Scholarships
An important part of KNIR’s mission is to support research by (Research) Master’s students, (external) PhD candidates and postdoctoral researchers who are enrolled at or employed by one of our partner universities (RUG, RU, UU, UL, UvA, VU). KNIR therefore offers a substantial number of scholarships to these groups of early-career researchers to enable a research stay at the institute. With these scholarships, we aim to enhance the career prospects of current and former students and PhD candidates of our partner universities and to stimulate the internationalisation of Dutch academia.
In addition, we offer scholarships to recently graduated (R)MA students who wish to prepare a research proposal for a PhD position (e.g. NWO or faculty-funded positions). We also offer scholarships to early-career researchers holding a PhD (or whose PhD manuscript has been accepted) who wish to prepare a research proposal for a postdoctoral position (e.g. NWO Rubicon, Veni, ERC or Marie Curie grants). Graduates and PhD candidates are eligible for such scholarships if they have graduated or completed their PhD at one of our partner universities and/or intend to pursue their PhD or postdoctoral research at one of these universities.
During a Scholarship
During a KNIR Scholarship, you will stay free of charge in your own room at the institute, with access to a shared kitchen and living room, and 24/7 access to the library. You will be assigned a supervisor from the academic staff for the duration of your stay. Together with other KNIR scholarship holders, you will be part of our academic community and participate in the various events organised at KNIR.
We work with three cohorts per year for the regular scholarships of 7 or 10 weeks. The start dates of the cohorts are announced prior to the application period via this website and our monthly newsletter. The conditions and duration of the KNIR scholarships depend on the type of scholarship and can be found on the individual pages via the links below.
Application and Selection
There are two application rounds per year. The deadline for applying for a scholarship for autumn 2026 is 15 May 2026. You can submit your application via the form that will be available approximately six weeks before the deadline. The opening of the application period will be communicated via our newsletter and social media channels.
The selection procedure takes into account motivation, the added value of the stay at KNIR for the research project, the quality of the research proposal, CV, and the applicant’s potential contribution to the academic community at KNIR. At KNIR we believe that diversity enriches debate: different perspectives contribute to the quality of our work. We therefore value and strongly encourage applications from students and researchers with diverse backgrounds and identities.
The outcome will be announced no later than one month after the deadline. No further correspondence about the outcome will be entered into. If a scholarship is awarded, confirmation of acceptance and agreement to the associated conditions is expected within one week after notification.
Special Prizes and Scholarships
In addition to our regular KNIR scholarships, we also award several special prizes, which may (partly) consist of a stay at KNIR. These prizes are awarded less frequently than the regular scholarships. Submission deadlines are announced on the specific pages and via our newsletter and social media channels.
Paid Stay at KNIR
If you are not eligible for a KNIR scholarship or your application has not been successful, but you would still like to stay at KNIR for research or teaching purposes, you may apply for a paid stay. Click here for more information and the application procedure.