Important: this fellowship is only for established researchers, writers, journalists and artists whose work is blocked by conflict or war. It is not a scholarship and does not support students, PhD applicants or asylum requests.
The Netherlands Institute for Advanced Study (NIAS) in Amsterdam is accepting applications for its Safe Haven Fellowship for the first semester of the 2027–2028 academic year. Selected fellows get a five-month residency with a stipend of €3,500 a month, an office, travel reimbursement and help with accommodation, so they can continue their work in safety.
Deadline: 14 December 2026, 12:00 noon CET (12:00 WAT, 13:00 CAT/SAST, 14:00 EAT).
Key Details
- Host: NIAS, part of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), Amsterdam
- Partners: University of Amsterdam, Maastricht University and KNAW
- Duration: five months (first semester runs September to end of January)
- Places: up to three fellowships per semester
- Stipend: €3,500 per month
- Open to: at-risk scholars, writers, journalists and artists of any nationality
- Deadline: 14 December 2026, 12:00 CET
Benefits of the NIAS Safe Haven Fellowship
- A monthly stipend of €3,500 for five months (about €17,500 in total)
- An office, research facilities and weekday communal lunches at NIAS
- Subsidised accommodation in Amsterdam, or reimbursement of commuting costs
- Reimbursement of travel to and from Amsterdam, plus local travel to the Dutch embassy for visa appointments
- A letter of invitation for the visa, and a work permit application by NIAS where one is needed
- A place in an international, interdisciplinary community of fellows and a weekly seminar
Limits to Know Before You Apply
NIAS is clear that the fellowship is temporary and does not lead to long-term residence in the Netherlands. It is not an employment contract, so no pension or social insurance is paid. NIAS is not an emergency or refugee organisation: it cannot help with evacuation, counselling or asylum, and it does not assist applicants who are not selected. Fellows arrange their own visas and travel, except where political or legal restrictions make independent travel impossible.
Eligibility
- You are a scholar, writer, journalist or artist whose work is restricted or obstructed by state or non-state actors because of conflict or war (people whose academic freedom is severely restricted by conflict are also encouraged to apply)
- Scholarly proposals: you hold a PhD and have at least three years of postdoctoral research experience
- Literary, journalistic or artistic proposals: you hold a bachelor’s degree and have at least seven years of professional experience in your field
- You are first and foremost a researcher with a demonstrable record of work
- You have full academic-level English (C1)
- You are not affiliated with an institution boycotted by the Dutch state
- You can be at NIAS four days a week for the whole fellowship, including Thursdays for the seminar
How to Apply
- Read the official regulations on the NIAS Safe Haven Fellowship page and confirm you meet every requirement.
- Prepare, in English, a research proposal, a CV, a motivation statement and a risk statement.
- Complete the online application form. Applications sent by email are not accepted.
- Check everything carefully before submitting: incomplete applications are ineligible and cannot be edited later.
- Confirm your registration within 48 hours of receiving the automatic email, or your application will expire.
- Questions can go to [email protected].
After the deadline, NIAS screens applications, sends eligible ones to two external referees, and the top ten scholarly and top ten literary, journalistic or artistic applications go to an advisory committee. The NIAS Director makes the final choice and all applicants are told the result in writing.
Tips
- Your risk statement matters: explain specifically how conflict or war is stopping your work, with dates and examples, without exaggeration.
- Make the proposal achievable in five months and show what you will produce (articles, a book chapter, a body of artwork).
- Journalists and writers should count their professional years carefully: seven years is a firm minimum.
- Start your Dutch visa planning early; delays at embassies in Africa can be long.
- NIAS runs another round with a June deadline, so if you miss this one, prepare for the next.
