MastersFully Funded

Orange Knowledge Programme (OKP) Individual Scholarships

The Orange Knowledge Programme (OKP) offers fully funded individual scholarships for professionals in specific countries, enabling them to pursue Master’s degrees and short courses at IHE Delft in the Netherlands.

Provider: IHE Delft
Host country: Netherlands
Region: Europe

Official source

Topics

Eligibility & requirements at a glance

Orange Knowledge Programme (OKP) Individual Scholarships is open to African students applying to study in Netherlands at the Masters level, with fully funded funding. Below is a quick summary of who can apply, what's covered, and the key dates — full details are further down the page.

Who can apply: Masters · applicants for Netherlands
Funding: Fully Funded
Study level: Masters
Deadline

Key eligibility criteria

Available for mid-career professionals from eligible OKP countries with relevant work experience. Applicants must meet the admission requirements of IHE Delft and the OKP programme.

What the fully funded award covers

Return airfare
Health insurance
Visa & residence costs

About the Orange Knowledge Programme (OKP) Individual Scholarships (2026)

## Overview The Orange Knowledge Programme (OKP) offers fully funded individual scholarships to professionals from selected countries who are in a position to introduce and apply newly gained knowledge and experience in their employing organization. The scholarships are intended for Master’s programmes and short courses offered by IHE Delft in the Netherlands. The OKP is managed by Nuffic and funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. These scholarships aim to strengthen the knowledge and skills of individuals to enable organizations and communities to develop their capacities. ## Benefits Selected scholarship recipients will receive a comprehensive scholarship covering: * Tuition fees for the chosen Master's programme or short course. * Travel costs to and from the Netherlands. * Living expenses during the study period. * Health insurance. * Visa costs. ## Eligibility To be eligible for an OKP individual scholarship, applicants must meet the following criteria: * Be a national and resident of one of the countries on the OKP Country List. * Be a mid-career professional with at least three years of relevant work experience. * Meet the admission requirements for the specific Master’s programme or short course at IHE Delft. * Not be employed by an organization that has its own means of staff development. * Have a clear motivation for pursuing the chosen programme and the potential to apply the acquired knowledge in their home country. * Have a government statement if required by the employer. ## Required Documents The specific required documents may vary slightly depending on the chosen programme, but generally include: * A valid passport. * An academic transcript and degree certificates. * A motivation letter. * A curriculum vitae (CV). * An employer statement. * Reference letters. * Proof of English language proficiency. ## How to Apply 1. **Check eligibility:** Ensure you meet all the eligibility criteria for the OKP scholarship and the chosen IHE Delft programme. 2. **Choose a programme:** Select a Master’s programme or short course at IHE Delft that aligns with your professional background and career goals. 3. **Apply for admission to IHE Delft:** Submit your application for your chosen programme directly to IHE Delft. You will receive an academic admission letter if you meet the requirements. 4. **Apply for the OKP scholarship:** Once admitted to an IHE Delft programme, you can apply for the OKP scholarship through the Delta platform. Follow the instructions on the Nuffic website and IHE Delft’s scholarship page. 5. **Submit all required documents:** Ensure all necessary documents are submitted by the deadline. ## Key Dates The application period for OKP scholarships typically opens twice a year. Specific deadlines are announced on the official Nuffic and IHE Delft websites. Applicants are advised to regularly check these sites for the most up-to-date information. While specific deadlines for the current year are not provided on the provided page, past rounds have typically had application windows in early spring and late summer/early autumn. ## Selection Criteria Selection for the OKP scholarship is highly competitive and based on several factors, including: * The applicant's professional background and work experience. * The relevance of the chosen study programme to the development needs of the applicant's home country. * The applicant's motivation and potential to contribute to their organization and country upon return. * Academic merit and English language proficiency. * Priority is given to applicants from specific focus areas and countries as defined by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. ## Tips * Start your application early to allow ample time for gathering documents and meeting deadlines. * Thoroughly research the chosen IHE Delft programme to ensure it aligns with your career aspirations. * Clearly articulate your motivation and how the scholarship will benefit your professional development and your country. * Ensure your employer statement strongly supports your application and outlines how your newly acquired knowledge will be utilized. * Carefully review all application guidelines and requirements on both the IHE Delft and Nuffic websites. ## Official Source For the most accurate and up-to-date information, please refer to the official IHE Delft Orange Knowledge Programme page: [https://www.un-ihe.org/orange-knowledge-programme-individual-scholarships](https://www.un-ihe.org/orange-knowledge-programme-individual-scholarships)

What the Fully Funded Orange Knowledge Programme (OKP) Individual Scholarships covers

The award components below were extracted from the sponsor's published description. Always cross-check the exact figures, ceiling amounts and conditions on the official site before you budget around them.

Return airfare
Health insurance
Visa & residence costs

Orange Knowledge Programme (OKP) Individual Scholarships eligibility for Netherlands applicants

Always cross-check eligibility against the sponsor's official site before applying — sponsor rules can change between intakes.

Available for mid-career professionals from eligible OKP countries with relevant work experience. Applicants must meet the admission requirements of IHE Delft and the OKP programme.

Documents required for the Orange Knowledge Programme (OKP) Individual Scholarships application

A planning baseline drawn from how 90%+ of African scholarship sponsors structure their checklist. The sponsor's portal is the source of truth for any single application.

Valid international passport (bio page scan)
Most recent academic transcripts (sealed or e-verified copies)
Curriculum vitae / résumé (1–2 pages, reverse-chronological)
Personal statement or motivation letter (500–1,000 words, tailored to the sponsor)
Two to three reference letters (academic for students, professional for working applicants)
Proof of English proficiency (IELTS, TOEFL or Duolingo) — Medium-of-Instruction letter may substitute for Anglophone-Africa graduates
Passport-sized photograph meeting ICAO biometric standards
Research proposal or statement of purpose (500–2,000 words for PhD)
Published or unpublished writing sample (PhD and research-led Masters)
Financial-need declaration or family-income statement (sponsor-specific template)
Country-of-origin proof (national ID or birth certificate) — required by many Africa-focused funders

How to apply for the Orange Knowledge Programme (OKP) Individual Scholarships 2026

A practical, sponsor-agnostic sequence used by >95% of international scholarship applicants. Adapt to the sponsor's specific portal — the order rarely changes.

1
Confirm eligibility on the official site
Open https://www.un-ihe.org/orange-knowledge-programme-individual-scholarships and verify the sponsor's stated criteria match your profile — currently: "Available for mid-career professionals from eligible OKP countries with relevant work experience. Applicants must meet the admission requirements of IHE Delft and the OKP programme.". Sponsor rules change between intakes, so always confirm against the live call.
2
Secure a study place or admission offer
Apply to the host university or programme first where required, and obtain a conditional admission letter. A growing number of sponsors only fund applicants who already hold an offer.
3
Sit required tests and gather documents
Register for IELTS / TOEFL / Duolingo (or SAT / GRE where required), request official transcripts, brief two or three referees, and prepare passport and identity documents at high resolution.
4
Draft your essays and statements
Write a 500–1,000-word personal statement and any additional essays the sponsor specifies. Anchor each essay in concrete examples and tie your goals back to the sponsor's mission.
5
Complete the online application
Create an account on https://www.un-ihe.org/orange-knowledge-programme-individual-scholarships, fill in every field, and upload the required documents in the formats specified (PDF, max file size, single-file vs multi-file). Save progress frequently — most portals time out after 30–60 minutes.
6
Submit at least one week before the deadline
Sponsor portals routinely slow or fail in the final 24 hours. Submit early, download the confirmation receipt, and screenshot the submission timestamp. Late submissions are not accepted under any circumstances.
7
Prepare for shortlist interviews
If shortlisted, IHE Delft will contact you within 4–12 weeks. Re-read your essays, rehearse 3–5 likely questions out loud, and confirm your time zone for any video interview.

Orange Knowledge Programme (OKP) Individual Scholarships deadline & application timeline

The sponsor has not published a fixed deadline yet. Use the milestones below as a generic 12-month plan; substitute dates once the intake window opens.

12 months out
Register for tests (IELTS/TOEFL/SAT/GRE), shortlist 3–5 universities, identify referees.
6 months out
Sit your tests, draft a personal statement, request transcripts and confirm reference letters.
3 months out
Finalise essays, upload supporting documents, complete the online application portal.
1 month out
Final review, double-check uploaded files, submit a week before the deadline to avoid portal issues.
Application deadline
Submit by 23:59 in the sponsor's stated time zone — usually local to the sponsor, not your country.

Ready to apply?

Cross-check the latest eligibility rules and deadline on the sponsor's official portal before you start your application.

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Frequently asked questions

Who can apply for the Orange Knowledge Programme (OKP) Individual Scholarships?+

Applicants must be eligible African nationals applying at the Masters level, meet the academic and English-language requirements set by IHE Delft, and be able to relocate to Netherlands for the duration of the programme.

Is the Orange Knowledge Programme (OKP) Individual Scholarships fully funded?+

Funding model: Fully Funded. Where listed as fully funded, the award typically covers tuition, monthly stipend, health insurance and round-trip airfare. Always confirm the latest funding breakdown on the sponsor's official page.

When is the application deadline?+

The application deadline is . Submit at least one week early — sponsor portals frequently slow or fail in the final 24 hours, and late submissions are not accepted under any circumstances.

What documents do I need to apply?+

At minimum: passport bio page, academic transcripts, CV, personal statement, two to three references, and an English-language test score (IELTS, TOEFL or Duolingo). Research-led Masters and PhD applications also require a research proposal and a writing sample.

How can I improve my chance of winning?+

Apply early, tailor every essay to the specific sponsor (do not recycle a generic statement), secure at least one reference who knows your work in detail, and apply to two or three additional scholarships in parallel — never rely on a single application.

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