Maastricht University UM Social Justice Scholarship 2027–2028 in the Netherlands – Fully Funded
The Maastricht University (UM) Social Justice Scholarship 2027–2028 offers an exceptional opportunity for talented students from outside the European Union (EU) and European Economic Area (EEA) to pursue a fully funded one-year Master’s degree in Globalisation and Law at Maastricht University in the Netherlands.
The scholarship is specifically designed for applicants who have a proven track record of supporting human rights and/or the rule of law through extracurricular or intramural initiatives and projects.
Only one full scholarship is awarded each academic year, making this a highly competitive opportunity. The award covers tuition fees, living expenses, health and liability insurance, visa costs, pre-academic training and the first block of the International Student Ambassador Programme.
Maastricht University Social Justice Scholarship 2027 – Quick Details
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Scholarship | UM Social Justice Scholarship |
| University | Maastricht University |
| Country | Netherlands |
| Study level | Master’s |
| Eligible programme | Globalisation and Law |
| Academic year | 2027–2028 |
| Duration | 13 months |
| Number of awards | 1 full scholarship |
| Eligible applicants | Non-EU/EEA students |
| Age limit | Maximum 35 years on September 1, 2027 |
| Minimum GPA | 7.5/10 or equivalent |
| Living expenses | €20,150 for 13 months |
| Health & liability insurance | €700 |
| Tuition fees | Fully covered |
| Visa costs | Covered at cost |
| Pre-Academic Training | Covered |
| International Student Ambassador Programme | First block covered |
| Application opens | October 1, 2026 |
| Master’s application deadline | December 10, 2026 |
| Scholarship deadline | February 1, 2027 |
| Programme starts | September 2027 |
| Pre-Academic Training | First week of August 2027 |
The scholarship is intended to support Maastricht University’s values of diversity and inclusivity, as well as its commitment to strengthening the rule of law through its Global Engagement Policy and UNESCO Chair on Human Rights and Peace.
About the UM Social Justice Scholarship
The UM Social Justice Scholarship supports highly talented students who have demonstrated a commitment to human rights and/or the rule of law.
The scholarship is connected specifically to Maastricht University’s Globalisation and Law Master’s programme and is intended for students who want to develop their legal knowledge and use it to contribute to social justice, human rights and stronger legal systems.
Only students admitted to the full-time Globalisation and Law Master’s programme are eligible for this particular scholarship.
What Does the Scholarship Cover?
The scholarship provides a comprehensive funding package for the 13-month programme.
1. Living Expenses – €20,150
Scholars receive €20,150 for 13 months, paid to students by the UM International Services Desk.
This works out to approximately €1,550 per month.
The university indicates that this amount is intended to cover expenses including:
- Housing: €960
- Groceries and personal hygiene: €160
- Telephone: €60
- Travel: €100
- Books and study materials: €90
- Clothing, hobbies and going out: €125
- Miscellaneous: €55
These amounts are subject to change for the 2027–2028 academic year.
2. Health and Liability Insurance
The scholarship covers €700 for health and liability insurance.
The UM International Services Desk arranges and pays for the insurance.
3. Tuition Fees
Tuition fees are fully covered by the scholarship and are arranged and paid by the UM International Services Desk.
4. Visa Application Costs
The costs associated with the visa application are covered at cost and arranged and paid for by the UM International Services Desk.
5. Pre-Academic Training
The costs of the required UM Pre-Academic Training are covered.
The Pre-Academic Training is a mandatory two-week component of the scholarship and begins in the first week of August 2027.
6. International Student Ambassador Programme
The scholarship covers the cost of the first block of the International Student Ambassador Programme (ISAP).
7. Accommodation
A room is a mandatory part of the scholarship.
A room will be allocated to the scholar until July 2028.
Accepting the scholarship automatically means accepting the allocated room. If a successful applicant refuses the accommodation, the scholarship will be cancelled.
Accommodation provided through the scholarship is not suitable for partners/spouses or children. The university will take accommodation preferences, including considerations related to religious beliefs, into account where possible.
Important Accommodation and Travel Notes
The scholarship’s living-expense amount does not include air tickets. Scholars are responsible for paying for their own air tickets.
A cleaning fee of approximately €75 is also not included in the scholarship and must be paid directly to Maastricht Housing.
What Will You Study?
The scholarship is available only for the full-time Master’s programme in Globalisation and Law.
The programme offers an opportunity to explore how law interacts with globalisation and major international challenges.
Depending on the chosen specialisation, students can study areas related to:
- Human rights
- International law
- Global governance
- International trade and investment
- Corporate and commercial law
- Social justice
- Law and global development.
Maastricht University’s Globalisation and Law programme includes different specialisations, but only the Globalisation and Law Master’s programme is eligible for the UM Social Justice Scholarship.
Who Can Apply?
Applicants must meet all of the scholarship’s eligibility conditions.
1. Non-EU/EEA Nationality
You must hold nationality in a country outside the EU/EEA, Switzerland or Suriname.
You must also meet the requirements for obtaining an entry visa and residence permit for the Netherlands.
Schengen Residence Permit Exception
If you already have a residence permit for another Schengen country, you may apply only if that residence permit remains valid until at least September 2, 2027.
If your existing Schengen residence permit expires before September 2, 2027, you can only apply for the scholarship from your home country through an MVV visa application.
2. No Dual EU/EEA or Swiss Nationality
Applicants must not hold dual nationality from an EU/EEA country or Switzerland.
3. Admission to Globalisation and Law
Applicants must apply for admission to the full-time Master’s programme in Globalisation and Law for the 2027–2028 academic year.
The complete Master’s application file must meet all admission requirements and be submitted before December 10, 2026.
4. Proven Human Rights or Rule-of-Law Contribution
Applicants must already have made a proven contribution to supporting human rights and/or the rule of law.
This can be demonstrated through:
- Extracurricular initiatives
- Intracurricular initiatives
- Projects
- Other activities demonstrating a meaningful commitment to human rights or the rule of law.
This is one of the most important characteristics of the scholarship.
5. Meet Master’s Admission Requirements
Applicants must meet the specific admission requirements of the Maastricht University Master’s programme to which they are applying.
6. Preference for Applicants Without a Master’s Degree
Preference will be given to candidates who have not yet obtained a Master’s degree.
7. Age Requirement
Applicants must be 35 years old or younger on September 1, 2027.
In other words, you must not be older than 35 on that date.
8. Academic Excellence
Applicants must have achieved excellent academic results.
Your latest transcript must show a GPA of at least 7.5 out of 10.
The university also accepts equivalent grading systems, with the minimum corresponding to:
- 75% out of 100%, or
- 3.0 out of 4.0, depending on your grading system.
You must provide an official document from your home university showing your most recent GPA and another document explaining the university’s grading system.
9. One Scholarship Application Only
Applicants can submit an application only once and for one scholarship only.
You should therefore make sure that all documents and referee information are correct before submitting.
Once the application has been submitted, documents cannot be added or replaced.
Admission Requirements for Globalisation and Law
Applicants must separately satisfy the admission requirements for the Master’s programme.
For Globalisation and Law, applicants can qualify through several academic routes, including relevant Bachelor’s or Master’s degrees.
Examples include:
- English-language Bachelor/Master of Laws from Maastricht University
- Dutch Bachelor/Master of Laws from Maastricht University, subject to the language requirement
- Academic Dutch Bachelor/Master of Laws
- Academic non-Dutch Bachelor/Master of Laws from a research university, subject to assessment
- Certain related academic Bachelor’s or Master’s degrees from a research university, subject to assessment
- Other specific qualifying pathways listed by the Faculty of Law.
The Board of Admissions assesses applicants whose previous education does not automatically qualify them.
Applicants who are unsure whether their previous qualification is acceptable are advised by Maastricht University to apply through Studielink and complete the relevant tasks in the MyApplication portal so the Board of Admissions can assess their eligibility.
Work experience is considered only in very rare cases when assessing eligibility. Applicants relying on relevant work experience should explain this in their motivation letter and provide an explicit CV.
English Language Requirement
Because Globalisation and Law is taught in English, applicants must demonstrate sufficient English proficiency.
Maastricht University accepts several ways of demonstrating English proficiency, including an English-taught Bachelor’s or Master’s degree or sufficient English-taught coursework.
Accepted language tests include:
- Academic IELTS: minimum overall 6.5 with 6.5 in writing, or minimum overall 7.0
- TOEFL iBT: minimum overall 90 with 25 in writing, or minimum overall 100
- TOEIC: Listening and Reading 720; Speaking and Writing 310
- Cambridge Advanced C1: Grade C, scale 180–184
- Cambridge First: Grade A, scale 180–184
The university’s programme-specific admission requirements should be checked carefully because the applicable requirements can depend on the applicant’s previous education.
Application Timeline
There are two important deadlines applicants must understand.
October 1, 2026
Applications for the UM Social Justice Scholarship open.
December 10, 2026
This is the deadline for applying to the Globalisation and Law Master’s programme through Studielink and submitting the complete Master’s application file while meeting all admission requirements.
If your programme requires a handling fee as part of the admissions process, that fee is not covered by the UM International Services Desk. You must pay any required handling fee by December 10, 2026.
February 1, 2027
This is the scholarship application deadline.
By this date, applicants must have met all registration requirements except:
- Legal residence
- Tuition payment
- Submission of the hard copy of the diploma.
February 2027
The UM International Services Desk checks completed scholarship applications and forwards them to the UM Law Faculty.
March 2027
The Faculty selects and ranks its top three scholarship applicants and sends them to the UM International Services Desk for final checking.
End of March 2027
The International Services Desk confirms the Faculty’s selections and invites selected candidates to an online interview.
April 2027
Candidates are informed about their application status following the interviews.
Beginning of May 2027
Candidates will have received a status of:
- Selected
- Waitlisted
- Rejected
Waitlisted applications will be changed to selected or rejected by May 2027.
August 2027
The mandatory two-week UM Pre-Academic Training starts in the first week of August.
September 2027
The Master’s programme begins.
Required Application Documents
Applicants must prepare several documents before submitting the scholarship application.
1. Curriculum Vitae
Your CV must:
- Be up to date
- Include relevant education
- Include relevant work/job experience
- Mention awards and prizes where applicable
- Be no longer than two A4 pages.
2. Motivation Letter
Applicants must use the official motivation-letter template provided by Maastricht University.
The motivation letter should focus specifically on your motivation for receiving the scholarship.
Most importantly, applicants should emphasise what they have already done to improve human rights.
3. Proof of Academic Excellence
You must provide:
- Your university transcript or an official document from your home university showing your latest GPA of 7.5 or higher
- A document explaining your university’s grading system.
The university states that it accepts applications only where the cumulative GPA is at least 75% of the maximum scale in the Bachelor’s degree.
4. Personal Statement of Financial Need
Applicants must explain why they would benefit from receiving the scholarship.
You should describe your personal circumstances, which can include circumstances such as:
- Financial difficulty
- Sole-parent or caretaking responsibilities
- Medical condition
- Disability
- Refugee status
- Other relevant personal circumstances.
5. Reference Letter
Applicants must submit a scholarship reference letter.
Maastricht University provides reference-letter guidelines for referees.
Your referee must be a:
- Former professor
- Lecturer
- Employer
Family members cannot serve as referees.
The recommendation letter must:
- Follow the university’s guidelines
- Be dated
- Have been written no earlier than February 2026.
Letters that do not follow the guidelines will not be considered, which can make the scholarship application incomplete.
Important: You Upload the Reference Letter
The applicant must upload the reference letter personally.
The referee cannot upload it directly on the applicant’s behalf.
6. Referee Contact Details
Applicants must provide the contact details of one referee.
You must provide:
- Your relationship with the referee, such as professor, thesis supervisor or employer
- The referee’s work telephone number, including the country calling code
- The referee’s work or institutional email address.
A reference using only a personal email address will be rejected.
Maastricht University may contact the referee to verify the authenticity of the reference.
How to Apply
The application consists of two main stages.
Step 1: Apply for the Master’s Programme
First, apply for the Globalisation and Law Master’s programme through Studielink.
After submitting the Master’s application through Studielink, you will receive a Maastricht University student ID number.
You need this student number to complete the scholarship application.
Important: Only the Globalisation and Law Master’s programme is eligible for this scholarship.
Make sure your complete Master’s application is submitted by December 10, 2026.
Step 2: Complete the Scholarship Application
After obtaining your UM student number, log in with your UM account and complete the UM Social Justice Scholarship application form.
The university only accepts scholarship applications submitted through its official application form.
Upload your documents in:
- .doc
- .docx
format.
Remember that you can submit the scholarship application only once, so check every document and referee detail carefully before clicking submit.
Selection Process
The scholarship selection is conducted in several stages.
Stage 1: Completeness Check
After the February 1, 2027 deadline, the UM International Services Desk checks whether applications are complete.
Stage 2: Faculty Review
Complete applications are sent to the UM Law Faculty in February 2027.
Stage 3: Top Three Candidates
The Faculty selects and ranks its top three applicants.
These candidates are sent to the UM International Services Desk for a final check in March.
Stage 4: Online Interviews
The International Services Desk confirms the Faculty’s selections by the end of March and invites the selected candidates to an online interview.
During the interview process, candidates will be asked to prepare an action plan explaining how studying at Maastricht University will help them contribute to strengthening:
- Human rights, and/or
- The rule of law
in their home country and/or elsewhere.
Stage 5: Final Decision
After interviews, applicants are informed of their status in April 2027.
By the beginning of May 2027 at the latest, applicants will be classified as:
- Selected
- Waitlisted
- Rejected
Waitlisted applicants will receive their final selected/rejected status by May 2027.
Stage 6: Accepting the Scholarship
Successful applicants must sign and return the scholarship award letter to the UM International Services Desk to formally accept the scholarship.
UM Pre-Academic Training
Awardees will receive information about the UM Pre-Academic Training Programme and their arrival in Maastricht after receiving their scholarship award letter.
The Pre-Academic Training is:
- Mandatory
- Two weeks long
- Scheduled to begin in the first week of August 2027
- A required component of the UM Social Justice Scholarship programme.
Important Things to Know Before Applying
Only one scholarship is available
The university awards one full UM Social Justice Scholarship each academic year.
This makes the opportunity highly competitive.
You need a strong human-rights or rule-of-law record
This is not simply an academic scholarship.
Applicants must demonstrate that they have already contributed to human rights and/or the rule of law through initiatives and projects.
You must meet the 7.5 GPA requirement
The scholarship requires a minimum GPA of 7.5/10, or equivalent.
You must apply for the Master’s programme separately
Submitting a scholarship application alone is not enough.
You must first apply for Globalisation and Law through Studielink and complete the Master’s application.
There are two different deadlines
December 10, 2026: Master’s programme application deadline.
February 1, 2027: Scholarship application deadline.
Missing the December deadline means you will not be eligible for the scholarship.
The accommodation is mandatory
Accepting the scholarship means accepting the allocated room.
Refusing the accommodation results in cancellation of the scholarship.
Airfare is not covered
The scholarship does not cover your flight tickets.
The €75 cleaning fee is not covered
A cleaning fee of approximately €75 must be paid directly to Maastricht Housing.
Maastricht University Social Justice Scholarship 2027 – Summary
Scholarship: UM Social Justice Scholarship
University: Maastricht University
Country: Netherlands
Programme: Master’s in Globalisation and Law
Academic year: 2027–2028
Duration: 13 months
Number of scholarships: 1
Eligible nationality: Outside EU/EEA, Switzerland and Suriname
Age: Not older than 35 on September 1, 2027
Minimum GPA: 7.5/10 or equivalent
Human rights/rule of law experience: Required
Preference: Applicants without a previous Master’s degree
Living expenses: €20,150 for 13 months
Monthly living allowance: €1,550
Health & liability insurance: €700
Tuition: Fully covered
Visa: Covered at cost
Pre-Academic Training: Fully covered
International Student Ambassador Programme: First block covered
Accommodation: Allocated and mandatory until July 2028
Airfare: Not covered
Cleaning fee: Approximately €75, not covered
Application opens: October 1, 2026
Master’s application deadline: December 10, 2026
Scholarship deadline: February 1, 2027
Interview: Online, around March/April 2027
Final decisions: By May 2027
Pre-Academic Training: First week of August 2027
Master’s programme begins: September 2027.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the UM Social Justice Scholarship fully funded?
Yes. The scholarship covers tuition fees, living expenses, health and liability insurance, visa application costs, pre-academic training and the first block of the International Student Ambassador Programme.
How many students will receive the scholarship?
Only one student receives the full scholarship each academic year.
How much is the monthly allowance?
The living-expense component is €1,550 per month, for a total of €20,150 over 13 months.
Can Nigerian students apply?
Yes. Nigerian applicants are eligible as non-EU/EEA applicants, provided they meet all other requirements.
What Master’s programme can I study?
Only the full-time Master’s programme in Globalisation and Law qualifies for the UM Social Justice Scholarship.
What GPA do I need?
You need a cumulative GPA of at least 7.5 out of 10, equivalent to at least 75% or 3.0/4.0 depending on the grading system.
Do I need human-rights experience?
Yes. Applicants must have made a proven contribution to supporting human rights and/or the rule of law through intra- and extracurricular initiatives or projects.
Can I apply if I already have a Master’s degree?
You can apply if you meet the requirements, but preference is given to candidates who have not yet obtained a Master’s degree.
What is the age limit?
You must not be older than 35 years on September 1, 2027.
Does the scholarship cover accommodation?
Yes. A room is allocated to the scholarship recipient until July 2028. However, accepting the scholarship means accepting the room, and refusing it will result in cancellation of the scholarship.
Does it cover my flight to the Netherlands?
No. Air tickets are not included and must be paid for by the candidate.
Is the accommodation suitable for families?
No. The scholarship accommodation is not suitable for partners/spouses and/or children.
What is the application deadline?
There are two important dates:
- December 10, 2026: Complete application for the Globalisation and Law Master’s programme.
- February 1, 2027: UM Social Justice Scholarship application deadline.
When will the scholarship application open?
October 1, 2026.
Scholarships Expiring Soon
Conclusion
The Maastricht University UM Social Justice Scholarship 2027–2028 is a highly competitive opportunity for talented non-EU/EEA students who have demonstrated a genuine commitment to human rights and the rule of law.
The single successful scholar will receive funding covering €20,150 in living expenses over 13 months, tuition fees, €700 health and liability insurance, visa costs, pre-academic training and the first block of the International Student Ambassador Programme, alongside allocated accommodation.
However, applicants need more than excellent grades. You must have a minimum 7.5/10 GPA, meet the age and nationality requirements, gain admission to the Globalisation and Law Master’s programme, and demonstrate a proven record of contributing to human rights and/or the rule of law.
Most importantly, remember that the Master’s application deadline is December 10, 2026, while the scholarship application deadline is February 1, 2027.
Application opens: October 1, 2026
Master’s application deadline: December 10, 2026
Scholarship deadline: February 1, 2027
Programme: Globalisation and Law
Funding: Fully funded
Location: Maastricht, Netherlands
Official scholarship information:
