Radboud Scholarship 2027/28 in the Netherlands: Partial Funding for Non-EU Master’s Students

Last updated: 30 October 2026

The Radboud Scholarship cuts Master’s tuition at Radboud University from about €19,000 to €2,771 (amount still to be confirmed) for a small group of students from outside the EU/EEA. It is a partial scholarship, not a full ride, and it is very selective: Radboud has a maximum of 26 awards for the 2027/28 intake. If you want one, the date that matters is 31 January 2027, and your file must be complete two weeks later.

Older versions of this post, and many other websites, describe the scholarship as fully funded. Radboud itself calls it a partial scholarship, so this guide follows the university’s own scholarship page.

Radboud Scholarship at a Glance

What the Radboud Scholarship Covers

The Radboud University scholarship lowers your tuition fee to €2,771, a figure Radboud marks as still to be confirmed. The regular non-EU/EEA fee is about €19,000, depending on the programme, so the saving is roughly €16,000 a year.

Beyond tuition, the scholarship covers the costs of your visa, your residence permit, health insurance and liability insurance (through Aon Student Insurance) for your stay in the Netherlands.

What it does not cover matters just as much: your living and study costs. Rent, food, transport and books are yours to fund, so plan a budget before you apply and check Radboud’s costs and expenses page. Dutch visa rules also expect you to show you can support yourself, so read the current requirements before you commit.

The award lasts for the nominal duration of your Master’s programme. If you are admitted to a two-year programme, you keep the grant in year two only if you passed all first-year courses.

How Many Radboud Scholarships Are Available?

For 2027/28 there is a maximum of 26 scholarships, divided by faculty:

Two things follow from this table. First, the Faculty of Medical Sciences has no scholarships in this programme, even though older articles list it. Second, awards are tied to faculties, and each faculty’s selection committee reads its own applicants, so the faculty you apply to shapes your odds. A programme in a faculty with one or two awards is a longer shot than one in Science.

All English-taught Master’s programmes are eligible, except Erasmus Mundus programmes and joint-degree programmes.

Who Can Apply for the Radboud Scholarship?

You can apply only if you meet every one of these conditions:

1. You hold a non-EU/non-EEA passport.
2. You are not eligible for the lower EU/EEA tuition fee for any other reason.
3. You hold, or will obtain, a Bachelor’s degree from outside the Netherlands, have no degree from the Netherlands, and have had no previous education there. Exchange programmes inside your foreign Bachelor’s degree do not count against you.
4. You meet the English language requirement of your chosen programme.
5. You are fully admitted to the English-taught Master’s programme starting 1 September 2027, as shown in your formal admission letter.
6. You can meet the conditions for a Dutch visa.
7. You will enrol full-time at Radboud for the programme the scholarship is awarded for.

The English requirement varies by programme. One Law programme, for example, lists IELTS 6.5 or TOEFL iBT 90, but yours may differ, so read your programme page. Some programmes accept alternatives such as proof of English-medium education; confirm that with the programme before relying on it. Our guide on the English proficiency language certificate explains how these documents are usually issued.

How Radboud Selects Scholarship Winners

Admission and scholarship selection are two separate processes. Being admitted to a Master’s programme does not mean you will receive the scholarship.

The faculty committees score applications on three groups of criteria:

• Academic excellence: outstanding results in your field (grades, test scores, publications), how relevant your previous degree is to the Master’s, and the ranking of the university where you studied.
• Ambition: the quality and relevance of your motivation letter, promise shown through earlier achievements, and life experience such as internships, volunteering or extracurricular work.
• References: the quality of your two reference letters, preferably from academic referees.

Faculties may add their own criteria, and some programmes hold interviews.

The references carry real weight, so brief your referees early and give them Radboud’s reference letter guidelines. If you need help on the content side, see our recommendation letter for scholarship guide, and for the motivation letter read our motivation letter guide.

Radboud Scholarship Deadlines for 2027/28

There are two deadlines, and missing the second one costs you the scholarship.

• 31 January 2027, 23:59 CET: your application must be submitted in the OSIRIS system.
• 14 February 2027, 23:59 CET: your application must be complete. Incomplete applications are not considered for selection.

Radboud’s admissions office checks each submission and sends it back for payment of the handling fee and for any documents that are incorrect, illegible or missing. You then have to resubmit. Applying on the last day of January leaves little room for that round trip, so submit early. Radboud also recommends handing in proof of English proficiency before 14 February.

The regular non-EU/EEA admission deadline is later (1 April for the 2026 intake), but that date does not apply if you want the scholarship. The scholarship deadline comes first.

How to Apply for the Radboud Scholarship

1. Choose an eligible Master’s programme. It must be English-taught and not an Erasmus Mundus or joint-degree programme. Check its admission and English requirements.
2. Start your admission application in OSIRIS. During the application, indicate that you want to apply for a Radboud Scholarship.
3. Upload three extra documents: two reference letters and a CV. If you already uploaded them for your Master’s application, upload them again for the scholarship.
4. Make sure your motivation letter is strong. It is part of your Master’s application, and the selection committee scores it.
5. Fix and resubmit. Pay the handling fee and correct anything the admissions office flags.
6. Complete the file by 14 February 2027, including your proof of English.
7. Wait for the decision, expected before mid-April 2027.

Apply through the official Radboud Scholarship Programme page. Questions can go to scholarships@ru.nl, but that address is not for submitting applications.

Combine It With the NL Scholarship

The Radboud Scholarship can be combined with the NL Scholarship, a €5,000 grant for one year, paid in the first year of study and awarded only once. The NL Scholarship is co-financed by the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science and Radboud, and 26 awards are available at Radboud for 2027/28.

The rule to remember: you cannot receive the NL Scholarship alone. Applicants must also apply for the Radboud Scholarship Programme, and the outcome is either both awards or the Radboud Scholarship only. You apply by indicating it in OSIRIS, with the same deadlines. Our NL Scholarship Netherlands guide covers it in detail.

Tips for Applicants From Pakistan, Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt and Bangladesh

• Start the reference letters in autumn. Academic referees are busy, and January is not the month to find out one of them is travelling.
• Mind the university-ranking criterion. Radboud considers where you earned your degree, so use your CV and motivation letter to show what you achieved there, such as research, projects or top-of-class results.
• Match your degree to the programme. Relevance of your previous degree is scored, so explain the link rather than leaving it implied.
• Book your English test early. Results can take time, and the 14 February completion date is firm.
• Check your visa position. The scholarship pays for the visa and permit costs, but you still have to meet the conditions for getting one.
• Have a plan B. With 26 awards, many strong applicants will not be selected. Make sure you could still afford, or find other funding for, the programme before you accept an offer.

Other Scholarships at Radboud University

Radboud lists several other awards. The Fulbright-Radboud Scholarships are for American students. The ASML Technology Scholarship is open to students of all nationalities who plan a technical Master’s degree. Others are aimed at specific countries, such as Indonesia or Turkey. Browse Radboud’s scholarship overview to see whether a country-specific option fits you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Radboud Scholarship fully funded? No. It is a partial scholarship that reduces tuition to €2,771 (amount to be confirmed) and covers visa, residence permit, health insurance and liability insurance. Living and study costs are not covered.

What is the Radboud Scholarship deadline for 2027/28? Submit your OSIRIS application by 31 January 2027 at 23:59 CET, and make sure it is complete by 14 February 2027 at 23:59 CET.

Do I need to be admitted to a Master’s programme first? You apply for admission and the scholarship in the same OSIRIS application, but you must be fully admitted to receive the scholarship. Admission does not guarantee the scholarship, because selection is a separate process.

Can I get the NL Scholarship without the Radboud Scholarship? No. NL Scholarship applicants must also apply for the Radboud Scholarship Programme. You can be awarded both, or only the Radboud Scholarship.

Can I apply if I studied in the Netherlands before? No. You need a Bachelor’s degree from outside the Netherlands, no Dutch degree, and no previous education in the Netherlands, though exchange periods within your foreign Bachelor’s degree are excluded.

Which Master’s programmes are eligible? All English-taught Master’s programmes, except Erasmus Mundus and joint-degree programmes.