Tjitske Nicolai Fund

The fund supports female students at Utrecht University who, during their studies, temporarily lack sufficient funds to complete their degree. The financial support is intended for students who are unable to make use of existing schemes within or outside the university, or for whom those schemes are insufficient.

• The fund gives priority to students for whom attending university was not a given – for example, because their parents themselves did not have the opportunity to pursue higher education.
• Students who have taken a longer or less conventional route to university are also explicitly eligible. This includes students who first completed several preparatory courses to gain admission, or who chose a different path in life before embarking on their studies.
• The fund focuses in particular on students studying subjects relating to human and animal health, or to the environment and sustainability.
• In principle, the fund does not provide financial support if a student is eligible for schemes or assistance from other organisations, such as the University Asylum Seekers’ Fund, the Dutch Council for Refugees, the local authority or other funds offering personal financial support.
• In exceptional circumstances, the fund may nevertheless provide financial support. This is possible if assistance from other organisations is not available or is insufficient.

The fund is intended as temporary support for students who, without this assistance, would fall behind in their studies, have to interrupt their studies or even have to drop out. In principle, the fund does not provide long-term or multi-year financial support. However, students may, if necessary, submit a second or third application.

To be eligible for support from the Tjitske Nicolai Fund, you must be enrolled on a degree programme at Utrecht University. Students who are not yet enrolled but have been admitted to a degree programme and intend to enrol on it are also eligible.

You can apply for this fund once a year:

• Round 6: 2 to 27 November 2026 

Applications to the Tjitske Nicolai Fund are assessed by the secretariat of the Utrecht University Fund. Where necessary, the secretariat will seek advice from student counsellors in order to assess the applications. Decisions on the award of grants from the Fund are made by the board of the Utrecht University Fund.