Maastricht NL Social Justice Scholarship 2027

The Maastricht University NL Social Justice Scholarship 2027-28 is a full award – tuition fee waiver plus a monthly stipend – for one student a year entering the master’s programme Globalisation and Law at Maastricht University in the Netherlands. It is aimed at non-EU students who can already show work in human rights or the rule of law, and it comes with a mandatory room in Maastricht for the duration of the degree.

The window for the 2027-28 cycle is short and runs in two steps: the study-programme application must be complete by 10 December 2026, and the scholarship form closes on 1 February 2027 at 23:59 CET. Applications opened on 1 October 2026 and only one scholarship application per student is allowed, so the programme choice has to be settled first.

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Maastricht NL Social Justice Scholarship 2027: quick facts

Quick facts2026-27

Scholarship from	Maastricht University, Netherlands (UM International Services Desk)
Last date to apply	1 February 2027, 23:59 CET for the scholarship form. The Globalisation and Law admission application must be complete by 10 December 2026
Official website	maastrichtuniversity.nl – UM NL Social Justice Scholarship

Go to official website

What the scholarship covers

The award is described by the university as 1 full scholarship per academic year, and it lasts 13 months for the one-year master’s programme. The listed components are:

Tuition fees at cost, arranged and paid by the UM International Services Desk.
Living expenses of EUR 20,150 across the 13 months, paid out at EUR 1,550 per month.
Health and liability insurance of EUR 700, arranged and paid by UM.
Visa application costs at cost, also arranged and paid by UM.
Pre-Academic Training costs and International Student Ambassador Programme (ISAP) costs for the first block only.

The monthly amount is an allowance, not a free float: the university publishes the breakdown as housing EUR 960, groceries and personal hygiene EUR 160, books and study materials EUR 90, clothing, hobbies and going out EUR 125 and miscellaneous EUR 55, with telephone/internet and transport inside the remainder. Air tickets are not included and the cleaning fee of about EUR 75 is paid directly to Maastricht Housing. All amounts are marked as subject to change for 2027-28.

A room is part of the package and you cannot decline it: accepting the scholarship means accepting the allocated accommodation until July 2028, the housing is not suitable for partners, children or pets, and refusing the room cancels the scholarship.

Who is eligible for the Maastricht social justice scholarship

You hold a nationality outside the EU/EEA, and outside Switzerland and Surinam, and you meet the requirements for a Dutch entry visa and residence permit.
You have applied for admission to the full-time master’s programme Globalisation and Law for the 2027-28 academic year – this is the only programme eligible for the award.
Your admission file is complete and meets every admission requirement before 10 December 2026.
You are not older than 35 on 1 September 2027.
Your latest grade transcript shows a GPA of 7.5 out of 10 or higher – the university treats this as at least 75% of the maximum grade or 3 out of 4, depending on the grading system.
You have a track record of supporting the rule of law and/or human rights, which is what the selection committee is asked to weigh.
You submit one application for one UM scholarship only; multiple applications are disqualified, and documents cannot be added or replaced after submission.

Handling fees charged by a study programme are not covered by the UM International Services Desk, and where a programme charges one it must be paid by 10 December 2026.

Documents to upload

Curriculum vitae of no more than two A4 pages, including education, work experience and any awards or prizes.
Motivation letter on the university’s template, focused on what you have already done to improve human rights.
Proof of academic excellence: an official transcript or a statement from your home university showing the latest GPA, plus a document explaining your grading system.
Personal statement of financial needs, describing your circumstances such as financial difficulty, caregiving responsibilities, a medical condition, a disability or refugee status.
Reference letter from a former professor, lecturer or employer – never a family member – dated no earlier than February 2026 and written on institutional letterhead or from a work email address.

How to apply

Apply for the master’s programme Globalisation and Law through Studielink and complete the admission file before 10 December 2026. Studielink issues the UM student number you need for the next step.
Use that student number to open the scholarship application form and upload all five documents in one submission – the form opens on 1 October 2026.
Submit before 1 February 2027, 23:59 CET. By that date every registration requirement must be met except legal residence, tuition payment and the hard copy of your diploma.

Selection procedure and results

After 1 February 2027 the UM International Services Desk checks which applications are complete.
The Faculty of Law ranks its applicants and sends its top 3 to the International Services Desk in February 2027.
UM confirms the faculty selections by the end of March 2027 and invites shortlisted candidates to an online interview, for which you prepare an action plan on how the degree will help you strengthen human rights or the rule of law.
All candidates are told their status in April 2027, with selected, waitlisted or rejected confirmed by early May 2027. Awardees then sign and return the award letter to accept.

Important dates for 2027-28

1 October 2026 – scholarship applications open.
10 December 2026 – deadline to apply to Globalisation and Law and complete the admission file.
1 February 2027, 23:59 CET – scholarship application closes.
February 2027 – Faculty of Law ranks candidates and forwards its top 3.
End of March 2027 – interviews for shortlisted candidates.
April to early May 2027 – results, including the waitlist, are confirmed.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Maastricht NL Social Justice Scholarship?

It is one full scholarship a year at Maastricht University for a non-EU student entering the master’s programme Globalisation and Law. It covers tuition fees at cost, EUR 20,150 in living expenses over 13 months, EUR 700 of health and liability insurance, visa costs and pre-academic training.

What is the last date to apply for the 2027-28 cycle?

The scholarship form closes on 1 February 2027 at 23:59 CET. The Globalisation and Law admission application has to be complete by 10 December 2026, because the faculty only ranks applicants whose admission file is finished.

Can Indian students apply?

Yes. Eligibility is nationality outside the EU/EEA, Switzerland and Surinam, plus a Dutch visa and residence permit, so Indian applicants qualify. You also need a GPA of 7.5 out of 10 or higher and must be 35 or younger on 1 September 2027.

Which programmes are eligible?

Only the full-time master’s programme Globalisation and Law. The award is not open to other Maastricht master’s programmes, and you can apply for one UM scholarship only.

How many scholarships are offered?

One full scholarship per academic year. Because the faculty forwards only its top three applicants for interview, the academic record, the motivation letter and proven human rights or rule of law work all carry weight.

Is accommodation included?

Yes, but it is compulsory. A room is allocated until July 2028 and accepting the scholarship means accepting the room. Refusing the room cancels the scholarship, and the housing does not take partners, children or pets.

Are air tickets and the cleaning fee covered?

No. The university states that air tickets are not included, and the cleaning fee of about EUR 75 has to be paid directly to Maastricht Housing.

Official links

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