Asia in the World Fellowship 2027/28 in the Netherlands: Fully Funded 9-Month Fellowship

The Asia in the World Fellowship 2027/28 at the International Institute for Asian Studies (IIAS) offers a fully funded opportunity for eligible academic researchers to spend nine months across a partner institution and IIAS at Leiden University in the Netherlands. Learn about eligibility, funding, research areas, application requirements and deadlines.

The Asia in the World Fellowship 2027/28 in the Netherlands is an international research fellowship offered by the International Institute for Asian Studies (IIAS) at Leiden University. The programme is designed for early- to mid-career researchers and knowledge professionals working across the humanities, cultural studies and social sciences, with a particular interest in understanding Asia within wider global contexts.

The fellowship has a distinctive two-phase structure. Fellows spend three months at a co-hosting institution in Asia, Africa, Latin America or Europe before undertaking a six-month residency at IIAS in Leiden, the Netherlands.

For the funded academic category, the programme provides a monthly stipend during the IIAS residency, a housing allowance, travel support and access to research and professional development facilities.

The Asia in the World Fellowship Programme was created by IIAS to move beyond traditional North-South approaches and encourage a more globally connected and multi-centred model of knowledge production.

The programme brings together researchers working on Asian Studies from different geographical and disciplinary perspectives. Instead of limiting the fellowship to a single research location, it combines a period at a partner institution with a subsequent residency at IIAS in Leiden.

According to the programme information, IIAS has redesigned the fellowship to select two cohorts per round, allowing the institute to support a wider community of fellows.

The programme is intended for researchers who want to broaden their perspectives beyond their existing geography, institution or discipline while developing international research collaborations.

Fellowship Structure

The programme consists of two phases.

Phase 1: Three Months at a Co-Host Institution

During the first phase, fellows spend three months at one of IIAS’s partner institutions.

Fellows are expected to participate in the intellectual life of their host institution and give a talk or lecture while engaging with relevant local activities.

The programme currently lists co-hosting institutions across several countries and regions, including Indonesia, Portugal, Brazil, India, Greece, Sweden, Germany, Thailand, Spain, Taiwan, Senegal and Tanzania.

Phase 2: Six Months at IIAS in Leiden

The second phase consists of a six-month residency at IIAS in Leiden, the Netherlands.

During this period, fellows receive access to:

Shared office space
Seminar rooms
Leiden University library resources
A screening room
IIAS academic and community activities
Workshops and professional development activities

Fellows are also expected to participate actively in the intellectual life of IIAS and contribute to activities that connect Asian Studies research with wider academic and public audiences.

Fellowship Cohorts for 2027–2028

The programme lists two cohorts.

Cohort 1: September 2027 to the end of May 2028

Cohort 2: March 2028 to the end of November 2028

The application form describes the second cohort as beginning in March 2028 and ending in November 2028, while the displayed form text contains an inconsistent year in one field. Applicants should rely on the official IIAS timeline when planning their application.

Who Can Apply?

The Asia in the World Fellowship accepts applicants under three categories.

Category A: Academic – Funded

This is the fully funded academic fellowship category.

Applicants must:

Hold a PhD, or be PhD candidates whose defence takes place no later than September 2026
Apply for the fully funded Asia in the World fellowship modality
Have a strong command of English

Category B: Academic – Self-Funded

This category is intended for PhD holders or candidates whose defence takes place no later than September 2026 and who already have confirmed external or personal funding for the entire fellowship period.

Category C: Independent Professional – Self-Funded

This category is open to professionals such as:

Journalists
Writers
Diplomats
Policymakers
Curators
Other professionals with an established track record in their field

Applicants in this category must also have confirmed external or personal funding for the full fellowship period.

Therefore, the programme is not fully funded for all applicants. The comprehensive funding package described below applies specifically to Category A Academic – Funded Fellows.

Research Areas and Project Focus

Proposed research should examine Asia as part of wider global formations.

Applicants may connect their projects to one or more IIAS thematic clusters, including:

Cities and Environment
Politics of Culture
Asia in the World
Africa-Asia Axis of Knowledge
Humanities Across Borders
Knowledge Diplomacy in Action

IIAS particularly encourages interdisciplinary projects and research that connects academic knowledge with non-academic forms of knowledge.

This makes the fellowship potentially relevant to researchers whose work crosses geographical boundaries or combines methods and perspectives from several disciplines.

What Does the Fully Funded Fellowship Cover?

For Category A funded academic fellows, the fellowship provides several forms of financial and institutional support.

Monthly Stipend

Funded fellows receive a gross monthly stipend of €1,250 during the six-month Phase 2 residency in Leiden.

For Phase 1, the stipend is determined and provided by the relevant co-hosting institution, taking local circumstances and applicable practices into account.

IIAS states that the stipend is a contribution toward living expenses rather than a salary or employment income.

Housing Allowance

Funded fellows receive a €1,200 per month housing allowance during Phase 2.

Fellows are responsible for finding and securing accommodation in Leiden or the surrounding area. IIAS can provide information about rental agencies but does not guarantee accommodation.

Travel Grant

The funded category includes a contribution toward travel costs covering:

Travel from the fellow’s country of residence to the co-host institution
Travel from the co-host institution to the Netherlands
Return travel home after completion of the fellowship

Travel must follow IIAS guidelines, and costs outside the approved travel plan will not be reimbursed.

Visa Support

Leiden University acts as the issuing institution for residence permit applications for the Netherlands, subject to the fellow meeting applicable Dutch immigration requirements.

The co-hosting institution provides guidance concerning visa procedures for Phase 1.

Professional Development

Funded fellows gain access to IIAS-organized outings, workshops and enrichment activities throughout the programme.

Research Facilities

Fellows receive access to the IIAS research environment, including office space, seminar rooms, library resources and a screening room.

Support for Self-Funded Fellows

Categories B and C do not receive the funded stipend, housing allowance or travel package described for Category A.

However, self-funded fellows can still benefit from:

Visa support for the Netherlands
Accommodation assistance through IIAS rental information
Access to IIAS office and seminar facilities
Participation in IIAS community activities
Workshops and programme events

Applicants in these categories must demonstrate that external or personal funding is available for the full fellowship period.

Key Fellowship Conditions

Applicants should pay close attention to the programme’s conditions before applying.

All fellows must commit to the full nine-month programme, and early departure is not permitted.

For both funded and self-funded categories, currently employed applicants must obtain official release from their institution for the full period.

Valid health insurance covering the Netherlands is mandatory during the Leiden residency.

The programme also states that IIAS does not fund participation in external conferences, symposia or fieldwork during the fellowship period.

Research outputs produced during the fellowship must acknowledge IIAS and the relevant co-hosting institution.

Applicants are required to read and accept the programme’s full terms and conditions before submission.

Application Period and Selection Timeline

Applications for the 2027 fellowship round are open from:

1 July 2026 to 10 September 2026

The expected timeline is:

Shortlisting notification: By December 2026

Final selection announcement: By March 2027

Applicants selected for the shortlist will be asked to provide two reference letters and participate in an online introductory meeting.

Final placements with co-host institutions are determined by IIAS in consultation with its partner institutions, meaning applicants’ preferred institutions cannot be guaranteed.

Application Requirements

The application requires applicants to provide detailed information about their research project, career trajectory and intended institutional engagement.

Key components include:

Research Project

Applicants must provide:

Research project title
Project description of up to 800 words
State of the art and methodology of up to 500 words
Positioning within their career and broader trajectory of up to 300 words
Work plan of up to 500 words
Expected outcomes of up to 300 words
Language skills and their relevance to the project of up to 300 words

Co-Host Institution Choices

Applicants must select four preferred co-hosting institutions.

They must also explain the rationale for their choices in a response of up to 600 words.

The application asks applicants to explain how their project contributes to understanding Asia in global contexts and to describe projected academic, policy, institutional, cultural and broader public impact.

Career and Institutional Development

Applicants must address:

Contribution to their academic, professional and personal development
Potential collaborations in the Netherlands, Europe and internationally
Why IIAS is appropriate for their research
Activities, projects and networks they intend to engage with at IIAS

Supporting Documents

Applicants should prepare:

Curriculum vitae
List of publications, where applicable
Writing sample or sample publication/video/audio/other material, where applicable

Shortlisted applicants will subsequently be asked to provide two reference letters.

Available Co-Hosting Institutions

The programme has established a geographically diverse network of partner institutions.

Examples include the University of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, the International Research Laboratory Environment, Health, Societies in Dakar, Senegal, the French Institute of Pondicherry in India, Kasetsart University in Thailand, the Max Weber Centre for Advanced Cultural and Social Studies at the University of Erfurt in Germany, and the Max Weber Forum for South Asian Studies in Delhi.

Other partners are located in Indonesia, Brazil, Portugal, Greece, Sweden, Spain and Taiwan.

This structure is one of the fellowship’s distinguishing features because it enables fellows to develop research connections across more than one region rather than remaining at a single host institution.

How to Apply

Interested researchers should complete the official IIAS Asia in the World Fellowship application form during the application window.

Applicants should carefully select their fellowship category, research topic and four preferred co-hosting institutions.

The research proposal should clearly explain the project’s relevance to Asian Studies, its global or comparative dimension, methodology, expected outcomes and potential impact.

Because the programme places strong emphasis on interdisciplinary and international engagement, applications should also demonstrate why the selected co-hosting institutions and IIAS provide an appropriate intellectual environment for the proposed project.

Applicants should ensure that all information submitted is accurate and reflects their own ideas and experiences. The application form specifically requires applicants to confirm that their submission has not been generated entirely or predominantly using AI tools.

Why the Asia in the World Fellowship Matters

The fellowship offers more than a conventional research residency.

Its two-stage structure enables researchers to spend time in two distinct academic environments, creating opportunities for international collaboration, comparative research and broader professional networks.

For funded academic fellows, the combination of a living stipend, housing allowance, travel support, visa assistance and access to Leiden University’s academic environment can make the programme particularly attractive to researchers seeking an extended period dedicated to research and scholarly development.

The programme’s emphasis on Asia within global formations also makes it suitable for researchers whose work crosses regional boundaries and challenges narrowly defined disciplinary or geographical approaches.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Asia in the World Fellowship fully funded?

The fully funded option applies to Category A Academic – Funded Fellows. The programme provides a stipend, housing allowance, travel contribution, visa support and access to research facilities. Categories B and C are self-funded.

How long is the fellowship?

The programme lasts nine months, comprising three months at a co-host institution followed by six months at IIAS in Leiden.

How much is the monthly stipend?

Category A fellows receive €1,250 gross per month during the six-month IIAS residency. Phase 1 support is determined by the co-host institution.

Is accommodation provided?

A €1,200 monthly housing allowance is available to funded fellows during Phase 2, but fellows must arrange their own accommodation.

Who can apply?

The programme accepts academic researchers with a completed PhD or qualifying PhD candidates, as well as self-funded independent professionals such as journalists, writers, diplomats, policymakers and curators.

Where does the fellowship take place?

The first three months take place at a participating co-host institution, followed by six months at IIAS in Leiden, the Netherlands.

What is the application deadline?

The application period closes on 10 September 2026.

Do applicants need to choose a host institution?

Yes. Applicants must select four preferred co-hosting institutions, although final placement is determined by IIAS in consultation with partner institutions.

Final Thoughts

The Asia in the World Fellowship 2027/28 offers an unusual research model that combines international mobility, interdisciplinary scholarship and collaboration across regions.

For eligible Academic – Funded applicants, the programme provides significant financial and institutional support, including a €1,250 monthly stipend during the Leiden residency, €1,200 monthly housing allowance, a travel contribution, visa support and access to IIAS and Leiden University facilities.

The fellowship is particularly suited to researchers whose work connects Asia with wider global questions and who can demonstrate a strong research project, international engagement and potential for collaboration.

With applications running from 1 July to 10 September 2026, prospective applicants should begin preparing their research proposal, CV, publication record and co-hosting preferences well before the deadline.

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