Netherlands MENA Scholarships for Selected Countries in Middle East and North Africa (MSP Scholarship Programme)

MENA Scholarship Programme (MSP)

Course(s) Offered: Several disciplines
Course Level: Graduate, Training
Provider: Netherlands Min. of Foreign Affairs
Country to Study in: Netherlands

Scholarship Description
Initiated in 2007, and fully funded by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Scholarship Programme (MSP) is targeted at nationals of selected countries of the Middle East and North Africa.

The overall aim of the MSP Scholarship Programme (MSP) is to contribute to the democratic transition in the participating countries, and to build capacity within organisations by enabling employees to take part in short courses in various fields of study.

The scholarships can be used for selected short courses in the Netherlands. The MENA Scholarships are proportionally distributed among the ten participating countries. Ideally, half of the scholarships are allocated to female applicants.

Eligibility criteria
To be eligible for an MSP scholarship you:

• must be a national of, and working and living in one of the countries on the MSP country list valid at the time of application;
• must have an employer’s statement that complies with the format EP-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 organisation that has its own means of staff-development. Organisations that are considered to have their own means for staff development are for example:
  
  • multinational corporations (e.g. Shell, Unilever, Microsoft),
  • large national and/or a large commercial organisations,
  • bilateral donor organisations (e.g. USAID, DFID, Danida, Sida, Dutch ministry of Foreign affairs, FinAid, AusAid, ADC, SwissAid),
  • multilateral donor organisations, (e.g. a UN organization, the World Bank, the IMF, Asian Development Bank, African Development Bank, IADB),
  international NGO’s (e.g. Oxfam, Plan, Care);
• must have an official and valid passport (valid at least three months after the candidate's submission date);
• must have a government statement that meets the requirements of the country in which the employer is established (if applicable);
• must not be over 45 years of age at the time of the grant submission.

Eligible groups
Nationals of these 10 participating countries:
Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Syria and Tunisia.

Participating Institutions
All recognised Dutch higher education institution that offers the course of your choice

Fields of study
You can use an MSP scholarship for a number of selected short courses in one of the following fields of study: Economics, Commerce, Management and Accounting, Agriculture and Environment, Mathematics, Natural sciences and Computer sciences, Engineering, Law Public Administration, Public order and Safety, Humanities, Social sciences, and Communication and Arts

Number of awards
Offers around 120 scholarships per year

Sponsorship duration
Scholarships are available for short courses with a duration between 2-12 weeks

Scholarship benefits
The MSP scholarship is a contribution to the costs of the selected short course and should supplement your salary which you must continue to receive during the study period. The scholarship covers subsistence allowance, tuition fees, visa costs, international travel costs, medical insurance, and allowance for study materials.

The allowances are considered to be sufficient to cover your living expenses during the study period. You must cover any other costs from your own resources.

Method of Application
Applications for the MSP scholarships should be submitted to the school of your choice before the scholarship application deadline. You need to apply directly at the Dutch higher education institution of your choice. The steps for application are:

1. Check whether you are in the target group (review eligibility criteria).
2. Check whether your employer will nominate you.
3. Download an overview of short courses eligible for an MSP scholarship (download current course list on the official website).
4. Contact the Dutch higher education institution that offers the course of your choice to find out whether this course is eligible for an MSP scholarship and how to apply.

It is important to read the 2018 Information for Applicants, and also visit the official website (link to it is below) and website of the Dutch higher education institution offering the course of your choice for complete information on course content, the MSP application and selection procedures.

DEADLINES:
Institutions have different application deadlines. It is your duty to contact the institution offering the course of your choice to confirm its course and scholarship deadline dates. As a general guide, there are 2 application deadlines a year in April and November. Please confirm exact dates rom your institution(s) of choice.

PLEASE NOTE:
While scholarships are awarded to individuals, the need for training must be demonstrated in the context of the organisation for which the applicant works. The training must help the organisation develop its capacity. This means that employers must nominate an applicant and motivate his or her application in a supporting letter.

Application Deadline: November 2018
Open to International Applicants: Yes

More Scholarship Information and Application

Related: Top Scholarships in the Netherlands for International Students