Amsterdam Excellence Scholarship for International Students in Netherlands, 2015

Applications are invited for Amsterdam Excellence Scholarship available for international students from outside Europe. Students from any discipline who graduated in the top 10% of their class may apply. The AES is a full scholarship of € 25,000 covering tuition and living expenses for one academic year, with the possibility of extension for a second year for two-year Master’s programmes. Scholarship recipients will join extracurricular activities and become part of a selective community. Selection is on the basis of academic excellence, ambition and the relevance of the selected Master’s programme to a student’s future career. The application deadline is 15 January 2015.
Study Subject (s): Scholarships are awarded in all subjects available within the Amsterdam Law School, Economics and Business, Faculty of Science, Graduate School of Child Development and Education, Graduate School of Communication, Graduate School of Humanities, Graduate School of Psychology and Graduate School of Social Sciences. Course Level: Scholarships are available for pursuing master’s degree level at the University of Amsterdam in Netherlands. Scholarship Provider: University of Amsterdam, Netherlands Scholarship can be taken at: Netherlands
Eligibility: Candidates wishing to apply for an AES scholarship must meet the following requirements:
-Hold a non-EU/EEA passport and not be eligible for support under the Dutch system of study grants and loans (Studiefinanciering). The scholarship office should be notified as soon as possible of any change in nationality, type of residence permit, and/or possible Studiefinanciering support throughout the academic year.
-Be (provisionally) admitted to an English-taught Master’s degree programme at the University of Amsterdam which is registered in the Central Register of Higher Education Programmes (CROHO). You can apply for the Master’s programme and the AES scholarship simultaneously. Your Master’s application will be assessed before the AES deadline. In your application, clearly indicate that you are applying for the AES scholarship.
-Be (provisionally) admitted to a Master’s programme at the UvA for the first time. An AES will not be awarded to candidates who are admitted for a second Master’s programme at the UvA.
-Be able to comply with Dutch visa regulations as indicated by the Dutch Immigration Service (IND).
-Be enrolled at the UvA as a full-time student for the academic year and the programme for which the scholarship is awarded. Scholarship continuation is not guaranteed when a candidate changes his or her Master’s programme.
-The candidate should not receive another scholarship for the same period of study as the AES. Notify the UvA if you have been awarded and accepted another scholarship.
Scholarship Open for International Students: International students from outside Europe are eligible for this Amsterdam Excellence Scholarship.
Scholarship Description: A prestigious new scholarship programme has recently been launched targeting exceptionally talented Master’s students from outside Europe. The Amsterdam Excellence Scholarship (AES) is a full scholarship of €25,000, covering tuition and living expenses for one academic year. There is the possibility of an extension for a second year for two-year Master’s programmes. The UvA will award up to 15 of these scholarships annually.
Number of award(s): The UvA will award up to 15 of these Amsterdam Excellence Scholarships (AES) annually.
Duration of award(s): Scholarship will be offered for one year with the possibility of extension for a second year for two-year Master’s programmes.
What does it cover? The AES is a full scholarship of € 25,000 covering tuition and living expenses for one academic year, with the possibility of extension for a second year for two-year Master’s programmes. Scholarship recipients will join extracurricular activities and become part of a selective community.
Selection Criteria: Eligible candidates are selected for a scholarship on the basis of their academic excellence and promise in the proposed field as evidenced by:
-the candidate’s academic records. Students from any discipline belonging to the top 10% of graduates from their class can apply;
-the academic quality of the educational institute where the undergraduate (or graduate) programme has been obtained;
-a letter of recommendation by a dean, teacher or academic supervisor;
-the quality of the letter of motivation (maximum 500 words) in which the candidate explains the reasons for choosing the specific Master’s programme (broader context, relevance for future career);
-a description of extracurricular activities such as participation in student commissions, international experience, sports or music at a high level or volunteer work;
-proof of English proficiency (IELTS/TOEFL): TOEFL (internet-based) – overall score of 100 (with a minimum score of 22 in each of the different components), IELTS (academic) – overall score of 7.0 (with at least 7.0 in each of the four components);
-the quality of the application as a whole (completeness, accuracy, consistency).
Notification: Candidates who are awarded an AES scholarship will be contacted in April, 2015.
How to Apply: Applications for the Amsterdam Excellence Scholarship (AES) are made through the admissions office of the faculties and graduate schools. As long as you meet all the requirements, you can apply for the AES at the same time as you register for your programme.
Scholarship Application Deadline: Applications for 2015-2016 will be accepted until 15 January 2015. However, please be aware that the scholarship application deadline is 15 January 2015 which is earlier than the application deadline for most of the Master’s programmes.
Further Official Scholarship Information and Application