Maastricht University is to pay towards its best students’ fees in an effort to attract more top students, particularly from abroad. The top 3% of students can each get up to 1,500 euros towards their fees.The university hopes the scheme will boost its student numbers by 5% per year. Last year, Maastricht had 11,500 students on its books.

Chancellor Jo Ritzen, a former education minister, said the university was now looking at how the top students could be identified.