Study in Netherlands for Free

There are no fully tuition-free public universities in the Netherlands for international students. Every public and private institution charges fees, though they’re often lower than in US or UK.

To study in Netherlands for free, you’ll need a fully funded scholarship. EU/EEA (European Union/European Economic Area) students pay a statutory fee of €2,771 (₹3,03,979) for 2027-28. Indian students pay an institutional fee of €9,893 to €18,757 (₹10.85 lakh to ₹20.58 lakh) a year at the universities covered below, and most big scholarship deadlines fall between 1 December 2026 and February 2027.

In this article, you’ll find 2027 tuition fees, scholarships that cover full costs, how to study in Netherlands for free step by step, work rules and a monthly living budget in EUR and INR.

Can International Students Study in the Netherlands for Free?

The Dutch government pays part of the study cost for EU/EEA students, though not for students from outside Europe. Universities make up that difference with a higher institutional fee. By law, it can’t fall below the €2,771 (₹3,03,979) statutory fee.

So Netherlands free education for Indian students isn’t built into the system. It comes from scholarships. A handful of them pay your full tuition and add a monthly allowance, and that’s what free study in Netherlands for international students really looks like.

Which fee you pay depends on your passport:

Fee Type	Who Pays It	Amount for 2027-28
Statutory fee	EU/EEA, Swiss and Surinamese students	€2,771 (₹3,03,979) a year
Institutional fee	Non-EU/EEA students, including Indian students	Set by each university

Our guide to Study in Netherlands covers courses, universities and visas in more detail.

Tuition Fees in the Netherlands for International Students

Fees vary a lot, even inside one university. Take Erasmus University Rotterdam. Its non-EEA master’s programmes for 2027-28 cost anywhere between €11,200 and €37,000 (₹12.29 lakh to ₹40.59 lakh), depending on what you study.

The figures below are taken from each university’s official fee page:

University (Programme)	Academic Year	Annual Fee (EUR)	Annual Fee (INR)
HZ University of Applied Sciences (Bachelor’s)	2026-27	€9,893	₹10.85 lakh
Van Hall Larenstein University of Applied Sciences (Bachelor’s)	2026-27	€9,950	₹10.92 lakh
Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences (International Business)	2026-27	€11,949	₹13.11 lakh
University of Twente (BSc Psychology)	2027-28	€12,652	₹13.88 lakh
Erasmus University Rotterdam (Bachelor’s, selected programmes)	2027-28	€14,700	₹16.13 lakh
University of Twente (BSc Creative Technology)	2027-28	€16,869	₹18.51 lakh
Radboud University, master’s programmes	2027-28	€18,757	₹20.58 lakh

The three cheapest options here are all universities of applied sciences, which focus on practical, career-based degrees. Course choice changes the bill too. At the University of Twente, a BSc (Bachelor of Science) in Creative Technology costs €4,217 (₹4,62,605) more each year than one in Psychology.

Watch for small extras as well. Van Hall Larenstein University of Applied Sciences adds a €350 (₹38,395) admin fee, and most universities raise fees slightly every year.

A smaller fee is easier for a scholarship to cover in full. That makes these universities a sensible place to start if you want to study in Netherlands for free. To compare them with other countries, read our guide on the Cost of Studying Abroad.

Scholarships to Study in the Netherlands for Free

Scholarships are the only real answer to how to study in Netherlands for free, and very few cover everything. Maastricht University hands out 18 full awards each year. Delft University of Technology has just 2 for each faculty.

A full award has a lot to pay for. Add a Radboud University master’s (€18,757) to the €13,569 the IND (Immigration and Naturalisation Service) expects you to have for a year of living, and you reach €32,326 (₹35.46 lakh).

This table lists the main options for free study in Netherlands for international students, along with what each one pays:

Scholarship	What It Pays For	Funding Type
Maastricht University NL-High Potential Scholarship	Waives all tuition and pays a monthly stipend	Fully funded
Delft University of Technology Justus & Louise van Effen Scholarship	Pays tuition plus a living allowance for 2 years	Fully funded
Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters	Tuition + €1,400 (₹1,53,580) a month	Fully funded
Leiden University Excellence Scholarship	€10,000 to €19,000 (₹10.97 lakh to ₹20.84 lakh) off tuition	Partial
University of Amsterdam Amsterdam Merit Scholarship (Faculty of Science)	€26,125 (₹28.66 lakh), paid monthly	Partial
NL (Netherlands) Scholarship	€5,000 (₹5,48,500), first year only	Partial

These awards come from three sources: the Dutch government, universities and the EU. Each one has different rules.

Government Scholarships

The NL (Netherlands) Scholarship, once known as the Holland Scholarship, is the Dutch government’s main award for international students. It pays €5,000 (₹5,48,500) one time, in your first year. Seats are few, and Radboud University had only 12 for 2026-27.

The grant comes with a short set of rules. These are the details to check before you apply:

• Who can apply: Students from outside the EEA who haven’t studied in the Netherlands before.
• How to apply: There’s no national form. You apply through the university you’ve chosen.
• Deadlines: Each university sets its own date. The University of Groningen’s last date for 2026-27 was 1 February 2026.
• How far it goes: Against a ₹20 lakh fee, €5,000 pays about a quarter of one year’s tuition. Most students combine it with a university award.
• Orange Knowledge Programme: It still appears on some old websites, but it closed in 2024 and no new rounds have opened since.

University Scholarships

Dutch universities fund most of the full scholarships on offer. Leiden University and Delft University of Technology both shut their applications on 1 December 2026 for students joining in September 2027. Usually, your master’s application has to go in first, and the scholarship form follows.

What decides your chances is different at each university. Here’s the main condition for each award:

• Maastricht University NL-High Potential Scholarship: Your grades need to reach 75% of the top mark on your scale, so a 3 out of 4 GPA (Grade Point Average) qualifies. The award waives tuition and adds a stipend.
• Delft University of Technology Justus & Louise van Effen Scholarship: Every faculty gets only 2 full awards, which makes it one of the hardest to win. It pays for a 2-year MSc (Master of Science) and a living allowance.
• Leiden University Excellence Scholarship (LExS): It cuts €10,000 to €19,000 from tuition, and you still have to prove you can pay for living costs when you apply for your visa.
• University of Amsterdam Amsterdam Merit Scholarship (AMS): Only students in the top 10% of their class qualify. The Faculty of Science has a single €26,125 award for September 2027.

Utrecht University stopped offering its Utrecht Excellence Scholarship from 2026-27, after budget cuts.

For more awards, see our guide on Scholarships in Netherlands or download the free Fully Funded Masters PDF.

External and EU-Funded Scholarships

Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters is one of the strongest routes to Netherlands free education for Indian students. The EU pays top-ranked students €1,400 (₹1,53,580) a month for up to 24 months. Over two years, that’s €33,600 (₹36.86 lakh), with tuition covered separately.

The programme works differently from a regular master’s. These points are worth knowing before you apply:

• Several countries: Each programme is run by at least three universities in three different countries. The Netherlands may be only one part of your degree.
• Open to all: Students from any country can apply, including India.
• Application window: Most 2027 programmes open in October or November 2026 and close in January or February 2027.
• New programmes: The European Commission selected 37 new programmes in July 2026, so there are more options this year.

Our guide on the Erasmus Mundus Scholarship explains how selection works.

Suggested Read: Study Abroad Scholarships

How to Study in Netherlands for Free: Step-by-Step Plan

Most scholarship deadlines land well ahead of course deadlines. For September 2027, several close between 1 December 2026 and 15 January 2027. That timing shapes how to study in Netherlands for free more than anything else.

Working through these steps in order keeps you ahead of every date.

Shortlist Universities with Lower Tuition Fees

HZ University of Applied Sciences charges €9,893 (₹10.85 lakh) a year. A master’s at Radboud University costs €18,757 (₹20.58 lakh), close to double. Starting with lower-fee universities is the first step in how to study in Netherlands for free.

A good shortlist depends on more than the fee alone. Check these three things for every university you add:

• Type of university: Universities of applied sciences usually charge less than research universities, since they focus on practical, career-based degrees.
• Fee for your exact course: Fees can change from one programme to the next, even within the same university.
• Scholarship match: Your course must qualify for the scholarship you’re targeting, as many awards cover only selected programmes.

You can compare programmes on Masters Programs Abroad, or on Bachelors Abroad if you’re applying after Class 12.

Secure Admission Before the Scholarship Deadline

Scholarships generally wait for your course application before they look at you. Maastricht University, for example, only considers students who have already applied for a participating master’s programme. All Dutch applications go through Studielink, the national portal.

Keep these dates in your calendar for September 2027 entry:

Date	What Closes
1 December 2026	Leiden University and Delft University of Technology scholarships
15 January 2027	University of Amsterdam Amsterdam Merit Scholarship (most faculties)
January to February 2027	Most Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters

Maastricht University hasn’t published its 2027 deadline yet, so check its scholarship page regularly.

Combine Multiple Scholarships

Holding two awards can help you study in Netherlands for free, if the rules permit it. Radboud University asks NL Scholarship applicants to apply for its own Radboud Scholarship Programme too, and some students win both.

Other universities are stricter about combining awards:

• Leiden University: The Leiden University Excellence Scholarship can’t sit alongside another full scholarship from an outside funder.
• Delft University of Technology: Van Effen scholars can’t hold any other scholarship.
• University of Amsterdam: Amsterdam Merit Scholarship holders can’t take another full-coverage award for the same period.
• Maastricht University: The NL Scholarship is already part of its award, so you don’t apply twice.

Work Part-Time to Support Living Costs

During term, students from outside the EU/EEA can do up to 16 hours of paid work a week. From June to August, full-time work is allowed. Sixteen hours a week at minimum wage leaves roughly €700 to €800 (₹76,790 to ₹87,760) a month after tax.

A few rules apply before and during any job. Keep these in mind from your very first shift:

• Work permit: Your employer must get a TWV (tewerkstellingsvergunning), which is a free work permit.
• Health insurance: Dutch health insurance becomes compulsory as soon as you start working, even part-time.
• Hour limit: Going over 16 hours a week during term can put your residence permit at risk.
• What wages cover: Part-time pay helps with rent and food. It won’t cover your tuition fees.

Suggested Read: How to Study Abroad for Free

Can You Study and Live for Free in the Netherlands?

The IND (Immigration and Naturalisation Service) expects students to have €1,130.77 (₹1,24,045) for each month of 2026. Over a year, that’s €13,569 (₹14,88,546) on top of tuition, so living for free needs a fully funded award.

Many students ask, “Can I study and live for free in Netherlands?” It works only when your scholarship pays both tuition and a living allowance.

For one student living alone in a 1-bedroom flat, a typical month costs this much:

Expense Category	Monthly Cost (EUR)	Monthly Cost (INR)
Accommodation (1-bedroom flat, outside city centre)	€1,158.09	₹1,27,043
Utilities (electricity, heating, water)	€230.73	₹25,311
Phone and internet	€65.28	₹7,161
Public transport (monthly pass)	€85.00	₹9,325
Food and other personal costs	€596.62	₹65,449
Gym and leisure	€37.17	₹4,078
Total	€2,172.89	₹2,38,367

Source: numbeo

Sharing changes the total a lot. Leiden University puts student rent at €400 to €800 (₹43,880 to ₹87,760), which brings the month down to about €1,415 to €1,815 (₹1,55,226 to ₹1,99,106). You can work out your own numbers with the upGrad Expense Calculator.

Ways to Lower Living Costs

Rent varies more than any other cost. Groningen scores 25.7 on the rent index, while Amsterdam scores 52.7. In Leiden, unfurnished student rooms go for €300 to €500 (₹32,910 to ₹54,850) a month.

A scholarship stipend stays the same every month, which is why low living costs matter so much for Netherlands free education for Indian students. These changes help that stipend go further:

• Choose a smaller city: Renting in Groningen or Leiden costs far less than in Amsterdam, and the gap shows up every month.
• Apply for housing early: Rooms in Dutch student cities go quickly. HZ University of Applied Sciences guarantees a room for the whole course to students who apply before 1 May.
• Share a flat: Living with flatmates splits the rent and the bills.
• Cook at home: A meal at a cheap restaurant costs about €20 (₹2,194). At the supermarket, roughly the same amount buys a kilo of rice, a dozen eggs, a kilo of chicken and a loaf of bread.
• Buy a monthly pass: It costs €85 (₹9,325), while a single trip costs €3.40 (₹373). If you travel 26 times or more in a month, the pass works out cheaper.

Suggested Read: Cheapest Countries to Study Abroad

Conclusion

Indian students can study in Netherlands for free, as long as their scholarship pays both fees and living costs. Tuition at the universities in this article starts at €9,893 (₹10.85 lakh) a year. Living costs come to €1,415 to €2,173 (₹1,55,226 to ₹2,38,367) a month, and sharing a flat makes the biggest difference to that figure.

Thousands of students from around the world apply for the same handful of awards. Free study in Netherlands for international students goes to those with strong grades who apply early. Where you start depends on your profile:

• Full funding: Maastricht University, Delft University of Technology and Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters all pay tuition plus a living allowance. Begin your applications with these three.
• Top 10% of your class: Leiden’s Excellence Scholarship takes up to €19,000 (₹20.84 lakh) off fees, while Amsterdam’s Merit Scholarship pays €26,125 (₹28.66 lakh). Both reward high grades.
• Tight budget: HZ University of Applied Sciences and other universities of applied sciences charge the lowest fees in this guide.
• September 2027 start: Leiden and Delft both close their scholarships on 1 December 2026, so your documents need to be ready before then.

If you need help finding fully funded scholarships, meeting deadlines or planning your living costs as part of your study abroad journey, you can book a free 1:1 counselling session with upGrad’s study abroad experts today!