UM Social Justice Scholarship

About the opportunity

The UM Social Justice Scholarship programme supports Maastricht University’s core values of diversity, inclusivity, and global engagement. It is designed for highly talented students from outside the EU/EEA who have been admitted to the full-time Master’s programme in Globalisation and Law and have a proven track record in supporting the rule of law and/or human rights. The scholarship covers tuition fees, living expenses, visa costs, and health insurance for the 13-month duration of the programme, and includes mandatory pre-academic training and student housing.

Funding and benefits

• Full tuition fee waiver (arranged and paid by the UM International Services Desk)
• Living expenses stipend of €20,150 for 13 months (€1,550 per month)
• Health and liability insurance coverage (€700 value)
• Visa application costs covered
• Pre-Academic Training costs covered
• International Student Ambassador Programme (ISAP) costs covered for the first block
• Allocated student accommodation until July 2028 (mandatory component)

Who can apply?

• Must hold a nationality of a country outside the EU/EEA, Switzerland, or Surinam
• Must meet the requirements for obtaining an entry visa and residence permit for the Netherlands
• Must not have dual nationality from an EU/EEA country or Switzerland
• Must have applied for admission to the full-time Master's programme Globalisation and Law at Maastricht University for the 2027-2028 academic year by 10 December 2026
• Must have a proven contribution to supporting the rule of law and/or human rights through intra- and extracurricular initiatives
• Must meet the specific admission requirements of the UM master programme
• Must be no older than 35 years of age on 1 September 2027
• Must have obtained excellent academic results with a GPA of 7.5 out of 10 (or 75% or higher) in prior education
• Preference is given to candidates who have not yet obtained a Master's degree

Required documents

• Up-to-date Curriculum Vitae (maximum two A4 pages)
• Letter of motivation using the official UM template, focusing on human rights contributions
• Proof of academic excellence (university transcript showing a GPA of 7.5/10 or higher, and a document explaining the grading system)
• Personal statement of financial needs
• A reference letter written no earlier than February 2026, adhering to the official guidelines, uploaded by the applicant
• Contact details of one referee (relationship, work phone with country code, and institutional email address)

When to apply

• Applications open: October 1, 2026
• Master's programme application deadline (via Studielink): December 10, 2026
• Scholarship application deadline: February 1, 2027

How to apply

• Step 1: Apply for the Master's programme Globalisation and Law via Studielink.nl by December 10, 2026, to receive a UM student ID number.
• Step 2: Pay any required handling fees for the master's programme by December 10, 2026.
• Step 3: Log in to the scholarship application form using your UM account.
• Step 4: Complete the form and upload all required documents (CV, motivation letter, proof of academic excellence, financial statement, reference letter, and referee details).
• Step 5: Submit the scholarship application before the February 1, 2027 deadline.

Additional information

• Air tickets are not included in the scholarship and must be paid by the candidate.
• A cleaning fee of approximately €75 is not included and must be paid directly to Maastricht Housing.
• Accepting the scholarship means accepting the allocated room, which is not suitable for partners, spouses, or children. Refusing the room cancels the scholarship.
• Selected candidates will be invited for an online interview in March 2027 and must prepare an action plan.
• The mandatory two-week UM Pre-Academic Training starts in the first week of August 2027.