Changemaker Scholarship
The TSH Talent Foundation offers programmes for changemakers who have faced the tallest of barriers for education and possess an unstoppable drive and potential to develop themselves to go out and change the world. In achieving this, TSH Talent Foundation works together with universities on an international level.
University Fund Limburg (UFL), Maastricht University’s charity foundation, aims to contribute to UM’s inclusivity and diversity ambitions. Specifically, it has launched the Equity & Inclusion programme to acquire private funding in order to fund scholarship programmes for underprivileged and talented youngsters.
The TSH Talent Foundation, UFL and UM cooperate in order to support 5 students by offering free housing opportunities at the Social Hub and covering the tuition fee.
The programme goes beyond housing– it emphasizes growth, personal development, community, and the changemaker vision. As part of the scholarship, a scholar will participate in a series of workshops, be paired with a mentor, engage in a peer-learning methodology focused on changemaking, and take part in network-building activities. The programme requires a total commitment of approximately 40 hours over the year.
Additionally, this scholarship provides an opportunity to experience the Problem-Based Learning educational model at Maastricht University, but also gives the scholarship recipient the opportunity to learn from other cultures by becoming a part of Maastricht University’s international academic community.
Are you interested in one of the participating master's programme’s, do you hold the nationality of an EU/EER country and are you a changemaker? You can apply for the Changemaker Scholarship!
Who is eligible?
All candidates must meet the following requirements:
- You have applied for admission to Participating programmes Changemaker scholarship at Maastricht University for the 2026-2027 academic year
- You hold nationality in a country in the EU/EEA;
- You are a changemaker who has made or are trying to make a difference (big or small) for your community
- You face limited access to financial, educational, social and health resources or you are a part of other minorities (e.g. no alternative financial means, first generation students, neurodivers students, student from the LGBTQI community, students with a physical disability.
Please note: You can only submit an application once and for one Scholarship only. Please make sure all documents meet the requirements before you start your application. We cannot add or replace documents after you submit the application.
Application deadline
Applications are closed and will reopen on 1 February 2027.
Duration of the Changemaker scholarship
Amount of the scholarship
The scholarship covers the tuition fee at cost, and accommodation at The Social Hub for the duration of the scholarship as stated in the scholarship award letter. The period of the scholarship starts and ends at the dates mentioned in the awarding letter.
The Changemaker Scholarship 2026-2027
| Tuition fee* | € 2,694 | Arranged and paid for by University Fund Limburg and the Scholarship Office |
| Accommodation and development | Housing in The Social Hub Maastricht, with all associated facilities, and access to a wide range of training modules (professional development and upskilling). | Arranged by The Social Hub |
| Network and collaboration | Participation in social activities organised at each TSH location and (after completion) membership of the TSH network, consisting of the Changemaker Community of former participants and all other TSH stakeholders.
| Arranged by The Social Hub |
* This applies to the lower tuition fee and these amounts are subject to change for each academic year
Application procedure
Step 1: Apply for admissions to one of the participating master programmes at Maastricht University via Studielink. Candidates must have submitted a complete application for the relevant study programmes via Studielink and My UM for September 2026 by 1 May 2026.
Step 2: Apply for the scholarship:
- Please fill out the application form and including the necessary documents.
Upload the following documents in .doc, .docx, or PDF format in English, and submit your application. Please note that you will only be able to submit your application once, so please ensure that all of your documents are up-to-date.
- Curriculum Vitae. Your CV should be up-to-date, contain relevant information about your education and (job) experience, and should not be longer 2 A4 pages.
- Letter of motivation. Your letter of motivation should be up-to-date and specifically tailored to this scholarship programme. Generic letters of admission that do not directly address your motivation for the Changemaker scholarship selection will be rejected. Your letter of motivation should be no longer than 1 A4 page. Be sure to argue why this scholarship is important to you given your personal background and why you are (or going to be) a changemaker for your community.
- A letter of reference from an educational institution or an employer
Please note that you will only be able to submit your application once, so please ensure that all of your documents are up-to-date.
Selection procedure
Step 1: The faculty will review and rank the applications.
Step 2: The selected candidates will be invited for an interview.
Step 3: Applicants will be informed about the selection outcome at the end of July 2026.
Step 4: The candidates who are awarded the scholarship will receive an award letter; they must sign and return this letter to the UM International Services Desk to accept the scholarship.
For the scholarship assessment, the Scholarship Committee takes all elements of the application into account, including motivation and the reference.