HSP Huygens Scholarships for International Students

Brief description:

Important Note: Following a decision by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science to cut education spending, the Dutch cabinet has decided to terminate the Nuffic-run Huygens Scholarship Programme as from 1 January 2012.

The Dutch Minister of Education, Culture and Science has allocated seven million euros for excellent students coming to the Netherlands under the HSP Huygens Programme.

The prestigious HSP Huygens Programme is open to excellent students from all countries. It is aimed at talented students who want to come to the Netherlands in the final phase of their bachelor’s studies or during their master’s studies.

Host Institution(s):

Dutch Institutions and Universities. See the HSP contact list (link found below) for the list of host institutions.

In order to be eligible for a scholarship you must be nominated by the Dutch host institution where you would like to pursue your studies. The Dutch institution can nominate you by providing you with a special Huygens nomination letter.

Field of study:

Any field of study.  Inquire with the scholarship provider for more information.

Number of Awards:

There is no fixed number of available scholarships. The actual number is determined by the total cost of the variable components of the scholarships.

Target group:

Excellent students from all countries.  PhD applications can only be accepted from excellent students with the Chinese, Croatian or Turkish nationality.  Furthermore, the minister has allocated part of the total budget for excellent students following programmes in Dutch language and literature, or Neerlandistiek.

Scholarship value/inclusions:

The scholarships include the following components:

•  a generous reimbursement of tuition fees or a contribution towards bench fees for the PhD thesis;

•  a monthly allowance of €1,380 (this includes a standard contribution towards healthcare insurance);

•  visa fees (standard contribution);

•  a one-off payment towards international travel costs (standard contribution based on nationality);

The average value of scholarships awarded in 2010 was €36,000.

Eligibility:

If you want to take part in the HSP Huygens Programme, you must meet the following requirements:

•  You are an excellent student: you have obtained excellent results in all your previous studies and you are in the top 10% of students in your study or research programme.

•  You must have already attended a programme of education (e.g. high school or above) in a country outside the Netherlands.

•  The Dutch study programme should be registered in CROHO, the Central Register of Higher Education Programmes. You can find this information in the Dutch nomination letter provided by the Dutch host institution.

•  You should be in the final phase of your bachelor’s studies, or studying towards a master’s degree in the Netherlands, and your study must be used primarily to earn a degree at the Dutch institution.

•  At the start of the academic year (1 September) in which you study in the Netherlands, you must be no older than 35 years of age.

•  Scholarships are only awarded for studies lasting at least 6 months, but no longer than 24 months.

•  Your studies or research in the Netherlands must constitute a deepening and broadening of your previous studies.

•  If you are already a graduate, you must have graduated less than two years ago.

•  It is possible to do research or practical training, but it must form part of your studies (a programme on the CROHO list), i.e. you must receive study credits for it.

*  additional information for Neerlandistiek applicants
** additional information for PhD applicants

Application instructions:

When you apply for admission to a programme in the Netherlands, you should indicate that your study performance is excellent and that you wish to be nominated for the prestigious HSP Huygens Programme by the Dutch institution you would like to study at.

After receiving the official HSP Huygens nomination letter 2011 from the Dutch host institution, you can start preparing your application file. If the Dutch institution does not agree with your candidacy for a HSP Huygens Scholarship, they will not provide you with a HSP Huygens nomination letter. This means that you cannot apply for an HSP Huygens scholarship.

Some Dutch institutions work with early (admission) application deadlines for students wishing to apply for scholarships and therefore need an early notification. Please check the website of the institutions concerned.

The HSP Huygens application round for the 2011-2012 academic year will start on 1 November 2010 and application  must be received by Nuffic no later than 1 February 2011. Applications that have not been submitted both digitally and on paper or that are incomplete will not be accepted.

It is important to read the application instructions and visit the official website (link found below) for detailed information on how to apply for this scholarship.

Contact information:

Nuffic has prepared a list of the HSP contact persons at Dutch institutions. Please only email the contact person of the institution you applied for.

Website:

Official Scholarship Website: http://www.nuffic.nl/international-students/scholarships/worldwide/hsp-huygens-programme