The VSB Scholarships (known in Dutch as the VSBfonds Beurs) pay part of the cost of going abroad for students who are already enrolled at a Dutch school. That last part is the whole story for Pakistani readers. This is not a scholarship you use to get into the Netherlands. It is money for students already studying in the Netherlands who want to spend time outside it, on a study program, an internship, a language course or another international experience. You can read the full scholarship details on our listing, and this guide explains who it actually suits and how the application works.
If you are a Pakistani student currently enrolled at an MBO, HBO or university level institution in the Netherlands, keep reading. If you are still in Pakistan looking for funding to start a degree in the Netherlands, this one is not for you yet, and you will get more out of our list of all Netherlands scholarships.
What the VSBfonds Beurs is, in plain terms
The VSBfonds Beurs is two separate programs sitting under one name. One is for MBO students. The other is for HBO and university (WO) students. Both fund time abroad, and both are aimed at students the fund describes as motivated and socially engaged: people who will develop themselves abroad and then bring that knowledge and experience back to the Netherlands.
That "bring it back" idea runs through the whole scholarship. The fund is not paying for someone to leave. It is paying for someone to go, learn, and return to contribute to Dutch society. Your application should read that way too.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Provider | VSBfonds |
| Funding type | Partial funding |
| Maximum for MBO students | 4,000 EUR |
| Maximum for HBO or WO students | 10,000 EUR for 2-year study programs, 7,000 EUR for plans shorter than 2 full academic years |
| Levels | MBO, HBO, Bachelor's, Master's |
| Application opens | Every autumn (one round per year) |
| Deadline | March 1 |
| Plans must start | After July 1 |
| Home country of the fund | Netherlands |
| Official site | vsbfonds.nl/beurzen |
How much money you can get, and what it is for
The amounts depend on your level and on how long your plan abroad lasts.
- MBO students can receive a maximum of 4,000 EUR.
- HBO or WO students can receive a maximum of 10,000 EUR, but only for 2-year study programs.
- HBO or WO students with a study plan shorter than 2 full academic years can receive a maximum of 7,000 EUR.
These are ceilings, not fixed payouts. The scholarship is listed as partial funding, so do not build a budget that assumes you will get the top figure or that the grant alone will carry you. Plan for the rest of your costs from your own savings, family support or other sources.
The money supports international studies, internships or other experiences abroad. The eligible activities are broad: full degree studies, short courses, language lessons, internships and volunteer projects all count. That flexibility is one of the better things about this fund. A student who wants a semester-long internship has the same door open as one doing a full master's abroad.
Why the 59 partner institutions decide everything
VSBfonds works in close cooperation with 59 Dutch educational institutions. You must study at one of them to be eligible, and you apply through the designated contact person at your institution. If your school is not on the list, you cannot apply, however strong your plan is.
So the very first thing to check is whether your Dutch school is a partner. The official website has the information, and your international office or study advisor should know who the VSBfonds contact person is.
The full eligibility conditions are:
- You are an MBO, HBO or university student in the Netherlands, or a recent graduate.
- You are motivated and socially engaged with your local environment and the Netherlands.
- You study at one of the 59 partner institutions.
- Your plan abroad starts after July 1.
What this means for Pakistani students
The source information does not mention nationality rules at all. It describes the scholarship as open to students enrolled at participating Dutch institutions. It does not say whether international students on a residence permit are treated the same as Dutch students. If you are a Pakistani national studying in the Netherlands, check eligibility for your nationality with the institutional contact person or on the official website before you put work into a plan. Do not assume you are in, and do not assume you are out.
There is a second question you should think about honestly. The fund rewards people who will bring their experience back to the Netherlands. If your long-term plan is to return to Pakistan straight after your degree, think about how your application talks about your connection to the Netherlands and what you will contribute there.
Your odds are better than at most funds
Historical selection chances have been around 68 percent for MBO students and 35 percent for HBO or WO students. Those numbers are high compared with many scholarships, where acceptance is a small fraction of applicants. They are still past figures, though, not a promise for the current round.
The gap between the two groups matters. An MBO applicant with a decent plan has a better than even chance. An HBO or university applicant is facing roughly one in three odds, so the quality of the plan and the motivation section carries more weight.
The two documents, and why the plan is the one that counts
The document list is short:
- An application form, submitted through your affiliated educational institution.
- A study or project plan for your time abroad.
Because there are only two items, the plan does almost all the work. A vague plan ("I want to study abroad to broaden my horizons") will lose to a specific one. Say where you are going, what you will do there, why that program, internship or course and not another, and how you will use what you learn once you are back in the Netherlands. Make your social engagement visible with real examples of what you already do in your local environment, since the fund specifically rewards that trait.
If your plan involves a host institution in another country, you may need supporting papers for admission or a visa there. Our documents checklist for international scholarships is a useful starting point for that side of the preparation.
Applying through your school, step by step
- Check whether your Dutch educational institution is one of the 59 partner institutions.
- Complete the quickscan tool on the official VSBfonds website to check basic eligibility.
- Contact the designated institutional contact person at your school for guidance and any internal guidelines your school has.
- Prepare your study or project plan for your time abroad.
- Submit your complete application by the March 1 deadline, for a plan starting after July 1.
Step three is where many students lose time. Your school may have its own internal rules or earlier internal dates on top of the fund's deadline. Ask the contact person about them early, not in February.
The autumn to March window and the July 1 start rule
There is one application round per year. It opens every autumn for students planning to go abroad after July 1 of the following year, and the final deadline is March 1. In practice that means you need to decide on your plan abroad roughly a year ahead.
The July 1 rule is easy to trip over. If your exchange or internship starts in, say, spring, it falls before July 1 and does not fit the round you are applying in. Check your start date against this rule before anything else. Exact opening dates are not fixed, so confirm the current cycle and deadline on the official portal.
Where applicants go wrong
The most common mistake is simply applying from the wrong position: from Pakistan, or from a Dutch school that is not a partner. The second is leaving the institutional contact person until the last few weeks. The third is writing a plan that explains the trip but not the person, with nothing about motivation or social engagement.
A few things that help:
- Take the online quickscan first. It is quick and tells you if it is worth continuing.
- Attend one of the three informal online information sessions VSBfonds organizes during the year.
- Reach out early to the contact person at your institution.
- Double-check that your start date abroad is after July 1.
- Budget for the gap between the grant and your real costs, since this is partial funding.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use the VSB Scholarships to start a degree in the Netherlands from Pakistan?
No. The scholarship is for students at one of the 59 partner Dutch institutions (or recent graduates) who want to go abroad from the Netherlands. It does not fund coming to the Netherlands in the first place.
Are Pakistani nationals studying in the Netherlands eligible?
The available information does not state a nationality rule. Check eligibility for your nationality with your institution's VSBfonds contact person or on the official website.
What is the deadline?
March 1, for plans starting after July 1. The round opens in autumn. Confirm the exact dates for the current cycle on the official portal, and ask your school if it sets an earlier internal date.
How much can an HBO or university student get?
Up to 10,000 EUR for 2-year study programs, or up to 7,000 EUR for study plans shorter than 2 full academic years. These are maximums, and the scholarship is partial funding.
Does it cover internships and language courses, or only degrees?
It covers all of these. Study programs, internships, language courses, short courses and volunteer projects abroad are all eligible types of experience.
What are my chances?
Based on recent years, about 68 percent for MBO students and about 35 percent for HBO or university students. Past rates do not guarantee the same for the next round.
Before you start, read the current rules on the official VSBfonds website and check the full VSB Scholarships page for the summary of amounts and dates.