TU Delft offers 16 full scholarships for its regular MSc programmes from the Justus & Louise van Effen Excellence foundation, plus 2 partial scholarships from the MSc Electrical Engineering programme. A van Effen award covers the full tuition fee for a TU Delft MSc programme and adds a contribution to living expenses. The scholarship deadline is 1 December 2026 (23:59 CET), and you must have submitted a complete MSc application before it. At Youth Works Hub, we went through TU Delft's official scholarship page and set out the rules below.
The Scholarships at a Glance
🎓 Level: two-year regular TU Delft MSc programmes
🏛️ Funder: the Justus & Louise van Effen Excellence foundation, with 2 partial scholarships from the MSc Electrical Engineering programme
🔢 Number: 16 full scholarships, 2 per faculty, plus 2 partial scholarships in Microelectronics
🌍 Who: excellent international applicants who are admitted, or conditionally admitted, to a programme
🗓️ Deadline: 1 December 2026 (23:59 CET)
📬 Results: by email by the end of March 2027
Why TU Delft Offers These Scholarships
TU Delft says it aims to attract the brightest, most talented and highly motivated students worldwide to its MSc programmes, with a focus on creating impact for a better society. The scholarships let students study in the Netherlands, contribute to a diverse and innovative academic community and grow into future-proof engineers with a strong commitment to sustainability.
Who Was Justus van Effen
The scholarships are financed by the legacy of Justus and Louise van Effen. Mr. van Effen studied at TU Delft in the 1940s and strongly believed that technological developments would contribute to solving societal issues.
What the van Effen Award Covers
💶 Tuition: full tuition fees per year for a TU Delft MSc programme, based on the Statutory or Institutional rate according to the registered nationality
🏠 Living expenses: a contribution to living expenses
📚 Second year: the allowances continue if you complete at least 48 of the 60 ECTS credits in the first academic year
🚫 After two years: financial extensions beyond the 2-year period are not supported
Who Can Apply for the van Effen Scholarship
🌍 Profile: you are an excellent international applicant, admitted or conditionally admitted to one of the 2-year regular TU Delft MSc programmes (not an International Joint Education Programme)
🏅 Academic level: excellent results in previous studies that are relevant to the MSc programme you apply for; as an indication, applicants are among the top 10% of graduates in their previous programme
🧾 Proof of ranking: not required; the figure only indicates how competitive the scholarship is
✅ Application: a complete MSc application submitted before the scholarship deadline
The Electrical Engineering Microelectronics Scholarship
The Microelectronics Scholarship is financed through the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science (EEMCS). Its goal is to help financially challenged students with proven potential to study at TU Delft.
🔢 Number: up to two, offered by the Microelectronics research department
🎓 Programme: the 2-year regular MSc in Electrical Engineering, track Microelectronics, with admission or conditional admission
📊 Grades: a cumulative GPA of 80 percent or higher of the scale maximum in a bachelor's degree from an internationally renowned university outside the Netherlands
💶 Coverage: a partial scholarship towards tuition fees, based on the statutory or institutional fee for your nationality
📈 Second year: continues if you keep an average grade of 8.0 (80%) in the first year
🔬 Thesis: students must choose an MSc thesis project in the Microelectronics department; a grade of 9 (90%) or higher on the project earns an offer of a PhD position in that department
How to Apply
📝 Step 1: complete your MSc application, after checking the admission requirements
📄 Step 2: upload the Scholarship Application Form
💌 Step 3: upload one reference letter; if you have two references, combine them into one PDF
🗣️ Step 4: upload the English language certificate. Every applicant who wants to be considered must include the English test with the MSc application before the scholarship deadline; applicants who are exempt from the requirement do not need the certificate.
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Terms and Conditions
🚫 No double funding: scholarship holders may not receive any other partial or full scholarship in addition to the van Effen scholarship
💼 Part-time work: not recommended, as it may affect your studies
🎓 Enrolment: the student must remain enrolled at TU Delft during the scholarship period
📑 Admission: receiving the scholarship is conditional on fulfilling all admission criteria
📝 Award letter: full details are disclosed in the award letter
Competition and Planning Ahead
TU Delft receives far more scholarship applications than it can fund, which leaves many students disappointed. It advises applicants to evaluate their MSc application carefully, make sure they meet all eligibility criteria and consider the financial cost of a two-year programme in case they do not receive a scholarship. Scholarships are extremely limited and highly competitive, and the university recommends checking its Tuition Fees & Finances page to avoid unexpected financial challenges. Missing the scholarship deadline means your scholarship application will not be reviewed.
What Past Recipients Say
TU Delft publishes testimonials from recipients who graduated between 2024 and 2026. They describe the scholarship as more than financial support: it gave them the freedom to focus on their studies and choose the courses that interested them, the confidence to say yes to new opportunities and the chance to move abroad and complete a master's in two years. One recipient who graduated in 2025 went on to start a play design studio.
Preparing Your Application
A strong scholarship file starts with a strong motivation text. Read how to write a scholarship motivation letter and compare the programme with government scholarships in Europe. More funded study options are listed in the Scholarships section of Youth Works Hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many van Effen scholarships does TU Delft award?
TU Delft offers 16 full scholarships for its regular MSc programmes, 2 per faculty, from the Justus & Louise van Effen Excellence foundation, plus 2 partial scholarships from the MSc Electrical Engineering programme.
What does the scholarship pay for?
The van Effen scholarship covers the full tuition fee for a TU Delft MSc programme, based on the statutory or institutional rate for your registered nationality, and gives a contribution to living expenses.
Who is eligible?
Excellent international applicants who are admitted or conditionally admitted to a 2-year regular TU Delft MSc programme, excluding International Joint Education Programmes, with top results in a relevant previous programme (indicatively the top 10% of graduates).
What do I need to upload?
The Scholarship Application Form, one reference letter (as one PDF if you have two) and the English language certificate, unless you are exempt, all with your MSc application before the deadline.
Can the scholarship continue into the second year?
Yes, if you complete at least 48 of 60 ECTS in the first academic year. The Electrical Engineering Microelectronics scholarship requires an average grade of 8.0 (80%) in the first year.
Can I combine it with another scholarship?
No. Scholarship holders may not receive any other partial or full scholarship funding in addition to the van Effen scholarship.
When will I hear about the result?
TU Delft informs awarded students by email by the end of March 2027.
Deadline
⏳ 01 December 2026
Link
🔗 Official scholarship page: https://www.tudelft.nl/en/education/study-programme-orientation/practical-matters/scholarships
