Utrecht Excellence Scholarships

The Utrecht Excellence Scholarship (UES) is a highly selective programme meant for talented international students from outside the European Economic Area (EEA = the EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway) who seek to pursue a Master’s degree at Utrecht University.

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Funding
The funds for the scholarships come from the Utrecht Excellence Scholarship Fund, established by Utrecht University, and contributions from Utrecht University alumni.

Selection criteria
Eligible candidates are selected for a scholarship on the basis of the following criteria:

1. Academic quality and promise in the proposed field of study, as evidenced by your Master’s application;
2. Academic excellence, as evidenced by proof of belonging to the top 10% of your graduating class (class ranking certificate, GPA with grade distribution overview, statement/reference letter signed and stamped by your University);
3. The quality and relevance of the motivation letter for the Master’s programme (academic content, intercultural and communication skills, personal motivation);
4. The quality of the application for the Master’s programme itself (completeness, accuracy, consistency).

Scholarship amount
The Utrecht Excellence scholarship can be awarded as:

1. the tuition fee, or
2. the tuition fee plus the income required for a period of one year linked to a residence permit for study as determined by the IND (Immigration and Naturalisation Service).
   The scholarship can be renewed for the second year of two-year master’s programmes.

Deadline
Prospective students who wish to be considered for the scholarship must apply before 31 January 2023 (23:59 CET). The application portal will close at this time. Selection will only start after the deadline. We aim to publish the results by mid-April.

How to apply
After submitting an application (or applications) for a UES-eligible master’s programme before the stated deadline, non-EU/EEA students will have the opportunity to submit an application for one Utrecht Excellence Scholarship from 1 November 2022. You will see the UES application(s) in your OSIRIS Online Application account dashboard. Click view/edit for the UES linked (related process) to the programme you wish to apply for, upload the requested proof of belonging to the top 10% of your class, answer the questions and submit the application.