Application requirements

Eligibility

The scholarship is open to Arab students who have received an official letter of acceptance into a one-year Master’s programme or are enrolled in the second year of a two-year Master’s programme at Leiden University. Students must be nationals from one of the following countries: Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, or Yemen.

Maximum amount

The maximum amount of the Leiden University Fund – Lutfia Rabbani Foundation Scholarship is €30,000.

Criteria for the evaluation

  • Academic excellence
  • Personal growth: Assessing the contribution the proposed field of study would have on the applicant’s continued academic and professional development and/or its potential for impact in the local context.
  • Strong motivation in line with the ideals of the Lutfia Rabbani Foundation’s goal of promoting Euro-Arab dialogue and understanding
  • Financial need

Terms and Conditions

  • Once the scholarship is granted and accepted, the signed terms and conditions form acts as a legal contract between the Lutfia Rabbani Foundation and the Leiden University Fund – Lutfia Rabbani Foundation scholar.
  • A mid-year academic progress report is required,  including a list of grades achieved to date. 
  • Within two months time of completion of study, the student must submit a report of his/her experience to the Board of the Foundation. The Board of the Foundation reserves the right to edit the report for communication purposes.

How to Apply

Necessary documents are:

  1. Motivation and purpose statement (in English and a maximum of two pages)
  2. Curriculum Vitae (in English)
  3. Copy of passport
  4. Copies of degrees or diplomas with academic transcripts (with English translations)
  5. Two signed references from either academic or professional referees (in English)
  6. Letter of acceptance from Leiden University. In order to meet the March 31st deadline for the scholarship, applicants should apply to Leiden University no later than February 1st  for the September intake. Applications may take between 4-6 weeks to be processed by Leiden University. Without a letter of acceptance from Leiden University, the Lutfia Rabbani Foundation cannot consider applicants for a scholarship.
  7. A detailed programme outline of the Master study the scholar intends to pursue at Leiden University (in English)
  8. Budget: please be thorough in completing your budget to include tuition fees (and whether you have applied to other scholarship funds) as well as necessary expenses to be incurred during the academic year. The maximum amount that may be awarded is € 30,000 for an academic year. You can use this Budget Template. 
  9. Signed and dated Application Form (the form can also be downloaded in the application portal).

For further inquiries please see our FAQs or contact: scholarships@rabbanifoundation.org

Additional Financial Information

Please be aware that this is not a full scholarship and does not cover all the recipient’s expenses in the Netherlands. Students will need to be able to fund their own travel and housing costs, and the remainder of their living costs. Students also must also be able to submit proof of sufficient funds for their student visa/residence permit application in The Netherlands. You can find information on monthly living costs in the Netherlands on the financial matters page of the Leiden University website.

Note: an English test is a prerequisite for admission and the costs for this test must also be covered by the applicant.