The Netherlands Fellowships Program

The Netherlands Fellowship Programmes (NFP) were created in 1957 and are funded from the Netherlands development co-operation budget

. The overall aim of the NFP is to help alleviate qualitative and quantitative shortages of skilled manpower and to do so within the framework of sustainable capacity building directed towards poverty reduction in developing countries .

On this website you will find information on how to apply for an NFP fellowship. For questions regarding the Netherlands Fellowship Programmes applicat

ion procedures the embassy can be contacted by phone on working days between 9.00 and 12.00 hours only (Telephone: +880-2-8822715-18, fax +880-2-8823326). You can also contact the embassy via e-mail: [email protected]

• Who can apply for a fellowship?

• How to apply for a fellowship?

Who can apply for a fellowship?

Employees from both government and non-governmental organisations can apply. However, there is a slight difference in how they should apply (see 'How to apply for a fellowship').
According to the 'Rules and Regulations of the Netherlands Fellowship Programmes (NFP)' candidates who want to apply for a fellowship have to meet the following requirements. He or she should:

�         Be a national of a developing country;

�         Be working in a developing country in a development-related position;

�         Have an educational background, practical experience and a job relating directly to the course concerned;

�         Be nominated by the employer who also pledges to continue payment of salary and hold the same position for the candidate available;

�         Be available for the whole period of the fellowship and be able to take part in the entire study programme;

�         Have an adequate command of the English language (an IELTS-British Council certificate with minimum score of 6.0 is obligatory);

�         Be in good health;

�         Not have followed a course abroad in the previous two years;

�         Have a valid passport or identity card;

�         Have a recent copy of the passport or identity card;

�        

A fellowship cannot be applied for by candidates who:

-          Are in the service of the armed forces or defence, security- or intelligence services. Exceptions are made if it concerns military personnel who exercise an explicit civil task for which there is no civil service in the country concerned, and people in service of the police or other official bodies responsible for maintaining order;

-         Are, at the moment of application, already following a course either in the Netherlands or in another foreign country;

-          Are in service of either a big industrial/commercial or multinational company.

How to apply for a fellowship?

At the embassy's reception the candidate can ask for the booklet 'the Netherlands Fellowship Programmes'. Candidates can also get information from the following website: http//:www.nuffic.nl/nfp . If a candidate has identified a suitable course and meets all the requirements, he or she can apply for a fellowship by filling out 2 sets of application forms. Candidates cannot apply for more than 1 course listed under the Netherlands Fellowship Programmes at the same time. There is a slight difference in application procedure for government and non-government candidates.
Government candidates cannot apply directly/personally. They first have to contact the Economic Relations Division (ERD) of the Ministry of Finance (Mr. Mohammed Shajahan Mollah, Senior Assistant Secretary, tel. 02-9140485) on how to obtain a nomination, a fellowship form and further procedures. Non-government candidates can contact the embassy directly. In order to receive the fellowship application form the candidates should provide the provisional admission letter from the Dutch Institute as well as a nomination letter from their employer. In this letter, directed to the Fellowships Officer of the Royal Netherlands Embassy, the employer should nominate the candidate confirming that the organisation/company will continue payment of salaries; that the same position (or equivalent) is guaranteed to the candidate upon his/her return; that the candidate is available for the full duration of the fellowship and will be able to take part in the entire study programme.

The candidate should submit 2 sets of application forms, both including a passport size photograph and all required documents (in English!) which are listed on the first page of the application form. 'Letters of recommendation' should include a letter from the employer and a letter from the admission office of the Dutch institute. Fellowship interviews are usually held on Sundays and Wednesdays from 13.00 to 14.30 hrs. Candidates have to make an appointment in advance.