TU/e Scholarship for Excellence 2027: Eligible Programmes, GPA and How to Apply

Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) gives the Scholarship for Excellence to about 35 new international master’s students each year. It pays €7,500 a year for two years. It is not a full scholarship, so you need other money for tuition and living costs. The closing date for September 2027 is 1 January 2027.

This guide was checked on 15 October 2026 against the official TU/e Scholarship for Excellence page.

TU/e Scholarship for Excellence at a glance

What the scholarship pays

You receive €7,500 a year for two years, paid in monthly amounts into a Dutch or SEPA bank account. TU/e says the scholarship is not full and does not cover the total cost of study. You must pay a large part of your tuition and living costs yourself.

When you apply for any scholarship, TU/e asks you to give the full and correct TU/e tuition fee. If a scholarship does not cover the full fee, you must pay the rest before you can enrol.

Eligible master’s programmes

• Applied Physics
• Artificial Intelligence and Engineering Systems
• Automotive Technology
• Computer Science and Engineering (Cybersecurity, and Systems and AI tracks)
• Data Science and Artificial Intelligence
• Electrical Engineering
• Embedded Systems
• Industrial and Applied Mathematics (Quantum Science and Technology, and AI Fundamentals tracks)
• Mechanical Engineering (Aerospace Systems Engineering track)
• Science and Technology of Nuclear Fusion
• Sustainable Energy Technology
• Systems and Control

The scholarship cannot move to a programme outside these departments, and it cannot be deferred to a later year.

Who can apply

• A non-Dutch secondary school diploma and/or a non-Dutch bachelor’s degree.
• An application for a full-time eligible master’s starting 1 September 2027, meeting its admission requirements.
• A GPA of at least 7.5 out of 10 on your latest transcript.
• No earlier higher education in the Netherlands. Exchange programmes are allowed.
• Able to meet Dutch visa and residence permit rules. Non-EEA students must show enough money.
• Not applying for the JADS joint master’s with Tilburg University or a European double degree.
• Not admitted through an earlier intake’s admission decision.

If your grades use a different scale, check with TU/e how they compare with 7.5 out of 10.

Documents you need

Required

• Your complete application for an eligible master’s programme
• A short motivation letter for the scholarship

Conditional

• Proof of enough money, for non-EEA students

The scholarship page does not list other documents. Your master’s programme lists its own admission documents.

How to apply, step by step

1. Choose an eligible master’s programme or track.
2. Check that your GPA is at least 7.5 out of 10.
3. Prepare your master’s application and your short scholarship motivation letter.
4. Submit the complete application by 1 January 2027 and say that you want to be considered for the scholarship.
5. Wait for the decision, which comes by the end of March 2027.
6. If selected, sign the scholarship agreement.

Our motivation letter template for master’s scholarships can help you write a short, clear letter.

How the winners are chosen

1. The TU/e International Office checks that you are eligible.
2. The Scholarship Selection Committee ranks eligible applications.
3. Winners are confirmed by the end of March 2027.

The decision cannot be appealed, and the amount is final.

Keeping the scholarship

You must earn at least 45 ECTS in your first year to receive the second-year payment. TU/e expects you to graduate within 36 months.

Other TU/e options linked to this scholarship

• NL Scholarship (non-EEA only): part of the award for non-EEA students is funded by the Dutch Ministry of Education for the first year. You cannot apply for it separately.
• Changemaker Scholarship: four awards through the TSH Talent Foundation for students who show commitment to their community. It includes 10 months of housing, mentoring and development opportunities, and uses the same closing date.

Why TU/e offers this scholarship

The Scholarship for Excellence is part of TU/e’s effort to attract talented international students to programmes linked to microchip innovation and related technology. It is funded by the Dutch national Beethoven Program. For non-EEA winners, part of the first-year award is funded through the NL Scholarship of the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, but you do not apply for that separately.

Knowing this helps you write a better application. TU/e is looking for students who can contribute to the technologies behind chips and smart systems, so your motivation letter should show how your interests connect to that field, even if your programme is broader.

Choosing among the eligible programmes

The twelve eligible programmes and tracks fall into a few groups. Start with the group closest to your bachelor’s degree, then read each programme’s admission requirements.

Make sure you apply for an eligible track where the page names one. For example, Computer Science and Engineering is eligible only in its Cybersecurity, and Systems and AI tracks. The scholarship cannot move to a programme outside the eligible departments later.

Is the scholarship enough? Building your budget

The award is €7,500 a year, which works out at €625 a month over twelve months. TU/e is clear that this is not a full scholarship. You must pay a large part of your tuition and living costs yourself, and before you enrol you must pay any part of the tuition fee that your scholarships do not cover.

To plan, write down three numbers for each year of study:

1. Your TU/e tuition fee, from the official fee page for your nationality and programme.
2. Your expected living costs in Eindhoven, including rent, food, insurance and transport.
3. The €7,500 award and any other money you will have.

The gap between the first two numbers and the third is what you need from savings, family or other awards. Non-EEA students also need to show enough money for the Dutch residence permit, so check that you can meet that requirement even with the scholarship.

Meeting the GPA rule

You need a GPA of at least 7.5 out of 10 on your latest grade transcript. The page does not explain how other grading scales are converted. If your university uses a 4.00 scale, percentages or letter grades, email TU/e’s International Office before you apply and ask how your grades compare. Do this early, because the closing date is 1 January 2027 and offices are often closed over the holidays.

Writing the short motivation letter

The scholarship asks only for a short motivation letter inside your master’s application. Short does not mean general. In about one page:

1. Open with your goal: the programme you are applying to and what you want to work on.
2. Show your preparation: one or two courses, projects or internships that prove your ability, with results.
3. Connect to the theme: how your interests relate to microchip technology, smart systems or the technologies TU/e names.
4. Explain why TU/e: a research group, lab or course that fits your plans.
5. Close with impact: what you plan to do after graduating.

Avoid repeating your CV. Reviewers want to see a clear story and a match with the programme. Our motivation letter template for master’s scholarships gives a full example.

Making your master’s application strong

The scholarship is judged with your master’s application, so the whole file matters. Read your programme’s admission page and prepare everything it asks for, which usually includes transcripts, a CV, references and proof of English. Apply well before 1 January 2027: TU/e notes that an application must be complete by the deadline to be considered.

How to describe a project in one or two sentences

With a short letter, every sentence must carry information. Compare these two ways of describing the same project:

• Weak: “I am very passionate about electronics and did many projects at university.”
• Strong: “In my final-year project I designed a low-power sensor circuit for a wearable device, cutting its power use by 30% compared with our first prototype.”

The strong version names the task, your role and a measurable result. Use the same pattern for internships and research, and you will fit far more evidence into one page.

Questions to ask TU/e before you apply

If anything is unclear, email the International Office at io@tue.nl with “TU/e Scholarship” in the subject line. Useful questions include:

• How your grading scale compares with the 7.5 out of 10 rule.
• Whether your chosen track is eligible, if the programme page lists several tracks.
• What tuition fee you would pay, so you can plan the gap after the scholarship.
• How the scholarship affects the proof of funds you need for the residence permit.

Who decides

TU/e’s Scholarship Selection Committee ranks the eligible applications. Its members are the Rector Magnificus, the Dean of Education, the Director of Finance and Control, and the Director of Education and Student Affairs. Before that, the International Office checks that each applicant meets the rules. Because the committee ranks applications against each other, a complete file with strong grades and a focused motivation letter matters more than meeting the minimum.

The Changemaker Scholarship: a second chance with the same deadline

TU/e also lists the Changemaker Scholarship, run through the TSH Talent Foundation. It offers four awards for students who show commitment to making a positive difference in their community. The benefits include ten months of housing, mentoring and development opportunities. It uses the same 1 January 2027 deadline, selections are made by the end of March 2027, and TSH handles all administration.

If you have a record of volunteering, community projects or student leadership, mention it clearly in your application so you can be considered for this option as well.

Other scholarships TU/e points to

TU/e’s scholarships page also lists outside funders that can help with a master’s at TU/e:

• ASML Technology Scholarship: for master’s students worldwide. Check ASML’s own page for the amount and deadline.
• CONACYT (now SECIHTI): for Mexican master’s students.
• COLFUTURO: for Colombian master’s students.
• IAEA Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowship Programme: for female master’s students in nuclear-related fields worldwide.
• EIT InnoEnergy: for EU students in the SENSE and SELECT tracks only.

Combining an outside award with the Scholarship for Excellence may help close your budget gap, but check each funder’s rules on combining awards before you accept.

Planning your English test

The scholarship page does not set its own English requirement, but every TU/e master’s programme does. Check the minimum scores on your programme’s admission page and book your test early enough that the result is ready before you submit your application. If you are choosing between tests, our comparison of IELTS and TOEFL can help.

A suggested timeline

Checklist before you submit

• Your programme or track is on the eligible list.
• Your latest GPA is at least 7.5 out of 10, or you have checked how your scale compares.
• You have no earlier higher education in the Netherlands, apart from exchange.
• You are not applying for the JADS joint master’s or a European double degree.
• Your application is complete and you have indicated the scholarship.
• Your short motivation letter is attached.
• As a non-EEA student, you can show the money needed for a residence permit.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Applying for an ineligible track of an eligible programme.
• Leaving the application until the last days of December.
• Forgetting to indicate that you want to be considered for the scholarship.
• Treating €7,500 a year as full funding.
• Assuming you can defer the scholarship to a later intake, which TU/e does not allow.

After you are selected

1. TU/e confirms selections by the end of March 2027.
2. You sign a scholarship agreement.
3. You complete your admission and, as a non-EEA student, your residence permit process, including proof of funds.
4. You pay any part of the tuition fee that your scholarships do not cover before enrolment.
5. You open a Dutch or SEPA bank account so TU/e can pay the monthly instalments.

Keep track of your study progress from the first quarter, since the second-year payment depends on earning at least 45 ECTS in year one.

If you are not selected

About 2% of applicants receive this scholarship, so plan other options at the same time. In the Netherlands you can also look at the NL Scholarship, the Orange Tulip Scholarship for certain countries, the TU Delft Excellence Scholarships, the Leiden University Excellence Scholarship and the Maastricht NL-High Potential Scholarship. Each has its own deadline and rules, so check the official pages.

Frequently asked questions

Is the TU/e Scholarship for Excellence fully funded?

No. It pays €7,500 a year for two years. TU/e says you must pay a large part of your tuition and living costs yourself.

Can non-EU students apply?

Yes. About 15 of the 35 scholarships are for non-EEA students.

What GPA do I need?

At least 7.5 out of 10 on your latest transcript.

Do I need a separate scholarship application?

No. You say in your master’s application that you want to be considered and add a short motivation letter.

What is the closing date?

1 January 2027.

Can I defer the scholarship?

No. The scholarship cannot be deferred to a later intake.

Is the amount negotiable?

No. TU/e says the award amount is final and outcomes cannot be appealed.

What must I do to keep it in the second year?

Earn at least 45 ECTS in your first year. TU/e also expects you to graduate within 36 months.

Can EEA students apply?

Yes. About 20 of the roughly 35 scholarships are for EEA students, as long as they have a non-Dutch secondary school diploma and/or a non-Dutch bachelor’s degree.

Can I apply if I studied in the Netherlands before?

Not if you completed earlier higher education in the Netherlands. Exchange programmes are allowed.

How is the money paid?

In monthly instalments to a Dutch or SEPA bank account.

When will I hear back?

TU/e confirms its selections by the end of March 2027. Selected candidates then sign a scholarship agreement.

Where to apply

Read the full rules on the official TU/e Scholarship for Excellence page. Our TU/e scholarship page keeps the key facts in one place, and our guide to scholarships in the Netherlands lists other options.