The MENA Scholarship Programme (MSP) offers scholarships to professionals for short courses in the Netherlands. The program is funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The main aim of the MSP is to contribute to the democratic transition in selected countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). It also aims at building capacity within organizations in the region, by enabling employees to take part in short courses in the Netherlands.
While the scholarship is awarded to individuals, the need for training must be demonstrated in the context of the organization the applicant is employed by. The training must help the organization develop its capacity. A candidate for the MSP, must, therefore, be nominated by an employer to participate in the program.
Course level: Short-term training program
Fields of study: The list of priority areas for training vary per country. You may check them here.
Institution and country: Participating Dutch higher education institutions
Sponsor: Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Nuffic
Scholarship inclusions: Programme participation costs (differs per situation and per course)
Eligibility criteria for the MENA Scholarship Programme:
- One must be a professional and national of, and living and working in one of the countries on the MSP country list: Algeria, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, and Tunisia. Syrians can apply for a scholarship if they are living and working in one of the other countries listed above;
- One must have a current 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;
- One must not be employed by an organization that has its own means of staff development;
- One must have an official and valid passport (valid at least 3 months after the candidate submission date);
- One must have a government statement that meets the requirements of the country in which the employer is established (if applicable);
- The age of the MSP candidate must not exceed 45 years of age at the time of the grant submission.
- The candidate must not receive more than one MSP scholarship for courses that take place at the same time.
Application deadline: 2 February to 22 March 2022. However, deadlines vary per country. You may find country-specific information here.
How to apply for the MENA Scholarship Programme:
Before you apply, make sure you review the eligibility criteria carefully and check whether your employer is willing to nominate you for the scholarship. When you are certain that you are eligible for an MSP scholarship, you can start making the necessary preparations for your application.
Follow these steps to apply:
1. Select a course on the MSP course list per country.
2. Contact the Dutch higher education institution that is offering the course for information on:
- course content
- the application deadline (deadlines can differ per Dutch institution)
- the application and selection procedures
- the online application form and the supporting documents
3. Prepare your application and the supporting documents
4. Submit your online application via the Dutch institution offering the course
For any questions on the application -and selection procedures please contact the Dutch institution directly www.studyfinder.nl
Other useful links: