VU Fellowship Programme (VUFP)
Partial-to-substantial tuition waiver for outstanding non-EEA master's students at VU Amsterdam, reducing fees to the EEA rate or lower.
- Provider
- Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
- Host country
- Netherlands
- Deadline
- 1 February (annual)
- Region
- Europe
About this scholarship
Eligibility criteria
Always cross-check eligibility against the sponsor's official site before applying — sponsor rules can change between intakes.
- Non-EEA nationality
- first-time master's applicant at VU Amsterdam
- outstanding academic merit
- programme-specific eligibility.
Required documents
A planning baseline drawn from how 90%+ of African scholarship sponsors structure their checklist. The sponsor's portal is the source of truth for any single application.
- Valid international passport (bio page scan)
- Most recent academic transcripts (sealed or e-verified copies)
- Curriculum vitae / résumé (1–2 pages, reverse-chronological)
- Personal statement or motivation letter (500–1,000 words, tailored to the sponsor)
- Two to three reference letters (academic for students, professional for working applicants)
- Proof of English proficiency (IELTS, TOEFL or Duolingo) — Medium-of-Instruction letter may substitute for Anglophone-Africa graduates
- Passport-sized photograph meeting ICAO biometric standards
- Research proposal or statement of purpose (500–2,000 words for PhD)
- Published or unpublished writing sample (PhD and research-led Masters)
- Country-of-origin proof (national ID or birth certificate) — required by many Africa-focused funders
Deadline timeline
Working backwards from the sponsor's stated deadline (1 February (annual)). Dates assume a smooth, single-attempt timeline — start earlier where you can.
- 12 months out7 Feb 2000
Register for tests (IELTS/TOEFL/SAT/GRE), shortlist 3–5 universities, identify referees.
- 6 months out5 Aug 2000
Sit your tests, draft a personal statement, request transcripts and confirm reference letters.
- 3 months out3 Nov 2000
Finalise essays, upload supporting documents, complete the online application portal.
- 1 month out2 Jan 2001
Final review, double-check uploaded files, submit a week before the deadline to avoid portal issues.
- Application deadline1 Feb 2001
Submit by 23:59 in the sponsor's stated time zone — usually local to the sponsor, not your country.
Frequently asked questions
Who can apply for the VU Fellowship Programme (VUFP)?+
Applicants must be eligible African nationals applying at the Masters level, meet the academic and English-language requirements set by Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, and be able to relocate to Netherlands for the duration of the programme.
Is the VU Fellowship Programme (VUFP) fully funded?+
Funding model: Partial (Tuition discount). Where listed as fully funded, the award typically covers tuition, monthly stipend, health insurance and round-trip airfare. Always confirm the latest funding breakdown on the sponsor's official page.
When is the application deadline?+
The application deadline is 1 February (annual). Submit at least one week early — sponsor portals frequently slow or fail in the final 24 hours, and late submissions are not accepted under any circumstances.
What documents do I need to apply?+
At minimum: passport bio page, academic transcripts, CV, personal statement, two to three references, and an English-language test score (IELTS, TOEFL or Duolingo). Research-led Masters and PhD applications also require a research proposal and a writing sample.
How can I improve my chance of winning?+
Apply early, tailor every essay to the specific sponsor (do not recycle a generic statement), secure at least one reference who knows your work in detail, and apply to two or three additional scholarships in parallel — never rely on a single application.