Amsterdam Merit Scholarship: Subject-Wise Eligibility & Benefits

Ranked among the top 20 in Europe and 53 worldwide, the University of Amsterdam (UvA) is a prestigious higher education institution in the Netherlands. Over 41,000 students from 100 countries study and research here on different subjects. The university is also renowned for promoting global diversity and talent by financially supporting international students through various scholarships and grants. The Amsterdam Merit Scholarship (AMS) is one such prestigious financial aid awarded to non-EU students pursuing a master’s degree there. Let’s find out more about it.

Amsterdam Merit Scholarship: Eligibility Criteria

Students who wish to apply for the University of Amsterdam Merit Scholarship should meet the below standard requirements in addition to the specific subject requirements. 

• You should hold a non-EU or EEA passport. 
• You should not be eligible for support under the Dutch study grant and loan system.
• You should have applied for the master's program for the first time at the University of Amsterdam.
• You must also comply with visa requirements laid out by the Dutch government under the Dutch Immigration Service.
• You should not be eligible to pay reduced tuition.
•  The Amsterdam Merit Scholarship is only awarded to students on a merit basis.

The subject-wise scholarship eligibility criteria, in addition to the above-mentioned common requirements, are as follows:

1. Child Development and Education -
   1. You should not have received a complete coverage scholarship for the same period as an AMS scholarship.
2. Communication Science -
   1. An overall GPA of at least 8.
   2. The GPA should be within the top 10% of your class or year.
   3. You must meet the school’s English proficiency requirements.
3. Economics and Business -
   1. Common requirements only.
4. Humanities -
   1. You must meet the school’s English proficiency requirements.
   2. You must be enrolled with UvA as a full-time student.
5. Law -
   1. You must be enrolled with UvA as a full-time student.
   2. The Amsterdam Merit Scholarship will only be given to International and European Law, International Criminal Law, European Private Law, and Law and Finance students.
6. Medicine -
   1. Common requirements only.
7. Psychology -
   1. You must meet English proficiency requirements, which are as follows:

• IELTS- at least 7.0, with a minimum score of 6.5 for each component.
• TOEFL- at least 100, with minimum scores as: reading - 24, listening - 22, speaking - 25, and writing - 24.
• Cambridge International Examination- at least 190 on CI advanced.

1. The results should not be older than two years.
2. Science - 
   1. The previous academic program should not be older than three years ago.
3. Social Science -
   1. Students required to complete a preparatory program before the master's are not eligible for the scholarship.

Amsterdam Merit Scholarship: Application Process

If you want to apply for the Amsterdam Merit Scholarship, you must follow the below-mentioned process:

• All students must submit their applications to the admissions office of their respective Graduate Schools.
• Often, students are required to upload documents like:
• Letters of recommendation confirming they have been amongst the top students in their class or year.
• Motivation letter explaining why you deserve this scholarship in nearly 300 words. For some schools, this may be done in 500 words.
• Your updated CV
• Once the application is submitted, the selection committee of each graduate school selects the best candidates based on their specific criteria.

Each school's deadline and selection criteria will differ, so the students must cross-check them on the graduate school website.

Benefits of Amsterdam Merit Scholarship

Below are the scholarship amounts offered by the different graduate schools for their respective Amsterdam Merit Scholarships at the UvA:

1. Child Development and Education - A maximum €4,000 is awarded.
2. Communication Science - The scholarship will be equal to the tuition fee. For 2024-25, there will be one scholarship for a research (master’s) program and one Amsterdam Merit Scholarship for a bachelor’s program.
3. Economics and Business - Equal to the tuition fee plus an additional allowance of €5,000.
4. Humanities - Five scholarships of €25,000.
5. Law - One scholarship of €19,030.
6. Medicine - € 4,000 or a proportional amount if the students start their program in February.
7. Psychology - The scholarship covers a part of the tuition fee.
8. Science - Candidates admitted to a two-year master's program are eligible for two partial scholarships, each worth €20,375. The candidates admitted to a one-year master's program are eligible for one partial scholarship worth €25,000. 
9. Social Science - The scholarship amount is equal to the tuition fee.

Conclusion

The Amsterdam Merit Scholarship demonstrates the University of Amsterdam's dedication to advancing global diversity and academic quality. Through funding non-EU students pursuing master's degrees, this scholarship enhances the academic community at the university while simultaneously recognizing individual accomplishments. So, if you are looking forward to pursuing a master’s or research program, do not miss out on this amazing opportunity.