The UM Brightlands Talent Scholarship programme offers four full coverage scholarships (including a tuition fee waiver and monthly stipend) per academic year for a selected number of top-performing non-EU/EEA students with personal development potential that have been (conditionally) admitted to a master’s programme connected to the Brightlands campi.
A mandatory component of the UM Brightlands Talent Scholarship is participating in the thesis-intership-programme (TIP), requiring scholarship recipients to write their thesis to an assignment for one of the companies on the respective Brightlands camp.
Target group: top-performing non-EU/EEA master’s students with high personal development potential that have been (conditionally) admitted to a master’s programme connected to the Brightlands campi and with a substantiated motivation to contribute to the campuses’ development.
About Maastricht University (UM)
Maastricht University (UM) is the most international university in the Netherlands and, with 18,000 students and 4,400 employees, is still growing. The university stands out for its innovative education model, international character and multidisciplinary approach to research and education. Thanks to its high-quality research and study programmes as well as a strong focus on social engagement, UM has quickly built up a solid reputation.
Aim and Benefits of UM Masters Scholarship
- Living Expenses: €15,925 for a 13-month program or €30,625 for a 25-month program, paid monthly by the UM International Services Desk.
- Health & Liability Insurance: Costs are fully covered and arranged by the UM International Services Desk.
- Visa Application Costs: Fully covered and arranged by the UM International Services Desk.
- Tuition Fees: Fully covered and arranged by the UM International Services Desk.
- Pre-Academic Training: Costs covered and arranged by the UM International Services Desk.
- International Student Ambassador Programme (ISAP): First block costs covered and arranged by the UM International Services Desk.
Additionally, recipients will be assigned accommodation as part of the scholarship, which must be accepted to maintain eligibility. The monthly living expenses allocation of €1,225 covers housing, groceries, personal needs, travel, and study materials. Please note that the accommodation is not suitable for family members, and preferences will be considered, though refusal of the room results in scholarship cancellation.
Duration of the UM Brightlands Talent Scholarship
- 13 months for a one-year master’s programme
- 25 months for a two-year master’s programme
Requirements for UM Masters Scholarship Qualification
All candidates must meet the following requirements:
You hold a nationality of a country outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland and meet the requirements for obtaining an entry visa and residence permit for the Netherlands. Please check this website before you apply to see in which country you have to collect your MVV visa for the Netherlands. If you already have a residence permit for another Schengen country, you can only apply if this residence permit is still valid until at least 2 September 2025. If your residence permit expires before 2 of September 2025 you can only apply for the Scholarship from your home country via a MVV visa application. More information can be found on the webpages of the Visa Office.
You do not have a dual nationality from an EU/EEA country or Switzerland
You have never participated in a degree-seeking higher education programme in the Netherlands. Students who have completed exchange programmes in the Netherlands are welcome to apply
You are not older than 35 years of age on 1 September 2025
You agree to become an active Brightlands and UM ambassador during and after your studies, by committing to share your experiences during at least one (information) session for students and/or other stakeholders
You have applied for admission to a participating master programme at UM for the 2025-2026 academic year
You meet the specific admission requirements of the UM master programme to which you have applied.
You can only submit an application once, please make sure all documents meet the requirements before you start your application. We cannot add or replace documents after you submit the application.
Documents Required for Application
Curriculum Vitae
Letter of motivation
Proof of academic excellence
Personal statement of financial needs
A reference letter
The contact details of one referee
Application Deadline: February 1, 2025
How to Apply
Interested and qualified? Go to Maastricht University (UM) on www.studielink.nl to apply
Step 1: Register for one of the participating master’s programmes at UM
For further details on how to register for a master’s programme at UM, please see your prospective programme’s webpage. Once you have submitted your application via Studielink, you will receive a student ID number for UM. You will need a student number in order to complete and submit the Scholarship Application Form (see Step 2 below).
Please note: only the master’s programmes in the list above are eligible for a UM Brightlands Talent Scholarship.
Please note: you first have to apply for the master programme at UM to receive your student ID, as soon as you have your student ID you can apply for the scholarship. However, you must meet all admission requirements, except legal residence, of your master programme before the Scholarship deadline. Please be aware that the admission deadline may differ to the Scholarship deadline.
Please note: if your study programme requires the payment of a handling fee as part of your programme’s admissions procedure, the UM International Services Desk does not cover handling fees. You are responsible for paying any handling fee your programme may require by 1 February 2025. To check whether your programme requires the payment of a handling fee, please check your programme’s webpage under the menu tab ‘Admission requirements’.
Step 2: Please fill in the application form, you need to log in with your UM account
You can find the application Form here. Upload the following documents in .doc, .docx or PDF format, and submit your application. Please note that you will only be able to submit your application once, so please ensure that all of your documents and referee contact details are up-to-date. If you have applied for multiple UM study programmes, the UM International Services Desk will ensure that your complete scholarship application is considered for all eligible programmes for which you have a conditionally approved or approved admissions status.
For more details, visit Maastricht University website
