Important update about the upcoming academic intake (2023-2024)
The Orange Knowledge Programme has been extended until December 2024. Kindly note that there has been a change in the country list. Please check the page below for the eligible courses and countries.
What is the Orange Knowledge Programme?
The Orange Knowledge Programme (OKP) is a full scholarship available to professionals working in (urban) development from many developing countries offered by Nuffic. Financed by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, this programme aims to contribute to a society’s sustainable and inclusive development by providing access to education and training to professionals and organisations.
On this page, you can find the following information:
- Eligibility criteria and application procedure
- Deadlines and eligible courses
- FAQ regarding the OKP Fellowship
- OKP Interest Registration Form
Please find below our eligible programmes for the extended round of the Orange Knowledge Programme.
What is the application procedure?
Step 1
Check the scholarship eligibility criteria below. To be eligible for the programme, you must meet all of these requirements:
- a) Be a professional and national of, and working and living in one of the following countries:
▪ Bangladesh ▪ Benin ▪ Burkina Faso ▪ Burundi ▪ Colombia ▪ Congo (DRC) ▪ Egypt ▪ Ethiopia ▪ Ghana ▪ Indonesia ▪ Iraq ▪ Jordan ▪ Kenya ▪ Lebanon ▪ Mali ▪ Mozambique ▪ Niger ▪ Nigeria ▪ Palestinian Territories ▪ Rwanda ▪ Senegal ▪ Somalia ▪ South Africa ▪ South Sudan ▪ Sudan ▪ Tanzania ▪ Tunisia ▪ Uganda ▪ Vietnam ▪ Yemen
Important update on 1 February 2023: New country list of 30 countries
The updated country list for the 2023-2024 intake now contains 30 countries. This means that Guinea, Guatemala, Liberia, Myanmar, Sierra Leone, Suriname and Zambia are not part of the programme for upcoming calls.
Important update on 28 January 2022: Scholarship opportunities for Indonesia
Mid-career professionals from Indonesia are able to apply for the Short Course Scholarships again in all rounds in 2022. For Master’s Scholarships, a separate joint scholarship programme with LPDP is set up. This means that Indonesian mid-career professionals are not able to apply for a regular OKP Master’s Scholarship.
- b) Have an employer’s statement that complies with a prescribed format (template will be provided via invitation). All information must be provided, and all commitments that are included in the format must be endorsed in the statement. (You will not be eligible for the fellowship if you fail to submit this document);
- c) Not be employed by an organization that has its own means of staff development. Organizations 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 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 organisation, the World Bank, the IMF, Asian Development Bank, African Development Bank, IADB)
- International NGOs (e.g. Oxfam, Plan, Care).
- d) Have an official and valid passport.
- e) Knock-out criteria: Your background fits into one or more priority areas as mentioned in the "OKP country focus document" (see below). This is a knock-out criteria by the OKP programme, as your fellowship application will not enter the assessment stage if you do not meet this criteria.
Step 2
Check which IHS academic courses qualify for the current OKP deadline on this web page or in this programme. Note the application deadlines.
Step 3
Select your preferred IHS course and apply for it. To apply, visit the page of your chosen course and check the information on the Admission page under this course. Keep in mind that preparing your course application may take some time. We advise you to start on it well in time.
Step 4
Once admitted to the academic course, you will be invited by IHS via email invitation to apply for the OKP fellowship. Keep a close eye on your email. More details will be provided in your admission email.
Step 5
The fellowship outcome will be announced by email (check the programme calendar for the expected outcome date). IHS will send you your application outcome on behalf of the Nuffic OKP programme. If you are awarded the fellowship, IHS will take care of the further pre-arrival arrangements for you.
OKP Country focus document
When are the deadlines for OKP applicants?
| 2023 Round 2 | |
|---|---|
| Eligible IHS academic courses |
|
| IHS academic deadline (to apply for the course admission) | Deadline passed |
OKP application deadline (to submit the OKP application)
| 5 September 2023 16:00 CET |
| Expected OKP fellowship selection outcome | December 2023 |
How to find out more?
To find out more information about this scholarship, you may want to visit the Nuffic website.
Frequently Asked Questions regarding the OKP Fellowship
How high is the chance of getting this fellowship?
Please understand that the OKP fellowship is highly competitive, and usually, a large percentage of applicants who meet the profile are, unfortunately, not selected for the fellowship. The chance to be awarded a fellowship depends on several factors, such as the relevance of your current position with the priorities mentioned in the Country focus document, the quality of your application, the total budget of the fellowship, the number of applicants from your country, etc.
Can I apply for this fellowship without having received the admission to the academic programme?
You can only apply for this programme with an invitation from the educational institutions. We can only invite the candidates who have been admitted to our programmes to apply.
I do not meet all the eligibility criteria. Is there any alternative way to be eligible for the fellowship?
No. The OKP programme is very strict on the requirements, and no exceptions can be made. Unfortunately, the Nuffic OKP programme will not consider your fellowship application if you fail to meet all the eligibility criteria.
My employer is not willing to provide me with the required employer statement. Is there any alternative way to be eligible for the fellowship?
No. The OKP programme is very strict on the requirements, and no exceptions can be made. Unfortunately, the Nuffic OKP programme will not consider your fellowship application if you fail to provide all the required documents in the prescribed format.
Can IHS help me to submit my OKP application on my behalf or give me some personal advice?
No, the candidates must submit their applications on their own. We also cannot give you any personal advice on your application. IHS is only responsible for the communication of this fellowship.
Do I need to pay any fees if I’m selected for this fellowship?
This is a full fellowship, meaning that most of the necessary expenses are covered. The total amount should be sufficient to support your stay during the study. However, depending on individual cases, you might still need to cover some costs yourself, such as local transportation, meals, or any unexpected costs.
Can I bring my family if I’m selected for this fellowship?
Yes, you are welcome to bring your family. However, the fellowship does not cover the expenses for your family, and the institute is not responsible for arranging the travel for your family members either. You must take care of all the practical and financial issues yourself.