Maastricht Social Justice Scholarship 2027 — Fully Funded Law Master's
Fully funded Master scholarship in Netherlands for All nationalities outside the EU/EEA students 2027
One full scholarship a year for the Master of Globalisation and Law: tuition, EUR 20,150 living costs, insurance and housing. Apply by 1 February 2027.
Eligibility
- National of a country outside the EU/EEA, Switzerland and Suriname
- Applying for the full-time Master of Globalisation and Law, 2027-2028
- Complete programme application submitted by 10 December 2026
- GPA of at least 7.5 out of 10 in the most recent qualification
- Aged 35 or younger on 1 September 2027
- Documented contribution to the rule of law or human rights
Maastricht University's UM NL Social Justice Scholarship is the rare European award that funds a law master's properly: tuition, a living allowance of more than twenty thousand euros, insurance, visa costs, pre-academic training and a room. It is also the narrowest award in this batch. One scholarship is offered each academic year, for one programme, the one-year Master of Globalisation and Law, and the application closes on 1 February 2027. If you are a law graduate from outside the EU with a documented record in rule of law or human rights work, this is worth the effort. If you are not, there is no point applying.
What it covers
The package is comprehensive. Tuition is paid at cost. Living expenses are provided as EUR 20,150 across the thirteen months of the programme, which works out at EUR 1,550 a month. Health and liability insurance of about EUR 700 is arranged and paid. Visa application costs, pre-academic training and the first block of the International Student Ambassador Programme are covered. A room is allocated to you until July 2028, and accepting the scholarship means accepting the room.
That last condition deserves attention. The accommodation is not suitable for partners, children or pets, and refusing the allocated room cancels the scholarship. For a single student arriving from Kabul or Lahore this is a genuine benefit, because Maastricht's private rental market is tight and expensive. For a married applicant it is a constraint that should be discussed before applying, not after.
The figures are those published for the current cycle and the university notes that amounts may change for 2027-2028. Treat them as close to final rather than guaranteed to the euro.
Who can apply
You must hold a nationality outside the EU, the EEA, Switzerland and Suriname, and you must not hold dual nationality with an EU or EEA state or Switzerland. You must have applied for the full-time Master of Globalisation and Law for 2027-2028 and submitted a complete file that meets every admission requirement before 10 December 2026. You must be 35 or younger on 1 September 2027, hold a GPA of at least 7.5 out of 10 in your most recent qualification, and be able to evidence a contribution to the rule of law or human rights through academic, professional or voluntary work. Preference goes to candidates who do not already hold a master's degree.
The programme fit is strict. This is a law degree, and the admissions team will look for a law background or a closely related one with sufficient legal content. A policy or development studies degree with no law modules is usually not enough. If your transcripts are ambiguous, write to the admissions office before December rather than after.
Eligibility: run this self-check before you start
Is your nationality outside the EU and EEA, without an EU passport? Will your programme application be complete by 10 December 2026? Is your GPA at least 7.5 out of 10, or can you evidence an equivalent standing? Can you describe, with dates and outcomes, what you have actually done for the rule of law or human rights? Are you 35 or younger on 1 September 2027? Can you live in allocated student accommodation for the full year? If two or more answers are no, the single available place is unlikely to come to you, and your time is better spent on a broader Dutch award.
Deadline and what the calendar really means
The scholarship application opened on 1 October 2026 and closes on 1 February 2027. But the binding date is earlier: your application to the Master of Globalisation and Law through Studielink, complete with every required document, must be in by 10 December 2026. By 1 February 2027 you must also have met all registration requirements apart from legal residence, tuition payment and the hard-copy diploma. Applicants who treat 1 February as the only date discover in January that they are ineligible because their programme file was incomplete.
How to apply
Apply to the master's programme first, through Studielink, and upload the full document set. Once you have a student number, complete the scholarship application form linked from the scholarship page. You may submit one application, for one scholarship only, and documents cannot be added or replaced after submission, so assemble everything before you press send. The selection committee reviews the scholarship file separately from admission.
Documents checklist
A complete programme application with transcripts, degree certificate and English evidence. A CV covering legal or human rights work with dates. A motivation letter that names the rule of law or human rights problem you have worked on. Evidence of that work: reports, case files, project descriptions, employer letters. Proof of GPA or a transcript that shows it. Passport. Any publication or policy output, if you have one.
Common mistakes
Applying for the scholarship before the programme, which leaves no student number to attach. Assuming any master's at Maastricht qualifies; only Globalisation and Law does. Missing the 10 December programme deadline while aiming at 1 February. Treating volunteer membership of a student society as a human rights record. Submitting a motivation letter that describes the scholarship's value to you rather than your value to the field. And applying with an incomplete file, because nothing can be added afterwards.
Tips to win
With one place available, the file has to read as a coherent career rather than a list of activities. Pick the single problem you have worked on, show what changed because of your involvement, and connect it to a specific module or clinic in the Maastricht programme. If your work was unpaid or informal, say so and show the output. Ask a supervisor or employer to confirm it in a reference. And apply to the programme in October, not December, so that a missing apostille does not end the year.
Related scholarships on OEAC
https://www.oeacnetwork.com/index.php?page=post&id=124
https://www.oeacnetwork.com/index.php?page=post&id=96
https://www.oeacnetwork.com/index.php?page=post&id=43
Official programme page
If you are not sure whether your profile fits, or you want a second pair of eyes on the project description before the December cut-off, contact an OEAC advisor and we will review your documents with you.
Last updated: 5 November 2026.
Always confirm the deadline and eligibility on the official page before you apply. Scholarship dates change between rounds, and this listing is a summary — the provider's own page is the authoritative source. OEAC Network lists scholarships for free and is not an agent for any university or funding body.
