amsterdam Admission and Scholarships?
Apply for your master’s first, then submit the scholarship application after receiving admission.
- Choose your programme. Use VU’s official master’s application guide to access Studielink and check programme requirements.
- Complete your VU dashboard file. Use the correct faculty/programme application form and upload the requested education documents. Pay the €100 non-refundable admission fee unless exempt. A previous qualifying VU fee payment or recognized refugee status can provide an exemption.
- Obtain admission. Allow approximately four to six weeks, potentially longer for programmes with fixed assessment schedules.
- Apply for funding. From the VU scholarship page, download the current VUFP-NLS form. Complete every answer, append your transcript/GPA evidence and grading-scale explanation, and upload one PDF in the dashboard scholarship section. Select one master’s for VUFP. Submission is allowed only once.
- Prepare specific answers. Explain your programme fit and goals. Our motivation-writing guide can help organize your ideas; follow VU’s form rather than substituting a generic letter.
- Follow the appropriate route. MBA applicants should use the MBA funding page and contact [email protected] about eligibility and award terms.
Which VU Amsterdam Dates Should Scholarship Applicants Follow?
Submit your master’s admission application by the advised date of 1 December 2026. Apply earlier if an interview or assessment is required. The later general admission deadline does not protect your scholarship eligibility.
Application Deadline: The last date to apply for the VU Fellowship Programme and associated NL Scholarship at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam is 1 February 2027 at 23:59 CET. Results are expected in mid-March; selected applicants must accept within two weeks of notification. MBA scholarship deadlines require individual confirmation; the separate MBA early-bird discount applies to applications before 28 February 2027.
