StudyInHolland is not one scholarship. It is the scholarship section of the Study in NL platform, where Nuffic lists the funding programmes it administers for international students coming to the Netherlands. For a Pakistani student, two names come up there: the NL Scholarship and the MENA Scholarship Programme. Only one of them is realistically open to you, and it is a partial award, so it helps to understand both before you spend time on applications. You can see the full scholarship details on our listing as well.
Older initiatives that used to be listed alongside these, such as the Orange Knowledge Programme, have concluded. If you read an old blog post or a forum thread recommending the Orange Knowledge Programme, treat it as out of date.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Funding | Full / Partial, depending on the programme (NL Scholarship: € 5,000 in the first year; MENA Scholarship Programme: fully funded short course) |
| Study levels | Bachelor's, Master's, Short Course |
| Deadline | Varies by institution |
| Typically opens | November |
| Country | Netherlands |
| Provider | Nuffic / Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science / Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| Official site | Study in NL scholarships page |
The NL Scholarship is the one Pakistani students should look at
The NL Scholarship was formerly called the Holland Scholarship. It is financed by the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science together with participating Dutch research universities and universities of applied sciences. It is meant for non-EEA students starting a full-time bachelor or master programme in the Netherlands.
Pakistan is outside the European Economic Area, so Pakistani nationals fall within the non-EEA group this scholarship targets. That is the good news. The rest of the eligibility depends on the university you pick, because only participating institutions award it.
The eligibility conditions listed for the NL Scholarship are short:
- You hold a non-EEA nationality.
- You are applying for a full-time bachelor or master programme at a participating Dutch higher education institution.
- You do not already hold a degree from an educational institution in the Netherlands.
That last condition catches people. If you did an earlier degree in the Netherlands, this award is not for you, even if you are applying for a different level now.
What € 5,000 does and does not solve
The NL Scholarship amounts to € 5,000, received in the first year of your studies. That is the whole award as described. It is not described as a tuition waiver, it is not described as a monthly stipend, and nothing in the programme description says it continues after year one.
So be realistic. This is a partial scholarship. It helps with the first year, but you still need a plan for the remaining tuition, your living costs and every year after the first. If you are relying on it to make a Dutch degree affordable on its own, it will not. It works best for students who already have most of the funding sorted (family support, savings, or another award from the university) and want to reduce the first-year burden.
Because you will still be showing your own money for the visa and enrolment, read our guide on bank statements and proof of funds for Pakistani students before you count on this award.
Why the MENA Scholarship Programme is probably not for you
The MENA Scholarship Programme funds short courses for young professionals from the Middle East and North Africa. It is paid for by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs as part of the Shiraka programme, and its aim is to build capacity within organisations in the region. Courses are fully funded and last from 2 up to 13 weeks.
Eligibility is tied to where you live and work. Applicants must be living and working in an eligible MENA country: Algeria, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Sudan (with exceptions), Tunisia, or Syria (under specific conditions). Pakistan is not on that list. Applicants must also be working professionals up to and including 45 years old.
If you are a Pakistani national who lives and works in one of the listed countries, check the conditions on the official site carefully, because the requirement is about living and working there. If you live and work in Pakistan, skip this one and put your energy into the NL Scholarship or university-level awards.
Why you apply to the university, not to Nuffic
This is the part most applicants get wrong. Nuffic administers these programmes and lists them on Study in NL, but you do not send your application to Nuffic. Applications are handled directly by the Dutch institutions that offer the courses and scholarships. Each institution sets its own closing dates, application requirements and the fields of study in which it offers the award.
In practice, the process looks like this:
- Choose a participating Dutch higher education institution and degree programme.
- Check the eligibility criteria for the specific scholarship programme at that institution.
- Apply directly through the website of the Dutch institution offering the course or scholarship.
- Submit all the additional application requirements the institution asks for.
The order matters. Start with the programme you actually want to study, then check whether that university participates in the NL Scholarship. Picking a university only because it offers the award, then discovering the course is a poor fit, is a bad trade for € 5,000.
Documents depend on the university you choose
There is no central document list. The only instruction given is to check the specific requirements on the website of your chosen Dutch institution. Expect them to be different from one university to the next, and expect the scholarship to sometimes have requirements on top of the admission application.
Pakistani applicants should get their academic papers in order early anyway. Degrees and transcripts often need attestation before any foreign university or embassy accepts them, and that takes time. Our IBCC and MOFA attestation guide explains the process.
Timing: November opening, institution deadlines
NL Scholarship applications for the 2026-2027 academic year opened on 1 November 2025. The programme typically opens around November each year, so if you are aiming for a later intake, watch for the next November opening and confirm the current cycle on the official portal.
Closing dates are set by each institution and vary. There is no single national deadline you can plan around. Make a short table of your shortlisted universities with each one's admission deadline and scholarship deadline next to it, and work to the earliest one. Scholarship deadlines are sometimes earlier than the admission deadline for the same programme, so do not assume they match.
Mistakes to avoid
- Treating Study in NL as the application portal. It is an information hub. Your application goes to the university.
- Assuming every Dutch university offers the NL Scholarship. Only participating research universities and universities of applied sciences do.
- Applying for a part-time programme. The NL Scholarship is for full-time bachelor or master programmes.
- Budgeting as if € 5,000 covers your degree. It is a first-year amount only.
- Ignoring fields of study. Available fields vary by institution and, for some programmes, by country priority themes.
- Stopping at Nuffic's options. Contact the institution of your choice and ask about other scholarships it offers beyond the highlighted Nuffic programmes. Many students never ask.
For a wider view of funding in the country, see all Netherlands scholarships.
Frequently asked questions
Can Pakistani students apply for the NL Scholarship?
Yes, as long as they meet the other conditions. The NL Scholarship is for non-EEA students, and Pakistan is outside the European Economic Area. You must also be applying for a full-time bachelor or master programme at a participating Dutch institution and must not hold a Dutch degree.
How much is the NL Scholarship?
The NL Scholarship is € 5,000, received in the first year of studies. Plan your other costs and later years separately.
Can I apply for the MENA Scholarship Programme from Pakistan?
Pakistan is not among the listed eligible countries. The programme requires you to be living and working in an eligible MENA country, such as Egypt, Jordan or Morocco, and to be a working professional up to and including 45 years old.
Where do I submit my application?
Directly to the Dutch institution offering the course or scholarship, through its own website. Each institution sets its own deadlines and requirements.
When is the deadline?
Deadlines vary by institution. Applications for the 2026-2027 academic year opened on 1 November 2025, and the programme typically opens around November. Check the exact closing date on your chosen university's website.
Is the Orange Knowledge Programme still running?
No. It has concluded, so focus on the NL Scholarship and on scholarships offered by individual Dutch universities.
Before you apply, confirm the current cycle on the official Study in NL scholarships page and review the full scholarship details on Titans Abroad.