Orange Knowledge Programme: Eligibility, Application, Selection

Orange Knowledge Programme

The Orange Knowledge Programme contributes to the social and economic development of individuals and organizations. It is a global development program funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The program started in mid-2017 for the students/ professionals aspiring to study in the Netherlands and is presently available in 38 countries.

  • The projects are ongoing in 54 countries and new opportunities are available for 30 countries at this moment.
  • There are different application deadlines for the Orange Knowledge Programme (OKP)
  • The project has a budget of EUR 220 million (equivalent to INR 189 billion).
  • OKP is applicable for both short courses and master’s programs, like Master’s in the Netherlands.

The amount of award money varies depending on the applicant’s country, chosen program, level of study and performance in the eligibility criteria.


Highlights

Scholarship TypeMerit-Based
Offered byGovernment bodies
OrganizationDutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Application Deadline Mar 30 ,2023
Number of ScholarshipsN/A
AmountVariable Amount
RenewabilityOne Time Payment
International Student EligibleYes
Scholarship Website Linkhttps://www.nuffic.nl/en/subjects/orange-knowledge-programme

Eligibility Criteria

To apply for the Orange Knowledge Programme, individuals need to contact their individual dutch educational institutions. One needs to follow the criteria of their specific institution to get the aiding.

Eligibility Criteria: For Candidates

  • The candidate should be an experienced professional in a relevant field and should be able to execute his knowledge in the practical field.
    • Ministries, Academic institutions or NGOs.
  • The candidate should hold the nationality of a country listed in the OKP Country List and must be working in a country from the list.
  • The candidate must possess a valid identity document such as a passport.
  • The applicant must have secured admission at a university to study in the Netherlands, to one of the specific courses listed in the category of the OKP Scholarship.

Eligibility Criteria: For Organizations

  • The organization must have signed the Code of Conduct International Students or is involved in the List of Aditional Knowledge Centres.
  • The organization must ensure that the course is offered by themselves and no third party should be involved in between.
  • The organization will have to prove its sufficiency in financial and organizational means.
  • The institution must declare to meet its reporting deadlines
  • The institution should provide the funding for co-financed scholarships (only applicable for master’s programs with a duration longer than 1 year).

Eligibility Criteria: For Courses

The Orange Knowledge Programme (OKP) offers scholarships funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs available for a selection of:

  • short courses (round 1: duration 2 weeks to 12 months; round 2: duraiton 2 weeks to 7 months);
  • master's programmes (duration 12 to 24 months).
  • The courses must be full-time (except the e-learning courses).
  • The program needs to occur either at the universities in the Netherlands or any of the OKP Countries.
  • The program needs to be communicated in English, Spanish or French.
  • Master’s program should be authorized and accredited.


Application Process

Eligible scholars have to apply online for the scholarship. Here are the basic criteria the candidates should follow to apply for the Orange Knowledge Programme.

  1. The candidate must check if their favorite program is eligible for the Orange Knowledge Programme.
  2. The candidate should get in touch with the Dutch institution of their choice offering the course, for details about their cooperation in the program.
  3. The candidates should keep the supporting documents handy while filling the online application form.
  4. Submit the application form before the deadline.

Deadline for the Orange Knowledge Programme

Apart from the criteria, the applications must begin within a stipulated period, which is dependant on the application round per grant.

Open application round:

  • Round 1: submit applications between 8 February - 30 March 16.00 CET for courses starting between 24 July 2023 and 31 January 2024.

This round is open for applications through education institutions. Please carefully check the deadline of the institution of your choice, as they might set a shorter daedline for the application.

Provisionally expected rounds for 2023:

  • Round 2: submit applications between 28 June - 5 September 16.00 CET for courses starting after 1 February 2024.

All courses must be completed before 31 August 2024 with the exception of co-financed master’s programmes.

Deadlines per institution

Please note that educational institutions may set a shorter deadline for application. Please consult your educational institution for the exact deadlines


Selection Process

The selection process takes place in short, simple steps. The embassies receive the applications for assessment and they evaluate the candidate within 3-4 weeks.

However, the final decision is taken by the college or university in the Netherlands chosen by the student and they will be notified through email.

Following are the pointers considered by the committee while selecting the deserving candidates:

  • Eligibility of the applicant and their choice of program.
  • Results of the exams and tests for studying in the Netherlands.
  • The requirements of the applicant’s home country or residential country and adherence to the OKP guidelines.

Grant Details

The Orange Knowledge Programme scholarship made it possible to get scholarships to study abroad at ease like never before. It allows the Dutch Educational Organizations to offer scholarships to the mid-career professionals from the listed countries who aspire to study both in and outside the Netherlands.

The Orange Knowledge Programme scholarship aims in allowing students outside the Netherlands to study with freedom from the financial crisis in a posh location like the Netherlands and also in some other countries. The concerned authority sets the annual budget for the scholarship program.

Whenever a new application round opens, the institution provides the information on their website and assists the students with the overall budget and division for that specific round.

What is the Budget for OKP 2023?

The maximum budget for round-1 of 2021 is EUR 88,00,000 for Masters and EUR 31,00,000 for Short Courses. The maximum budget for round-3 of 2020 is EUR 41,27,375 for Short Courses.

The overall budget division in percentage is:

  1. Full Programme countries: 55%
  2. Compact Plus Programme countries: 45%

Although the program is open to all, however, the organization is focused to stimulate the engagement of some countries and the nomination of scholars from those countries. Even extra budget is provided in need for these countries. They are Egypt, Jordan, Burkina Faso, Lebanon, Niger, Mali, Nigeria, Somalia, The Palestinian Territories, Sudan and South Sudan.

FAQs

Ques. What is the Orange Knowledge Programme Country List?

Ans: The countries associated with the Orange Knowledge Programme are Bangladesh, Tunisia, Afghanistan, Benin, Burundi, Congo (DRC), Vietnam, Egypt, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Ghana, Guinea, Iraq, Burkina Faso, Jordan, Lebanon, Liberia, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Myanmar, Nigeria, Palestinian Territories, Senegal, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Kenya, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Colombia, Tanzania, Uganda, Yemen, Suriname, Zambia and Netherlands.

Ques. Is the OKP available for the Philippines?

Ans: No, the program is currently not open for the organizations and students from the Philippines.

Ques. How much amount is provided to an individual recipient of the scholarship?

Ans: The award money amount varies based on the chosen program, the country of the recipient, the performance of the student in their previous institutes and the level of study they are pursuing.

Ques. Can students from Indonesia avail the scholarship grant of OKP?

Ans: No, the program is not available for the students from Indonesia. However, you can check other popular scholarship programs in the Netherlands.

Ques. What are the eligible languages, to study with the grant of the OKP?

Ans: One can study in English, Spanish or French under the scholarship program.