NL Scholarship for Pakistani Students: 5,000 Euros for Bachelor’s and Master’s in the Netherlands

The NL Scholarship Netherlands is one of the most generous fully funded awards for international students. The NL Scholarship gives international students 5,000 euros toward their first year of study in the Netherlands. It was formerly called the Holland Scholarship, and the name changed while the award stayed the same. Pakistan is an eligible country. Before you plan around it, read the first fact carefully: this is a partial, one time grant, not a fully funded scholarship. It does not cover full tuition, and it does not renew for later years. This guide explains who qualifies, which universities take part, and how the deadlines work, because there is no single national deadline for this award.

1. Introduction

The NL Scholarship is financed by the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, together with several Dutch research universities and universities of applied sciences. Study in NL, the Dutch organization for international education run by Nuffic, publishes the national information page and the list of participating institutions. Each participating institution runs its own application round and makes its own selection.

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Quick Facts

Scholarship Name	NL Scholarship
Host Country	Netherlands
Host University	Any participating Dutch university
Study Level	Full-time bachelor’s and master’s
Funding Type	5,000 euros, paid in the first year of study. Not a full-tuition scholarship and not renewable.
Eligible Nationalities	Non-EEA nationals, including Pakistan
Study Duration	1 year
Application Deadline	No single national deadline. Each participating institution sets its own closing date. Check the institution’s website.
Scholarship Year	2027-28
Official Website	studyinnl.org NL Scholarship page

The award is simple: 5,000 euros, paid in the first year of your studies. It is a contribution toward your costs, not a full funding package. Dutch universities charge institutional tuition fees to students from outside the European Economic Area, and those fees are far higher than 5,000 euros a year. Living costs in Dutch cities add more. A student who wins the NL Scholarship still needs other funding, savings, or family support to cover tuition and living costs. That is the honest position, and it is stated on the official page itself: please note that this is not a full-tuition scholarship.

The scholarship matters most as a first step. It reduces your first year bill, it signals to the university that you are a strong applicant, and it can sit alongside other funding, such as a university tuition waiver or a private sponsor. It cannot carry a full degree on its own. For Pakistani students, the NL Scholarship works best when it is part of a wider funding plan, not when it is the only plan.

The application period for the 2027-2028 academic year is currently open. There is no single national closing date and no central application portal. You apply through the university you want to study at, and that university sets the deadline, the form, and the selection rules.

2. Types of NL Scholarship Netherlands

There is one NL Scholarship award: 5,000 euros in the first year of study. It is not split into levels or types, and it is not renewable. You receive the money once, during your first year of enrollment.

What differs is the kind of institution that offers it. Two kinds of Dutch higher education institutions take part. Research universities offer academic bachelor’s and master’s programs, including the well known research master’s degrees. Universities of applied sciences offer practice oriented bachelor’s and master’s programs, often with internships and project work built into the degree. Both kinds of institution can award the NL Scholarship, and the amount is the same at both.

The list of participating institutions changes every year. For the 2027-2028 academic year, the participating research universities are Eindhoven University of Technology, Maastricht University, Protestant Theological University, Radboud University, University of Groningen, University of Twente, Utrecht Theological University, Utrecht University, VU Amsterdam, and Wageningen University and Research.

The participating universities of applied sciences for 2027-2028 are Aeres University of Applied Sciences, Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, Amsterdam University of the Arts, ArtEZ Institute of the Arts, Breda University of Applied Sciences, Codarts Rotterdam, Design Academy Eindhoven, Driestar Christian University, Fontys University of Applied Sciences, Gerrit Rietveld Academie, The Hague University of Applied Sciences, Hanze University of Applied Sciences, Hotelschool The Hague, HAN University of Applied Sciences, HKU University of Applied Sciences, HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht, HZ University of Applied Sciences, NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences, Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences, Saxion University of Applied Sciences, Thomas More Hogeschool, University of the Arts The Hague, and Zuyd University of Applied Sciences.

Check the current list on the official Study in NL page before you apply. A university that took part last year may not take part this year, and the fields of study covered can change with it.

3. NL Scholarship Netherlands Degree Level

The NL Scholarship is for full-time bachelor’s and master’s programs only. It does not fund PhD study, part-time study, or short courses. You must be applying for a full-time program at a participating Dutch higher education institution.

At bachelor’s level, the award supports a full-time bachelor’s degree at a participating research university or university of applied sciences. At master’s level, it supports a full-time master’s degree at either kind of institution. If the program you want is not full-time, or the institution does not take part in the NL Scholarship for that academic year, you are not eligible for this award at that institution.

One more rule is easy to miss: you must not already hold a degree from an education institution in the Netherlands. If you completed a bachelor’s degree in the Netherlands and now want a master’s there, you cannot receive the NL Scholarship for the master’s. The award is for students who are new to Dutch higher education.

4. Available Subjects

The NL Scholarship does not publish a fixed list of subjects. Any full-time bachelor’s or master’s program at a participating institution can qualify, as long as the institution includes that program in its NL Scholarship round for the year.

In practice, the programs that take part are the English taught bachelor’s and master’s programs that each institution opens to international students. At research universities, popular choices for Pakistani students include engineering, computer science, data science, business and economics, international relations, environmental science, and public health. At universities of applied sciences, popular choices include international business, logistics and supply chain, hospitality management, engineering, information technology, and creative programs such as design and the arts.

Because the subject list is set by each institution, you must check the program page of the university you want. The university’s NL Scholarship page or its international admissions page states which programs are covered and what the extra requirements are. Do not assume that every program at a participating university is covered. Some institutions limit the scholarship to a set of programs, and the list can change each year.

5. Scholarship Benefits

The benefit is a single payment of 5,000 euros in the first year of your studies. The official page states the amount plainly, and it states just as plainly that this is not a full-tuition scholarship.

• 5,000 euros, paid once in the first year. The payment is not repeated in later years, and it is not tied to a monthly stipend.
• A contribution toward study costs. You can use it toward tuition, housing, or living costs in your first year. It does not cover a full year of tuition on its own.
• No extra services are included. The scholarship does not include travel, insurance, housing, or a visa. Those costs are yours.

Work out the real numbers before you apply. A non-EEA student at a Dutch research university pays institutional tuition that is many times the 5,000 euro award, and living costs in cities such as Amsterdam, Utrecht, and Rotterdam are high. The Dutch immigration service also requires proof of sufficient funds when you apply for a student residence permit, and the required amount is set each year. The NL Scholarship helps, but it does not close the gap. Students who win it usually combine it with family support, savings, a university tuition waiver, or another scholarship. Plan your funding for the full degree, not just the first year, because the award does not renew.

One practical point: the way the 5,000 euros reaches you can differ by institution. Some universities apply it against your first year tuition invoice, and others pay it to you after enrollment. Ask the institution how and when the money is paid, so you can plan your first months in the Netherlands.

6. Eligible Nationalities

The NL Scholarship is open to students whose nationality is non-EEA. The EEA, the European Economic Area, covers the countries of the European Union plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway. If you hold citizenship of one of those countries, you are not eligible. Pakistan is outside the EEA, so Pakistani students are eligible.

If you hold two nationalities and one of them is an EEA nationality, check the institution’s rules before you apply, because the nationality test can turn on which passport you use for admission. The official criterion is your nationality, not where you live. A Pakistani citizen living in the Gulf, in Europe, or anywhere else remains a non-EEA national for this scholarship.

There is no published country quota and no restriction by region. Students from Pakistan compete in the same pool as other non-EEA applicants at each institution. The selection is made by the institution, not by a national committee, so your competition is the other international applicants at that university.

7. Eligibility Criteria

The national program sets four criteria, published on the official Study in NL page. Each institution then adds its own specific requirements. The four national criteria are:

• Nationality: Your nationality is non-EEA.
• Program: You are applying for a full-time bachelor’s or master’s program at one of the participating Dutch higher education institutions.
• Institution requirements: You meet the specific requirements of the institution of your choice. Those requirements are published on the institution’s own website, and they vary. Some universities weight grades heavily. Others look at motivation, work experience, or a research proposal.
• No prior Dutch degree: You do not have a degree from an education institution in the Netherlands.

On top of those four, you must meet the admission requirements of the program itself. That means the right prior degree, the right grades, and the English language result the program asks for. The scholarship does not rescue an admission that falls short. You must be admissible to the program first, and then the institution decides whether to award you the scholarship.

Nuffic also applies an integrity code of conduct to the programs it manages. The code covers unacceptable behavior such as fraud, money laundering, terrorist financing, and the misuse of funds. It is a background condition of the program, not something most applicants need to act on, but it is part of the official rules.

8. English Language Requirements

The NL Scholarship itself does not set an English language test or a score. The requirement comes from your program and your institution.

Most English taught bachelor’s and master’s programs in the Netherlands ask for IELTS, TOEFL, or an equivalent test as part of admission. The score you need depends on the program. Research master’s programs usually ask for a higher score than bachelor’s programs, and programs in law, journalism, and the humanities often set higher writing and speaking requirements than programs in engineering.

Check the English requirement on the program page of the university you want, and book your test early. Many Dutch universities set their scholarship deadline before their general admission deadline, and your English result must be ready by the scholarship deadline, not just by the admission deadline. A test booked late can cost you the scholarship even when your grades are strong.

If you studied your previous degree entirely in English, some institutions accept proof of that instead of a test. The rule differs by university, so ask the admissions office whether your prior degree qualifies for an exemption. Do not assume it does.

9. Required Documents

There is no central NL Scholarship application form. You apply through the institution, and the institution tells you what to send. The exact list is published on the institution’s own NL Scholarship or admissions page, so confirm it there, but an application usually includes:

• Your application for admission to the full-time bachelor’s or master’s program, submitted through the institution’s admissions portal.
• Academic transcripts and degree certificates, with certified translations where the originals are not in English or Dutch.
• A CV that lists your education, work, and activities.
• A motivation letter that explains why you chose this program, this university, and the Netherlands, and how the degree fits your career plan.
• Proof of English language ability, such as an IELTS or TOEFL result, where the program requires it.
• A copy of your passport.
• Any extra documents the institution asks for, such as a reference letter, a portfolio for creative programs, or a research proposal for a research master’s.

At some universities, the scholarship application is a separate form or a tick box inside the admission application. At others, every admitted non-EEA applicant is considered automatically, and no separate scholarship form exists. Read the institution’s instructions carefully so you do not miss a separate form. A strong admission application with no scholarship form is still a missed scholarship at a university that requires one.

Keep certified copies of your documents ready before the application window opens. Pakistani boards and universities can take weeks to issue transcripts and degree certificates, and a certified translation adds more time. A file that arrives after the institution’s deadline is not reviewed.

10. Selection Criteria

Each participating institution selects its own NL Scholarship recipients. There is no national ranking and no central committee. The institution decides how many awards it has, which programs are covered, and what it values most in a candidate.

Academic merit is the main factor at most universities. Grades from your previous degree, the standing of the institution where you studied, and the strength of your motivation letter carry the most weight. Some universities also consider work experience, leadership, or a research proposal, and creative programs look at a portfolio. The number of awards at each institution is limited, so the competition is real even at universities that take many international students.

Results are announced by the institution, and the timing differs by university. Some institutions tell recipients with the admission decision, and others announce later in the spring. If you are selected, the institution will tell you how and when the 5,000 euros is paid, and what conditions apply, such as enrolling on time and starting the program in September.

Because selection is local, the best strategy is to apply to more than one participating university. A rejection at one institution does not affect your chance at another, and a strong application can win the award at one university even when it does not win at another.

11. How to Apply – Step by Step

There is no national portal. Every step below runs through the university you choose. Follow them in order.

1. Go to the official Study in NL page and check the list of participating institutions for the 2027-2028 academic year. Pick the universities and programs that fit your degree and your career plan.
2. Open the NL Scholarship page of each university on your list. Read the program coverage, the extra requirements, the deadline, and whether a separate scholarship form is needed. Note the deadlines in one place, because they differ by university.
3. Apply for admission to the full-time bachelor’s or master’s program through the university’s admissions portal. Submit your transcripts, CV, motivation letter, English test result, and passport copy by the university’s deadline.
4. Complete the scholarship step the university asks for. At some universities this is a separate form, at others it is a tick box in the admission application, and at a few it is automatic for admitted non-EEA applicants. Do not guess which one applies. Read the page.
5. Submit everything before the institution’s closing date. Late applications are not reviewed, and the deadline is set by the university, not by Study in NL.
6. Wait for the institution’s decision. If you are selected, follow the institution’s instructions to confirm the award, enroll, and arrange your residence permit and housing.

Start early. The application period for the 2027-2028 academic year is open now, and many institutions close their scholarship rounds between December and May. The earliest deadlines fall in December, so a student who starts in the spring has already missed the strongest universities.

12. Deadline

There is no single national deadline for the NL Scholarship. The official Study in NL page says it directly: check the institution’s website for the specific deadlines for the 2027-2028 application rounds.

Stage	Date
Application period opens for 2027-2028	Open now, per the official Study in NL page
Institution deadlines	Set by each university, usually between December and May
Studies begin	September 2028 for the 2027-2028 academic year

To make the pattern concrete, here are closing dates reported for the 2027-2028 round at three participating universities. These are examples, not a complete list, and you must confirm each date on the institution’s own page before you rely on it: TU Delft, 1 December 2026; VU Amsterdam, 1 February 2027; University of Twente, 1 April 2027. Other universities close on different dates, and some run more than one round. The only deadline that counts for your application is the one published by the university you apply to.

Build your own deadline table as soon as you shortlist universities. Write down each university, each program, each scholarship deadline, and whether a separate form is needed. The NL Scholarship is lost more often to a missed institutional deadline than to a weak application.

Check every date and rule on the official Study in NL page before you apply. The official NL Scholarship page is studyinnl.org/finances/nl-scholarship, and the full list of participating institutions for 2027-2028 is published there. The TU Delft scholarships page, one example of an institution page, is at tudelft.nl/en/education/study-programme-orientation/practical-matters/scholarships. Start with the institution, because the deadline and the form are set there, not in The Hague.