The prestigious Huygens Scholarship Programme is open to excellent students from all countries. It is aimed at talented students who want to come to the Netherlands in the final phase of their bachelor’s studies or during their master’s studies.
The Dutch Minister of Education, Culture and Science has allocated seven million euros for excellent students coming to the Netherlands under the Huygens Scholarship Programme. There is no fixed number of available scholarships. The actual number is determined by the total cost of the variable components of the scholarships.
PhD applications can only be accepted from excellent students with the Icelandic, Macedonian, Chinese, Croatian or Turkish nationality. Furthermore, the minister has allocated part of the total budget for excellent students following programmes in Dutch language and literature, or Neerlandistiek.
The Huygens Scholarship Programme is highly competitive. To illustrate this: for the 2011 scholarship round it is expected that out of approximately 1,700 applications only 150 candidates will be awarded a scholarship.
Eligibility requirements
- You are an excellent student: you have obtained excellent results in all your previous studies and you are at least in the top 5% of students in your study or research programme. Please show this in your application file by including, for example, grade lists or reference letters. In case of equivalent qualification preference will be given to applications which show that you are among the top 5%.
- The Dutch study programme should be registered in CROHO, the Central Register of Higher Education Programmes. You can find this information in the Dutch nomination letter provided by the Dutch host institution.
- You should be in the final phase of your bachelor’s studies, or studying towards a master’s degree in the Netherlands, and your study must be used to earn a degree at the Dutch institution.
- Scholarships are only awarded for studies lasting at least 6 months, but no longer than 24 months. In case of equivalent qualification preference will be given to applications for 12 to 24 months.
- Your studies or research in the Netherlands must constitute a deepening and broadening of your previous studies.
- If you are already a graduate, you must have graduated less than one year ago.
- It is possible to do research or practical training, but it must form part of your studies (a programme on the CROHO list), i.e. you must receive study credits for it. In case of equivalent qualification preference will be given to applications for study programmes.
- At the start of the academic year (1 September) in which you study in the Netherlands, you must be no older than 35 years of age. In case of equivalent qualification preference will be given to a younger candidate.
- You must have already attended a programme of education (e.g. high school or above) in a country outside the Netherlands.
More specific information on the Huygens Scholarship Programme
Visa requirements
To enter the Netherlands and take up temporary residence, you will need to complete the correct immigration formalities. What the immigration authorities require depends on your nationality and your purpose of stay in the Netherlands. For more information, visit the How to prepare section.
If you have been selected for a Huygens scholarship, please contact the Huygens contact person of your host institution to get more information about the procedure before taking any action.Payment of the scholarship
Nuffic does not pay the scholarship directly to students. You will receive the scholarship from your Dutch host institution at the start of the academic year. After making appropriate deductions for tuition fees/bench fees and (if applicable) health insurance premiums, immigration service fees and accommodation costs, your host institution will pay the scholarship to you in monthly installments.
Completion of the scholarship
On completion of your studies, your Dutch host institution will send Nuffic a copy of your academic record (transcript) or, if you are a PhD student, an evaluation report of your PhD research activities.