In 2014, a new prestigious scholarship programme will be launched, targeting exceptionally talented Master’s students from outside Europe. The AES is a full scholarship of €25,000 (covering tuition and living expenses) for one academic year with the possibility of extension for a second year (for two-year Master’s programmes).

Who is eligible?

Students from any discipline belonging to the top 10% of graduates from their class may apply. Selection is on the basis of academic excellence, ambition and relevance for a student’s future career. Scholarship recipients will join extracurricular activities and become part of a select community.

The application process for the 2014-2015 academic year will open in November 2013 and the deadline for applications is 15 January 2014.

Requirements, criteria and conditions

Requirements for eligibility

Candidates wishing to apply for an AES scholarship must meet the following requirements:

Hold a non-EU/EEA passport and not be eligible for support under the Dutch system of study grants and loans (Studiefinanciering; for more information please refer to www.DUO.nl). The scholarship office should be notified as soon as possible of any change in nationality, type of residence permit, and/or possibleStudiefinanciering support throughout the academic year.
Be (provisionally) admitted to an English-taught Master’s degree programme at the University of Amsterdam which is registered in the Central Register of Higher Education Programmes (CROHO; for more information refer to: www.DUO.nl).
For more information about general application requirements, please consult the individual programme descriptions atwww.uva.nl/education for Master’s study programmes taught in English.
Be (provisionally) admitted to a Master's programme at the UvA for the first time. AES will not be awarded to candidates who are admitted for a second Master's programme at the UvA.
Be able to comply with Dutch visa regulations as indicated by theIND (Dutch Immigration Service).
Be enrolled at the UvA as a full-time student for the academic year and the programme for which the scholarship is awarded. Scholarship continuation is not guaranteed when a candidate changes his or her Master’s programme.
The candidate should not receive another scholarship for the same period of study as the AES. Notify the scholarships office when another scholarship has been awarded and accepted.

Selection criteria

Eligible candidates are selected for a scholarship on the basis of their academic excellence and promise in the proposed field as evidenced by:

the candidate’s academic records. Students from any discipline belonging to the top 10% of graduates from their class can apply;

the academic quality of the educational institute where the undergraduate (or graduate) programme has been obtained;

a letter of recommendation by a dean, teacher or academic supervisor;
the quality of the letter of motivation (maximum 500 words) in which the candidate explains the reasons for choosing the specific Master’s programme (broader context, relevance for future career);
a description of extracurricular activities such as participation in student commissions, international experience, sports or music at a high level or volunteer work;
proof of English proficiency (IELS/TOEFL) :TOEFL (internet-based) - overall score of 100 (with a minimum score of 22 in each of the different components), IELTS (academic) - overall score of 7.0 (with at least 7.0 in each of the four components);
the quality of the application as a whole (completeness, accuracy, consistency).

Conditions for maintaining the AES

AES recipients must maintain good academic standing. The scholarship will only be continued if the AES student is making satisfactory progress towards the degree, i.e. complete the courses of the first semester of the first year on time with a grade point average of 8 (out of 10). At the end of the academic year, the full credit load should have been earned with a grade point average of 8 (out of 10). If the AES recipient decides to quit studying, the AES payments already received must be reimbursed in full.

Students who receive the AES for a two-year Master’s programme will be evaluated after one year of study. The scholarship will only be continued for the second year if the AES student has completed all courses of the first year on time with a grade point average of 8.0.

It is expected that AES recipients will participate in activities with AES sponsors, will join the extracurricular activities and become part of a selective community, including the AES alumni network. AES students will form a strong international network during their study period, which will be stimulated by an interesting tailor-made extracurricular programme. Their special relationship with the UvA will continue to be fostered once they become alumni. The UvA’s Alumni Office is actively involved in setting up international alumni chapters. AES alumni would be ideal candidates to play an active role in those international UvA alumni chapters, and by doing so, they will maintain a special link with the UvA and pave the way for new AES students.

The scholarship may be terminated if the recipient unreasonably refuses to participate in such activities.

How to apply

Faculties and graduate schools offering AES

The faculties and graduate schools award scholarships themselves; as such, regulations may vary. Students interested in an Amsterdam Excellence Scholarship may contact the faculty or international school offering the study programme of their choice for more information.