Scholarship opportunities
A number of different scholarship programmes are available for professionals who wish to attend one of our open subscription courses or tailor-made training programmes.
MENA Scholarship Programme (MSP)
The MENA Scholarship Programme aims to contribute to the societal development of the participating countries in the Middle East and North Africa region. It also seeks to build capacity within organisations by enabling employees to participate in short courses in various fields of study.
Application deadlines
We are now accepting registrations for MSP scholarships for the 2025/2026 period. Our registration deadline is 6 May 2025.
Why apply early?
Eligible candidates who submit their applications in advance will benefit from our assessment and receive feedback to strengthen their applications.
The early-bird deadline for the current scholarship application round is 8 April 2025.
The following courses are eligible for the next scholarship application round:
2025
- Integrity and Anti-Corruption
- Local Economic Development
- Multilevel Water Governance
- Gender Responsive Governance
- Fiscal Decentralisation and Local Finance
- Digital Transformation in the Public Sector
2026
- Local Security and Peacebuilding
- Citizen Participation and Inclusive Governance
- Inclusive Service Delivery and WASH
- Urban Governance: Resilient and Smart Cities
- Local Climate Response
- Migration and Local Authorities
For more details on course content, click this link
Eligibility for the MENA Scholarship Programme
- You are a professional working in one of the eligible countries: Algeria, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman and Tunisia.
- You are 45 years old or younger on the application deadline, plus two weeks;
- You are not employed by an organisation that has its own means of staff development. E.g. international development organisations or private companies;
- You have a minimum of two years of work experience;
- You speak and understand the English language well (all programmes are in English);
- You have written support from your employer to participate in the programme and to implement the Back Home Action Plan.
- You are working in one of the priority areas matching the thematic approach of the MENA Scholarship Programme in your country.
To apply, complete your application through the Scholarship procedure by clicking on the button below.
Before you start
Consider the following:
- The application process consists of completing an application form (you will find the button at the end of these instructions), where you indicate your motivation to participate in the course and prove that you have support from your employer (through an employer statement).
- Your application will only be eligible if your motivation and employer statement are clearly aligned with the priorities of the Embassy of the Netherlands in your country. Check the thematic priorities of your country
- For the priorities of the MENA Scholarships Programme (MSP), follow this link.
- You are required to upload a digital and clear scan in colours of your official passport, an employer statement (format provided ahead) and, in some cases, a copy of a government statement. Prepare these documents ahead and submit them in PDF format. The size of each file must not exceed 2MBs. These instructions can assist you.
Instructions
Read through all the instructions before starting your application form, as valuable information is provided. Good luck!
1. Check your eligibility
2. Prepare the answers to the motivation questions
In the application form, you will have to answer three questions:
- What is the issue or problem you want to address in your country?
- How will this training course enable you to address this issue?
- How will you address this issue with your position within your organisation?
The answers to the three motivation questions should clearly indicate the link between your organisation and position on the one hand, and (elements of) the Country Focus on the other hand. Be specific and base your answers on factual information. Refrain from copying information from our website.
Read the Quality Guidelines to determine which information should be included on each of the questions.
3. Prepare an employer Statement
All applications must be supported by an Employer Statement. An employer statement is a format where your employer supports and motivates your participation in the course. This document has to be written by your employer, where they indicate the relevance of the training for you as an employee and for the organisation.
Only the prescribed Nuffic format will be accepted as a valid document.
The Employer Statement should be uploaded as one single PDF and should consist of the following segments (as indicated in the format):
- Declaration by your employer (supporting your participation).
- Data about the organisation/candidate, including the indications regarding relevance.
- Plan of activities, with clear SMART (Specific, Measurable, Assignable, Realistic and Time-Related) goals and deadlines.
Please note that the first page must have the original stamp of the organisation and the original signature of your employer. The document must also be printed on the letterhead of your organisation.
See the Example employer statement and prepare your document accordingly.
4. Prepare a government statement (not applicable to everyone)
Some countries require applicants to provide a Government statement for their application to be valid. Find out if you need a government statement:
- Overview Government statements (for MSP) (detailed information available on this link, by clicking on your country)
When required, prepare this in advance as this could take a few weeks. Use one of the following prescribed formats:
5. Prepare a copy of your passport
For your application to be valid, you must hold a passport valid for at least four weeks after the application deadline. Prepare a clear copy in colours of the personal data page.
More details here https://thehagueacademy.com/scholarship/