The Eric Bleumink Fellowship is a fully funded master’s scholarship
at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands, open to students from 45
African countries and 34 other developing nations. It covers tuition, a living
allowance, international travel, books and health insurance for a one- or
two-year master’s programme starting in September. You cannot apply for it
directly — you apply for admission to a Groningen master’s programme before
1 December, and the university nominates candidates from that pool.
Eric Bleumink Fellowship at a glance
| Host institution | University of Groningen |
| Host country | Netherlands |
| Degree level | Master’s (MSc, MA, LL.M.) — 1 or 2 years |
| Funding | Fully funded |
| Covers | Tuition fee, international travel, subsistence, books, health insurance |
| Programme start | September intake only |
| Key deadline | Master’s application by 1 December |
| How you apply | Nomination only — no direct fellowship application |
| Number of awards | Limited number each year (highly competitive) |
Scholarship benefits: what does the Eric Bleumink Fellowship cover?
The University of Groningen states that the grant covers the
“tuition fee, costs of international travel, subsistence, books, and
health insurance.” In practical terms, that is a full-cost package:
- Tuition fees for the full master’s programme
- International travel costs to and from the Netherlands
- Subsistence — a living allowance for day-to-day costs
- Books and study materials
- Health insurance for the duration of your studies
The university does not publish a fixed euro figure for the fellowship. The
award is described by what it covers rather than by a stated amount, so treat
any specific number you see quoted elsewhere with caution and confirm on the
official page.
Which African countries are eligible?
Students holding nationality of the following 45 African countries are on
the University of Groningen’s eligible list:
Algeria, Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Congo (Dem. Rep.), Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Important: the list is nationality-based, and several African
countries are not on it, including South Africa, Botswana, Namibia,
Mauritius, Seychelles, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Libya and Eswatini. If your
country is not named above, you are not eligible for this particular fellowship,
though you may still qualify for other University of Groningen scholarships.
The fellowship is also open to nationals of: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Bolivia, Cambodia, Haiti, Honduras, India, Iran, Jordan, Kiribati, Korea (Dem. Rep.), Kyrgyzstan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Micronesia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Timor-Leste, Tokelau, Tuvalu, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Yemen.
Eric Bleumink Fellowship eligibility checklist
✔ You hold the nationality of one of the eligible countries listed above.
✔ You have applied for a University of Groningen master’s programme
before 1 December.
✔ You receive provisional or unconditional admission before
February for a programme starting in September.
✔ You have excellent grades in your bachelor’s /
undergraduate degree.
✔ You can provide letters of recommendation.
✔ You have excellent English language proficiency
as required by your chosen programme.
✔ You have no other means of financing the study in
question.
✔ You are available for the whole period of the
programme.
✔ You are in good health, so health insurance in the
Netherlands can be arranged.
Can you apply for the Eric Bleumink Fellowship directly?
No. This is the single most misunderstood thing about this
award. The University of Groningen states plainly: “It is not possible to
actively apply for an Eric Bleumink Fellowship Scholarship.”
Instead, “the University of Groningen Admission Office, in consultation
with the Admission Boards of its faculties, will determine which applicants will
be nominated.” There is no separate fellowship form, no personal statement
addressed to the scholarship committee, and no fellowship portal.
What this means for you: your master’s admission application
is your scholarship application. Everything the selection
panel will ever see about you. Your grades, your recommendation letters, your
motivation letter, your English scores, is what you submit for admission. There
is no second chance to make your case later.
How to apply, step by step
- Choose a master’s programme at the University of Groningen
that starts in September. All master’s programmes are eligible; the
fellowship supports both 1-year and 2-year degrees. - Check the specific programme’s entry requirements. English
language scores and academic prerequisites are set by the faculty, not by
the fellowship. - Submit your full master’s application before 1 December.
Applications received after this date are not considered for the
fellowship, even if you are later admitted to the programme. - Make your admission file as strong as possible. Since
nomination is drawn from the admission pool, your transcripts, references
and motivation letter are doing double duty. - Wait for your admission decision, which must arrive
(provisionally or unconditionally) before February. - If nominated, the university will contact you. No action is
required from you on the fellowship itself.
Timeline for the September 2027 intake: apply by
1 December 2026, admission decision before February
2027, studies begin September 2027. Confirm the exact
dates for your cycle on the official page before you rely on them.
Application tips for African students
- Work backwards from 1 December, not from the programme deadline.
Many Groningen master’s programmes accept applications well past December
for general admission. If you use the later general deadline, you keep your
admission chances but lose the fellowship entirely. December 1 is the date
that matters. - Start your transcript and degree certificate requests early.
Official document turnaround from universities across much of the continent
routinely takes six to ten weeks. Begin in September at the latest. - Book your English test in good time. IELTS and TOEFL test
centre availability is tight in many African cities, and score reporting
adds a further two weeks. Sitting the test in October is cutting it fine. - Brief your referees properly. Recommendation letters are
named explicitly in the fellowship criteria. Give each referee your CV, the
programme description and your motivation letter, and a firm date at least
three weeks before the deadline. - Address financial need honestly in your application. The
criterion is that you have “no other means of financing” the
study. This is a genuine selection factor, not boilerplate. - Make your motivation letter programme-specific. Faculty
admission boards drive the nomination. Name the courses, research groups
and staff at Groningen that fit your goals — generic letters do not survive
a competitive shortlist. - Apply as though the fellowship does not exist. Have a plan
for what happens if you are admitted but not nominated, because a limited
number of grants are issued against a considerable number of applicants.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Eric Bleumink Fellowship?
The Eric Bleumink Fellowship is a fully funded master’s scholarship offered
by the University of Groningen in the Netherlands to talented students from
developing countries, covering tuition, international travel, subsistence, books
and health insurance for a one- or two-year master’s programme.
What is the Eric Bleumink Fellowship deadline?
There is no separate fellowship deadline. You must submit your University of
Groningen master’s application before 1 December, and hold provisional or
unconditional admission before February, to be considered for nomination.
Is the Eric Bleumink Fellowship fully funded?
Yes. The fellowship covers the tuition fee, costs of international travel,
subsistence, books and health insurance, which together constitute a full
funding package. The university does not publish a fixed euro value.
Can Nigerian, Kenyan or Ghanaian students apply?
Yes. Nigeria, Kenya and Ghana all appear on the University of Groningen’s
eligible countries list, along with 42 other African countries.
Can South African students apply for the Eric Bleumink Fellowship?
No. South Africa is not on the University of Groningen’s eligible countries
list for this fellowship. South African students should look at other University
of Groningen scholarship options instead.
Which degree levels does the fellowship cover?
Master’s degrees only — MSc, MA and LL.M. programmes starting in September.
The fellowship does not fund bachelor’s or PhD study.
Do I need to submit a separate scholarship application?
No. Nomination is made internally by the University of Groningen Admission
Office in consultation with faculty Admission Boards. Your master’s admission
application is the only application you submit.
How many Eric Bleumink Fellowships are awarded each year?
The University of Groningen does not publish a fixed number, stating only
that a considerable number of students apply each year while the university can
issue a limited number of grants. Treat it as highly competitive.
Can I apply if I already have other funding?
No. One of the stated criteria is that applicants have no other means of
financing the study in question.
Official application page
Apply for admission and read the full official criteria here:
https://www.rug.nl/education/scholarships/eric-bleumink-fellowship
Deadlines and eligibility lists are updated by the University of
Groningen each cycle. Always confirm details on the official page before
applying.