If you are passionate about social sciences, development studies, or policy-oriented research, and you have been dreaming of studying in the Netherlands at one of Europe’s most globally recognized graduate schools, then the ISS Scholarship Fund for Excellent Students might be one of the most important opportunities you will come across this year. This scholarship is offered by the International Institute of Social Studies, better known as ISS, which is part of Erasmus University Rotterdam, and it is specifically designed to support outstanding students who want to pursue a Master of Arts in Development Studies but need financial help to make that possible.
This article is going to walk you through everything you need to know about the ISS Scholarship Fund for Excellent Students in 2026. We will cover who the scholarship is for, how much it is worth, what you need to qualify, what documents you need to prepare, how to write a winning motivation statement, and how to actually submit your application. By the end of this guide, you should have a very clear picture of what this scholarship involves and whether you are a good fit for it.
About the International Institute of Social Studies (ISS)
Before diving into the scholarship details, it helps to understand where this scholarship comes from and what kind of institution is offering it.
The International Institute of Social Studies was established in 1952 by Dutch universities and the Netherlands Ministry of Education. It was originally founded with a mission to assist in the training and further education of professionals, especially from developing countries, as part of the Netherlands’ commitment to building relationships with intellectuals and policymakers in partner countries around the world. Over time, ISS grew into one of the most respected graduate schools of policy-oriented critical social science anywhere in Europe.
Since 2009, ISS has been part of Erasmus University Rotterdam, one of the leading research universities in the Netherlands and consistently ranked among the top universities in Europe. ISS is located in The Hague, Netherlands, which is home to the International Court of Justice, the International Criminal Court, and dozens of intergovernmental organizations. This makes it an incredibly valuable academic environment for students interested in international development, global governance, and social justice.
At any given time, between 300 and 400 students are enrolled in the ISS programs, coming from more than 150 countries. The student body is genuinely diverse, bringing together scholars from the Global South and the North in a shared European academic environment. ISS offers a 12-month Master in Development Studies, various postgraduate diploma programs, and a PhD program. The flagship MA in Development Studies is accredited by the Netherlands Flemish accreditation organization NVAO and provides eligibility for entry to PhD programs in the Netherlands and many other countries.
The research at ISS is clustered around the program of Global Development and Social Justice, and the institute regularly publishes working papers, journal articles, and a bi-annual journal called DevISSues, which promotes debate on key and emerging development policy issues worldwide.
What Is the ISS Scholarship Fund for Excellent Students?
The ISS Scholarship Fund for Excellent Students is an institutional financial award established directly by the International Institute of Social Studies. The purpose of this fund is straightforward: to support academically excellent students who want to study at ISS but do not have access to any other form of scholarship funding. ISS recognizes that many talented students from all over the world are unable to pursue advanced graduate education simply because of financial constraints, and this scholarship exists to remove that barrier for students who are truly exceptional.
The scholarship is partial, meaning it does not cover the full cost of studying at ISS. Specifically, the ISS Scholarship Fund for Excellent Students covers 40 percent of the tuition fee for the Master of Arts in Development Studies program. This is a meaningful contribution that can significantly reduce the financial burden of graduate study in the Netherlands, though students are still expected to cover the remaining 60 percent of tuition as well as their living expenses, health insurance, and any other costs associated with relocating to and living in The Hague.
The fund awards a total of 20 scholarships each year. These 20 spots are distributed as evenly as possible across the different major specializations within the MA in Development Studies program, ensuring that the scholarship benefits students from a range of academic and professional backgrounds rather than concentrating support in a single discipline.
It is also important to note from the beginning that this scholarship fund is not available to students who are intending to pursue a PhD at ISS. It is exclusively for students enrolling in the one-year MA in Development Studies program.
Why This Scholarship Matters
Studying in the Netherlands, and specifically in The Hague at ISS, is not cheap. The tuition fee for the MA in Development Studies runs to over 14,000 euros per year. On top of that, living costs in the Netherlands are estimated at approximately 1,150 euros per month for a student living on a moderate budget. For the full 12-month program, that adds up to around 13,800 euros in living expenses alone. When you factor in health insurance and other miscellaneous costs, the total cost of completing the MA at ISS can easily exceed 28,000 euros.
For students from developing countries, or for any student who does not have significant personal savings or family financial support, this total is genuinely out of reach without some form of scholarship or funding. That is where the ISS Scholarship Fund for Excellent Students comes in. A 40 percent reduction in tuition fees is a substantial saving, and when combined with other funding sources, it can make the difference between being able to attend ISS and having to give up on the opportunity altogether.
Most students studying at ISS do so with at least partial scholarship support. The institute has put together a comprehensive scholarship database organized by country of origin, so students can identify every available funding opportunity specific to their background. The ISS Scholarship Fund for Excellent Students sits alongside other ISS-specific funding options like the ISS-OAS Scholarship for students from the Americas, the REISS Scholarship for students from the Arab world, and the ISS Hardship Fund for students with particularly severe financial constraints.
ISS MA in Development Studies: What You Will Study
Since the ISS Scholarship Fund for Excellent Students is exclusively for students enrolling in the Master of Arts in Development Studies, it is worth taking a moment to understand what that program involves.
The MA in Development Studies at ISS is a one-year, critically oriented graduate program designed for students who are committed to understanding and addressing the structural challenges that shape development and inequality around the world. It brings together students and faculty from across the globe to engage with issues such as poverty, food security, migration, climate change, governance, gender, conflict, and social justice through both theoretical and applied lenses.
Students in the program choose a major that allows them to specialize in a particular area of development studies. The available majors include fields such as agrarian and environmental studies, cities and urbanization, economics of development, human rights and political engagement, social policy for development, and conflict, reconstruction, and human security, among others. The diversity of specializations reflects the broad, interdisciplinary nature of development studies as a field, and it is one of the reasons ISS attracts students from such a wide variety of academic and professional backgrounds.
The program is based in The Hague, which gives students the unique advantage of being in close proximity to some of the world’s most important international institutions. Field visits, guest lectures from practitioners working in international organizations, and applied research opportunities are built into the program, making it a genuinely practical as well as academic learning experience.
Eligibility Criteria for the ISS Scholarship Fund for Excellent Students
Not every student who applies to ISS will automatically be considered for this scholarship. There are specific eligibility requirements that you need to meet in order to be considered, and understanding these clearly from the start will save you time and help you assess your own situation honestly before applying.
First and most importantly, you must want to enroll in the Master of Arts in Development Studies at ISS. This scholarship does not apply to any other program, including the PhD program or any of ISS’s diploma programs.
Second, you must already hold a letter of admission from ISS. The scholarship is not awarded to students who have not yet been accepted into the MA program. This means that you need to go through the ISS admissions process first, receive your unconditional offer of admission, and then apply for the scholarship fund. You cannot apply for the scholarship before receiving your admission letter.
Third, you need to meet one of the following academic profiles. Either you are a candidate with relevant work experience who holds a degree in one of the social sciences at upper second class or first class level and has a strong motivation to study at ISS, or you are a recent graduate who holds a first class degree in one of the social sciences and has a strong motivation to study at ISS. The distinction matters here: if you do not have significant work experience, your degree must be of first class standard. If you do have relevant professional experience, an upper second class degree is also acceptable.
Fourth, and critically, you must not have any other form of scholarship support. This fund was specifically created for excellent students who have no other funding. If you already have a partial or full scholarship from another source, you are not eligible for this particular fund.
Fifth, you need to demonstrate that you have partial financial means to support yourself. While this scholarship reduces your tuition fee, you are still expected to cover the remaining tuition, living expenses, and health insurance. ISS will ask for proof that you can manage the remaining costs, so students who cannot demonstrate any financial capacity at all may instead be directed toward the ISS Hardship Fund, which is designed for students in more severe financial difficulty and can provide a tuition discount of up to 30 percent.
The scholarship is open to students from all countries in the world, including both international students and Dutch or EU or EEA students. English language proficiency is required for admission to the MA program, and therefore all scholarship applicants must also be able to demonstrate sufficient proficiency in English.
What the ISS Scholarship Fund for Excellent Students Covers
The ISS Scholarship Fund for Excellent Students covers 40 percent of the tuition fee for the MA in Development Studies. Given that the tuition fee for the program is approximately 14,435 euros, a 40 percent scholarship represents a saving of roughly 5,774 euros. This is a meaningful contribution to the overall cost of the program and is intended to serve as a bridge for students who have some financial resources of their own but not enough to cover full tuition.
It is important to be clear about what this scholarship does not cover. It does not cover living expenses, which as mentioned earlier run to around 1,150 euros per month or 13,800 euros for the full year. It does not cover health insurance, travel costs, or accommodation. Students who receive this scholarship will still need to demonstrate that they have sufficient financial means to cover these remaining costs, and ISS will require proof of this through bank statements and financial documentation as part of the application process.
The 20 scholarships available through this fund are distributed as evenly as possible among the different majors within the MA in Development Studies, so students applying across different specializations all have a fair chance of being considered.
Required Documents for the Application
The application for the ISS Scholarship Fund for Excellent Students is submitted directly to the ISS admission office by email. Before you apply, you need to have the following documents ready.
The most important document is a Motivation Statement. This must be exactly one page long, and its purpose is to explain clearly and persuasively why you should be the beneficiary of this scholarship fund. This is your opportunity to make the case for yourself, and it needs to cover two main things: why a tuition fee reduction will meaningfully enlarge your opportunity to study at ISS, and what makes you an excellent candidate deserving of this support over other applicants. A strong motivation statement is specific, personal, and honest. It tells your story in a way that connects your background and aspirations to the mission and values of ISS.
The second key requirement is detailed financial information. You need to provide supporting bank statements that demonstrate your ability to support yourself for the remaining tuition fee, living expenses, and health insurance after the scholarship has been applied. This financial documentation is important because the scholarship is designed for students who have some means of their own but need a boost, not for students who have no financial resources at all.
You will also need your ISS letter of admission, since this is a prerequisite for the scholarship application. Without an unconditional offer of admission from ISS, your scholarship application cannot be processed.
How to Apply for the ISS Scholarship Fund for Excellent Students
The application process for this scholarship is done by email directly to the ISS student office. There is no separate online application portal for this fund. Here is how the process works from start to finish.
The first step is to apply for admission to the MA in Development Studies at ISS. You need to go through the full ISS admissions process, submit all required academic documents, and wait to receive your unconditional letter of admission before you can proceed with the scholarship application. Applications for ISS admission open well in advance of the September program start date, so the earlier you begin, the better your chances of receiving your admission letter in time to apply for scholarship funding.
Once you have your ISS admission letter, you can begin preparing your scholarship application. Write your one-page motivation statement carefully, making sure it speaks directly to why you deserve this specific fund and how it will make a real difference to your ability to study at ISS. Gather your bank statements and any other financial documentation needed to demonstrate your financial situation accurately.
Then send an email to the ISS student office at the address provided on the official ISS website, attaching your motivation statement and your financial documents. In the email itself, briefly explain the reason why a fee reduction will enlarge your opportunity to study at ISS. Keep your email professional, clear, and to the point.
The decisions on allocation of these scholarships are made on an ongoing basis between January and July, for the MA program that starts in September of the same year. This rolling decision process means that submitting your application early is strongly recommended. Scholarships are awarded depending on available budget, and once the budget is exhausted, no further awards can be made regardless of how strong later applicants may be. Do not wait until close to the June 15 deadline to submit your materials.
Students who are selected for the scholarship bursaries will be informed by the ISS student office. If you are not selected for the Scholarship Fund for Excellent Students, you may also want to ask whether you qualify for the ISS Hardship Fund, which is a separate fund offering up to 30 percent tuition fee discounts for students in financial difficulty.
Tips for Writing a Strong ISS Motivation Statement
The motivation statement is the heart of your scholarship application. Since this is a one-page document that needs to do a lot of work, it is worth putting serious time and thought into it. Here are some practical tips to help you write one that stands out.
Be specific about your financial situation. Do not just say that you need financial help. Explain your actual circumstances clearly and honestly. Scholarship committees are experienced at reading motivation statements, and they can tell the difference between a genuine account and a generic one. If your financial situation is genuinely limiting your access to education, describe it specifically.
Connect your background to the ISS mission. ISS is a globally oriented institution that brings together students from the Global South and the North to engage with questions of development and social justice. If your own life experience, professional background, or academic interests connect directly to that mission, say so. Show that you understand what ISS stands for and why you are specifically drawn to this institution rather than any other graduate school.
Talk about your academic excellence. The scholarship is called the Fund for Excellent Students, so you need to make the case for your academic quality. Mention your degree classification, any distinctions or awards you have received, and relevant coursework or research that demonstrates your readiness for graduate study in development studies.
Explain what you will do with your education. ISS produces graduates who go on to work in international organizations, NGOs, government ministries, research institutions, and academic institutions around the world. If you have a clear sense of how your MA in Development Studies will contribute to your professional goals and, ideally, to broader social impact, explain this in your statement. It shows the scholarship committee that their investment in you will have a meaningful return.
Keep it to one page. This is a hard requirement, and ignoring it will hurt your application. Be concise, focused, and deliberate with every sentence. Every paragraph should be doing clear work in making your case.
Other Scholarship Options at ISS You Should Know About
The ISS Scholarship Fund for Excellent Students is just one of several funding opportunities available to students who want to study at ISS. Depending on your background, you may be eligible for additional or alternative scholarships, and it is worth being aware of these as you plan your funding strategy.
The ISS-OAS Scholarship is a joint scholarship offered by the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States and ISS, specifically for students who are citizens or permanent legal residents of OAS member states in the Americas. This scholarship has been running for over eight years and has supported approximately 30 students from the region.
The REISS Scholarship is a newer award offered jointly by the Lutfia Rabbani Foundation, the Erasmus Trustfonds, and ISS, designed specifically for students from the Arab world who have been admitted to the MA in Development Studies. The REISS Scholarship includes not just financial support but also a mentoring program offering guidance at both personal and professional levels, along with access to a broad international network. Applications for the REISS Scholarship must be submitted to the Lutfia Rabbani Foundation by March 31, and students are strongly encouraged to secure their ISS admission before that deadline.
The ISS Hardship Fund is a separate fund that can provide a tuition discount of up to 30 percent. Unlike the Scholarship Fund for Excellent Students, the Hardship Fund is open to anyone admitted to the MA program who can demonstrate that they do not have sufficient financial means to pay the full tuition fee. The application process is similar, requiring a motivation statement and financial documentation submitted to the ISS admission office.
ISS has also compiled a scholarship database organized by country of origin that lists all the external funding opportunities available to students from each country. Whether these come from your own government, bilateral agreements with the Netherlands, or international organizations, the ISS scholarship database is a valuable tool for identifying every possible funding avenue before you arrive at the decision of whether and how to apply.
The Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship is another external award commonly pursued by ISS applicants, particularly those with backgrounds in development policy and public administration. This is a fully funded scholarship that supports mid-career development professionals from developing countries who are committed to returning to their home countries after completing their studies.
Living and Studying in The Hague
One thing that makes ISS a genuinely distinctive graduate experience is its location in The Hague. The city is often described as the legal capital of the world, home to institutions such as the International Court of Justice, the International Criminal Court, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, and dozens of other intergovernmental bodies. For students interested in international development, global governance, human rights, and peace and security, being in The Hague during your graduate studies is an incredibly valuable experience beyond the classroom.
The Hague is a relatively manageable and pleasant city to live in as a student. Public transport is reliable, cycling is a way of life, and the city is connected to Amsterdam and Rotterdam by fast train services. Student life at ISS is genuinely international, with classmates and colleagues from over 150 countries, which means the friendships and networks you build during your year at ISS can open doors all over the world for the rest of your career.
Living costs in the Netherlands are moderate by Western European standards. On a budget of around 1,150 euros per month, you can cover accommodation, food, transportation, and basic personal expenses reasonably comfortably. Students are encouraged to arrange accommodation before arriving, as the student housing market in The Hague, like many Dutch cities, can be competitive.
Final Thoughts
The ISS Scholarship Fund for Excellent Students is a real and meaningful opportunity for talented graduate students who want to study development studies in one of the most internationally recognized and socially engaged graduate schools in Europe. It will not cover everything, and students need to be realistic about the financial planning involved in a year of graduate study in the Netherlands. But for students who have the academic profile, the motivation, and at least partial financial means of their own, this scholarship can be the difference that makes studying at ISS possible.
The key things to take away from this guide are: first, apply for ISS admission as early as possible; second, once you have your admission letter, prepare your motivation statement carefully and submit your scholarship application well before the June 15 deadline; and third, explore every other funding option available to you simultaneously, including the ISS Hardship Fund, country-specific scholarships, and external awards.
Studying at ISS in The Hague is a transformative experience that connects you to one of the world’s most important conversations about how we build a more just, equitable, and sustainable global future. If you have the passion and the academic record to be part of that conversation, this scholarship is worth pursuing with everything you have.
To get started, visit the official ISS Scholarship Fund for Excellent Students page at Erasmus University Rotterdam for the most up-to-date information, application instructions, and contact details for the ISS student office.
