The NL Scholarship Programme is the Netherlands' national scholarship for international students coming from outside the European Economic Area. If you knew it as the Holland Scholarship, you are thinking of the same programme. The name changed in June 2023, and the purpose stayed the same. It is funded jointly by the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science and 47 Dutch higher education institutions, and together they award scholarships to 2,112 students per academic year.
For a Pakistani student, the headline is simple: Pakistan is outside the European Economic Area, so you belong to the group this programme is aimed at. The harder part is understanding what the scholarship actually is. It is partial funding, it is run institution by institution, and there is no single national application form. You can read the full scholarship details, but this guide explains how the programme works in practice and how to approach it sensibly.
A national name, but a university-level application
The thing most applicants misunderstand is who runs the selection. The programme is national in branding and funding, but each of the 47 partner institutions manages its own selection process. You do not apply to the Ministry, and you do not apply to Nuffic. You apply to the Dutch university or university of applied sciences where you want to study.
Nuffic has an advisory role. It handles information, promotion and events for the programme. The overall vision comes from a joint initiative of the Association of Universities in the Netherlands, the Netherlands Association of Universities of Applied Sciences and the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. That background matters for one practical reason: when you have a question about your specific application, the right people to ask are at your target institution, not at a national office.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Funding type | Partial funding |
| Study levels | Bachelor's and Master's |
| Fields | All fields |
| Host country | Netherlands |
| Funded by | Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science and 47 Dutch higher education institutions |
| Awards | 2,112 students per academic year |
| Deadline | Varies, check with the specific Dutch institution |
| Official site | Study in NL: NL Scholarship |
What partial funding means for your budget
The NL Scholarship gives financial support towards study expenses in the Netherlands. It is classed as partial funding, and the national programme information does not publish a single fixed amount. Treat it as a contribution, not a full ride. Whatever the award at your chosen institution turns out to be, you will still need to show how you will pay the rest of your tuition and living costs.
This is where many Pakistani applicants get caught out. They win a partial award, celebrate, and then realise the remaining gap is still large and the visa process expects proof of funds. Before you apply, sketch out a realistic budget for your programme and city, and work out where the balance will come from. Our guide on bank statements and proof of funds covers how families usually prepare this.
Check the exact value and how it is paid with the institution you apply to. Since each institution runs its own process, do not assume what one university offers is what another offers.
Who this scholarship suits, and who should look elsewhere
The programme covers Bachelor's and Master's study in all fields. It suits students who:
- already want to study in the Netherlands and have a specific programme in mind
- have family support or savings that can cover the part the scholarship does not
- are organised enough to track a different deadline and process for each university
If you need a fully funded award to go abroad at all, this should not be your main plan. Apply for it alongside your Dutch admission if the numbers work, but keep fully funded options on your list too. The programme also does not cover PhD study according to the listed levels, so doctoral applicants should look at other routes.
The two eligibility conditions
The published eligibility is short. You must be an international student from outside the European Economic Area, and you must apply to study at a participating Dutch higher education institution. EEA citizens are not eligible.
Those two conditions are only the starting point. Each partner institution sets its own criteria on top, which can include academic results, the programmes covered and other requirements. Before you spend time on an application, open the scholarship section of your target university's website and read its rules carefully. One of the most useful early checks is your fee status: confirm that the institution classes you as a non-EEA student, because that is what the scholarship is built around.
There is one more condition hiding in plain sight. The institution must be one of the participating institutions. The Study in NL website keeps the list, so check it before you fall in love with a programme at a school that is not part of the scheme.
Paperwork depends on the institution
There is no national documents checklist for this scholarship. The required documents vary by participating institution. In practice, you will usually be working with the same file you prepare for admission, plus whatever the scholarship section of that university asks for. Read the requirements line by line for each school you apply to and keep a separate folder for each.
Pakistani applicants should get their academic documents in order early, since verification at home can take longer than expected. Our documents checklist for international scholarships is a good general starting point while you wait for the institution's specific list.
Applying through your chosen Dutch institution
The process has three stages, and the order matters.
- Choose a participating Dutch higher education institution from the list of 47 partner institutions on the Study in NL website.
- Check that institution's specific criteria, deadlines and application instructions, either on Study in NL or on the institution's own portal.
- Submit your scholarship application directly to the chosen institution.
Most of the real work happens in step two. Find out exactly what that institution asks for and in what order, because the process is set by the school. If anything is unclear, email the admissions or scholarship office of that university. Since application rules vary by school, they are the only people who can give you a reliable answer.
Why there is no single deadline to remember
The deadline varies and depends on the specific Dutch institution. There is no one national closing date. If you apply to two or three universities, expect two or three different scholarship deadlines, and possibly different deadlines for admission and for the scholarship itself.
The safest approach is to build your own calendar. For each target institution, note the admission deadline for your programme and the scholarship deadline, and work back from the earlier one. Review the admission requirements for your chosen programme well in advance, because a scholarship application usually goes nowhere without a valid admission application behind it.
Mistakes Pakistani applicants make with this programme
The first mistake is treating it as a central scholarship. Students search for a single NL Scholarship form, do not find one, and lose weeks. The application goes to the institution.
The second is assuming every Dutch university takes part. Only participating institutions do, so check the list on Study in NL before you commit.
The third is ignoring the funding gap. Partial funding means you still need a plan for the rest, and that plan will be tested again at the visa stage. If you want to know where student visa files commonly fall apart, read our piece on student visa rejection reasons.
The fourth is applying late. With deadlines set by each institution, you cannot rely on hearing about a national date. Start early, confirm dates directly with the school, and keep checking the institution's page for updates.
If you are comparing this with other options, our list of all scholarship guides for Pakistani students is a good place to see the alternatives side by side.
Frequently asked questions
Can Pakistani students apply for the NL Scholarship?
The programme is aimed at talented international students from outside the European Economic Area, and Pakistan falls in that group. You still need to meet the specific criteria of the participating institution you apply to.
Is the NL Scholarship the same as the Holland Scholarship?
Yes. The Holland Scholarship was renamed the NL Scholarship in June 2023. The core purpose of the programme did not change.
Where do I submit my application?
Directly to the participating Dutch higher education institution where you want to study. Each of the 47 partner institutions manages its own selection process.
Does the NL Scholarship cover all my costs?
No. It is partial funding that supports your study expenses in the Netherlands. Confirm the exact amount and conditions with your chosen institution and plan how you will cover the remaining costs.
Can I use it for a PhD?
The eligible levels listed for the programme are Bachelor's and Master's, in all fields. Doctoral study is not among them.
What is the deadline?
It varies by institution. Check the scholarship deadline with each Dutch university you apply to, and confirm it on the official portal before you plan your timeline.
For the latest participating institutions and rules, visit the official NL Scholarship page on Study in NL, and keep our NL Scholarship Programme page bookmarked for a quick summary.