Utrecht University has opened the Law, Economics and Governance International Talent Scholarship (LEGITS) for master’s programmes that start on 1 September 2027. The faculty award covers the tuition fee, and for a non-EU student that means the institutional tuition fee rather than the much lower statutory rate.
Applications for the scholarship open on 1 November 2026 through the OSIRIS online application system and close on 1 February 2027 at 23:59 CET. Around four LEGITS awards are made each year, so this is a small, competitive award rather than a mass scholarship.
Utrecht University LEGITS scholarship 2027 at a glance
Quick facts2026-27
| Scholarship from | Utrecht University, Faculty of Law, Economics and Governance (School of Law and School of Economics master’s programmes) |
| Last date to apply | 1 February 2027, 23:59 CET (applications open 1 November 2026) |
| Official website | uu.nl – Law, Economics and Governance International Talent Scholarship |
What the LEGITS scholarship covers
- The tuition fee for your master’s programme. EU/EEA students get the statutory tuition fee covered; non-EU/EEA students get the institutional tuition fee covered.
- The award can be renewed for the second year of a two-year master’s programme if you show satisfactory academic progress in the first year.
- The university page lists the tuition fee only. It does not promise a separate living-cost stipend, so plan your living expenses from other funds; Utrecht University publishes its own cost-of-living estimate on its Arriving and living pages.
About four LEGITS scholarships are awarded each year across the eligible master’s programmes, which is why the faculty calls it a selective scholarship programme.
Who can apply for LEGITS
Both EU/EEA and non-EU/EEA students can apply, so Indian students are eligible. To be considered you must:
- Hold a non-Dutch secondary education qualification and a non-Dutch bachelor’s degree.
- Use the scholarship for your first master’s degree in the Netherlands.
- Be accepted to an English-taught master’s programme of the Graduate School of Law or the Graduate School of Economics with a start date of 1 September 2027.
- Have applied to the master’s programme first: the scholarship application is only processed after your programme application is in OSIRIS.
Applications that do not meet these criteria are cancelled without review, so check the faculty’s own programme list before you write the personal statement.
How LEGITS recipients are selected
- Academic quality and fit with the master’s programme, judged from transcripts, educational background, career achievements and the motivation letter.
- Societal engagement, initiative and the potential contribution to a diverse, international learning environment, judged from the scholarship personal statement.
- Overall quality and completeness of the application file.
Utrecht University says selection only starts after the deadline, and the faculty aims to inform applicants about the outcome by mid-April. You will not hear about the scholarship before your admission decision is known.
How to apply for the LEGITS scholarship
- Submit your application for an eligible master’s programme in the OSIRIS Online Application system. Do this well before the deadline.
- Log in to OSIRIS again and open the LEGITS option that appears as a related process under your master’s application from 1 November 2026.
- Upload the requested LEGITS personal statement and answer the scholarship questions.
- Submit the scholarship application before 1 February 2027, 23:59 CET.
One practical warning from the faculty: if you submit between 26 January and 1 February, incomplete or incorrect information cannot be corrected afterwards. Apply early so that missing documents can still be added.
Important dates for the 2027 intake
- 1 November 2026: the LEGITS application option opens in OSIRIS.
- 1 February 2027, 23:59 CET: deadline for both the master’s application and the scholarship application.
- Mid-April 2027: applicants are told the outcome by email.
- 1 September 2027: programme start date required by the scholarship rules.
Documents to keep ready
- A completed OSIRIS master’s application with transcripts and degree documents.
- The LEGITS personal statement explaining your academic fit, societal engagement and what you bring to an international classroom.
- English language proof that meets the master’s programme requirement, because the scholarship only applies once you are admitted.
- A valid passport, since your nationality decides which tuition fee the scholarship has to cover.
Utrecht Excellence Scholarship is not available any more
Many students searching for Utrecht University funding still look for the Utrecht Excellence Scholarship (UES). Utrecht University’s own scholarship page now states that, due to budget cuts, the UES will no longer be offered for programmes starting in the 2026-2027 academic year and that no new UES applications will be accepted from the upcoming admissions cycle. Students who were already awarded a UES keep their award.
You can read that notice on the Utrecht Excellence Scholarships page. For law and economics master’s students the LEGITS award is the faculty-level replacement route; other Utrecht faculties list their own grants on the university’s scholarships and grants index.
Frequently asked questions
The scholarship application closes on 1 February 2027 at 23:59 CET. The scholarship option in OSIRIS opens on 1 November 2026, and your master’s application must be submitted before the scholarship is processed.
Yes. The faculty states that both EU/EEA and non-EU/EEA students are eligible, and for non-EU students the scholarship covers the institutional tuition fee.
Approximately four LEGITS scholarships are awarded each year, according to the Faculty of Law, Economics and Governance.
No. The faculty page describes the scholarship amount as covering the tuition fee only, with no separate living allowance. Budget for rent, food, insurance and travel yourself.
Yes, for a two-year master’s programme the award can be renewed if you demonstrate satisfactory academic progress during the first year.
No. Utrecht University states that the Utrecht Excellence Scholarship will not be offered for programmes starting in the 2026-2027 academic year because of budget cuts, and no new applications are accepted.
Yes. You apply to the master’s programme in OSIRIS first, then submit the LEGITS scholarship application as a related process under that application.
Official links
- LEGITS scholarship page, Utrecht University
- Utrecht Excellence Scholarships notice
- Utrecht University scholarships and grants index
Related reading: study abroad scholarships
international scholarships
post graduation scholarships
Related scholarship posts: Maastricht NL-High Potential Scholarship, Leiden University Excellence Scholarship, TU Delft Excellence Scholarship.