Instructions for Making an Application to Participate in the Orange Knowledge Program in the Netherlands

Scholarships for international students are available through the Orange Knowledge Programme 2022-2023, which comes with full funding. This scholarship is available for master’s degree programs as well as short courses that are offered at various institutes in the Netherlands.

About the Awarding of the Scholarship

The goal of the Orange Knowledge Programme is to encourage the growth of people’s capabilities, information, and performance in the areas of higher education and vocational education, as well as in other areas that are linked to the key topics in the program nations. This programme is being implemented in a number of countries around the world.

On July 1, 2017, the Netherlands Fellowship Programs (NFP) moved into a new phase of development as part of a new program that was given the name Orange Knowledge Programme (OKP). OKP is an initiative that was conceived of and is entirely funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

You are able to submit an application for this Orange Knowledge Program if you are a resident of one of the eligible countries in Africa. In the realms of higher education and vocational education, there is a wide variety of financial assistance available for students. If they are chosen for the scholarship program, professionals in the middle of their careers who have the citizenship of one of the eligible countries and who currently live and work in one of those countries are eligible for the program. The government of the Netherlands is providing funding for this scholarship program.

Scholarship Summary

• Level of Study: Masters / Short Courses
• Institution(s): Various Institutes in Netherlands (Studyfinder)
• Study in: Netherlands
• Courses Offered:
  • All courses that are eligible for an Orange Knowledge Programme scholarship for this application round are listed in Studyfinder .
  • Please note that there are focus areas for each country, which are taken into consideration when scholarship applications are nominated and assessed. Applications that fall within the focus areas for a specific country are
• given priority: Country focus document Orange Knowledge Program.
• Program Period:
  • Short courses (duration 2 weeks to 12 months).
  • Master’s programmers (duration 12 – 24 months)
• Deadline: March 22 / June 28 / October 11, 2023

Target group:

Mid-career professionals who are nationals of -and living and working in the following countries:

Bangladesh, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Colombia, Congo (DRC), Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea, Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Liberia, Mali, Mozambique, Myanmar, Niger, Nigeria, Palestinian Territories, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Suriname, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, Vietnam, Yemen and Zambia.

Scholarship value/inclusions:

An OKP scholarship is intended to supplement the salary that you should continue to receive during the scholarship period. The scholarship is a contribution towards your costs of living and costs such as tuition fees, visa, travel, insurance etc. You have to cover any difference between the OKP scholarship amount and the actual costs yourself.

Criteria for Eligibility to Participate in the Orange Knowledge Program

Consideration should be given to the following factors in order to be accepted into The Orange Knowledge Programme:

• The mandatory language is English.
• Eligible Countries: The applicant for the scholarship must be a national of, as well as a resident of and employee in, one of the countries that is included on the OKP Country list (see the document Country List for Short courses and Masters ).
• The applicant for the scholarship is currently employed by a national or local organization that falls into one of the following categories: ministries, secondary or higher vocational or academic education institutions, universities, the private sector, commissions, or non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
• The applicant for the scholarship is not allowed to be employed by the following types of organizations: a multilateral or bilateral organization; a non-governmental organization that is internationally active and focuses on representing social interests; for example, development cooperation; nature and environmental protection; health or human rights; or a human rights or health organization.
• The applicant for the scholarship is a working professional who, because of his or her (1) role, (2) multiple years of relevant work experience, and (3) networks within a theme relevant to local development, is either already in a position to put what they have learned into practice or, through their employer, could be put into a position to do so.
• The candidate for the scholarship possesses a current and legitimate form of identification.
• The applicant for the OKP scholarship has been accepted into the academic course or program for which he or she is seeking financial support from OKP.
• In the event that the local government mandates the submission of a government statement along with the scholarship application, the applicant for the scholarship has included it (see the document government statement requirement).
• The applicant for the scholarship provides evidence that the requested percentage of co-funding is available in order to pay for the study.
• The applicant’s current employer endorses his or her scholarship application by providing a glowing reference, guarantees that the scholarship recipient will continue to receive his or her regular salary throughout the duration of the program, and agrees to provide the recipient with an opportunity to put what he or she has learned in the program into practice upon the recipient’s return.

How to Apply

Please follow the following steps to apply for this scholarship:

• Find a course or master’s Program that is eligible for the scholarship. You can find the eligible courses in study Program database www.studyfinder.nl, specifying in the search criteria: ‘OKP qualified: Yes’.
• Contact the Dutch higher education institution that is offering the course for information on:
  • the course content.
  • the scholarship application deadline (deadlines can differ per Dutch institution).
  • the scholarship application and selection procedures.
  • the online application form and the required application documents.
  • Prepare your application and the supporting documents
• With your online application, you will be asked to upload:
  • A valid passport copy.
  • A current statement from your employer, and depending on your country of employment.
  • A government statement.
• Submit your online application via the Dutch institution offering the course.