The Orange Knowledge Programme (OKP) which is initiated and fully funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs is awarded to high achieving students who are willing to undergo a degree program in Netherlands.

This scholarship opportunity aims to contribute to a society’s sustainable and inclusive development and It is open to mid-career professionals in specific countries.

Eligibility: 

  • One must be a professional and a national of, and working and living in one of the countries on the Orange Knowledge Programme (OKP) Country list valid at the time of application;
  • One must have a current employer’s statement that complies with the formal Nuffic has provided. All information must be provided and all commitments that are included in the formal must be endorsed in the statement;
  • One must not be employed by an organisation which can be expected to have their own funds for staff development, e.g.: a multinational corporation (e.g. Shell, Unilever, Microsoft) a large national and/or a large commercial organisation; a bilateral donor organisation (e.g. USAID, DFID, Danida, Sida, Dutch ministry of Foreign affairs, 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).
  • One must have a current employer’s statement which complies with the format Nuffic has provided. All information must be provided and all commitments, which are included in the format, must be endorsed in the statement;
  • One must have a government statement that meets the requirements of the country in which the employer is established (if applicable);
  • One must have an official passport valid at least three months after the submission date of the registration form by the candidate.

Eligible Countries: Bangladesh, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Colombia, Congo (DRC), Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Palestinian Territories, Rwanda, Senegal, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, Vietnam, and Yemen.

Type: Fellowship, Masters, Short Courses/Training

Number of Awards: Not specified

Value of Award: A KOP fellowship is intended to supplement the salary that you should continue to receive during the study period in the Netherlands. The allowance is a contribution towards your costs of living, the costs of tuition fees, visas, travel, insurance, and thesis research. If applicable, the fellowship holder is expected to cover the difference between the actual costs and the amount of the personal KOP NFP allowances.

Method of Application: You need to first select a course and then contact the educational institution of your course and ask how to apply for the scholarship.

You can find a list of courses and institutions that are linked to the Orange Knowledge Programme in our database of study programmes using the filter ‘Orange Knowledge Programme (OKP). You can also find contact details of the institutions there.

Application Deadline: The following rounds are provisionally expected for 2023:

  • Round 1: submit applications between 8 February – 30 March 16.00 CET for courses starting between 24 July 2023 and 31 January 2024.
  • Round 2: submit applications between 28 June – 5 September 16.00 CET for courses starting after 1 February 2024.