The Amsterdam Merit Scholarship (AMS) is the University of Amsterdam’s (UvA) merit scholarship for outstanding students from outside the EU/EEA. The name is shared across the university, but each faculty or graduate school runs its own version, with its own amount, number of awards, conditions, documents, deadline and selection method. For the September 2027 intake, 15 January 2027 is the main deadline for several faculty routes, Child Development and Education asks for applications “before 15 January” without printing a year, and Social Sciences lists 15 February 2027. Check the date and any time your own faculty and programme pages state.
Short verdict: the AMS is worth a serious attempt if you meet your faculty’s nationality rules, have a strong academic record, and can pay tuition and living costs yourself if the award does not come or covers only part of them. Academic thresholds and selection methods differ: Science, Economics and Business and Medicine refer to the top 10% of your class, Law and Communication Science set GPA levels, and Law picks its single winner by lottery. It is not guaranteed funding. Where numbers are published they are small (one award each at Science, Law and Communication Science), and Science, Social Sciences and Economics and Business pay the grant in instalments while you pay tuition yourself.
Derrick Ochieng for Scholarship Tally reviewed the central UvA Amsterdam Merit Scholarship page, every faculty AMS page it links, the 2027-2028 tuition fees page and the UvA Master’s application guide on 16 October 2026. This guide was drafted with AI assistance from an outline and checked line by line against those official pages. Scholarship Tally is independent of the University of Amsterdam and cannot assess individual applications. Where a faculty page is out of date or two UvA pages disagree, this guide says so instead of guessing.
Quick facts
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Award | Amsterdam Merit Scholarship (AMS), funded by the UvA |
| Host | University of Amsterdam, Netherlands |
| Level | Mainly Master’s, Research Master’s and Master of Laws (LLM); a few Bachelor’s routes |
| Who | Non-EU/EEA nationals not eligible for Dutch student finance or the statutory fee |
| Value | Varies by faculty, e.g. €4,000 (Medicine), €26,125 (Science); several 2027-2028 amounts not yet published |
| Awards | Varies by faculty (one each at Science, Law and Communication Science); no UvA-wide number |
| Main deadline | 15 January 2027 for several routes (Law: 23:59 CET); Social Sciences 15 February 2027, 23:59 CET |
| Selection | Merit review at most faculties; lottery at Law; shortlist of 8 at Communication Science |
| Apply through | Usually your programme application (Studielink, then SIS, the UvA’s online application system); some faculties use email or a separate form |
Who should apply (and who should not)
Likely a good fit
- You hold a non-EU/EEA passport or nationality and are not eligible for Dutch student finance (Studiefinanciering) or the reduced statutory tuition fee.
- Your previous degree results are in the top tier your faculty names: top 10% of your class, a GPA around 3.5 to 4.0 on the US scale, first-class honours (UK), or 8 or higher on the Dutch 10-point scale.
- You are applying for a full-time UvA programme with an AMS route and can apply before the scholarship deadline.
- You can meet Dutch visa requirements set by the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND).
- You have a realistic plan for tuition and living costs: five faculties say the AMS is not a tuition waiver, and no UvA page checked says it covers living costs.
Probably not for you
- You hold an EU or EEA nationality. If you are a dual national, check your faculty’s wording: Communication Science excludes dual EU/EEA nationals explicitly, Child Development and Education requires “non-EEA nationality or nationalities only”, and Economics and Business asks for non-EU nationality only. The Faculty of Science also excludes Swiss nationals.
- You already hold, or expect, a scholarship that covers your full costs for the same period. Most faculties exclude you, and Humanities allows no other scholarship alongside its version.
- Your admission depends on completing a pre-Master’s first. Communication Science and Social Sciences exclude this (Social Sciences has one summer school exception).
- You need the scholarship to make the move possible at all; several faculties ask for proof you can cover all other costs.
- You want a February start but your faculty lists no AMS route for it. Medicine (Medical Informatics) lists a February route, Communication Science says it has none, and the Science and Psychology pages refer to a September start.
How the AMS works at the UvA
The central UvA page only sets the frame: non-EU/EEA passport holders who have applied for a UvA degree programme may apply, applications go to the graduate schools’ Admissions Offices, and “deadlines for the AMS differ per Faculty or Graduate School”. Three rules repeat across most faculty pages:
- It is not a tuition waiver. Science, Social Sciences, Child Development and Education, Medicine and Economics and Business say the AMS cannot be used as a (partial) tuition waiver, so you pay tuition yourself (instalments are possible). Science and Social Sciences pay the grant monthly; Economics and Business pays it in 12 equal instalments on a reimbursement basis.
- Admission comes first. The AMS goes only to students admitted to a UvA programme; some faculties accept conditional admission, others require unconditional admission.
- Keep the office informed. Law, Science and Social Sciences ask you to report any change in nationality, residence permit type or student finance eligibility.
At Child Development and Education, Social Sciences and Medicine, an award for one academic year cannot be transferred to another year. Child Development and Education and Social Sciences also require you to accept the scholarship conditions in writing before any money is paid.
Faculty routes at a glance
Find your route here, then read your faculty’s notes. Humanities runs its version as the Letje Lips Amsterdam Merit Scholarship (LLAMS). Figures are quoted as each page showed them on 16 October 2026.
Value and number of awards
| Faculty | Value as stated | Awards stated |
|---|---|---|
| Science | €26,125 | 1 for the whole faculty (September 2027) |
| Law | 2027-2028 amount to be announced | 1 per year |
| Economics and Business | Tuition fee plus €5,000 (current page wording; amounts set yearly in late autumn) | Limited; 12 from 150 applications last year |
| Communication Science | Entire first-year tuition fee | 1 for 2027-2028 |
| Social Sciences | Equals the tuition fee | 2 in 2025 (1.5% of applications) |
| Psychology | Part of the tuition fee | 1 Master’s track, 1 Research Master’s |
| Child Development and Education | Not stated | Not stated |
| Humanities (LLAMS) | Not stated for 2027-2028 (2026-2027 page: €37,500) | Not stated for 2027-2028 (2026-2027 page: 4) |
| Medicine | €4,000 (proportional for a February start) | Limited; number not stated |
Deadline and how you apply
| Faculty | Deadline as printed | How you apply | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Science | 15 January | Tick the scholarship box in the MSc application | April |
| Law | 15 January at 23:59 CET | Scholarship tab plus motivation letter upload in the LLM application | End of March |
| Economics and Business | 15 January | Scholarship section of the Master’s application | End of April |
| Communication Science | 15 January (programme); 7 February (questionnaire) | Questionnaire, then full file if shortlisted | April |
| Social Sciences | 15 February 2027, 23:59 CET | Tick box in SIS plus one combined PDF | By mid-May |
| Psychology | Page still shows 1 March 2026 | Answer “yes” in the online application | Page shows early May 2026 |
| Child Development and Education | Before 15 January | Email motivation letter and budget plan | Before end of June |
| Humanities (LLAMS) | 15 January (overview) | SIS application, then a separate LLAMS form | 2026-2027 page: mid-May |
| Medicine | Before June 1 (September start); November 1 (February start) | Upload via the Digital Student Service Desk | Unclear on page |
Where the table shows “15 January” without a year, the faculty page prints none. Science ties its page to the September 2027 start, Law to 2027-2028, and the MSc Economics page lists 15 January 2027 for non-EU/EEA scholarship applicants, so for this intake it means 15 January 2027.
Faculty notes
Values and dates are in the tables above; these notes cover eligibility, documents, selection and traps.
Science (MSc)
- Who qualifies: no EU/EEA or Swiss nationality, a first application to a UvA MSc, and a previous degree completed no longer than three years ago.
- Selection: top 10% of your graduating class (generally GPA 3.5 US, first-class honours or upper division UK, or 8 or higher Dutch), the academic quality of your home institution, a motivation letter of at most 500 words, and a CV with extracurricular activities. Failing any requirement makes you ineligible.
- Watch out: one award covers every MSc programme, and in a two-year MSc the second year needs good results, at least 40 European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) credits in year one, and the page’s attendance and progress requirements.
Law (LLM)
- Who qualifies: applicants to four LLMs only (International and European Law; Transnational and European Private Law; Law & Finance; International Criminal Law) with a GPA comparable to 4.0 (US), first-class honours (UK) or 8.0 (Dutch); for a non-law Bachelor’s, only law courses count. It must be your first Master’s at the UvA.
- Selection: a lottery. “The candidate will be randomly selected from the applicants who meet the requirements.”
- What to submit: select the AMS on the Scholarship tab of the LLM application and upload a motivation letter of at most 500 words on the Additional documents tab (one letter also covers the Mr Julia Henriette Jaarsma-Adolfs Fund Scholarship if you select it). Missing either step makes the application incomplete, and it is not considered.
Economics and Business (MSc)
- Value warning: the Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB) page wording, “equal to the tuition fee + €5,000 additional allowance for the duration of the programme (1 year, without prolongation)”, is not a confirmed 2027-2028 amount: FEB says amounts are “determined each year and published on the website in late autumn”. It is paid in 12 equal instalments on a reimbursement basis.
- Who qualifies: non-EU nationality only, with a GPA of at least (Magna) Cum Laude (Dutch), first-class honours (UK) or 3.7 (US).
- What to submit: a motivation letter of at most 300 words (why you need the scholarship and why you deserve it), a recommendation letter from a dean, teacher or academic supervisor confirming you are in the top 10% of your class or year, English test results if they apply (for example TOEFL iBT 100 or IELTS Academic 7.0; component rules are on the FEB page), and GMAT or GRE if your programme requires it.
- Watch out: OnCampus, UvA Economics and Business, and research MSc applicants (Tinbergen, Business Data Science) use a separate form with the same deadline. The need-based Amsterdam Economics and Business Talent Fund is a different award.
Communication Science (MSc and Research MSc)
- Who qualifies: non-EEA nationality only (dual EU/EEA nationals are not eligible), conditional admission without a pre-Master’s or Online Foundations requirement, an overall GPA of at least 8 on a 1-10 scale, and a September start. The Graduate School of Communication calls the chance “very small”.
- Stages: indicate the scholarship in your programme application (the school advises finishing at least one week before 15 January), then answer the questionnaire sent before 31 January. A committee weighs motivation, GPA, extracurricular activities and proven affinity with academic research, and the top eight submit a full file: AMS application form, CV, motivation letter (at most one A4 page), certified transcripts with GPA, an extracurricular description and optionally one or two recommendation letters.
Social Sciences (Graduate School of Social Sciences)
- Who qualifies: full, unconditional admission to an English-taught, selective Graduate School of Social Sciences (GSSS) Master’s that is your first programme in the Netherlands at Bachelor’s or Master’s level, with no pre-Master’s (only exception: the summer school “Comprehensive Introduction to Research Methodology and Design”, at your own cost). Continuation needs about 80% of credits per year.
- What to submit: tick the AMS box in SIS, then upload one self-made PDF under Additional documents, item “scholarship motivation letter”, containing in this order: CV; scholarship motivation letter (how the programme serves your personal and academic goals and why you are the best candidate); a recommendation letter from a professor or other academic staff member about your academic qualities; and a financial plan showing that you need the scholarship and can cover all other costs. An AMS application without a timely programme application, or the reverse, is invalid.
- Watch out: the AMS page says 15 February 2027, 23:59 CET, with no late applications, but the MSc Political Science (International Relations) page lists 5 February 2027, 17:00 hrs (CET) in Studielink and 15 February 2027, 17:00 hrs (CET) in SIS. Meet whichever deadline on your programme page comes first.
Psychology (Master’s tracks and Research Master’s)
- Stale page: the Graduate School of Psychology page still showed the 2026 cycle on 16 October 2026; 2027-2028 dates and amount are not stated.
- Who qualifies: September starters with unconditional acceptance and no other financial assistance that provides substantial coverage. Selection weighs prior academic performance and English: IELTS Academic 7.0 (6.5 per component), TOEFL iBT 100 (Reading 24, Listening 22, Speaking 25, Writing 24) or Cambridge C1 Advanced 190, no older than two years.
- How to apply: answer “yes” to “Will you be applying to one of the UvA scholarships?” in the online application; nothing else is required.
Child Development and Education (Research Master’s)
- Who qualifies: non-EEA students admitted to the Research Master’s; the Graduate School of Child Development and Education (CDE) calls the award “highly selective”. Apply by emailing a motivation letter and a budget plan to the Research Master’s address.
- Watch out: the selection section also names “the Master’s programme Pedagogical Sciences, track Youth at Risk”, but the conditions mention only the Research Master’s. Youth at Risk students should ask the graduate school before relying on this route.
Humanities: Letje Lips Amsterdam Merit Scholarship (LLAMS)
- Purpose: the Graduate School of Humanities aims the LLAMS at a student “from a non-privileged background” who “shows a passion for the development of a just, inclusive and multicultural world”.
- Stale page: the LLAMS page still showed 2026-2027 details (SIS application and LLAMS form due by 15 January 2026, 23:59 CET); the current overview gives “Deadline for applications: 15 January”. The 2027-2028 number, amount and exact time had not been published.
- Who qualified in 2026-2027: first-time students at any Dutch university or university of applied sciences (not current pre-Master’s or former exchange students) applying for a one-year, non-selective English-taught Humanities Master’s (not Research or Dual), with no other scholarship, proof of English in SIS by the deadline, and the means to pay housing and immigration fees before arrival (around May or June). Submit the SIS application, then the separate LLAMS form.
Medicine (MSc Medical Informatics)
- Who qualifies: applicants to the Master’s in Medical Informatics at the Faculty of Medicine (Academic Medical Centre, AMC-UvA). Year two is possible only exceptionally, with 80% or more of first-year credits.
- What to submit: through the Digital Student Service Desk to the International Office, a motivation letter (at most 500 words, on why Medical Informatics and how it fits your career), a recommendation letter from your dean, teacher or academic supervisor confirming you are in the top 10% of your class, and a description of extracurricular activities.
- Watch out: neither deadline (before June 1 for September, November 1 for February) prints a year, so February applicants should confirm which intake November 1 refers to. Selection is in June and November; the notification sentence is incomplete, so ask when you will hear.
What the AMS does not cover
The UvA pages checked do not say the AMS covers living costs, housing, visa or residence permit fees, health insurance or flights. Economics and Business currently describes an additional €5,000 allowance, but it sets amounts yearly and has not confirmed the 2027-2028 value. Humanities states that its scholarship “does not cover the full amount of stay and study”. Budget for every cost your faculty’s published award does not cover:
- Tuition gap: at Medicine (€4,000 against €25,900 tuition) and Science (€26,125 against €34,200 for a one-year Master’s), the grant is smaller than one year of non-EEA tuition.
- Living costs: the UvA pages checked give no living-cost figure.
- Upfront payments: Humanities warns you must pay housing and immigration fees before arrival. The €100 Master’s application fee (for applicants with an international Bachelor’s diploma) is non-refundable.
- Proof of funds: Science asks for “sufficient funds to cover all other costs”, and the Social Sciences financial plan must prove the same, as part of eligibility, not after you win.
Key dates and deadline traps
Times appear only where the UvA prints one; every other deadline is a date only.
- 15 January is the main cut-off for most September 2027 routes; the deadline table above gives each faculty’s exact wording.
- Social Sciences can close earlier than its AMS page suggests. Check the Studielink and SIS deadlines on your own programme page.
- Medicine’s November 1 date is for a February start. The September-start route closes before June 1.
- Psychology and Humanities pages were still on the previous cycle on 16 October 2026.
Practical buffer: the UvA asks you to register in Studielink at least one week before the deadline (your UvAnetID can take up to 48 hours), and the GSSS guide for 2027 asks you to pay the application fee at least 24 hours before the deadline.
How to apply
- Open your faculty’s AMS page from the central UvA page and confirm your programme is covered (Law and Medicine, for example, limit the AMS to named programmes).
- Check nationality wording, student finance, admission type, the pre-Master’s rule, the grade threshold and any first-time or recent-graduation rule.
- Prepare the faculty’s documents early: motivation letter within the word limit, CV, recommendation letter, financial or budget plan, and English test results where required.
- Submit your enrolment request in Studielink at least one week before the deadline.
- Activate your UvAnetID from the email you receive (allow up to 48 hours).
- Complete the programme application in SIS and pay the €100 non-refundable application fee if it applies to you.
- In the same application, tick the scholarship box or complete the scholarship section, and upload the scholarship documents your faculty asks for.
- If your faculty uses its own channel, complete it before the AMS deadline: email at Child Development and Education, the Digital Student Service Desk at Medicine, the separate LLAMS form at Humanities, and the questionnaire (then a full file if shortlisted) at Communication Science. Psychology needs only the “yes” answer in the online application.
- Watch your email for questionnaires, invitations or requests for documents.
- If admitted, submit certified transcripts and degree certificates before the start date, and pay tuition as instructed.
How to make your application stronger
These points come only from what each faculty says it assesses.
- Check the academic criteria first. Compare your record with your faculty’s published requirements (a top-10% ranking or GPA level where one is stated) before investing time in the application.
- Write to the exact brief and limit. FEB wants why you need it and why you deserve it in 300 words; Law wants your programme choice and the importance of the scholarship in 500 words; Medicine wants why you chose Medical Informatics in 500 words; Science allows 500 words; Communication Science one A4 page.
- Ask your referee for the right statement. FEB and Medicine need the letter to confirm you are in the top 10% of your class. Social Sciences wants a professor or academic staff member to describe your academic qualities.
- Show extracurriculars where they count: Science, Communication Science and Medicine assess them, and Communication Science also weighs research affinity.
- Make the financial plan credible. Social Sciences says it must show both need and the means to cover all other costs; Child Development and Education asks for a budget plan.
- For LLAMS, address the stated purpose: a student from a non-privileged background with a passion for a just, inclusive and multicultural world.
Common mistakes
- Applying for the AMS without a complete, on-time programme application. At Social Sciences this makes the AMS application invalid; at Law the whole LLM application, including the Scholarship tab and letter upload, must be in by the deadline.
- Sending Social Sciences several files instead of one combined PDF in the right order.
- Assuming the award removes your tuition bill or covers your remaining study and living costs.
- Using the previous-cycle Psychology or Humanities dates as confirmed 2027-2028 deadlines, or overlooking an earlier deadline on your Social Sciences programme page.
- Ignoring your faculty’s nationality wording, applying while eligible for Dutch student finance or the statutory fee, or applying to Communication Science or Social Sciences when your admission requires a pre-Master’s.
Bachelor’s applicants: the smaller routes
The central Bachelor’s AMS page lists Economics and Business, Social and Behavioural Sciences, and Psychology. The Social and Behavioural Sciences page offers “a limited number of scholarships” to non-EEA students and points on to its Communication Science and Psychology Bachelor’s pages, so the three routes below cover every Bachelor’s page linked. Continuation depends on satisfactory progress, about 80% of credits per year.
- Economics and Business Bachelor’s: amount not stated (set yearly); last year one scholarship per programme. Deadlines: 15 January for Business Administration and Economics and Business Economics, 1 March for other FEB Bachelor’s. Non-EU nationality only, excellent results, participation in early selection or UvA Matching, and a motivation letter of at most 300 words on the official template.
- BSc Psychology: no separate application. One new student per year is nominated if their selection test score is in the best 10%, with unconditional acceptance; amount “will be announced later”; notification in May.
- BSc Communication Science: no AMS for a new Bachelor’s student in 2026-2027; 2027-2028 not stated.
Other Netherlands scholarships to compare
To compare other funding options, these Scholarship Tally guides cover scholarships at other Dutch universities:
- Leiden University Excellence Scholarship (LExS) 2027
- TU Delft MSc Scholarships (Van Effen Excellence and Microelectronics awards)
- Maastricht UM Social Justice Scholarship 2027
- Eric Bleumink Fellowship at the University of Groningen, nomination only
FAQ
Is the Amsterdam Merit Scholarship fully funded or a tuition waiver?
The UvA does not describe it as fully funded, and Science, Social Sciences, Child Development and Education, Medicine and Economics and Business say it is not a tuition waiver, so you pay tuition yourself. No UvA page checked says it covers living costs, housing, visas, insurance or flights.
How much is the AMS for 2027-2028?
There is no single UvA-wide amount; it depends on your faculty (see the value table). Science (€26,125), Communication Science (full first-year tuition), Social Sciences (equal to tuition) and Medicine (€4,000) state a figure; Economics and Business shows tuition plus €5,000 but sets amounts yearly; Law, Psychology, Humanities and Child Development and Education had not published a 2027-2028 amount.
How many scholarships are there?
There is no UvA-wide number. Science, Law and Communication Science each have one, Psychology one per group, Social Sciences awarded two in 2025, and Economics and Business 12 from 150 applications last year.
What is the deadline for the September 2027 intake?
Several routes tied to the September 2027 intake use 15 January. Law states “15 January at 23:59 CET”, Science and Economics and Business give 15 January with no time, and Child Development and Education says “before 15 January” without a year. Social Sciences lists “no later than 15 February 2027, 23:59 CET”, but some programme pages give an earlier date or time. Psychology’s 2027-2028 deadline was not on the page checked, and Medicine’s September route closes before June 1.
Do I need to be admitted before I apply for the AMS?
No, you apply alongside your programme application, but the award goes only to admitted students. Communication Science accepts conditional admission and an unfinished Bachelor’s; Social Sciences and Psychology require unconditional admission.
Is there a separate AMS application form?
Usually not; the request sits inside your programme application. Exceptions are Child Development and Education (email), Medicine (Digital Student Service Desk), Humanities (separate LLAMS form) and Communication Science (questionnaire, then a full file if shortlisted).
Can I apply with an EU or EEA second nationality, or as a Swiss national?
Communication Science and Child Development and Education explicitly exclude any EU/EEA nationality, Science excludes Swiss nationals, and Economics and Business asks for non-EU nationality only. Check your faculty’s exact wording.
What GPA do I need?
It is faculty-specific: Science top 10% (generally 3.5 US, first-class or upper division UK, 8 or higher Dutch); Law comparable to 4.0 US or 8.0 Dutch; Economics and Business (Magna) Cum Laude, first-class or 3.7 US; Communication Science at least 8 on a 1-10 scale.
Can I apply for the AMS at more than one faculty?
The UvA pages do not say. Ask the admissions office of each faculty involved.
Is there an application fee?
Yes, €100, non-refundable, for Master’s applicants with an international Bachelor’s diploma, paid when you submit in SIS. Exemptions include a Dutch Bachelor’s, having paid for another UvA Master’s for 2027-2028, or tuition paid by the Foundation for Refugee Students (UAF).
Is the AMS the same as the Amsterdam Excellence Scholarships?
No. The Amsterdam Excellence Scholarships (AES) were not listed on the UvA Master’s scholarships overview when checked on 16 October 2026, so do not plan around them.
Can I keep the AMS for the second year of a two-year Master’s?
Only where the faculty says so: Science with good results and at least 40 ECTS in year one; Medicine exceptionally with 80% or more of credits; Communication Science Research Master’s partially, depending on funding; Social Sciences with about 80% of credits per year.
Can I get the AMS for a February start?
Of the faculty pages checked, only Medicine (Medical Informatics) lists a February route (November 1, proportional amount). Communication Science says there is no AMS for February starters, so confirm with your faculty before planning a February start.
Who do I contact with questions?
Use your faculty’s contact route: the Science International Team and Law Admissions Office web forms, the Social Sciences and Child Development and Education emails, or the AMC-UvA International Office (+31 (0)20 566 5088).
Official sources
- Amsterdam Merit Scholarship, central UvA page (Master’s)
- UvA Master’s scholarships and loans overview
- Faculty of Science AMS
- Amsterdam Law School AMS
- Economics and Business scholarships overview
- Economics and Business AMS details
- MSc Economics application and admission (2027 deadlines)
- Communication Science AMS
- Communication Science AMS FAQ
- Graduate School of Social Sciences scholarships
- GSSS: things you need to know before applying 2027 (PDF)
- MSc Political Science (International Relations) application deadlines
- Graduate School of Psychology AMS
- Child Development and Education Research Master’s AMS
- Letje Lips Amsterdam Merit Scholarship (Humanities)
- Graduate School of Humanities scholarships overview
- Faculty of Medicine (AMC-UvA) AMS
- UvA tuition fees 2027-2028
- Applying for a Master’s programme at the UvA
- Studielink
- Amsterdam Merit Scholarship for Bachelor’s students
- Economics and Business Bachelor’s AMS
- UvA other financial aid for Master’s students
- Social Sciences admissions email
- Child Development and Education Research Master’s email
