MENA Scholarship Programme (MSP)
Fully funded short courses in the Netherlands for mid-career professionals from MENA countries including Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia.
- Provider
- Nuffic / Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Shiraka)
- Host country
- Netherlands
- Deadline
- Multiple windows per year (see Nuffic calendar)
- Region
- Africa
About this scholarship
Eligibility criteria
Always cross-check eligibility against the sponsor's official site before applying — sponsor rules can change between intakes.
- Nationality of and currently working in one of the MSP-eligible countries (incl. Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Tunisia, Jordan, Lebanon, etc.)
- employer endorsement required
- admission to an eligible Dutch short course.
Required documents
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
- 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
Deadline 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.
Frequently asked questions
Who can apply for the MENA Scholarship Programme (MSP)?+
Applicants must be eligible African nationals applying at the Short course / Professional level, meet the academic and English-language requirements set by Nuffic / Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Shiraka), and be able to relocate to Netherlands for the duration of the programme.
Is the MENA Scholarship Programme (MSP) 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 Multiple windows per year (see Nuffic calendar). 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.