The Netherlands is one of Europe’s most popular English-taught destinations — and the Holland Scholarship (now called the NL Scholarship) is a simple, winnable way for Sri Lankan students to take €5,000 off their first year. It’s not a full ride, but it’s real money, and the application is refreshingly straightforward. Here’s how it works.
Award value, eligibility, participating institutions, and deadlines change each cycle. The details below are general guidance only — always confirm the current terms on the official Study in NL website and your chosen university’s page before applying.
What it is
The NL Scholarship (formerly the Holland Scholarship), funded by the Dutch Ministry of Education together with participating universities, is aimed at international students from outside the European Economic Area — and Sri Lanka is eligible. Key facts:
- check_circle Value: €5,000 (about LKR 1.7 million), paid in the first year
- check_circle One-off: awarded once, for the first year of study
- check_circle For full-time bachelor's or master's programmes
- check_circle At one of the 35+ participating Dutch higher-education institutions
How to apply — through the university
Like several university-administered scholarships, there’s no single central application — you apply via the institution:
- check_circle Choose a participating Dutch university and an eligible bachelor's or master's programme
- check_circle Apply for admission to that programme
- check_circle Apply for the NL Scholarship through that university's own process and by its own deadline (deadlines are commonly early in the year — often around February or May for September intake)
- check_circle Meet the university's general eligibility (non-EEA nationality, first-time enrolment at that institution, etc.)
Pro Counsellor Tip
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Check each university’s specific NL Scholarship deadline the moment you decide to apply — they’re set per-institution and fall earlier than many students expect, often months before the course starts. Because the award is tied to your admission application, get the course application moving first, then layer the scholarship on top before its cut-off.
"Why the Netherlands pairs well with it
The Netherlands offers a huge range of English-taught programmes, strong universities, a welcoming international culture, and good post-study options (an “orientation year” lets graduates stay to find work). Dutch public-university tuition for non-EEA students, while not free, is often more moderate than the UK, US, or Australia — so a €5,000 award makes a genuine dent in the first-year cost rather than being a token gesture.
Eyeing a Dutch university?
Bring your transcripts, English test score or test date, and a shortlist of Dutch programmes to a free office visit. We'll check which participating universities offer the NL Scholarship in your field and plan both applications around their deadlines.
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Stack it with other funding
Because it’s a €5,000 partial award, treat it as one block in a funding stack — combined with family funds, a university merit scholarship, the Netherlands’ relatively moderate tuition, and part-time work rights. For many Dutch programmes, the NL Scholarship plus a sensible budget turns an already-affordable European destination into a very achievable one. Don’t view it as all-or-nothing.
The bottom line
The NL Scholarship (Holland Scholarship) is a straightforward, genuinely-open-to-Sri-Lankans €5,000 award toward a bachelor’s or master’s in the Netherlands. You apply through a participating university alongside your admission, deadlines fall early, and it stacks neatly with the Netherlands’ moderate tuition and post-study options. Easy to apply for, well worth the effort.
Next steps
If the Netherlands appeals, bring us your field and we’ll identify participating universities offering the NL Scholarship, help you apply to both the course and the award on time, and look for other funding to combine with it. See our scholarships in the Netherlands guide for more options, and the study in the Netherlands hub for the bigger picture.
Written by
Lakmal Silva
Founder
Lakmal Silva founded Lanka Scholar to help Sri Lankan students apply abroad without paying agent fees, and works with applicants across 18 destinations from the team offices in Rajagiriya, Jaffna and Matara.
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