UM Brightlands Talent Scholarship for International Students

Four innovation campuses in Limburg, the Netherlands, form the Brightlands. The Brightlands innovation campuses bring together entrepreneurs, researchers, and students to innovate and create international breakthroughs in fields such as chemistry and materials, health, agrifood, data science, and smart digital services. Depending on your choice of study programme, the campuses can be located in Maastricht, Heerlen, Sittard-Geleen, or Venlo.

The UM Brightlands Talent Scholarship for International Students offers four full scholarships, including a tuition fee waiver and monthly stipend, per academic year for top-performing non-EU/EEA students who demonstrate high personal development potential and have been (conditionally) admitted to a master’s programme connected to the Brightlands campuses. This is a fantastic opportunity to study in the Netherlands with full funding and join a community of innovators.

A mandatory component of the Maastricht University Brightlands Campi Scholarships is participating in the thesis-internship programme (TIP), requiring scholarship recipients to write their thesis based on an assignment for one of the companies located at the respective Brightlands innovation campus. This provides hands-on experience and a chance to contribute directly to industry innovation.

Name of Host Institution

Maastricht University

Requirements/ Eligibility Criteria

You must hold a nationality from a country outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland and meet the requirements for obtaining an entry visa and residence permit for the Netherlands. More details can be found on the Visa Office webpage.
You do not have dual nationality from an EU/EEA country or Switzerland.
You have never participated in a degree-seeking higher education programme in the Netherlands. Students who have completed exchange programmes in the Netherlands are welcome to apply.
You are not older than 35 years of age on 1 September 2025.
You agree to become an active Brightlands and Maastricht University ambassador during and after your studies by committing to share your experiences at least once during an information session for students and other stakeholders.
You have applied for admission to a participating master’s programme at Maastricht University for the 2025-2026 academic year.
You meet the specific admission requirements of the UM master’s programme to which you have applied.
You can only submit an application once, so please ensure all documents meet the requirements before starting. We cannot add or replace documents after submission.