Radboud Scholarship 2027: Step-by-Step Guide for Indian Students

This scholarship gets mixed up with a differently-named, differently-scoped programme more often than you'd expect, and most guides don't clearly flag that the next cycle isn't open yet. Here's what's actually confirmed, sourced directly from Radboud University's own scholarship page.

What Is the Radboud Scholarship Programme?

It's a tuition-reduction scholarship offered directly by Radboud University in Nijmegen, the Netherlands, for talented non-EU/EEA students admitted to an English-taught Master's programme. Rather than paying a stipend, it reduces your tuition fee to a fixed amount — a meaningful saving, since standard international tuition for some Radboud Master's programmes runs up to roughly €18,000 a year.

Don't Confuse This With the Fulbright-Radboud Scholarship

Several guides blur these together because of the shared name. The Fulbright-Radboud Scholarship is a completely separate award, specifically for US citizens through the Fulbright programme, with its own October deadline and its own application process. If you're an Indian student, this article is about the general Radboud Scholarship Programme — the Fulbright-Radboud route isn't relevant to you.

Is the 2027-28 Cycle Open Yet?

Not officially, as of September 2026. Radboud's own scholarship page currently shows only the 2026-2027 cycle, which closed on 31 January 2026 (initial submission) and 14 February 2026 (document completion). There's no 2027-28 cycle information published yet. A deadline of 31 January 2027 is circulating on some secondary scholarship-listing sites, based on the pattern from prior years, but we could not confirm it directly on Radboud's own page during this research — treat it as a reasonable estimate, not a confirmed date, and check ru.nl directly as the year progresses.

Eligibility

• Hold a non-EU/EEA passport, and don't qualify for the lower EU/EEA tuition fee rate.
• Hold a Bachelor's degree obtained outside the Netherlands, with no prior education in the Netherlands.
• Meet the English language requirements for your chosen Master's programme.
• Receive full admission to an English-taught Master's programme at Radboud University — the scholarship application only proceeds if you're admitted.
• Be prepared to meet Dutch visa conditions and enrol as a full-time student.

What It Actually Covers

Budget separately for accommodation, food, and daily living costs in Nijmegen — this scholarship is a tuition reduction plus a specific set of administrative costs, not a full living-cost stipend.

How Many Scholarships Are Awarded

For the 2026-27 cycle, Radboud University awarded a maximum of 33 scholarships, split across faculties: Arts (4), Law (4), Management (6), Philosophy, Theology and Religious Studies (3), Science (8), and Social Sciences (8). This is a competitive, capped number — treat it as an indication of scale, not a confirmed figure for 2027-28, since faculty allocations can change year to year.

Application Process — Step by Step

• Step 1: Choose an eligible English-taught Master's programme at Radboud University. Erasmus Mundus and joint-degree programmes are not eligible for this scholarship.
• Step 2: Apply for admission to that Master's programme through Radboud's OSIRIS Application system.
• Step 3: During that same application, indicate that you want to be considered for the Radboud Scholarship.
• Step 4: Separately upload two reference letters and a CV for the scholarship review, in addition to your standard admission documents.
• Step 5: Wait for two separate decisions — your Master's programme admission, and your scholarship selection. Being admitted to the programme does not automatically mean you've been selected for the scholarship.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Confusing this with the Fulbright-Radboud Scholarship and following a US-specific application process that doesn't apply to you.
• Assuming a January 2027 deadline before Radboud officially confirms it — build in flexibility rather than planning around an unconfirmed date.
• Treating scholarship selection and programme admission as one decision — they're evaluated separately, and admission alone doesn't secure the scholarship.
• Not budgeting for living costs in Nijmegen, since the scholarship covers tuition and specific administrative costs, not day-to-day expenses.
• Submitting generic reference letters instead of ones that speak specifically to your readiness for the programme you're applying to.

How IMA Can Help

This scholarship runs through Radboud's own admission and selection process, so IMA's role is in the preparation that happens before you apply — not the scholarship decision itself, which rests entirely with Radboud University.

• IELTS/PTE preparation for the English-proficiency requirement your chosen Master's programme sets.
• Guidance on researching and shortlisting Radboud Master's programmes that genuinely fit your academic background.
• Support drafting a specific, non-generic CV and briefing your referees on what a strong reference letter should actually cover.