Last updated: October 28, 2026 | Category: Europe Scholarships | Study Tribune Team
Quick answer: The Eric Bleumink Fellowship is a master’s scholarship at the University of Groningen for students from a list of the poorest developing countries. It pays tuition, economy travel, a living allowance of €1,250 a month, a €275 settling allowance, €310 a year for books and a private insurance policy. You cannot apply for it. Groningen’s Admission Office and faculty Admission Boards nominate candidates from master’s applications, so your complete master’s application must be in before 1 December 2026 and you need a provisional admission offer before February. Only four fellowships are awarded each year.
The Eric Bleumink Fellowship is one of the few fully funded scholarships in the Netherlands, and it is the main University of Groningen scholarship for international students from countries such as Pakistan, Kenya, India and Nigeria. This guide explains what it covers, who can be nominated, how the selection works and what to do before 1 December. For other Dutch awards, see our guide to scholarships in the Netherlands for international students.
In this guide: the fellowship at a glance, what it covers, who can be nominated, eligible countries, how selection works, how to improve your chances, conditions, the timeline, the NL Scholarship at Groningen, mistakes and FAQs.
Eric Bleumink Fellowship at a Glance
| Detail | Eric Bleumink Fellowship |
|---|---|
| Who offers it | University of Groningen (Eric Bleumink Fund) |
| Level | Master’s |
| Who it is for | Citizens of the countries in Appendix 1 of the rules |
| How you get it | Nomination only. You cannot apply directly |
| Number of awards | Four a year, from hundreds of applications |
| Master’s application | Complete before 1 December (1 December 2026 for September 2027) |
| Admission | Provisional offer before February |
| Nominees contacted | From early January; no contact by 1 February means not nominated |
| Outcome | Told to all nominees before 1 March |
| Covers | Tuition, travel, €1,250 a month, €275 settling allowance, €310 a year for books, insurance |
The fund’s own pages use three names: the Eric Bleumink Fellowship, the Eric Bleumink Fund and the Eric Bleumink Talent Grant. Many websites call it the Eric Bleumink Scholarship. They all mean the same award.
Table of Contents
What the Eric Bleumink Fellowship Covers
The rules (dated November 2024) list these items for a recipient studying in the Netherlands:
- Tuition: paid by the fellowship. The rules give no amount.
- Travel: an economy flight between Amsterdam and the airport nearest your home, with airport taxes and travel insurance, plus second-class train travel between Schiphol and Groningen. Excess baggage is not covered.
- Living allowance: €1,250 a month for food and accommodation, paid at the end of the previous month.
- Settling allowance: a one-time €275 for arrival costs.
- Study allowance: €310 a year for books and study materials.
- Insurance: the fellowship pays for a private policy covering medical treatment, personal accidents, an emergency flight home and personal liability.
- Not covered: clothing, family travel and support for family members.
The fellowship starts when you arrive, no more than one week before your programme begins, and ends five days after the programme ends. Extensions are granted only for serious illness or circumstances beyond your control. Amounts can change, so check the current rules before you plan your budget.
Who Can Be Nominated for the Eric Bleumink Fellowship
- Nationality: a country listed in Appendix 1 of the rules.
- Admission: a provisional offer for a Groningen master’s programme before February.
- Academic record: excellent performance and excellent bachelor’s grades, preferably backed by recommendation letters.
- English: proficiency that meets your programme’s admission requirements.
- Availability: you can attend the whole programme, which starts on 1 September.
- Health: good health, so Dutch health insurance can be arranged.
- Funding: no other means of financing your studies.
Our guide to the English proficiency certificate explains how to meet the language rule.
Eric Bleumink Fellowship eligible countries
Appendix 1 of the rules groups the eligible countries in three tiers, in order of preference: least developed countries, other low-income countries and lower-middle-income countries. The table includes these countries: Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Honduras, India, Iran, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Micronesia, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, North Korea, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Rwanda, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tokelau, Tunisia, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
In the table, Pakistan, Kenya, India, Nigeria, Vietnam and Ghana sit in the last group, for lower-middle-income countries, so applicants from least developed countries come first in the order of preference. Some websites copy a different or older list, and the grouping is hard to read in the PDF, so check your country in Appendix 1 itself. Appendix 2 lists partner universities whose talented students are preferred.
You Cannot Apply for the Eric Bleumink Fellowship Directly
Groningen says plainly that it is not possible to apply for the fellowship. Suitable candidates are notified of a nomination, and the Admission Office decides in consultation with the faculty Admission Boards. Your master’s application is therefore your fellowship application, and the nomination criteria are the rules above. Groningen asks you not to send separate applications or ask about the procedure.
How the Eric Bleumink Fellowship Selection Works
- Choose a Groningen master’s programme. Pick a programme you meet the admission requirements for. Groningen nominates candidates from its master’s applications, so there is no separate fellowship form.
- Check that your country is in Appendix 1. Open the rules PDF and look for your nationality in Appendix 1. Only citizens of the listed countries can be nominated.
- Complete your master’s application before 1 December 2026. Submit everything, including strong bachelor’s results and, if you can, recommendation letters. The fellowship page says your application should be complete by 1 December so the Admission Office can process it.
- Get a provisional admission offer before February. Only applicants with a provisional or unconditional offer before February are considered.
- Write the motivation letter if you are nominated. In early January the Admission Office selects nominees. If you are one, you have one week to submit a fellowship motivation letter.
- Wait for the outcome. If Groningen has not contacted you by 1 February, you were not nominated. The committee informs all nominees before 1 March.
The selection committee also looks at how much you could strengthen scientific capacity in your home country, the prospect of long-term links between your university and Groningen, gender balance, spread of disciplines and regional variety. Only four fellowships are awarded each year, and the Board’s decisions are final. Groningen says that more than a hundred students from thirty countries have completed a master’s with the fellowship since it began in 2000.
How to Improve Your Chances of Being Nominated
- Finish early. Complete your master’s application well before 1 December, because the Admission Office selects nominees in early January.
- Choose a programme you clearly fit. A provisional offer before February is the first test.
- Add recommendation letters. They are preferred but not strictly required. See our guide to a recommendation letter for a scholarship.
- Show how you will use the degree at home. The selection criteria reward strengthening scientific capacity in your country.
- Prepare the motivation letter. If you are nominated you have one week, so read our personal statement for a scholarship guide in advance.
- Declare other funding. You must disclose other funding applications.
- Apply for other awards too. With four places, a back-up matters.
Conditions of the Eric Bleumink Fellowship
- Return home: you must return home when the fellowship or programme ends.
- No paid work: no paid employment in the Netherlands, and no commercial or political activity.
- No other Groningen scholarship: you cannot hold one at the same time.
- Visa: you obtain the temporary residence authorisation (MVV or residence permit) through the university.
- Repayment: the fellowship can be ended, and payments reclaimed, for false statements, breaking the rules, late arrival, withdrawal or insufficient progress.
Eric Bleumink Fellowship Timeline
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| Before 1 December 2026 | Complete your master’s application |
| Early January 2027 | Admission Office selects nominees |
| Within one week of selection | Nominees submit a fellowship motivation letter |
| Before 1 February 2027 | Provisional admission offer needed; no contact means not nominated |
| Before 1 March 2027 | Committee informs all nominees of the outcome |
| September 2027 | Programme starts |
Our scholarship deadlines hub tracks other closing dates.
NL Scholarship at Groningen
If you are not nominated, Groningen also offers the NL Scholarship. It is €5,000, paid in the first year in instalments after you arrive, and Groningen says it is not a full-tuition scholarship. It is for non-EEA students (not Switzerland or Suriname) who have an admission offer, have no Dutch degree and have not had the NL Scholarship before. You submit an application form and a motivation letter by 1 February, and applicants are ranked on academic merit and motivation. Groningen’s page gives no year for that date, so confirm it for 2027. Read our NL Scholarship guide for the details.
Mistakes to Avoid When Applying for the Eric Bleumink Fellowship
- Looking for an application form. There is none. Your master’s application is the route.
- Missing 1 December 2026. The fellowship needs your master’s application complete by this date.
- Assuming your country qualifies. Check Appendix 1, not a blog list.
- Writing to the university about the procedure. Groningen says further correspondence is not possible.
- Counting on it alone. Only four awards are made each year, so apply for other funding too.
- Paying an agent. Nominations come from Groningen’s Admission Office and faculty boards.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Eric Bleumink Fellowship
What is the Eric Bleumink Fellowship?
It is a University of Groningen scholarship for master’s students from a list of the poorest developing countries. It is also called the Eric Bleumink Fund or Eric Bleumink Talent Grant, and only four are awarded each year.
Can I apply directly for the Eric Bleumink Fellowship?
No. Groningen says you cannot apply directly. The Admissions office and the faculty Admission Boards nominate candidates from master’s applications, and nominees then write a motivation letter.
What does the Eric Bleumink Fellowship cover?
According to the rules, it covers tuition, economy travel, a living allowance of €1,250 a month, a one-time settling allowance of €275, €310 a year for books and study materials, and a private health and accident insurance policy. Clothing and family costs are not covered.
What is the deadline for the Eric Bleumink Fellowship in 2027?
Your master’s application must be complete before 1 December, which is 1 December 2026 for a September 2027 start. You also need a provisional admission offer before February. Groningen’s page gives no year, so confirm the date when you apply.
How many Eric Bleumink Fellowships are awarded each year?
The rules say four scholarships are awarded each year out of hundreds of applications. The decisions of the Board are final and there is no appeal.
Which countries are eligible for the Eric Bleumink Fellowship?
The rules list the eligible countries in Appendix 1, in three groups in order of preference: least developed countries, other low-income countries and lower-middle-income countries. The table includes Pakistan, Kenya, India, Nigeria, Vietnam and Bangladesh.
How will I know if I have been nominated?
Groningen contacts nominees. If you have not been contacted by 1 February, you were not nominated. The committee tells all nominees the outcome before 1 March.
Can I work or bring my family on the Eric Bleumink Fellowship?
No paid employment in the Netherlands is allowed during the fellowship, and travel and support costs for family members are not covered. Recipients must also return home at the end of the programme.
Can I hold another Groningen scholarship with the Eric Bleumink Fellowship?
No. The rules say you may not hold another University of Groningen scholarship at the same time, and you must have no other means of financing your studies. You also have to tell the fund about any other funding applications.
What other funding is there at Groningen if I am not nominated?
Groningen offers the NL Scholarship, a €5,000 payment for non-EEA students who start a programme at the university. It is not a full-tuition scholarship, and the page gives a deadline of 1 February without a year.
Conclusion
The Eric Bleumink Fellowship pays for a whole master’s at Groningen, but you cannot apply for it, and only four students receive it each year. Complete your master’s application before 1 December 2026, check that your country is in Appendix 1 and aim for a provisional offer before February. Then apply for other awards as well, and use our guide to scholarships in the Netherlands for international students to compare them.
Official Sources
Related Guides
Scholarships in the Netherlands for international students, NL Scholarship (formerly Holland Scholarship), Europe scholarships for international students, fully funded scholarships for developing countries, 50+ fully funded scholarships and scholarship deadlines. TU Delft van Effen Scholarship, Maastricht NL-High Potential Scholarship
Deadlines, amounts and country lists change. Always confirm them with the University of Groningen before you apply.