The Orange Knowledge Programme (formerly known as Netherlands Fellowship Program (NFP)) is financed by the Dutch Ministry for Foreign Affairs under its Development Cooperation budget. The OKP target group candidates are mid-career professionals who are nominated by their employers.
The OKP aims to advance the development of the capacity, knowledge and quality of both individuals as well as organisations both in the field of higher and vocational education and in other fields related to the priority themes in the programme countries. Each embassy has its own focus area to support the development goals of the Netherlands in each OKP country. The overall objective is to spend 35% of the budget on grants and study programs in the priority areas of:
- food security
- water
- sexual and reproductive health
- rights and safety
- rule of lawPlease note that most of the TU/e Master’s programs do not have common ground with the focus areas of the OKP program. This means that chances of gaining an OKP scholarship for a TU/e Master’s program are relatively small.
Priority is given to female candidates and to candidates coming from sub-Saharan Africa.Requirements
- Applicants first have to gain unconditional admission to an eligible TU/e master’s program. The admission procedure for TU/e Master programs takes approximately 6 weeks.
- Candidates starting the application procedure for admission to a TU/e Master’s program after 1 Februar are not assessed in time for the OKP deadline of 1 April, thus are not eligible for an OKP scholarship.
- Candidates who are not admitted to a TU/e master’s program should not use the online registration form.
Eligible students
- Applicants must be professionals and nationals of one of the 51 selected countries (see ‘Eligible countries’).
- must have an employer’s statement that complies with the format Nuffic has provided. All information must be provided and all commitments that are included in the format must be endorsed in the statement;
- must not be employed by an organization that has its own means of staff-development;
- must have an official passport which is valid for at least 3 more months when applying for a fellowship;
- must not receive more than one fellowship for courses that take place at the same time;
- must have a government statement that meets the requirements of the country in which the employer is established (if applicable).
- Applicants must have sufficient mastery of the English language.
For a more detailed list of criteria, please go to the Nuffic’s OKP pages
- Eligible TU/e Master’s programsA OKP scholarship can be used for all TU/e Master’s programs.
- Eligible countries A list of all eligible countries can be found on the Nuffic’s OKP pages.
- Costs covered and durationThe OKP scholarship is meant as a contribution towards cost of living, international travel, tuition fee, visas, health insurance and thesis research.Scholarships are granted for the duration of the Master’s program.
Application and selection procedure for Master’s programs
- A candidate first has to gain unconditional admission to an eligible TU/e master’s program. The admission procedure for TU/e master programs takes approximately 6 weeks. Candidates starting the application procedure for admission to a TU/e master’s program after 1 February are not assessed in time for the OKP deadline of 1 April, thus are not eligible for an OKP scholarship. Candidates who are not admitted to a TU/e master’s program should not use the online registration form. State on your TU/e application form that you are applying for OKP.
- A candidate must use the online candidate registration form to apply for an OKP fellowship.
- As of the beginning of February the online registration form is available for OKP candidates applying for the April deadline. The application must be completed and submitted online through the candidate registration form before the fellowship application deadline. Please mention your TU/e registration number (student number) on the candidate registration form.
- If a candidate is admitted to a TU/e master program, the institution will decide which candidate will be considered for an OKP fellowship. Nominees will then be checked by the embassy on the eligibility criteria which are:
- The degree to which you fit into the target group
- How well you would be able to implement the newly-acquired knowledge in your daily work
- To what extent the knowledge will contribute to the development of your home country. Your application will be assessed according to the country focus an embassy may have set
- How well your plans for the time after returning to your employer are described and how easily they can be implementedTU/e will inform you about the outcome of the selection by email. If your application is successful, we will contact you by email to make all necessary (logistical) arrangements.
Deadlines for application
The OKP fellowship procedures require an unconditional admission from the TU/e. The admission procedure for TU/e master programs takes approximately 6 weeks
Students are therefore strongly advised to start the application procedure for admission to a TU/e master’s program as early as possible and no later than:
- 1 February for the fellowship application deadline of 1 April
- 1 May for the fellowship application deadline of 1 August
Applications after this date will not be assessed in time for the OKP deadline.
State on your TU/e application form that you are applying for NFP.
Source / More information Click here: Official Website.
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