The University of Amsterdam is one of Europe’s leading research universities, ranked in the top 65 universities in the world by QS and Times Higher Education in 2026. UvA offers over 200 English-taught Master’s programmes across virtually every academic discipline. For Nigerian students, the University of Amsterdam is not just an academically excellent destination — it is one of the more accessible top European universities, with a scholarship programme specifically designed for non-EU students who demonstrate outstanding academic potential. This guide covers the most relevant scholarship opportunities at UvA for Nigerian applicants, who qualifies, what each covers, and exactly how to apply.
The University of Amsterdam was founded in 1632 and enrolls over 40,000 students, of whom more than 7,000 are international degree students from over 100 countries. Its programmes in economics and business, social sciences, law, psychology, computer science, artificial intelligence, and environmental science are particularly well regarded internationally. UvA is a member of the League of European Research Universities (LERU).
The Amsterdam Merit Scholarship — The Primary Route for Nigerian Students
The Amsterdam Merit Scholarship is the University of Amsterdam’s flagship scholarship for outstanding non-EU Master’s students and the most relevant opportunity at UvA for Nigerian applicants.
What it covers: The scholarship value varies by faculty. At the Amsterdam Law School, the 2026–2027 value was €25,900 — covering the full LLM tuition fee. At the Faculty of Economics and Business, the scholarship covers full tuition plus an additional allowance of €5,000. At other faculties, values range from €2,000 to €25,000. The scholarship is awarded for one academic year with the possibility of extension for a second year subject to satisfactory academic progress.
Who can apply:
- You must hold a non-EU passport — Nigerian citizens are fully eligible
- You must have applied for or been admitted to an eligible Master’s programme at UvA
- You must not be entitled to Dutch study grants or loans
- You must not be receiving a full coverage scholarship for the same study period from any other source
- You must have excellent academic results — successful recipients consistently have results equivalent to a very strong 2:1 or first-class Nigerian degree
Important note: The Amsterdam Merit Scholarship does not cover accommodation, living expenses, health insurance, or flights. Nigerian students should plan for living costs of approximately €1,000 to €1,200 per month in Amsterdam in addition to whatever tuition costs are not covered by the scholarship.
How to Apply for the Amsterdam Merit Scholarship
Step 1: Apply for admission to your chosen Master’s programme. You must first apply for a Master’s programme at UvA through the university’s admissions system.
Step 2: Indicate scholarship interest in your admissions application. Most UvA faculties ask you to indicate whether you wish to be considered for the Amsterdam Merit Scholarship as part of your admissions application. Do not miss this step.
Step 3: Submit scholarship application or supplementary documents. Some faculties require a separate scholarship application form or supplementary documents. Check the scholarship page for your specific faculty at uva.nl before applying.
Step 4: Meet the admissions application deadline. Most UvA Master’s programme application deadlines for September 2027 intake fall between 1 January 2027 and 1 April 2027. Check your specific programme’s deadline on the UvA programme finder.
The NL Scholarship at UvA
In addition to the Amsterdam Merit Scholarship, UvA participates in the Dutch government’s NL Scholarship programme, which provides a one-time grant of €5,000 toward tuition fees in the first year of study for non-EU students. Nigerian students are eligible. You can potentially receive both the NL Scholarship and a partial Amsterdam Merit Scholarship in the same academic year, provided you are not receiving full coverage from another external source.
English Language Requirements
Most UvA Master’s programmes require a minimum IELTS Academic score of 6.5 overall or a TOEFL iBT score of at least 92. Some programmes at UvA accept a letter from your Nigerian university confirming that your entire previous degree was taught in English — confirm this policy with your specific programme before booking a language test.
Other Financial Support Options at UvA
Beyond the Amsterdam Merit Scholarship and NL Scholarship, several Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters programmes list UvA as a consortium partner. Applying for an Erasmus Mundus scholarship — which covers full tuition and a monthly stipend of €1,400 — is the most reliable route to full funding for study that includes time at UvA.
Deadline Information
Amsterdam Merit Scholarship deadlines are tied to UvA’s admissions deadlines. Most Master’s programmes have application deadlines between January and April for a September start. NL Scholarship applications at UvA typically open in March each year and close in May. Moreschooling will publish updates on UvA scholarship opportunities as new cycles open. Bookmark this page and visit uva.nl/scholarships for the most current scholarship information.