The University of Groningen International Scholarships are not one award with one form and one deadline. The name covers a group of funding routes for international students and researchers at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands: university scholarships, EU grants for Erasmus Mundus programmes, Dutch government funding, and NFP scholarships for staff of organizations in developing countries. If you go in expecting a single application, you will get confused fast. If you treat it as a menu you need to sort through, it becomes manageable.
This guide explains how that menu works, what each route is meant for, and where Pakistani applicants tend to slip. For the summary listing, see the full scholarship details page.
A university founded in 1614, with funding spread across several streams
The University of Groningen was founded in 1614 and is described as a top 100 university. Funding is available for Bachelor's, Master's and PhD programmes, and for an exchange period at the university.
The other half of the pitch is cost. Higher education in the Netherlands is subsidized, so tuition fees are relatively low, and the cost of living is modest compared with cities like New York, Paris, London and Beijing. That matters for a Pakistani family doing the maths. A partial award in a lower-cost country can sometimes stretch further than you would expect, though you still need to work out your own budget carefully.
Who does this suit? Students who already want Groningen specifically, or the Netherlands in general, and are willing to dig through faculty pages to find the scholarship that fits their programme. Who should look elsewhere? Anyone who needs a guaranteed fully funded package before they will apply anywhere. Funding is listed as full or partial, and which one you get depends on the specific stream.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Provider | University of Groningen |
| Country | Netherlands |
| Funding | Full or partial, depending on the scholarship stream |
| Study levels | Bachelor's, Master's, PhD, exchange |
| Key dates | 20 August (immigration application and certified documents), 31 August (tuition fee payment) |
| Opening date | To be confirmed |
| Official site | rug.nl scholarships page |
The four funding routes, and which one is actually yours
Before you write a single motivation letter, work out which route you belong to. They are aimed at different people.
University of Groningen scholarships
These are the university's own awards for international students who are motivated to study a Bachelor's, Master's or PhD programme, or to spend an exchange period in Groningen. The specific options are found through the university menu on the scholarships site, and they differ by programme and level. This is where most Pakistani applicants will start.
EU grants for Erasmus Mundus programmes
Some programmes at Groningen have Erasmus Mundus status. If you apply to one of these, you can apply for scholarships awarded by the EU. You must meet the specific EU criteria for that programme, which are separate from the university's own rules. If your target programme does not have Erasmus Mundus status, this route does not apply to you.
Dutch government funding
The Dutch government also offers funding opportunities for international students. The details of individual schemes are on the official portal, so check there for nationality and level rules.
NFP scholarships
NFP scholarships are for staff members of organizations in developing countries, and applicants must meet NFP criteria. This is a narrow route. It is aimed at people already working for an organization, not fresh graduates. If you are employed by a qualifying organization, it is worth checking whether your employer and your country fit the NFP criteria before you assume you qualify.
What the money and support can cover
Because this is a group of schemes, coverage is not uniform. Across the streams, the support listed includes:
- a subsidized tuition fee structure, which keeps fees relatively low to begin with
- EU-funded grants for students on Erasmus Mundus status programmes
- Dutch government funding opportunities
- NFP scholarships for staff of organizations in developing countries
- support services for international students and researchers
Notice what is missing: there is no fixed stipend figure, no stated monthly allowance and no promise of flights or insurance. Do not assume any of those. Read the terms of the specific scholarship you are applying for, and plan your finances as if you may only get partial support. If you need to show how you will cover the gap, our guide to bank statements and proof of funds is useful reading alongside this one.
Eligibility, and the Pakistani nationality question
The general requirements are simple on paper:
- you must be an international student or researcher
- you must be motivated to study a Bachelor's, Master's or PhD programme, or complete an exchange period
- Erasmus Mundus applicants must meet the specific EU criteria
- staff of organizations in developing countries must meet the NFP criteria
Pakistani students count as international students at Groningen. That does not mean every scheme under this umbrella is open to every nationality. Individual scholarships can set their own nationality, level and programme rules, so check eligibility for Pakistani applicants on each scheme you are considering before you spend time on it.
There are no published grade cut-offs, English test scores or age limits in the general description. That is because those sit at programme and faculty level. Review the specific faculty requirements in your faculty's knowledge base and check individual faculty pages for subject-specific guidance.
Admission first, scholarship second
The steps the university lays out are short, but the order matters:
- Check the admission requirements for your Bachelor's, Master's or PhD programme.
- Use the university menu to find the scholarship options that match your programme and level.
- Submit your application through the university portal.
- Meet the immigration application deadline of 20 August if it applies to you.
- Submit your certified documents by 20 August.
The mistake many applicants make is chasing the scholarship before securing a place. At Groningen the programme application comes first. Scholarships attach to programmes. If you are not admissible, the funding question never arises.
Documents, and why certified copies take longer than you think
The documents listed are:
- certified documents, due by 20 August
- application documents for Bachelor's programmes
- application documents for Master's programmes
The exact list of application documents depends on your programme, so take it from the programme page. The certified documents are the part that catches Pakistani students out. Getting degrees and transcripts verified and attested at home can take weeks. Start this as soon as you have an offer, not in August. Our IBCC and MOFA attestation guide walks through the process.
The late August dates you cannot miss
The timeline clusters at the end of August:
| Date | What is due |
|---|---|
| 20 August | Immigration application deadline |
| 20 August | Certified documents deadline |
| 31 August | Tuition fee payment deadline |
Two things to keep in mind. First, which of these dates applies to you can depend on whether you are an EU/EEA or non-EU/EEA applicant, so confirm the exact deadlines for your situation on the official portal. As a Pakistani applicant you are non-EU/EEA. Second, these are end-of-process deadlines for admitted students. Scholarship application deadlines for individual schemes are separate, often much earlier, and the opening date for the current cycle is listed as to be confirmed. Treat 20 August as the last possible moment for paperwork, not as your scholarship deadline.
Practical advice from the people who run the process
The university points applicants to a few specific contacts, and using them is smarter than guessing:
- Student Information and Administration handles questions about applications and tuition fees.
- Your faculty's knowledge base lists faculty-specific requirements.
- Individual faculty pages carry subject-specific guidance.
- The study advisor is the person for programme advice or study-related problems.
Umbrella scholarships like this one invite a few predictable mistakes. Applicants read "full / partial" and assume full. They apply for an Erasmus Mundus grant to a programme that does not have Erasmus Mundus status. They wait for the admission decision before starting attestation, then miss 20 August. And they treat the tuition payment deadline of 31 August as flexible. It is not. If your funding only partly covers fees, have the balance ready well before then.
For a broader picture of what to prepare, the all Netherlands scholarships guide compares Groningen with other Dutch options.
Frequently asked questions
Which study levels can get University of Groningen scholarships?
Scholarships are available for international students on Bachelor's, Master's and PhD programmes, and for exchange periods at the university.
Is this a fully funded scholarship?
Funding is listed as full or partial. It depends on which scheme you receive, so check the terms of the specific scholarship on the official portal.
Can Pakistani students apply?
The schemes are aimed at international students, which includes students from Pakistan. Individual scholarships can still have their own nationality rules, so check eligibility for your nationality on each scheme.
Are there external funding sources at Groningen?
Yes. Applicants can apply for EU-funded Erasmus Mundus scholarships if their programme has that status, Dutch government funding opportunities, and NFP scholarships if they work for an organization in a developing country.
What are the key late August deadlines?
The immigration application deadline and the certified documents deadline are both 20 August, and tuition fees must be paid by 31 August. Confirm which ones apply to you on the official portal.
Who should I contact with questions about fees or my application?
Student Information and Administration handles application and tuition fee questions. For programme advice, contact the study advisor.
Check the current cycle and individual scheme rules on the official University of Groningen scholarships website, and keep the full scholarship page handy for a quick summary.