Applications are invited from candidates from developing countries for the 2012/2013 Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) for master’s study in Netherlands. Candidates from Sub-Saharan Africa, women and members of priority groups and/or marginalized regions are specifically invited to apply for an NFP fellowship. Fifty percent of the NFP budget is reserved for fellowships for candidates from Sub-Saharan Africa.
Eligibility
If you want to apply for an NFP fellowship for a master’s degree programme you must:
- be a mid-career professional with at least three years’ work experience;
- be a national of, and working and living in one of the developing countries on the NFP country list valid at the time of application;
- be nominated by your employer, who pledges to continue paying your salary and guarantees that you will be able to return to the same or an equivalent position at the end of your fellowship period;
- have been unconditionally admitted by a Dutch institution to one of the Master’s Degree Programmes on the 2012-2013 course list. This means that you must have met all the requirements set by the Dutch institution;
- not already have received an NFP master’s degree fellowship;
- not be employed by:
– a multinational corporation (e.g. Shell, Unilever);
– a large national and/or commercial organisation;
– a bilateral donor organisation (e.g. USAID, DFID, Danida, Sida, BuZa, FinAid, AusAid, ADC, SwissAid);
– a multilateral donor organisation, (e.g. a UN organisation, the World Bank, the IMF, Asian Development Bank, African Development Bank, IADB);
– an international NGO (e.g. Oxfam, Plan, Care). - have completed and submitted an NFP master’s degree programme application, including all the required documentation, before the fellowship application deadline;
- be employed in an area to which the study will make a relevant contribution;
- have a clear-cut, functional relationship with a relevant organization and be in a position to introduce the newly acquired skills and knowledge into that organization;
- be available for the entire period of the programme and be physically and mentally able to take part in the entire programme;
- endorse the objective and the aim of the NFP. The aim of the NFP cannot be reached if you do not return to your own country. Nuffic would like to urge you to return to your home country upon finishing the course or programme to meet the NFP aim in the most effective way;
How to Apply
- You first apply for admission directly to the Dutch institution that offers the master’s degree programme of your choice. The Dutch institution assesses the application and decides whether or not to admit you to the programme. You will receive a letter from the institution informing you if you have been admitted. Nuffic has no part in the academic application process. Admission must be unconditional in terms of your education and language proficiency. Admission may be granted conditionally, subject to you finding suitable funding for the programme
- You are strongly advised to apply as early as possible for admission to the Dutch institution to allow these institutions enough time to process all the applications for admission in time. For information regarding the admission you should contact the Dutch institution
- After you secure an admission, you may submit either a digital or a paper scholarship application. However, you are strongly encouraged to apply online through the Scholarships Online (SOL) application tool
- Please also note that only one version should be submitted: either digital or on paper. Submitting two versions will certainly delay the selection procedure
- You can only apply for a fellowship for one master’s degree programme per fellowship application deadline. Being admitted to more than one programme with the same fellowship application deadline means that candidates will have to choose one programme before applying for a fellowship
Fellowship Application Checklist
The application consists of:
- either a digital application submitted online or a paper application form submitted directly to Nuffic;
- a letter from your employer endorsing your study plans and guaranteeing that while you are absent your salary will continued to be paid and your job will be held;
- a copy of a valid passport or other official identity document;
- a Statement of Government Authority (if applicable).
The fellowship application you submit must be complete. You cannot make any adjustments or additions to your application after you have submitted it, not even before the fellowship deadline has passed.
Online Fellowship Application
Online applications can be submitted through Scholarships Online (SOL). Through SOL you can apply for fellowships and check the status of your application online. All correspondence with the candidate will be done by email. Other parties such as the Dutch institutions, the embassies and consulates will use SOL to add information about an NFP fellowship application.
Selection Procedure
Both the Dutch institution and the embassy or consulate will assess the fellowship application. The Dutch institutions will focus on academic qualities while the embassies and consulates will look at the relevance of the application for the development of the employing organization or country. If applicable, the application also needs to comply with country-specific criteria. These assessments will lead to a selection of candidates.
Deadlines:
1st Round: Application open November 1, 2011 and closes February 7, 2012. Programme starts August/September 2012
2nd Round: Application opens February 1, 2012 and closes May 1, 2012. Programme starts January/February 2013
Note: These are scholarship deadlines. Individual institution’s admission deadlines might be earlier than the scholarship deadlines. So check it the institution of your choice so that you can apply
To read more about the SOL, click here
To prepare a master’s application, click here
To read more about the Netherlands Fellowship Programme 2012, click here.