The University of Twente Scholarship offers excellent non-EU/EEA Master’s students €3,000–€22,000 toward study in the Netherlands. Here’s who qualifies, what it covers, and how African applicants should prepare before the 1 April 2027 deadline.
If you’re an excellent student from outside Europe hoping to do a Master’s in the Netherlands, the University of Twente Scholarship, known as UTS, is worth a serious look. It’s a merit award from the University of Twente, a public technical university in Enschede, aimed specifically at strong non-EU/EEA students starting a Master’s programme. For African applicants, that non-EU/EEA framing is good news: every African country sits on UT’s eligible-country list, so nationality won’t stand between you and this one.
The award is worth between €3,000 and €22,000 for a single year, with the exact figure depending on how you stack up against other applicants. That range makes it a meaningful piece of funding enough to change whether a Dutch MSc is realistic for you.
One thing to be honest about from the start: the UTS is not a full scholarship. The university is unusually direct about this. The money is a contribution toward your study-related costs, and you decide how to spend it. UT does not pay your tuition or any other cost directly on your behalf. Before applying, you’re expected to check the full cost of tuition and living in the Netherlands and be confident you can cover the gap. If you can’t, UT openly advises you not to apply.
Scholarship benefits
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- A cash award of €3,000 to €22,000 for one year, with the amount set according to your excellence relative to other candidates.
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- Flexibility in how you use it. The scholarship is meant as compensation for study-related costs, and it’s up to you to decide how to spend the money.
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- For a two-year Master’s, the chance of a second-year award equal to your first-year amount, provided you meet the progress requirements during year one.
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- Recognition as one of the university’s most promising incoming students.
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- A route to an additional scholarship: recipients starting in September 2027 may also be eligible for the Kipaji Scholarship, which you can only pursue if you hold the UTS first.
Keep the limits in mind. The UTS does not cover the full cost of studying in the Netherlands, no tuition is paid on your behalf, and the second-year continuation isn’t automatic — you have to earn it. To keep the award for year two of a two-year programme, you’ll need an average grade of 7 out of 10 and at least 50% of your European Credits (ECTS) by the end of the third quartile of your first year.
Eligibility checklist
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- You hold a non-EU/EEA nationality. The UTS isn’t available to EU/EEA students, or to Dutch and current UT students — African applicants fall within the eligible group.
- You’ve been (provisionally) admitted to a qualifying UT Master’s programme starting in the 2027/2028 academic year (September), and you have a student number. Admission results can take up to eight weeks, so plan around that.
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- You’re an excellent student, typically the best 5 to 10% of your graduating class at your home university.
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- You meet the English requirement: Academic IELTS 6.5 (or TOEFL iBT 90), with at least 6.0 (TOEFL iBT 20) on the speaking sub-score.
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- You haven’t graduated from a UT (under)graduate programme, and you comply with the conditions for a Netherlands entry visa where applicable.
- You’re not eligible for a Dutch study loan and you don’t pay the statutory tuition fee. If you’re a non-EU/EEA student but hold a Dutch residence permit that makes you eligible for the statutory fee, you’re not eligible for the UTS.
- Your programme qualifies — the UTS doesn’t cover Master’s programmes at the Faculty of Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation (ITC), or the pre-Master programme.
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- You can cover the remaining costs of study and living beyond the scholarship, since it isn’t a full award.
Application tips for African students
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- Apply for admission first, and do it early. The scholarship is a separate process that needs your student number and a (conditional) admission letter, and admission decisions can take up to eight weeks. With the scholarship deadline on 1 April 2027, you want your Master’s application well underway months before that, not in March.
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- Check that your programme is eligible before you invest time. If your chosen Master’s is at the ITC faculty or is a pre-Master, the UTS won’t apply. Confirm eligibility early so you’re not preparing for an award you can’t receive.
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- Make your motivation letter count and flag Kipaji if it fits. If you’re interested in the Kipaji Scholarship, UT advises indicating that in your application motivation, so mention it there. Beyond that, connect your goals clearly to the specific programme rather than writing something generic.
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- Meet the English requirement well in advance. You need Academic IELTS 6.5 (or TOEFL iBT 90) plus at least 6.0 on speaking, so book your test early, test dates and results can take weeks, and the speaking sub-score trips people up if they don’t plan for it.
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- Build a realistic budget and proof of funds. Because the UTS is partial, you must be able to cover tuition and living costs beyond the award, and you’ll also need proof of funds for your visa and residence permit. Map this out before applying, UT explicitly says not to apply if you can’t cover the rest.
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- Get transcripts and certificates certified and translated early. Documents from African institutions often need official certification or English translation before a Dutch university will accept them, and this can take weeks.
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- Show clearly that you’re in the top 5–10%. Since the award rewards excellence and the amount scales with it, make your class ranking, grades, and standout achievements easy to see in your application.
How to apply
Applying for the UTS happens in two steps, in order. First, apply for a qualifying Master’s programme at the University of Twente; once you’ve applied and received a (conditional) admission letter, you can apply for the scholarship using your student number. Remember that the scholarship application is separate from your admission application, and that you can only ever be awarded one UT scholarship. For programmes starting in September 2027, the scholarship application form opens on 15 October 2026 at 09.00 CET and closes on 1 April 2027 at 16.00 CET, with results announced in the first week of May 2027. For questions about the procedure or your eligibility, UT lists the contact address sgw-scholarships-ces@utwente.nl. You can find full details and the application form on the official University of Twente Scholarship page.
Frequently asked questions
Who can apply for the UTS?
Excellent non-EU/EEA students typically the top 5 to 10 percent of their class — who have been (provisionally) admitted to a qualifying University of Twente Master’s programme starting in September 2027 and hold a student number. You also need to meet the English requirement and the other conditions, and your programme can’t be at the ITC faculty or a pre-Master. African nationals are within the eligible group.
How much is the scholarship worth?
Between €3,000 and €22,000 for one year, with the exact amount depending on your excellence. If you’re on a two-year Master’s, you may receive a second-year award equal to the first year, but only if you meet the progress requirements: an average grade of 7 out of 10 and at least 50% of your credits by the end of the third quartile of year one.
Is it a full scholarship?
No. The UTS is a partial award meant as compensation for study-related costs, and you decide how to spend it. No tuition or other cost is paid on your behalf, so you must be able to cover the remaining costs of study and living in the Netherlands. UT advises against applying if you can’t.
When is the deadline?
For programmes starting in September 2027, the application form opens on 15 October 2026 and closes on 1 April 2027 at 16.00 CET. Results are announced in the first week of May 2027. Keep in mind that you must already have your admission and student number sorted before you apply, and admission decisions can take up to eight weeks.
What is the English-language requirement?
You need to meet the general requirement of Academic IELTS 6.5 (or TOEFL iBT 90), with an additional minimum of 6.0 (TOEFL iBT 20) on the speaking sub-score.
What is the Kipaji Scholarship?
It’s an additional scholarship that UTS recipients may be able to receive, available for programmes starting in September 2027. You must apply for the UTS first to be eligible, and if you’re interested, UT advises indicating that in your application motivation. It carries its own extra requirements, so review the Kipaji programme details separately.