How an American Scholar Secured the Radboud and NL Scholarships to Pursue a Fully Funded Master’s in Behavioral Science at Radboud University in the Netherlands

My name is Kathryn, and I’m originally from Los Angeles, California. I am currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Behavioral Science at Radboud University in the Netherlands, where I will be completing my thesis in Decision Neuroeconomics at the Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior.

While my academic background may appear linear on my LinkedIn profile, my journey has involved a number of unexpected changes and challenges. After a sports injury in high school, I shifted away from my original plan to pursue collegiate athletics. I began my undergraduate studies in Biology at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada, intending to become a physical therapist. However, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic prompted a major transition: I returned to California, withdrew from UBC, and enrolled in community college, where I spent a year and a half exploring new academic interests.

Ultimately, I transferred to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where I completed my Bachelor’s degree in Psychology with Honors. This path, while unconventional (and stressful!), helped shape my academic focus and led me to my current field of study in behavioral science.

During my final year at UCLA, I applied to the University of Leiden for graduate study but was ultimately rejected—ironically, due to an insufficient number of psychology credits, despite holding a degree in the subject. While disappointing at the time, that detour created space for a transformative gap year. I spent that time traveling, working, and reflecting on what I truly wanted from both my academic and personal life. Eventually, I found myself revisiting the idea of graduate studies in the Netherlands. This time, I had a little extra motivation because my partner, who is Dutch, had just accepted a job position in Nijmegen. For me, pursuing a Master’s abroad was just as much of a personal decision as it was an academic one. It was my ticket to move to the Netherlands!

Scholarships That Made It Possible

I received two scholarships that, together, fully covered my tuition:

• The Radboud Scholarship, which allowed me to pay the same tuition rate as EU residents (about €2,500/year)
• The NL Scholarship, a one-time award of €5,000

The application process was fairly straightforward, as both were integrated into my application for admission—no separate forms, just an earlier deadline (end of January).

Academic Background + Cost of Living

My academic path was shaped by a lot of change. Despite the bumps, I graduated with a 4.0 GPA from community college and a 3.9 GPA from UCLA with Honors. At UCLA, I worked as a Statistics tutor, an experience that helped tremendously with the advanced statistical coursework in my Master’s program. I also held two other jobs during the school year, working 15–20 hours a week and full-time during the summer (40hr/week), which helped me build up savings early. Even with scholarships, living abroad has required dipping into my savings for rent, food, travel/transportation, and other expenses that come along with moving internationally (e.g., health insurance, phone bill, plane tickets home, etc.).

For Radboud University, I found this cost breakdown helpful: https://www.ru.nl/en/education/studying-at-radboud-university/finances/costs-and-expenses

Finding the Right Program (and Country!)

I started my research early, around September, focusing first on programs that genuinely matched my interests. My advice to anyone applying to programs in the Netherlands is to start early and do your research thoroughly. I didn’t take any standardized tests like the GRE or TOEFL, which was a big relief.

What helped most, I believe, were the strong letters of recommendation from professors I’d built relationships with at UCLA, along with a compelling letter of motivation that showed why the program was such a good fit for me. I also think that having studied at a well-regarded university back home helped me stand out, too, at least for the scholarship.

Life as an International Student in the Netherlands

The Netherlands is incredibly welcoming to international students. Although I’m of Dutch descent and try to speak Dutch when I can (I’m still learning!), English is widely spoken, both in and outside the classroom. All my courses are in English, and I could easily get by without ever speaking Dutch.

That said, the adjustment hasn’t been without its challenges. The winters were harder than I expected, especially coming from sunny California. I struggled with seasonal depression during the gray months, which can be tough when you’re far from home and trying to adjust. If I could do anything differently, it would be preparing myself more for that reality. I’ll be saving some money to travel somewhere sunny next January!!

Final Advice for Future Applicants

My biggest piece of advice? Focus on fit. Find programs and places that align with who you are and what you value, not just what looks impressive on paper. And when reading someone’s polished LinkedIn or scholarship profile, remember: there’s always more to the story than what’s written.