Do Dutch universities give scholarships to Indian students like me for a data science master's?
Yes. Indian students can apply for the NL Scholarship, worth 5,000 euro and paid in the first year, and for university awards such as the Amsterdam Merit Scholarship at UvA. Both are competitive and run through universities, so check each page for your programme.
Yes, Dutch universities and the national NL Scholarship offer funding that Indian students can apply for on data science master's programmes. Awards are merit based and applied for through the university, so scholarship planning starts with your admission plan. Always read the page for the exact programme and intake year.
Scholarships to check for a Dutch data science master's
| Scholarship | Offered by | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| NL Scholarship | Participating Dutch universities and universities of applied sciences | €5,000 (approx INR 5.32 L) paid in the first year; for non-EEA nationals with a place on a full-time master's at a participating institution; not a full-tuition award; you apply through the institution |
| Amsterdam Merit Scholarship | University of Amsterdam | Listed on the MSc Data Science and Business Analytics scholarship page; application opens at the beginning of October each year with a deadline of 15 January and results at the end of April |
| Other university awards | Individual Dutch universities | See the official page of each university for names, amounts and deadlines |
Steps to build your scholarship plan
- List the Dutch universities offering a data science or AI master's and open each scholarship page for your intake year.
- Check on the Study in NL site which universities take part in the NL Scholarship for the current year and whether your programme is eligible.
- Note the early deadlines, because many Dutch scholarship rounds close months before the programme starts.
- Prepare a motivation letter, strong academic record and recommendation letters, since awards are merit based.
- Apply to the university first and then follow its own scholarship instructions for deadlines and eligible fields.
My Advice
Do not rely on one scholarship. Apply to a mix of programmes, and budget for living costs in the Netherlands, since the NL Scholarship is a first-year payment and not a full funding package. Ask each international office whether scholarship decisions arrive before the tuition deposit date, so you are not forced to pay before you know.
This information is available on: studyinnl.org and uva.nl
Looking for a specific course in Netherlands?
We will find the universities that offer it, and whether you will get in.
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