The Radboud Scholarship Programme is one of the better known funding routes into a Dutch master’s degree, and it is worth understanding precisely what it does, because the name oversells it slightly. It is a partial scholarship offered by Radboud University in Nijmegen, funded through the university’s own Profiling Fund, and it works by cutting your tuition bill down to a small fraction of the international rate rather than by handing you a cash award.
For an African applicant the arithmetic is what makes this attractive. International tuition at Radboud runs to roughly 19,000 euros a year depending on the programme, and a Radboud Scholarship reduces that to 2,771 euros, an amount the university notes is still to be confirmed. The scholarship also covers your visa and residence permit costs, plus health and liability insurance through Aon Student Insurance. That is a very large saving, and it applies for the full nominal duration of your master’s.
Be equally clear about what it does not do. Living and study costs in the Netherlands are not covered, and you will still need to show a Dutch visa authority that you can support yourself. There are also only 26 places across the whole university for the 2027/2028 intake, distributed unevenly across faculties, which makes this genuinely competitive. Treat it as a substantial discount you must win, not as a free ride.
Scholarship benefits
- A reduced tuition fee of 2,771 euros for your whole master’s programme, down from an international rate that can reach around 19,000 euros a year depending on the programme. Radboud notes the figure is still to be confirmed.
- Coverage of your visa and residence permit costs.
- Health insurance and liability insurance through Aon Student Insurance.
- The award runs for the nominal duration of your master’s, so a two year programme is covered for both years.
- It can be combined with the NL Scholarship, which is worth investigating separately since the two together close more of the funding gap.
- Holding a full scholarship also exempts you from the 75 euro handling fee that non-EEA master’s applicants normally pay, with proof.
Two conditions attach to the money. On a two year master’s, your second year grant depends on passing all of your first year courses, so the renewal is earned rather than automatic. And because living and study costs are excluded, you need a realistic budget for rent, food and daily expenses in Nijmegen before you accept a place.
Eligibility checklist
✔ You hold a non-EU and non-EEA passport, which covers applicants from across Africa.
✔ You are not eligible for the lower EU or EEA tuition rate for any other reason.
✔ You hold, or will obtain, a bachelor’s degree from outside the Netherlands, and you have no Dutch degrees or prior Dutch education. An exchange programme does not disqualify you if it formed part of your foreign bachelor’s.
✔ You meet the English proficiency requirement for your chosen programme.
✔ You will be fully admitted to a programme starting 1 September 2027, as confirmed in a formal admission letter.
✔ You can meet the conditions for a Dutch visa and will enrol full time at Radboud for the scholarship year.
✔ Your programme is an English taught Radboud master’s. Erasmus Mundus and joint degree master’s programmes are excluded.
Application tips for African students
- Know which faculty you are competing in, because the odds differ sharply. The 26 places are split as Science 9, Social Sciences 7, Nijmegen School of Management 5, Arts 2, Law 2, and Philosophy, Theology and Religious Studies 1. A Science applicant is competing for nine places, a Philosophy applicant for one. Factor that into how much effort you invest and whether you apply elsewhere in parallel.
- Work to 31 January, not 14 February. Both dates matter and people confuse them. You must submit in OSIRIS by 31 January 2027, after which Student Admissions returns your application so you can pay the handling fee and fix any corrections. Everything must then be complete by 14 February 2027. If you submit on 31 January itself, you leave almost no room for that correction loop.
- Budget for the 75 euro handling fee and pay it promptly. Non-EEA master’s applicants pay a one time 75 euro fee, and your application is not considered until proof of payment arrives. The payment link can take a few days to reach you, longer in busy periods, so build that delay into your timeline. It is refunded once you are fully enrolled, but not if you are rejected.
- Secure two strong academic references early. You upload two reference letters and a CV with the scholarship application, and the quality of those letters is one of the three formal selection criteria. Radboud prefers academic referees and publishes reference guidelines, so send your referees those guidelines rather than leaving them to guess.
- Write the motivation letter to the ambition criterion. Selection weighs academic excellence, ambition and references. Ambition is judged on the quality of your motivation letter, the promise shown by past achievements, and life experience such as internships or volunteering. Name specific things you have done and what you intend to do with the degree.
- Get your English test done before mid February. Radboud recommends having proof of English proficiency in place before the 14 February completion deadline. Test slots and result processing take weeks in many African countries, so book in good time rather than assuming you can add it later.
- Remember that admission and the scholarship are judged separately. Being admitted to the programme does not mean you get funding. Prepare the scholarship materials with the same seriousness as the admission application, and do not email them to the scholarships address, since that is explicitly not how applications are received.
How to apply
The scholarship is applied for inside your master’s application in OSIRIS, Radboud’s application system. Follow these steps:
- Step 1. Choose an eligible English taught Radboud master’s starting 1 September 2027, avoiding Erasmus Mundus and joint degree programmes.
- Step 2. Apply for admission in OSIRIS and select the scholarship option within that application.
- Step 3. Upload two reference letters and your CV. Documents you already uploaded for the admission application can be reused.
- Step 4. Submit by 31 January 2027 at 23:59 CET. Student Admissions will return the application to you so you can pay the 75 euro handling fee, upload proof of payment, and make any corrections requested. Resubmit promptly.
- Step 5. Ensure the complete application, including proof of English proficiency, is in by 14 February 2027 at 23:59 CET. Incomplete applications are not considered.
- Step 6. Await the decision, expected before mid April 2027, though Radboud notes this is subject to change. Some faculties apply extra criteria and some programmes hold interviews.
Full conditions, the reference guidelines and the current figures are on the official Radboud Scholarship Programme page.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Radboud Scholarship fully funded?
No. It is a partial scholarship. It reduces your tuition fee to 2,771 euros, an amount still to be confirmed, and covers visa, residence permit, health insurance and liability insurance. Living and study costs in the Netherlands are not covered, so you must fund those yourself.
How much is it actually worth?
That depends on your programme’s international tuition rate, which Radboud illustrates with an example of 19,000 euros. If your programme charges that, the scholarship saves you the difference between it and 2,771 euros each year, plus your visa and insurance costs. Check your specific programme’s fee to work out your own figure.
Who can apply?
Applicants holding a non-EU and non-EEA passport who are not otherwise entitled to the lower EU or EEA tuition rate, hold or will obtain a bachelor’s degree from outside the Netherlands, have no prior Dutch education, meet the English requirement, and are fully admitted to an eligible English taught Radboud master’s starting 1 September 2027.
When are the deadlines?
Submit in OSIRIS by 31 January 2027 at 23:59 CET, then make sure the application is complete by 14 February 2027 at 23:59 CET. The final decision is expected before mid April 2027, subject to change.
How many scholarships are there?
Up to 26 for this cycle, divided between faculties as Science 9, Social Sciences 7, Nijmegen School of Management 5, Arts 2, Law 2, and Philosophy, Theology and Religious Studies 1.
Do I have to pay an application fee?
Non-EEA master’s applicants pay a one time handling fee of 75 euros, and the application is not considered until proof of payment is received. It is refunded once you are fully enrolled, but not if you are not admitted. Holders of a full scholarship are exempt with proof, as are EEA citizens, holders of a Dutch residence permit, UAF supported students and current Radboud exchange students.
Will I keep the scholarship for a two year master’s?
Only if you earn it. For two year programmes, the second year grant requires passing all of your first year courses.
Can I combine it with other funding?
Yes, it can be combined with the NL Scholarship. Since the Radboud award does not cover living costs, pursuing both is worth considering.