The Netherlands Institute for Advanced Study in the Humanities and Social Sciences (NIAS), which is part of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), is accepting applications for its Safe Haven Fellowship, which supports scholars at risk by offering them temporary relocation and enabling them to continue their work.
The fellowship is a five-month programme (September–January or February–June) designed to support established scholars, artists, writers, and journalists who are unable to carry out their work due to conflict or war.
The fellowship aims to protect individuals whose academic or professional freedom is restricted or obstructed by state or non-state actors by offering temporary relocation to Amsterdam and the opportunity to continue their work in a safe environment.
Individuals facing severe infringements on their academic freedom as a result of conflict or war are encouraged to apply. Note that NIAS does not accept applicants affiliated with institutions boycotted by the Dutch state. Official partners of the programme include the University of Amsterdam (UvA), Maastricht University (UM), and KNAW.
Fellows are provided with office space, research facilities, communal lunches, participation in the NIAS academic community, and either commuting travel expenses or subsidised accommodation in Amsterdam.
They receive a monthly stipend of €3,500. NIAS reimburses both outward and return international travel, although fellows must organise and undertake their own travel arrangements.
Selected fellows are responsible for applying for their visa and, where required, obtaining a work permit at the Dutch Embassy in their home country; local travel costs to and from the Embassy may be reimbursed.
NIAS also issues a letter of invitation and applies for the fellow’s work permit if necessary. Only in cases where political, legal, or other restrictions prevent independent travel will NIAS attempt to assist with outward travel arrangements.
The fellowship is strictly temporary and does not provide long-term residence in the Netherlands, constitute an employment relationship, or qualify as a scholarship. NIAS does not make social insurance, pension, or unemployment insurance contributions, nor does it provide educational programmes or PhD tracks.
The fellowship is open to established researchers, journalists, writers and artists. Applicants submitting a scientific research proposal must hold a PhD and have at least three years of postdoctoral research experience at the time of application. Those submitting artistic, journalistic or writing-focused proposals must demonstrate a minimum of seven years of professional experience in their field. As the working language at NIAS is English, applicants must have full proficiency in English to participate effectively and receive feedback.
Applications must comply fully with the 2026 Regulations Selection Procedure NIAS Safe Haven Fellowship and be submitted through the online application module. All required documentation must be written in English, completed truthfully and submitted directly by the applicant; applications prepared or submitted by intermediaries will be rejected.
Incomplete applications or those that do not meet formal requirements will not be considered. Once submitted, applications cannot be modified, and applicants may not apply while another NIAS application is under review.
Applications are assessed based on the clarity of the research topic and question, engagement with existing literature, academic, societal, cultural or artistic relevance, identification of key problems and methodology, feasibility of the timeline, intended outputs, alignment with the applicant’s academic or professional trajectory, the added value of NIAS’s interdisciplinary environment, and the applicant’s potential intellectual contribution to the NIAS community.
The application deadline is March 31, 2026, at 12 noon.
