Holland Scholarship (NL Scholarship)
The NL Scholarship (formerly the Holland Scholarship) is funded jointly by the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science and a network of participating Dutch research universities and universities of applied sciences. It's designed to make Dutch higher education more accessible to non-EEA students — and the Netherlands is one of the most affordable English-taught Master's destinations in Western Europe, with most programmes lasting just 1 year. The award is a one-off €5,000 contribution towards first-year tuition.
Open for 2027/28 — institution-specific deadlines (most close 1 February or 1 May 2027). Dates follow the same annual pattern — confirm the current round before applying.
Dutch Ministry of Education / Nuffic
Government-funded
emoji_events Award Overview
Award Value
€5,000 (one-off, first year only)
Eligible Levels
Bachelor's + Master's
Participating Institutions
70+ in the Netherlands
info How this award actually works
This is a separate, highly competitive application
Government awards like this one run their own selection round against applicants from across the world, and success rates are usually in the low single digits. Lanka Scholar does not administer it and cannot submit it for you. Treat it as a bonus on top of a funded study plan — never as the plan itself.
Who awards it
Dutch Ministry of Education / Nuffic — not Lanka Scholar. We are not the awarding body and cannot grant, reserve or guarantee this award.
How you are considered
Through a separate application round run by the funder, with its own forms, deadlines and shortlisting. You submit it yourself — it is not part of a university admission application.
What it covers
€5,000 First-Year Tuition Award. Read the terms carefully: even fully-funded awards rarely cover every cost, and any shortfall is yours to fund.
Where we come in
We help you judge whether this award is worth your time, and build a realistic admission plan that works whether or not you win it.
fact_check Eligibility Criteria
Non-EEA Nationality
You must be a non-EEA national. Sri Lankan citizens qualify. You cannot already hold an EU residence permit through other routes (work, family).
No Prior Dutch Degree
You must not already hold a degree from a Dutch educational institution. The Holland Scholarship is for students new to Dutch higher education.
Full-Time Programme
Apply for a full-time Bachelor's or Master's degree programme at a participating Dutch research university (university) or university of applied sciences (hogeschool).
Meet Institution Admission Bar
You must meet the regular academic and English-language admission requirements of your chosen Dutch programme. The scholarship does not lower the admission bar.
account_tree Application Process
Apply to a participating Dutch university
Pick a participating institution from the Study in NL website and apply for admission to a full-time programme through Studielink or the university's direct portal.
Submit the Holland Scholarship application
Each institution runs its own Holland Scholarship application. You typically apply via a separate scholarship form on the university's website — usually a short motivation letter plus your admission application reference.
Meet the deadline
Institutional deadlines vary. Most close on 1 February 2026 (early decision) or 1 May 2026 (regular) for September 2026 entry. Check each university's page.
Receive your award
The €5,000 is paid in your first year — usually directly to the university to offset tuition, or as a stipend depending on the institution. Selection criteria vary by institution.
Why Study in the Netherlands?
The Netherlands has Europe's second-largest English-taught higher education offering after the UK — over 2,100 programmes are fully taught in English. Tuition for non-EEA Master's ranges €12,000–18,000/year, far below UK/US levels. Graduates qualify for the 1-year Orientation Year (zoekjaar) post-study visa.
2,100+
English-Taught Programmes
€14k
Avg. Master's Tuition (1 year)
1 Year
Post-Study Search Visa
Looking for a scholarship because of the cost?
Then start here instead. Scholarships are competitive, usually partial, and decided by someone else — they are the least reliable way to make studying abroad affordable. Your destination and course choice move the number far more, and both are entirely within your control.
Work out your real number
Tuition, living costs, visa funds and flights for your destination — so you know the gap you are actually trying to close.
Open the cost calculator arrow_forwardSort courses by lowest fee
The full catalogue, cheapest tuition first. Changing course or country saves far more than most awards are worth.
Browse lowest-fee courses arrow_forwardWhat Netherlands actually costs
Tuition, living costs and the total first-year figure for Netherlands, in LKR as well as local currency.
See the cost breakdown arrow_forwardCheck your proof of funds
Every student visa requires you to show funds. Find out what you need before you commit to an application.
Check the requirement arrow_forwardSimilar Scholarships
Other curated opportunities for Sri Lankan students.
Master Mind Scholarship (Flanders Government)
Flemish Government / Government of Flanders
Amsterdam Excellence Scholarship (AES)
University of Amsterdam
University of Amsterdam Merit Scholarship
University of Amsterdam (UvA)