Amsterdam Excellence Scholarship (Now the Amsterdam Merit Scholarship) 2026: €25,900 Master's Funding at the University of Amsterdam

Amsterdam Excellence Scholarship (Now the Amsterdam Merit Scholarship) 2026: €25,900 Master’s Funding at the University of Amsterdam

If you have been searching for the “Amsterdam Excellence Scholarship” (AES), here is the most important thing to know before you spend another hour hunting for an application form: the University of Amsterdam (UvA) has consolidated its top merit funding under a single, current name — the Amsterdam Merit Scholarship (AMS). The old AES web page no longer resolves, and the UvA’s excellence-based award for outstanding international master’s students is now delivered through the AMS. The purpose is the same one that made the AES worth chasing: a substantial, competitive scholarship for exceptional students from outside the EU/EEA who are admitted to a participating master’s programme in Amsterdam.

This page explains what the scholarship actually offers today, who fits it, how the application is tied to your admission, when the deadlines fall, what materials you need, and how to give yourself a genuine shot at one of a very small number of awards. Where a figure or date is confirmed on official UvA pages, it is stated plainly. Where it varies by faculty or has not been published for a future cycle, that is flagged rather than guessed.

Amsterdam Excellence / Merit Scholarship at a Glance

What the Scholarship Offers

The headline benefit is money that meaningfully changes whether an international student can study in Amsterdam at all. For the 2026-2027 academic year the UvA states the award value as €25,900. This is designed to help cover the two heaviest costs of a master’s abroad: the institutional (non-EU/EEA) tuition fee and living expenses in a high-cost European city.

A few practical points on how the money works, based on UvA and faculty guidance:

• The scholarship is generally applied toward tuition and living costs, with the living-cost portion typically paid out over the year rather than as a single lump sum. Tuition is usually still due on the university’s normal payment schedule, so you should plan cash flow around that.
• It is awarded for one academic year. For two-year master’s programmes, continuation into the second year is possible but conditional on strong academic progress in year one (faculties commonly reference a threshold such as passing a set number of ECTS credits). Treat the second year as earned, not automatic.
• Because the AES has been folded into the AMS, you will see the current award described everywhere under the “Amsterdam Merit Scholarship” name. If a third-party listing still says “Amsterdam Excellence Scholarship,” it is describing the same UvA merit funding stream under its former label.

What the award does not do is remove every cost. Amsterdam is expensive, housing is tight, and €25,900 is generous but not unlimited. Think of it as the difference between “possible” and “impossible,” not as a blank cheque.

Who the Scholarship Fits

This scholarship is built for a specific person: a genuinely high-achieving international student who has earned admission to a strong UvA master’s and needs substantial funding to accept it. You are a strong candidate if:

• You hold a non-EU/EEA passport. The AMS for master’s students is aimed at students from outside the European Union / European Economic Area, who face the higher institutional tuition rate.
• You have an excellent academic record — realistically, results near the top of your cohort, strong grades in relevant coursework, and evidence you can handle a demanding, research-oriented programme.
• Your chosen master’s programme genuinely fits your trajectory. Selection considers how well the programme connects to your background and goals, so a coherent academic story matters as much as raw grades.
• You are self-aware about funding. The award is intended for students who need it to make Amsterdam viable and who are not already fully funded by another comparable grant.

If you are an EU/EEA student, this particular master’s award is generally not for you; you should look at other UvA funding, national student finance, and programme-specific options instead. If your grades are solid but not exceptional, be honest with yourself: this is a small, fiercely competitive award, and a thin academic record is unlikely to clear the bar.

Eligibility Requirements

Exact wording is set per faculty and Graduate School, but the consistent core requirements across UvA pages are:

1. Nationality: You hold a non-EU/EEA passport.
2. Admission link: You have applied for, or been admitted to, a participating full-time master’s programme at the University of Amsterdam. Not every programme takes part, so confirm your specific master’s is eligible before you build your plan around the scholarship.
3. Academic excellence: You can demonstrate outstanding results and clear intellectual promise. This is the decisive criterion.
4. Motivation and fit: You can articulate why this programme, why the UvA, and why now — convincingly and specifically.
5. Funding status: You typically must not already be fully supported by another comparable scholarship or loan for the same study.

Because eligibility details and any programme-specific conditions differ between faculties, always cross-check the requirements on your own Graduate School’s AMS page. If in doubt, email that Graduate School’s admissions office directly.

The Application Process and Its Link to Admission

The most important structural fact about this scholarship is that it is tied to your admission. You do not apply for the scholarship in a vacuum; you apply to a master’s programme and, in parallel or immediately after, submit the scholarship request through the relevant Graduate School.

A realistic sequence looks like this:

1. Choose a participating master’s programme and confirm it takes part in the AMS.
2. Apply for admission to that programme through the UvA’s standard admissions route, meeting the programme’s own academic and language requirements.
3. Submit the scholarship application to your faculty’s or Graduate School’s admissions office, following their specific instructions and documents. Some faculties treat the scholarship as a separate form; others fold it into the admission file. Read your Graduate School’s page carefully.
4. Selection by the faculty / Graduate School. Candidates are assessed on academic excellence, motivation, and programme fit. Because faculties administer their own selection, decisions and timelines are handled at the faculty level.

The key discipline here is to run admission and funding as one coordinated effort, not two disconnected tasks. A scholarship application submitted without (or well after) a strong, complete admission file is a weak application.

Timeline and Deadlines

Deadlines are not universal — they are set by each faculty or Graduate School, and this trips up applicants every year. From current UvA faculty pages, the pattern for master’s programmes starting in September is:

• Amsterdam Law School: scholarship application by 15 January (23:59 CET).
• Graduate School of Sciences: application deadline around 15 January.
• Social and Behavioural Sciences: application by early February (recent cycles have used 2 February, 23:59 CET).

Two things follow from this. First, most deadlines cluster in January, which is early relative to the September start — you cannot leave admission to the last minute and still make the funding cut-off. Second, because the exact date is faculty-specific and future-cycle dates are published closer to the intake, you must confirm your own programme’s deadline on its official page rather than relying on any general figure. The scholarship’s deadline field on this listing is intentionally left blank for that reason; the honest answer is “it depends on your faculty, and it is usually in January.” If you are planning ahead for a September 2027 start, expect the relevant deadline to fall around January 2027 and verify it as soon as the cycle opens.

Required Materials

Precise document lists vary by Graduate School, but you should prepare a package along these lines and check your faculty’s page for exact requirements:

• A complete admission application to a participating master’s programme, including academic transcripts and diplomas.
• Proof of your academic standing — grades, class rank if available, and any evidence of being among the top of your cohort.
• A strong motivation / personal statement that ties your background to the specific programme and to your goals. For a merit award, this is where fit and ambition are judged.
• Letters of recommendation, where the programme or scholarship requires them, from people who can speak credibly to your academic ability.
• Proof of English proficiency (for example an accepted IELTS or TOEFL score) as required by the programme.
• A CV and any programme-specific forms the Graduate School requests.

Assemble certified and translated documents early. International transcript verification and reference letters are the two things that most often arrive late.

Preparation Strategy

Because this is a small, high-bar award, strategy matters as much as effort:

• Secure the admission first, and make it strong. The scholarship rides on your admission file. A borderline application will not be rescued by a good essay.
• Start six to nine months ahead. With January-ish deadlines for a September start, a comfortable timeline means beginning in the preceding summer or early autumn.
• Write the motivation statement for the reader. Selectors are looking for excellence, clear motivation, and genuine fit with the programme. Name the courses, research groups, or faculty that make this specific UvA master’s the right choice, and connect them to concrete goals.
• Line up references early and brief them on the programme so they can write specifically rather than generically.
• Confirm participation and deadlines in writing. A short, polite email to your Graduate School’s admissions office to confirm your programme participates and to confirm the exact scholarship deadline can save you from a fatal assumption.
• Have a funding backup. Even excellent candidates miss out on scarce merit awards. Identify other UvA scholarships, external funders in your home country, and loan options so that a “no” does not end your plans.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Chasing the old AES name and a dead link. The former Amsterdam Excellence Scholarship page returns a not-found error. Apply through the current Amsterdam Merit Scholarship route instead.
• Assuming one deadline for everyone. Deadlines are faculty-specific. Missing your Graduate School’s actual date is the single most common way strong candidates disqualify themselves.
• Treating the scholarship as separate from admission. They are linked. A late or weak admission file undermines the funding request.
• Assuming every programme participates. Not all master’s programmes are included. Verify yours before you commit.
• Expecting automatic second-year funding. Continuation for two-year programmes is conditional on academic progress, not guaranteed.
• Under-investing in the motivation statement. For a merit award, fit and ambition are assessed here; a generic essay is a wasted opportunity.
• Applying without financial planning. With limited awards and no guarantee, having no backup funding is a real risk.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Amsterdam Excellence Scholarship still available? The UvA’s excellence-based master’s funding now runs as the Amsterdam Merit Scholarship (AMS). The former AES page no longer resolves, so apply through the current AMS route.

How much is the award? For the 2026-2027 academic year the UvA states the value as €25,900, applied toward tuition and living costs.

Is it a full scholarship? It is a high-value award covering a large share of tuition and living costs, but it is not framed as covering every possible expense; budget for the gap, especially given Amsterdam’s cost of living.

Can EU/EEA students apply? The master’s AMS covered here is aimed at students holding a non-EU/EEA passport. EU/EEA students should look at other UvA and national funding options.

Does it cover two years? It is awarded for one year, with possible extension into a second year for two-year programmes if you make satisfactory academic progress.

When is the deadline? It is set per faculty, commonly in January (mid-January for Law and Science, early February for Social Sciences). Confirm your own programme’s exact date on its official page.

How do I apply? Apply for admission to a participating master’s programme, then submit the scholarship application to that programme’s faculty or Graduate School admissions office by their deadline.

Official Links and Next Steps

Start with the University of Amsterdam’s official master’s scholarship page and then find your specific faculty’s page:

• Amsterdam Merit Scholarship, master’s overview: uva.nl master’s Amsterdam Merit Scholarship
• Master’s scholarships and loans overview: uva.nl scholarships and loans

Confirm three things directly with your Graduate School before you rely on this award: that your master’s programme participates, the exact document requirements, and the precise application deadline for your intake. Details and figures here reflect information published by the University of Amsterdam and are subject to change per academic year, so treat the official UvA pages as the authoritative source.