Funding

Fully Funded · Partial / Stipend · Self Funded

Program dates

TBA

Fellowship•Netherlands · Leiden

Asia in the World Fellowship Programme

International Institute for Asian Studies (IIAS), Leiden University

Application Deadline

September 10, 2026

Official Page

The Asia in the World Fellowship Programme is run by the International Institute for Asian Studies (IIAS), which is hosted at Leiden University in the Netherlands. It runs for nine months in two phases: three months at one of fifteen co-host institutions in Asia, Africa, Latin America or Europe, then six months in residence at IIAS in Leiden. It is built for early- to mid-career researchers and knowledge professionals who want to work beyond their usual geography, institution or discipline. Projects should engage with Asia as part of wider global formations, and may align with the IIAS thematic clusters: Cities, The Politics of Culture, Asia in the World, Humanities Across Borders, and Knowledge Diplomacy in Action. Fellows give a talk or lecture at the co-host institution and take part in local activities, then join the IIAS community in Leiden with office space, a seminar room, the university library and a screening room. Co-host institutions are in Surabaya (Indonesia), Lisbon (Portugal), Salvador (Brazil), Puducherry, Delhi and Bengaluru (India), Athens (Greece), Malmö (Sweden), Heidelberg and Erfurt (Germany), Bangkok (Thailand), Taipei (Taiwan), Madrid (Spain), Dakar (Senegal) and Dar es Salaam (Tanzania). Applicants name preferred co-hosts, but the Selection Committee decides final placements with the partner institutions and cannot guarantee them.

Benefits & funding

  • €1,250 gross per month during the six-month Leiden residency (Phase 2)
  • €1,200 per month towards accommodation costs during Phase 2
  • A contribution towards travel on three legs: country of residence to the co-host institution, co-host institution to the Netherlands, and return home
  • Office space, seminar room, university library and screening room at IIAS
  • IIAS-organised outings, workshops and enrichment activities
  • Leiden University acts as the issuing institution for the residence permit application
  • The same workspace and facilities, and full inclusion in IIAS community activities, workshops and events
  • Residence permit support through Leiden University, plus a list of trusted rental agencies in Leiden
  • No stipend, no housing allowance and no travel contribution

Eligibility

  • Open to applicants of any nationality. No residency, age or gender requirement is stated.
  • Category A (academic, funded): PhD holders, or candidates whose defence takes place no later than September 2026.
  • Category B (academic, self-funded): the same academic requirement, with confirmed external or personal funding for the full period.
  • Category C (independent professional, self-funded): journalists, writers, diplomats, policy makers, curators and other professionals with a relevant track record and substantial professional experience. A doctorate is not required for this track.
  • A good command of English is required; programme activities run in English.
  • Applicants must be available for the full nine months, with no early departure. Anyone in employment must secure official release from their duties for the whole period.
  • Valid health insurance covering the stay in the Netherlands is mandatory.

Can you apply?

Open to all applicants

No nationality, residency, education, or experience limits are listed.

We only check the criteria we have data for. Always confirm full eligibility on the official page before applying.

Application process

  1. 1
    Read the programme page and the full terms and conditions, then decide which category — A, B or C — applies.
  2. 2
    Optionally join the online information session on 13 August 2026, 10:00–11:00 CEST, through the Teams link on the programme page.
  3. 3
    Prepare the research project description covering state of the art, methodology, work plan and expected outcomes, along with PhD and current-position details, educational background, language skills, preferred co-hosting institutions and the case for impact and engagement.
  4. 4
    Submit the IIAS Fellowship Application Form with all required documents by 10 September 2026.
  5. 5
    Shortlisted candidates provide two reference letters and attend an online introductory meeting.
  6. 6
    Shortlisting decisions are communicated by December 2026, and the final selection is announced by March 2027.

Program timeline

  1. Applications open

    1 July 2026

  2. Online information session, 10:00–11:00 CEST

    13 August 2026

  3. Application deadline

    10 September 2026

  4. Shortlisted candidates notified

    December 2026

  5. Final selection announced

    March 2027

  6. Cohort 1 runs

    September 2027 to end of May 2028

  7. Cohort 2 runs

    March 2028 to end of November 2028