Partner Scholarships

• Leiden University.
  • Applicants may choose any one-year Master’s program offered by Leiden University, see their program finder here.
• International Institute for Social Studies (ISS), Erasmus University.
  • Master of Arts (MA) Development Studies.
• KIT Royal Tropical Institute.
  • Master of Science (MSc) in Public Health and Health Equity.

Applicants must:

• Be a national of Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.
• Have an official unconditional acceptance letter from one of the participating partner institutions.
• Apply to a one-year OR the final year of a two-year Master’s.
• Demonstrate a good command of English, or other language of study, as required by the requirements of the intended program.

Our Partner scholarships combine financial support with the wider opportunities of being part of the Lutfia Rabbani Foundation community. 

Scholarship Awards:

• Leiden University: 30.000 euro.   

• Erasmus Institute of Social Sciences (ISS):  Determined on a case by case basis.
• KIT Royal Tropical Institute: Determined on a case by case basis.

In addition, scholarship recipients receive: 

• A dedicated mentorship programme offering personal and professional guidance.   

• Access to the Foundation’s extensive and diverse network, community and platforms.  

• Opportunities to connect with people and initiatives that advance dialogue and understanding between Europe and the Arab World. 

We look for talented and motivated individuals who combine academic excellence with a desire to make a positive contribution beyond their studies. 

Successful candidates demonstrate: 

• Academic excellence.   

• Financial need.   

• A commitment to continued academic and professional development.

• The ambition to use their knowledge and experience to contribute positively within their communities and wider society.   

• Strong motivation in aligned with the Foundation’s mission of promoting Euro-Arab Dialogue and Understanding.  

Please have the following documents ready:   

• Motivation letter in English, maximum two pages;  
• Curriculum Vitae (in English);  
• Colour copy of your valid passport;  
• Copies of degrees or diplomas with academic transcripts, with English translations where necessary;  
• Two signed references from either academic or professional referees, in English;  
• Official letter of acceptance from the Partner University;  
• Official course description of the programme offered by the Partner University;  
• A detailed budget covering tuition fees, living expenses and any other source of funding available to you during the academic year. You must use our  Budget Template.  

Applications for the MSR Scholarship open yearly from the 1st of January until the 31st of March*.  

Applicants can expect to receive the outcome of their application in May.

We strongly encourage applicants to apply to their chosen Partner University as early as possible to ensure that they receive and official acceptance letter before the Foundation’s application deadline.

*Our application deadline of March 31st is a guideline fixed by the Selection Committee of our Board. We are unfortunately not able to be flexible, as a later date would not allow sufficient time for our scholars to apply for visas and make other necessary arrangements to travel to Netherlands.  

• Please note that scholarships cannot be applied to university costs already incurred. Funding is only available for expenses moving forward from the date the scholarship is officially awarded.  

• This scholarship is strictly valid only for the specific programme of study, the academic institution, and the specific academic year for which the application is made.    

• Applications for Universities other than Leiden University, the International Institute of Social Sciences (ISS) for Master of Arts (MA) Development Studies, or KIT Royal Tropical Institute for Master of Science (MSc) in Public Health and Health Equity should be submitted through the MSR Scholarship application portal. 
• Please be aware that this is not a full scholarship and does not cover all study and living expenses. Students are responsible for ensuring that they can demonstrate sufficient financial means to meet the requirements for a student visa and/or residence permit in the Netherlands. 

Once a scholarship has been awarded and accepted, the signed Terms and Conditions form constitutes an agreement between the Lutfia Rabbani Foundation and the scholarship recipient.

Scholars are required to:

• Submit a mid-year academic progress report including grades achieved to date.
• Submit a report reflecting on their scholarship experience within two months of completing their studies. The Foundation reserves the right to edit this report for communication purposes.

For Leiden University: Download the Terms and Conditions here. (link)

For the International Institute of Social Sciences (ISS): Download the Terms and Conditions here. (link)

For KIT Royal Tropical Institute: Download the Terms and Conditions here. (link)