the Graduate School of Social Sciences, the University of Amsterdam, and through
the Nuffic Grantfinder.
Amsterdam Merit Scholarships (AMS)
The University of Amsterdam aims to attract the world’s brightest students to
its international classrooms. As from September 2007, outstanding students from
outside the European Economic Area can apply for an Amsterdam Merit Scholarship.
The Amsterdam Merit Scholarships (AMS) have specifically been designed by the
Universiteit van Amsterdam to offer talented and hard-working non-EU/EEA
students the opportunity to pursue a degree in one of the academic fields
covered by the UvA. The AMS programme is highly selective: only applicants with
excellent study results and motivation may receive a scholarship.
Eligibility
Applicants to one of the English-taught, selective Master’s programmes of
the Graduate School of Social Sciences (GSSS) must meet the eligibility criteria
in order to be considered for the AMS scholarship. The applicant should:
- hold non-EEA nationality or nationalities only
- not be entitled to receive a Dutch study grant or loan
(“Studiefinanciering”) - not be eligible to pay the reduced tuition fee rate for EEA students at the
UvA - not receive a full coverage scholarship for the same period of study as the
AMS scholarship - have submitted a complete application to one of the English-taught,
selective Master’s programmes of the GSSS - have been (or will be) admitted to one of the English-taught, selective
Master’s programmes of the GSSS - be enrolled at the time of receipt of the scholarship as a full time student
in one of the English-taught, selective Master’s programmes offered by the GSSS - be able to comply with the conditions to obtain a Dutch visa (if applicable)
- demonstrate a financial need.
Failure to meet one or more of these criteria automatically means that the
student is not eligible for an AMS scholarship.
Selection criteria
We have a limited number of scholarships. The best eligible candidates are
selected for a scholarship on the basis of the following criteria:
- Their academic excellence and promise in the proposed field, as evidenced by
their academic records, letters of recommendation, written work and/or
publications and their proposed research questions; - The quality of their letter of motivation.
Equally qualified candidates will be ranked by country of origin* , and
extracurricular activities.
* Candidates from countries on the DAC list of ODA recipients, from non-EU
signatories of the Bologna treaty and from Market and Innovation countries
(Russia, Brazil, Mexico, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam)
will have preference.
How to apply?
The scholarship committee will have access to the application you sent in for
the Master’s programme. In addition to the information in this application, we
would like to receive the following documents:
- Motivation letter specifically for the scholarship
- A comprehensive financial plan that shows expected income from all sources
and all expected costs, to provide insight in the additional funds needed from a
scholarship in order to finance participation in the Master’s programme. - A research proposal, detailing your areas of interest and what you wish to
research during your time at the GSSS.
Send your documents per e-mail to: s.m.kobus@uva.nl
When to apply?
Applications for an AMS scholarship should be submitted before 1 April when
enrolling in September. For students wishing to start their studies in February,
the deadline is 1 August.
Selection
Only students who have been admitted to one of the English-taught, selective
Master’s programmes of the GSSS can be awarded a scholarship. Students are
selected on the basis of academic merit. Selection will take place in May and
again in October. Applicants will be informed before the end of May or October.
The scholarship
The scholarship consists of € 6,000, € 9,000 or € 12,000, but awards are
based on the comprehensive financial plan, which should demonstrate the extent
of the need for additional funding. Please note that the scholarship cannot be
used as a (partial) tuition waiver. The applicant must still pay the full amount
of tuition due. Scholarship holders will receive their grant in monthly
instalments.
Conditions
Amsterdam Merit Scholarships are only awarded to applicants who have been
admitted to one of the English-taught, selective Master’s programmes of the GSSS
upon enrolment. A scholarship granted for one academic year cannot be
transferred to another academic year. Students who are granted an Amsterdam
Merit Scholarship are required to assent to the conditions applying to the
scholarship in writing before the scholarship will be remitted.
Questions
If you have any questions please send an email to
s.m.kobus@uva.nl.
Scholarships for Student Representatives – Bestuursbeurzen
GSSS students that are members of a programme committee
(opleidingscommissie) or another official student representative body
(not including SAP, which has its own arrangements), such as the Facultaire
Studentenraad can apply for a bestuursbeurs (scholarship for student
representatives).
The amount of the scholarship for a one-year period as a student
representative is equal to two months of student funding by the IBG (mostly
Dutch students) or about EUR 500 for students with no right to Dutch student
funding. It will be less if the period was shorter than a year. The scholarship
will be paid in one instalment after the end of the period of student
representation.
Students need to apply for this scholarship with Student Services directly.
If you need help filling out the form, please consulte the registrar. The
conditions for receiving the bestuursbeurs are as follows:
The conditions for receiving the bestuursbeurs are as follows:
- Applicants need to be registered as full-time students
- Applicants need to be a member of an official body of student representation
and need to have proof of that (a letter by the relevant body stating the
membership) - Applicants need to apply for the scholarship within three months after the
end of their period of representation work through the official form (which is
in Dutch, please ask a programme manager or the Registrar to assist you if
needed) - Applicants need an overview from the IBG stating the amount of their student
funding or, if they do not receive student funding from IBG, need to specify
this in an accompanying letter - Applicants need to enclose an official overview of their study results
(available from the Registrar)
Application forms
Application forms are available on the UvA website (click ‘Aanvraagformulier
bestuursbeurs universitaire bestuursorganen’) and at Student Services at
Binnengasthuisstraat 9. Please submit this form with all necessary enclosures to
Student Services/Student Counsellors.
Other scholarships
The GSSS does not offer or administer other scholarships than the ones
mentioned here above. There are however many funds and foundations that may be
available to our students from particular countries. Students are advised to
consult:
- The main
scholarship
pages of the University of Amsterdam - The study abroad office of their home or previous university
- The Dutch Embassy in their country of residence
- The Netherlands Organization
for International Cooperation in Higher Education
(NUFFIC) – including the useful link
Grantfinder.
Deadlines for application for scholarships
application to a programme.
scholarship, please send in your application to the programme of your
choice no later than 1 December.
in the required documents, along with the application to the programme of your
choice no later than 1 April if you wish to begin your studies in September, and
1 August if you wish to begin your studies in February.
notification of admission, are advised to apply at least 3 months before the
desired date of notification, and before applying for the scholarship itself.
Please indicate with your application the date by which you need to receive
notification. Timely handling will be aimed for, but cannot be guaranteed.