Fully Funded Netherlands Government Scholarship 2023

The Orange Knowledge Programme (OKP) offers scholarships funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs available for a selection of:

• short courses (round 1: duration 2 weeks to 12 months; round 2: duration 2 weeks to 7 months);
• master’s programmes (duration 12 to 24 months)

The Netherlands Government Scholarships provide full funding for master’s degrees and short courses for international students. The Orange Knowledge Programme, funded by the Netherlands Government, provides free living expenses, tuition fees, visas, round-trip transportation, and health insurance.

Brief Description

Scholarship Sponsor(s):  Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Netherlands

Host Institution(s): Various Institutes in Netherlands (Studyfinder)

Scholarship Worth: Full Funding

Number of Awards: Several

Study Level: Postgraduate / short courses

Nationality: International Students

Eligibility Criteria for Netherlands Government Scholarship

To be eligible for Netherlands Government Scholarship, these points should be considered:

• Required Languages: English
• Eligible Countries: The scholarship applicant holds the nationality of and is resident and working in one of the countries on the OKP Country list (see the document Country List for Short courses and Masters ).
• The scholarship applicant works for one of the following types of national or local organizations: ministries, secondary or higher vocational or academic education institutions, universities, the private sector, commissions or NGOs.
• The scholarship applicant may not work for: a bilateral or multilateral organization, a non-governmental organization that is internationally active and is focused on representing social interests, such as development cooperation, nature, and environmental protection, health or human rights.
• The scholarship applicant is a professional who, in light of his/her (1) role, (2) multiple years of relevant work experience and (3) networks within a theme relevant to local development, is in a position or through his/her employer could be put in a position to apply what he/she has learned in practice.
• The scholarship applicant holds a valid identity document.
• The scholarship applicant has been admitted to the course or program for which he/she wishes an OKP scholarship.
• The scholarship applicant has provided a government statement with the scholarship application if this is required by the local government (see the document government statement requirement).
• The scholarship applicant demonstrates that the requested co-funding percentage is available to fund the study.
• The employer of the scholarship applicant supports the scholarship application through a positive reference, declares that it will continue to pay the salary of the scholarship recipient during the program and after his/her return will give the scholarship recipient an opportunity to apply what he/she has learned in practice.

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Scholarship Benefits

Netherlands Government Scholarship is fully funded.

• Free costs of living
• Free tuition fees
• Free visa
• Free roundtrip travel tickets
• Free Health insurance
• Thesis Research Grant

How to apply

You cannot apply online on this website. Please follow the steps below and apply through the Dutch education institution of your choice.

1. Check if your application falls within the OKP focus areas determined for your country.
2. Check if you meet the OKP eligibility criteria.
3. Find a course on the OKP course list. Please find a study, using the filter ‘Orange Knowledge Programme (OKP)’.
4. Ask your employer whether they are willing to nominate you for an OKP scholarship.
5. Contact the Dutch education institution of your choice to receive more information about the application procedure, the academic requirements and the link to apply online.
6. Prepare your application: employer statement, motivation, passport, government statement (if required).
7. During an application round, submit your application online using the link you receive from the Dutch education institution. Please be aware of the application deadline of the educational institution of your choice.

Deadlines of application rounds

You can only apply for a scholarship during an open application round.

Open application round:

• Round 1: submit applications between 8 February – 30 March 16.00 CET for courses starting between 24 July 2023 and 31 January 2024.

This round is open for applications through education institutions. Please carefully check the deadline of the institution of your choice, as they might set a shorter daedline for the application.

Provisionally expected rounds for 2023:

• Round 2: submit applications between 28 June – 5 September 16.00 CET for courses starting after 1 February 2024.

All courses must be completed before 31 August 2024 with the exception of co-financed master’s programmes.

Deadlines per institution

Please note that educational institutions may set a shorter deadline for application. Please consult your educational institution for the exact deadlines